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Maldives President sacks reformists after starting sixth term
Male, Nov 12: Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has sacked his reformist attorney general and a government minister a day after beginning his record sixth term in office, state-run media reported today.
Male, Nov 12: Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has sacked his reformist attorney general and a government minister a day after beginning his record sixth
term in office, state-run media reported today.
The report gave no reason for the sackings of Attorney General Mohamed Munavvar and National Development Minister Ibrahim Hussain Zaki.
Gayoom, 65, Asia's longest-serving leader, has been in power since 1978. He won another five-year term in an October 17 referendum in which he was the only candidate.
Critics attributed the sackings to Gayoom's displeasure over reports that Munavvar and Zaki had backed reformists in an unsuccessful move toward registering of a political party in the Maldives.
Gayoom does not allow opposition parties.
The sacked minister, Zaki, was once secretary-general of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation, a group promoting economic ties between India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bureau Report
Gayoom, 65, Asia's longest-serving leader, has been in power since 1978. He won another five-year term in an October 17 referendum in which he was the only candidate.
Critics attributed the sackings to Gayoom's displeasure over reports that Munavvar and Zaki had backed reformists in an unsuccessful move toward registering of a political party in the Maldives.
Gayoom does not allow opposition parties.
The sacked minister, Zaki, was once secretary-general of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation, a group promoting economic ties between India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bureau Report