Nasheed`s party collecting evidence of coup

The Maldivian Democratic Party of ex-President Mohamad Nasheed is gathering all evidence to prove a coup took place.

Male: Ahead of a visit of the Commonwealth
ministerial mission, the Maldivian Democratic Party of former
President Mohamad Nasheed is gathering all evidence including
photos and video to prove a "coup" took place.

A Commonwealth delegation is scheduled to come tomorrow
to "ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power"
here in the city that had witnessed large scale violence last
week after Nasheed resigned.

Sources in the party also released a video alleging that
a gun was also used when police stormed the office of the
MNBC, state TV.

The video shows police personnel using tear gas shells
and unlocking the main gates of the building.
MDP claims that they had laid siege to hours before
Nasheed resigned.

However, at a closer look at the video and pictures, the
weapon that was fired once seems to be a tear gas gun given
that the barrel looked bigger.

However, MDP insists Maldivian Police are not authorised
to fire tear gas from guns and are only allowed to throw them.
Meanwhile, Maldives new government today welcomed a
Commonwealth ministerial mission to "ascertain the facts
surrounding the transfer of power."

"We welcome the decision. We are completly transparent.
We have already said that we would welcome any independent
probe into the turn of events," Masood Imad, Press Secretary
to President Mohamed Waheed Hassan said.

He said he would welcome a probe by India also but he
feels that New Delhi understands how the events turned here.
"We don`t want to jeopardise any probe. When the
President stepped down, under the constitution, the Vice
President steps up," he said.

Imad asserted that there was no coup. "The Vice President
was not an outsider. We were not political opponents".

The nine-member Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group
(CMAG), which deals with serious violations of the 54-nation
bloc`s political values, decided on the mission after an
emergency telephone conference on Sunday.

The Commonwealth Secretariat said the action would
"ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power, and to
promote adherence to Commonwealth values and principles".

PTI

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