Residents pin hope on U.N. to end Maldives crisis
- 12 years ago
Calm has returned to the streets of the Maldivian capital Male after unrest earlier this week.
Former president and pro-democracy activist Mohamed Nasheed was ousted on Tuesday - in what he calls a coup - after weeks of opposition protest and a mutiny by police.
Twenty-four hours after his vice-president was sworn in as the new leader, clashes broke out between riot police and Nasheed's supporters, who took to the streets in protest.
A U.N. envoy has now arrived in Male for talks to ease the crisis while Nasheed has called for fresh elections - as he defies an arrest warrant against him.
Many on the streets say they now hope the United Nations will bring back democracy to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) MOHAMED NAFEER SAYING:
"I hope, I believe and I have the full confidence in the U.N. They are going to give a good resolution, a good solution to this problem and they will give our democracy back."
Only around 330,000 people live permanently in the Maldives but the unrest has attracted interest because the islands are a huge tourist attraction.
Sunita Rappai, Reuters
Former president and pro-democracy activist Mohamed Nasheed was ousted on Tuesday - in what he calls a coup - after weeks of opposition protest and a mutiny by police.
Twenty-four hours after his vice-president was sworn in as the new leader, clashes broke out between riot police and Nasheed's supporters, who took to the streets in protest.
A U.N. envoy has now arrived in Male for talks to ease the crisis while Nasheed has called for fresh elections - as he defies an arrest warrant against him.
Many on the streets say they now hope the United Nations will bring back democracy to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
(SOUNDBITE)(English) MOHAMED NAFEER SAYING:
"I hope, I believe and I have the full confidence in the U.N. They are going to give a good resolution, a good solution to this problem and they will give our democracy back."
Only around 330,000 people live permanently in the Maldives but the unrest has attracted interest because the islands are a huge tourist attraction.
Sunita Rappai, Reuters