Democracy live and kicking in Maldives: Nasheed´s party looses

While stunt master Nasheed is enjoying  Hollywood  hospitability in the US, democracy  is working  well  in his home country

“What I would like to do initially is have democracy back in the Maldives”

Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives (New York, March 29, 2012)




While the international master of global warming stunts has been enjoying first class hospitability during the promotional tour of the global warming documentary propaganda film "The Island President", democracy is working well in his home country: 

President Mohamed Waheed of the Maldives, accused of seizing power in a military-backed coup, successfully faced down his first popularity test Saturday with his favourites winning two by-elections.

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Government-backed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Ahmed Shareef won Thimarafushi constituency with 1,755 votes while former president Mohamed Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) got only 1,327.

In Kaashidhoo, the Jumhoory Party candidate who was supported by Waheed won with 1,107 votes while the MDP candidate managed only 784.

The election was for two seats in the 77-member People's Majlis.

More than 85 percent of the 6,000 electorate turned out to vote, official results showed. The voting was peaceful, elections commission spokesman Mohamed Tholal said.

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Former president Nasheed, who stepped down in February, has claimed that he was forced to resign following a military coup which was backed by his then deputy, Waheed, who went on to succeed him.

Waheed has denied allegations that he was involved in any coup and has ordered a government investigation into Nasheed's controversial exit from office.

Colombo-based diplomats, who are also accredited to Male, said Saturday's vote was a crucial test for Waheed who has promised early presidential elections to end a political crisis after Nasheed's resignation.

In New York Nasheed also complained that the current government has not yet addressed climate change:

Nasheed expressed concern that without a strong platform on the issue the Maldives would disappear from international awareness.

This is probably the only correct global warming statement  "the island president" has ever made. Indeed, without Nasheed´s global warming stunts the Maldives will, quite rightly, finally disappear from "international (climate change) awareness" - and continue to be a popular tourist destination. 

(image wikipedia)