Sanctions loom as Maldives toppled Yameen fights back

COLOMBO: The Supreme Court of the Maldives is to decide yesterday on President Abdulla Yameen’s petition to overturn his defeat in last month’s election, a move that could bring international sanctions, reports AFP.

The tiny Indian Ocean archipelago, which straddles the main east-west international shipping lanes, has seen political tensions escalate as Yameen jailed or exiled all his main opponents during his five-year rule.

After initially conceding defeat in the September 23 presidential election, Yameen mounted a challenge on Thursday asking the Supreme Court to annul the results and call a fresh vote. Despite opposition fears of rigging in favour of Yameen who has ruled with an iron fist since 2013, the election was endorsed by the international community as free and fair.

Yameen was due to hand over power to the opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on November 17, but the latest court action risks pushing the country back into unrest, the opposition has said.

However, the strongest warning came from the United States which said it will take “appropriate measures” if Yameen fails to ensure a smooth transition of power.

“The US is concerned by troubling actions” by Yameen “that threaten to undermine the will of the Maldivian people, and will consider appropriate measures against anyone who undermines a peaceful transfer of power in #Maldives,” a State department spokesman, Robert Palladino, said on Twitter.

Yameen has courted China’s backing while the opposition has said it wants to renegotiate huge loans Yameen had taken from Beijing.

 

Sanctions loom as Maldives toppled Yameen fights back

COLOMBO: The Supreme Court of the Maldives is to decide yesterday on President Abdulla Yameens petition to overturn his defeat in last months election, a move that could bring international sanctions, reports AFP. The tiny Indian Ocean archipelago, which straddles the main east-west international shipping lanes, has seen political tensions escalate as Yameen jailed or exiled all his main opponents during his five-year rule. After initially conceding defeat in the September 23 presidential election, Yameen mounted a challenge on Thursday asking the Supreme Court to annul the results and call a fresh vote. Despite opposition fears of rigging in favour of Yameen who has ruled with an iron fist since 2013, the election was endorsed by the international community as free and fair. Yameen was due to hand over power to the opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, on November 17, but the latest court action risks pushing the country back into unrest, the opposition has said. However, the strongest warning came from the United States which said it will take appropriate measures if Yameen fails to ensure a smooth transition of power. The US is concerned by troubling actions by Yameen that threaten to undermine the will of the Maldivian people, and will consider appropriate measures against anyone who undermines a peaceful transfer of power in #Maldives, a State department spokesman, Robert Palladino, said on Twitter. Yameen has courted Chinas backing while the opposition has said it wants to renegotiate huge loans Yameen had taken from Beijing.