A video clip has leaked, which shows President Mohamed Nasheed having a row with his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists at H.A. Dhidhdhoo, during his visit to the north island last Thursday.
The video, which has been received by Sun as well, shows a meeting in which several leading members of MDP’s Dhidhdhoo Chapter speak to the President and his companions at a restaurant in the island called “Ilaafathi”.
The activists are seen and heard telling the President that the government has failed to do anything for Dhidhdhoo. They also accuse the government of “oppressing the people of Dhidhdhoo just as the government of Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom had done before”. They also say that they had made a lot of sacrifices to elect MDP candidates to the Island Council and Atoll Council of Dhidhdhoo.
Angered activists are also seen and heard warning the President that if the status quo continued and if the government keeps on neglecting Dhidhdhoo, they might decide to stand against the government and call for the resignation of President Nasheed. At this point, the President appears to become angry, and a very heated argument follows.
The President is seen and heard saying that “issuing such threats won’t do any good, you can’t do anything”. He also hits the table, saying “you should not be too hasty in talking to me about your sacrifices, I did the same”. He also says that MDP candidates won four seats at Dhidhdhoo Council because of the efforts he had exerted by visiting the island himself.
In the conversation, the President makes a statement admitting the fact that the government’s health policy has not succeeded, and says that he is trying to make things right. In response to the complains of the activists about Ahmed Sameer, Dhidhdhoo representative at the People’s Majlis, not visiting the island to listen to the people, the President assured that he would take necessary steps about it.
The President also says that while the government is doing what it can to help drug addicts in accordance with the pledge given by MDP the three islands with highest number of addicts are Dhidhdhoo, H.A. Hoarafushi, and G. Dh. Gadhdhoo.
When the argument starts escalating further, some companions of the President are seen asking him to leave the meeting, which he does.