Malé, Maldives – Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has said that his opponents had worked with foreigners to put him in jail.
In a letter publicized through the Former President, Yameens son Zane Abdullah Yaameen, President Yameen stated that his efforts to strengthen the sovereignty of the Maldives and the countries economy since he came to power in 2013 lead to his political opponents to get aid from outsiders to put him in jail.
He had also added that it takes a lot of dedication and guts for a small island country such as Maldives to establish a strong foothold within the globe and that he came in to politics knowing the challenges and hardships very well. He also added that he knew that this would not be an easy task and that many challenges from various sides would be aimed at him in his path.
Former President Yameen also told that he had stepped out in to politics to save Maldives from the servitude of global powers and to change the culture of always depending on such countries for the development of the country. He added that only PPM and PNC had this mindset and that Maldives could only be saved when they were in power.
Former Presidents remarks on his opponents getting foreign help to outset him comes while President of People’s National Congress (PNC) party of Maldives, Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey) had previously said that India wants the Former President of the Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom out of the political spotlight by keeping him in jail.
Adhurey had told that Yameen was put in jail and made to suffer by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih together with the Speaker of Parliament, Former President Mohamed Nasheed, with the help of India.
This is something India wants. India wants President Yameen out of the Maldivian political spotlight.
President of People’s National Congress (PNC) party of Maldives, Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey)
He said that India is behind this because India could not do as they pleased in Maldives when the Former President Yameen was in power and that it was because he did not allow Maldives to be enslaved by India.
“It’s because he (Yameen) would not have this country keep on begging from them (India). President Yameen would not wait to eat when and what they give, or to wait for them to give something when they pleased to develop this country. Because he (Yameen) would get help from all around the world to make his developmental visions come true” Adhurey told elaborating on the reasons.
He added on that if the Former President would not wait for anyone and if he did not get help from the western countries, he would have approached the eastern countries to materialize his developmental plans and that India knows this all too well and that this is the reason why India wants the former president gone from politics.
Chinese huge investments in Maldives, and millions of dollars in grants and loans resulted much closer tie with Beijing and President Abdulla Yameen’s administration was heavily criticized by his opponents before 2018. As Former President Yameen’s administration gave no importance for long term “India first policy” of Maldives, wind of power struggle in the archipelago was changed to a political tiff between pro-Chinese and pro-Indian politicians.
However, Government Finance Statistics (GFS) released by Ministry of Finance had earlier revealed that the amount of loans taken between 2012 and 2023 from EXIM Bank of India will surpass the amount of loans taken from EXIM Bank of China in the same period.
According to the governments finance statistics, a total of MVR 7,225.9 million in loans will be taken from EXIM Bank of China between 2012 and 2023 while MVR 7,238.6 million in loans will be taken from EXIM Bank of India during the same period.
The statistics also show that India will be giving a total of MVR 7,836 million as bilateral grants within the period of 2012 till 2023 making it the largest donor country to the Maldives. Out of this, a total of MVR 7,754.1 million will be given between 2018 and 2023.
Former President Yameen was the 6th President of Maldives and was in the top office of the country from 2013 through to 2018. In December 2019, Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison, along with a fine of USD 5 million by the Criminal Court after being found guilty for money laundering, which concerns the MVR 3.4 billion from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) which was embezzled during the period when he was in office.
