MDP hold London press conference

The MDP yesterday held a press conference in London to brief membersof the international community on the obstacles to a free and fairelection in the Maldives.Held in Westminster, the conference was well attended by Members ofParliament, diplomats, media, NGO officials, and representatives fromthe Conservative Party Human Rights Commission.MDP Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed lead a presentation on the obstaclesto a free and fair election in the Maldives and presented the MDP'sproposals for moving forward with reform. He was joined by AmbassadorAhmed Naseem, MDP's Representative to the UK, and Mohamed Aslam (MPand MDP Elections Director) in a Questions & Answers session after thepresentation.The presentation illustrated the government's failure to create eithera culture of democracy or the institutions of democracy. The use ofviolence and arbitrary arrest to deter political participation washighlighted, and the government's record on their Roadmap criticallyanalysed.Yesterday's conference concluded the visit to the UK undertaken by MDPofficials, who were invited to join the Conservative Party localelections campaign. Nasheed, Aslam, and MDP Party Development OfficerShazley Shafeeg observed campaigning and vote-counting in Bury St.Edmund's. The trip is one of many capacity-building initiativesplanned for the coming year between the Conservative Party and theMDP.MDP Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed said:"It was very clear from the press conference that the internationalcommunity has become sceptical of the government's promises of reform."Not all of them were aware of the recent upsurge in police violenceand fabricated charges made against – photos of those attacked reallymade an impact."And I think they were also surprised about how badly the Roadmap hasfailed. The fact that only two bills have passed when the governmenthold a majority in the Majlis is an impossible record for thegovernment to defend."We told the international community that they must try to get thegovernment back to the negotiating table, but not just to talk for thesake of talking. They must pressure them to make real concessions andkeep their promises."