Second Maldives minister resigns, urges help to overcome crisis

MALE: Maldives State Health Minister Dunya Maumoon has resigned, she said in a letter on Tuesday, grieved by the arrest of her father, the island nation´s longest-serving leader, after President Abdulla Yameen declared a state of emergency.

The Maldives´ top court last week validated a 30-day extension of the state of emergency sought by Yameen over what he has called a national security threat and constitutional crisis.

“Today, at this time of pain and crisis for both my family and my country, it is my sincere hope to see my father home at the earliest,” said Dunya Maumoon, who becomes the second minister to resign from Yameen´s ruling party since the crisis began on Feb. 1. “I therefore call upon the international community to support the Maldivian people to help us overcome this crisis and to build a stronger democratic system,” she said in the letter reviewed by Reuters.

Her father, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is Yameen´s half-brother and ruled the country for 30 years until 2008. He was arrested at his residence early this month, along with his son-in-law. “He is not just my father, but the father of the nation, who has built this country and has earned the respect and love of the people,” she added. After declaring the emergency, Yameen´s administration arrested the chief justice, another Supreme Court judge and Gayoom on allegations of attempting to overthrow the government.

Maldives opposition seeks UN-mediated talks to end crisis: The Maldivian opposition said Tuesday it had hired a former UN rights rapporteur to push the global body to intervene in a political deadlock that has roiled the troubled honeymoon islands.

The opposition alliance, which includes the parties of former presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, said they had enlisted British lawyer Ben Emmerson to advise them on securing UN mediation in the crisis.Emmerson, a UN special rapporteur until last year, is also a member of Nasheed’s pro-bono international legal team, which includes high-profile rights lawyer Amal Clooney.

from The News International - World http://ift.tt/2ouWUHq