This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/world/asia/maldives-political-turmoil.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Maldives Police Clash With Protesters Amid Political Turmoil Protesters Clash With Police in Maldives
(about 5 hours later)
NEW DELHI — The police clashed with protesters early on Monday in the tiny Indian Ocean nation of Maldives, amid deepening political turmoil after a third attempt to hold presidential elections was thrown off course by a court order. NEW DELHI — Political turmoil deepened in the Maldives on Monday as the police clashed with protesters after a third attempt to hold a presidential election was thrown off course by a court order.
Late on Sunday night, the sitting president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, announced that he would not end his term at midnight, the date specified in the country’s constitution. He said he would instead remain in power until Nov. 16, the Supreme Court’s proposed date for a runoff between the two leading candidates. The sitting president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, announced late Sunday that he would not leave office at midnight, when his term was to end under the country’s Constitution. He said that since no one had yet been elected to succeed him, he would stay on until Nov. 16, the Supreme Court’s proposed date for a runoff between the two leading candidates.
“The Supreme Court has decided the government will continue instead of going into a constitutional void,” Mr. Hassan said, according to Reuters. Hundreds of opposition supporters had massed on the street ahead of his announcement, calling on Mr. Hassan to leave the presidency, and police forces in riot gear used pepper spray and batons to disperse the crowd, witnesses said. “The Supreme Court has decided the government will continue, instead of going into a constitutional void,” Mr. Hassan said, according to Reuters.
Voters went to the polls on Saturday, and many hoped to end a deadlock between factions within the government: forces loyal to Mohamed Nasheed, who was elected president in 2008; and those of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country for the previous 30 years. Hundreds of opposition supporters had gathered on the street before his announcement, calling on him to step down, and members of the security forces in riot gear used pepper spray and batons to disperse the crowd, witnesses said.
Mr. Nasheed won 47 percent — a commanding lead over his closest rival, Mr. Gayoom’s brother, but not enough to avoid a runoff, originally scheduled for Sunday. The Sunday vote was delayed at the last minute by the country’s Supreme Court, which is widely seen as loyal to Mr. Gayoom. Voters in the Maldives, a chain of islands in the Indian Ocean southwest of India, went to the polls on Saturday hoping to end a deadlock between two political factions: backers of Mohamed Nasheed, who was elected president in 2008; and those of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country for the previous 30 years.
Alok Bansal, an expert on the region, said the delays and postponements have aimed “to stall Nasheed’s coming to power,” so that Mr. Gayoom’s allies could guarantee victory in the upcoming runoff. He said the crisis would not be resolved without “an honest mediator.” Mr. Nasheed won 47 percent of the vote, giving him a wide lead over his closest rival, Mr. Gayoom’s brother, but not enough votes to avoid a runoff. That vote was originally scheduled for Sunday, but it was delayed at the last minute by the Supreme Court, which is widely seen as loyal to Mr. Gayoom.
“All the institutions are divided, the judiciary has taken a hard-line stance,” said Mr. Bansal, executive director of the South Asian Institute for Strategic Affairs. “A free and fair election may not be feasible.” Alok Bansal, an expert on the region, said the delays and postponements had aimed “to stall Nasheed’s coming to power,” so that Mr. Gayoom’s allies could prevail in the runoff. He said the crisis would not be resolved without “an honest mediator.”
Mr. Hassan’s announcement that he would remain in his post angered many of Mr. Nasheed’s supporters, who believed the Nov. 11 constitutional deadline would impose pressure on the government to transfer power. Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, a spokesman for Mr. Nasheed’s party, said he had watched a crowd in the hundreds assemble outside the Parliament building, restrained by police in heavy riot gear. “All the institutions are divided; the judiciary has taken a hard-line stance,” said Mr. Bansal, who is executive director of the South Asian Institute for Strategic Affairs. “A free and fair election may not be feasible.”
Mr. Hassan’s announcement that he would stay on angered many of Mr. Nasheed’s supporters. Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, a spokesman for Mr. Nasheed’s party, said he had watched a crowd in the hundreds assemble outside the Parliament building.
“People were very shocked, because everybody thought he was going to resign,” he said. “This is another very important landmark that they have crossed.”“People were very shocked, because everybody thought he was going to resign,” he said. “This is another very important landmark that they have crossed.”
The speaker of Parliament, Abdulla Shahid, announced Monday that Mr. Hassan’s presidency “cannot be extended” by the Supreme Court’s authority and that he was no longer in office. The speaker of Parliament, Abdulla Shahid, said Monday that Mr. Hassan’s presidency “cannot be extended” by the Supreme Court’s authority.
Mr. Nasheed won 45 percent of the vote in a September election, but the results were scuttled by a Supreme Court ruling after one of his rivals complained of electoral violations. A second attempt to hold elections in October was also derailed when police surrounded the election commission’s headquarters. They explained that they were carrying out a court order, since all the candidates had not approved the voter rolls. Mr. Nasheed won 45 percent of the vote in a September election, but the results were scuttled by a Supreme Court ruling after one of his rivals complained of electoral violations. A second attempt to hold elections in October was also derailed when the police surrounded the election commission’s headquarters. They said they were carrying out a court order, since all the candidates had not approved the voter rolls.