Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 6 February 2018

Maldives declares emergency, soldiers reportedly storm court

By M. SHARUHAAN building or Gayoom's arrest
MALE, Maldives (AP) — The but the president's main ri-
Maldives government de- val, who lives in exile, urged
clared a 15-day state of people not to obey what
emergency Monday as the he called an "unlawful or-
political crisis deepened in der."
the Indian Ocean nation "This declaration is uncon-
amid an increasingly bit- stitutional and illegal," for-
ter standoff between the mer President Mohamed
president and the Supreme Nasheed, the country's first
Court. Hours after the emer- democratically elected
gency was declared, sol- leader, said in a statement.
diers forced their way into Nasheed was one of the
the Supreme Court build- opposition leaders that the
ing, where the judges were court ordered freed.
believed to be taking shel- In a statement issued af-
ter, said Ahmed Maloof, an ter the state of emergen-
opposition member of Par- cy was announced on
liament. state television, Yameen
Soon after that, security said that "during this time
forces arrested opposition though certain rights will be
leader Maumoon Abdul restricted, general move-
Gayoom on charges that ments, services and busi-
include bribery and at- Maldivian opposition supporters shout slogans during a protest as they the urge the government nesses will not be affected."
to obey a Supreme Court order to release and retry political prisoners, including an ex-president
tempting to overthrow the in Male, Maldives. Placards in Divehi language from left, to right, read, "protect the citizens , carry Yameen, in a letter to the
government, his lawyer, out the supreme court's order, free political prisoners and to uphold justice". court released by his office
Maumoon Hameed, said (AP Photo/ Mohamed Sharuhaan) earlier Monday, said the
on Twitter. Gayoom was order had encroached on
the archipelago nation's The United States strong- Gayoom has "systematical- army, and police to comply the powers of the state and
president from 1978 to 2008 ly criticized the decree, ly alienated his coalition, with the rule of law, and for was an “infringement of
and is the half brother of which State Department jailed or exiled every major the constitutional rights of national security and pub-
the Maldives' current presi- spokeswoman Heather opposition political figure" Maldivians to be restored. lic interest.”
dent. Nauert said also imposes since his election in 2013, The government did not He urged the court to “re-
A surprise Supreme Court travel restrictions. Nauert said. immediately comment on view the concerns” of the
ruling last week ordering President Yameen Abdul She called on Yameen, the soldiers going inside the government. q
the release of imprisoned
to growing turmoil, with US diplomat pitches arms sales in China's backyard
opposition leaders has led
President Yameen Abdul By GERRY SHIH fighter jet, Ambassador other of stoking a danger- maritime claims, was an "in-
Gayoom lashing out at the BEIJING (AP) — The top Tina Kaidanow told report- ous military buildup while credible positive."
court, opposition protests U.S. diplomat overseeing ers in a telephone briefing. vying for influence. "They will be able to use
spilling into the streets of arms sales said Monday She repeatedly sought to Washington has been seek- our equipment for maritime
the capital, Male, and sol- she would be promot- dispel the notion that U.S. ing to woo countries like domain awareness, for
diers in riot gear deployed ing American weaponry influence was in retreat. Vietnam, a former foe, with maritime security ... that's
to the parliament building at the largest air show in The Trump administration in arms sales and transfers at important for them," said
to stop lawmakers from Asia, where China's military December outlined a new a time when China has bol- Kaidanow, who visited Ha-
meeting. footprint and political influ- national security strategy stered its territorial claims in noi last week shortly after
The emergency decree ence are surging. A large that placed an emphasis the South China Sea with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim
gives the government U.S. delegation at the Sin- on countering China's rise. extensive construction proj- Mattis, on a visit to Viet-
sweeping powers to make gapore Air Show is doing The strategy calls for rein- ects on man-made islands. nam, announced plans to
arrests, search and seize "everything we can" to en- forcing the U.S. presence Kaidanow said the transfer send an aircraft carrier to
property and restricts free- courage Southeast Asian in the Indo-Pacific region, last year of a coast guard the country in a show of
dom of assembly, officials governments to purchase where Beijing and Wash- cutter to Vietnam, which solidarity. q
said. U.S.-made arms like the F-35 ington have accused each often contests China's