Maldives's Nasheed expresses worries over extremist elements, Chinese debt

In his first television interview since the assassination attempt on him, Mohamed Nasheed, the current speaker of the Maldives Parliament (People's Majlis) has expressed worries over the extremist elements in his country. Speaking from London to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Nasheed said, "our politicians, the liberal-minded politicians must come together, must sit down, and must work together so that we have a platform that is more liberal in its outlook."

During the assassination attempt, which was a terror attack he had suffered multiple injuries. The person who detonated the bomb was arrested. Nasheed has been in the past the country's President and currently also the President of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Asked about the ideological difference between him and President Solih, he said, "Our party will remain united, I cannot see any harm or any serious split between me and the President."

He reiterated the 'India first policy' called for all political parties including the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives to understand that "we must work together with our long time neighbor India and that we should have a special relation with India". Nasheed expressed worries over Chinese debt, explaining, "We call upon China to restructure the debt and it still hasn't happened", adding, "it will be going to be very difficult to pay back the money" to Beijing.

Q: How have you been doing now? How are you recovering in the backdrop of the terror attack on you? The assassination attempt happened earlier this year. 

Mohamed Nasheed: Yes, it is my first television interview and I thank, everyone who has been so kind to me after the assassination attempt. The Indian authorities, foreign secretary, speaker of the parliament, the high commissioner to the Maldives, everyone has been so kind to me after the attempt. The govt of Maldives is investigating the matter but unfortunately, they have not been able to get to the bottom of the issue. They have not been able to identify the schemers and the funders. He was captured on CCTV camera, therefore the man who detonated the bomb was captured on camera. So he and 4 other associates are in prison now.

Q: There was an assassination attempt against you. Who do you think is responsible for it?

Mohamed Nasheed: The person who is under arrest and the 4 associates are linked to extremist Islamic ideology, especially that of the Islamic State (ISIS). They have conducted such attacks in the Maldives, people of that ideology have, but not through a remove device detonation as it was attempted on me. But there have been previously 3 murders that have the same pattern, it is very very serious, it is very unfortunate. 

Q: How do you see the issue of radicalization, of terrorism. Any plan especially by you in dealing with this issue deradicalization? A number of people from the Maldives have been to Syria and other places.

Mohamed Nasheed: That is true. A fair amount of Maldivians did travel to fight the war in Syria and other places. At the same time, we must understand, the vast majority of people of Maldives are progressive and liberal-minded people. The elections, 3 Presidential elections, 4 Parliamentary elections, 3 local council elections conducted after the 2008 constitution, all suggest that extremist views have no place in the Maldives. None of the extremist conservative parties has never won seats in the Parliament, neither in the local council elections. But because of the progressive elements of the majority, with our party on the one side and those against us on the other side, because that is divided, whenever we come to power, when we come to government, we have been always able to do with the extremist supporting us, with the conservative elements supporting us. That has been the case when President Yameen came to govt, that was the case when I came to government in 2008, and unfortunately, that is the case even now. So I think, our politicians, the liberal-minded politicians must come together, must sit down, and must work together so that we have a platform that is more liberal in its outlook. So politics has to realign.

Q: Politics has to realign, gives a broader picture. Anything on practical terms that can be done on dealing with the issue of de radicalization. Perhaps, deradicalization centers. 

Mohamed Nasheed: Well, we have spoken about these things for a very very very long time but my understanding is for such constructive work to happen. Politics has to align first. We cannot go ahead with such a programme, while elements with let us say within the home ministry, police or the army, customs, education ministry--extremist elements within these institutions. First, we need to reform these institutions and make sure that there is no deep state working within the state of the Maldives.  

Q:  How do you see India's role in helping deal with the issue of radicalization, in terms of capacity building, etc?

Mohamed Nasheed: There is a lot that New Delhi can do and then they are doing a lot. Capacity building within the police, the military, education system. Even as I speak, going on. There is also time for the establishment in New Delhi to see a wider picture and to understand how, again and again, I say--politics can be realigned. How progressive forces can come to a single platform, single idea and win government accordingly. No to win government through alliances that have a rouge ideology. 

Q: What specifically you have done to deal with china not increasing its influence. This given the past, under former President Abdulla Yameen, there was increased Chinese influence in the country. You have been very vocal about dealing with China. Anything specific you have done?

Mohamed Nasheed: One of the things we went into was to reassess the nation's debt. The Parliament has worked very hard in assessing how much we are in debt to different Chinese companies, different Chinese banks and also the Chinese state. We call upon China to restructure the debt and it still hasn't happened and again and again if China wants to collect money from the Maldives, the huge amounts which we are having to pay them. And again with the difficulties presently we have, not only because of the covid. But also, the projects we spent money on were not financially viable. So it will be going to be very difficult to pay back the money. I think, all our political parties including the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), must again come down to the same platform where we understand diplomatic relations and where we understand that we must work together with our long time neighbor India and that we should have a special relation with India and we should have India first foreign policy. I believe it is possible for us to have an all-party understanding on these issues. I think I will be working very hard, to see that the opposition also understands that we need to have all-party dialogue and all-party understanding on foreign policy, especially on our relations with India. 

Q: Let's talk about domestic politics, it looks like a political separation and ideological difference has happened between you and President Solih. Do u think the divide can impact party unity and if the unity of the party is impacted, there can be cracks, cracks that can be used by even China?

Mohamed Nasheed: You see, you can never impose unity on anyone. And wishful thinking cannot lead us to stability either. Our party will remain united, I cannot see any harm or any serious split between me and the President. Of course, we have an ideological difference now, I believe that the President must revert back to the core issues we believe in, which is a moderate version of Islam, and not to pander to extremist views. Yes, that can for a short while bring us political support and I don't think in the long and medium-term that is going to lead us to any stability.  

Q: Recently we saw elections in your country, the Malé council election which your party lost and the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) won. Any specific reason for the loss?

Mohamed Nasheed: When you depart from our core values, and when you appease minority views, then the wider public understands that. Why we lost local council elections, it is because, the MDP voters, our own voters did not turn up. They felt that their core beliefs and ideas were ignored and that the government was pandering to minority views. They were not very happy about that, they wanted to especially in Male, they wanted to give a clear message to the leadership. I believe that government must correct its course quickly. 

Q: Will you be keen to stand for the next elections, the presidential elections in the Maldives?

Mohamed Nasheed: I have always been saying, I haven't retired and I am available. I will make myself available for all elections. 

Q: Politics sees many changes, will u ever join hands with PPM? or that remain an anathema or no-go area. 

Mohamed Nasheed: There is confusion here. I am seriously calling upon the opposition, to please look at what is happening in the country. You have won elections once, and they did it with extremist elements within the government. We have won twice and we did exactly the same thing. Pandering to these ideas means letting extremism creep into our country. That is not in our interest and I don't believe that the good people of the PPM, neither solid supporters of the MDP would like that. So I am willing to work with the PPM , that doesn't necessarily mean I am willing to work with anyone in the PPM. I am suggesting that I am willing to work with people who are willing to come to a singular understanding on where we want our country to go. We do not want our country to become another Afghanistan. We do not want our country to fail. We want the prosperous Maldives. Our people want to have a good life and we want to give them a good life. 

Q: Hopefully, we will see you soon in Delhi. It has been a long time. 

Mohamed Nasheed: I know it has been a long time. The Pandemic hasn't been an easy period. Travel has been extremely difficult. As soon as I am better and able to recover, which I am recovering now, I will soon be in Delhi and I would love to do that.