Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) – a brief profile
Mohamed Nasheed (Anni)
Chair Person of Maldives Democratic Party (MDP)
"We will establish pluralistic democracy in the Maldives. The people of Maldives deserve better and Maldivian Democratic Party is determined to achieving its objectives" - Anni
Mohamed Nasheed famous as Anni, is the chairman of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Also Anni is one of the founder members of the Maldivian Democratic Party. He is as no person would doubt one of the most vocal critics of the government of the Maldives or perhaps better to say the government of Maumoon Abdul Gayyom. As he is now he in the past also was a significant politician. In 1999 he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Male’.
Until recent he lived in UK under granted political asylum of the UK. After the tear shedding events of September 2003 Anni worked as he is still working to make people aware of and to establish a democratic government in the Maldives. Despite the fact that he new and understood that the government of Gayyom is a threat to him, he decided to come to Maldives. After his return, and due to his courageous work, government had to allow political party system in the Maldives.
However while his work was at a “peak” and due to the fact that Gayyom could not withstand his critics Anni was arrested while sitting at the Republican Square (Jumhooree Maidhaan) on the August 12 th 2005. At first the government spokes person Mundhood (famous as Boh Mundh) told Reuters that Anni was arrested for his own safety. However about ten days later he was charged for terrorism.
This in fact is not the first time he was arrested. After completing a Bachelor or Science degree in Maritime Law from the University of Liverpool, UK he returned to Maldives in 1989. After his return he was a senior writer of the famous Sangu Magazine. After Sangu was banned in 1990 he was arrested for 18monhs and later served an additional 9 months as part of the 2 year 6 months sentence for his involvement in Sangu.
Anni was also arrested and sentenced for 2 years and 6 months for sedition as a result of writing an article about Elections in the Maldives in Inter Press Services (IPS). On this occasion he served 9 months in jail.
He was also arrested for a third time, while he was acting as the Member of Parliament for Male’. When he was in his post, he did not act as a rubber stamp. Instead he at that time also tried utmost to protect the citizens. He works for the citizens who elected him as the Member of Parliament. Due to this reason he had to criticize the government. He had to let the people know the wrongs in the government and also he had to ask the government to change those wrongs. However instead of bringing a change the government started to find a way to “throw Anni away”.
And to the amazement of a lot, he was charged with theft and sentenced to 2 years 6 months in jail. According to Anni all he took were certain items from rubbish at the demolition site of Velaanaage. He was charged for taking 40 items that were government properties.
