US, UN express concern on sacking of Maldivian election chief

Washington/United Nations: The US and the UN have expressed concern over the sacking of the Maldives` election commissioner by the country`s supreme court with Washington questioning the government`s commitment to democracy. "The US government strongly objects to the recent actions of the Maldivian Supreme Court, including trying and convicting members of the election commission, ordering the dismissal of the chair and vice chair of the commission from their positions, and sentencing the chair of the electoral commission to six months in prison," state department spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

The court sacked election commissioner Fuwad Thowfeek and gave him a suspended six-month jail term for contempt of court and also dismissed his deputy Ahmed Fayaz. They were fired on Sunday after the judiciary and the election commission sparred for months over the apex court`s actions in last year`s presidential election in which Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, a brother of the island nation`s former dictator, was elected. "These actions represent an unprecedented expansion of judicial powers which undermines an independent democratic institution that has made laudable efforts to hold multiple successful elections despite previous judicial interference," she said. The supreme court`s insistence on holding parliamentary elections on March 22 while imprisoning the very official responsible for holding those elections calls into serious question the government`s commitment to democracy, Psaki said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also said he was concerned about the situation in the Indian Ocean archipelago. "The Secretary-General underlines the importance of respect for the principle of separation of powers, the rule of law, and the independence of constitutionally established bodies," Ban said in a statement yesterday. Ban commended the election commission for its "professionalism and tireless" efforts to ensure credible and transparent elections, the statement said. Further, the UN chief urged all political leaders to respect the democratic process and allow for a peaceful, inclusive and credible parliamentary vote to take place in accordance with the constitution. "It is of utmost importance that the will of the Maldivian people be respected throughout the process," he said. The mid-November poll last year, in which Gayoom narrowly defeated former president Mohamed Nasheed, brought to a close a process that began with the first vote on September 7, which was later annulled by the supreme court amid allegations of electoral fraud. A re-run planned for October 19 was further delayed, before finally being held on November 9.