Troubled Maldives holds make-or-break presidential vote

MALÉ, Maldives – Voting got underway in the Maldives on Saturday as the country made its third bid to choose a president and end unrest sparked by the toppling of its first freely elected leader 21 months ago.

Men and women queued even before polling booths opened in the Indian Ocean nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands sprinkled across the equator, officials said.

“Voting began at 475 polling booths across the Maldives and several foreign capitals where Maldivians live,” Elections Commission official Aishath Reema told the Agence France-Presse.

Results are expected Sunday and if none of the 3 candidates get over 50 percent, a run-off is due on the same day.

The archipelago, whose turquoise seas and white beaches have long been a draw for foreigners, has been the focus of intense diplomatic pressure since judges annulled results of a September 7 vote.

When new polls were scuppered 6 weeks later, suspicions grew that authorities were determined to prevent opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed from returning to power at any price.

The 46-year-old – a one-time political prisoner and environmental activist – won the first multi-party elections in 2008, ending 30 years of iron-fisted rule by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

But after clashing with key institutions, including the judiciary and security forces, he was forced to resign in February 2012 in what he called a “coup”.

Nasheed is expected to emerge victorious after securing a clear lead over his two challengers in the September 7 vote, even though he fell just short of the absolute majority needed to win in the first round.

The Supreme Court annulled the September results on grounds that voter lists were flawed, even though the outcome was given the all-clear by international observers.

Nasheed’s two challengers – Gayoom’s half brother Abdulla Yameen and business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim – thwarted the rescheduled vote on October 19 by refusing to endorse an updated electoral roll.

Under the terms of the constitution, a new president must be sworn in by November 11.

Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) accused unidentified attackers of trying to firebomb his house Friday night, but said the attempt failed because of rain.

“We’re very concerned about attempts at intimidation. We also have concerns about the conduct of the elections,” PPM leader and youth minister Mohamed Shareef told AFP.

He said his party supported the elections, but predicted legal challenges after Saturday’s vote.

“Given the high stakes involved, irrespective of who wins, there will be a lot of anger, frustration and finger pointing,” Shareef said. “I hope it will not lead to violence.”

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said they expected their leader Nasheed to win a clear majority in Saturday’s vote, eliminating the need for a runoff.

“We are confident we will win in the first round itself,” MDP Youth leader Shauna Aminath told the Agence France-Presse.

Nasheed’s hopes have been boosted by outgoing President Mohamed Waheed’s decision not to stand after he won just five percent of the votes in September.

Nasheed fell out with his one-time vice-president after being succeeded by Waheed in February 2012.

But following Waheed’s decision to exit the race, the party backing him joined Nasheed.

A host of Western diplomats have flown from their Sri Lankan base to ensure there are no last-minute hitches, with the US leading pressure on the Sunni Muslin nation of 350,000 to avoid a constitutional crisis.

During his rule, Gayoom packed the judiciary and security forces with his supporters. There are suspicions they still want to thwart Nasheed.

“Even if Nasheed wins over the weekend, I still have doubts he will be allowed to take power,” a Colombo-based European diplomat told the Agence France-Presse.

Nasheed is hoping anger against his rivals for blocking the previous votes will increase his tally among the 239,000-strong electorate.

In his final campaign speech, Nasheed eyed a clear victory.

“God willing, we will win this election in one round,” he said.

Tourism, the nation’s lifeblood, has remained sluggish since Nasheed’s downfall.

He resigned on February 7, 2012 in the aftermath of a police mutiny. He later claimed he and his family had been threatened with violence. – Rappler.com