:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Why was Ismail Saadiq arrested?

The Maldivian League for Democracy (MLD) was formed in 1993

Gayyoom received information from Interpol Malaysia that he had setup a political party and was planning to challenge the system by electing MPs to the parliament. This was why Mr. Saadiq was defamed and arrested. Mr. Saadiq is a well known Maldivian businessman who was based in Bangkok. He maintained a very close rapport with powerful people in the Maldives including cabinet ministers and business elites.

Dhivehi Observer has been given this information by a source within the National Security Service (NSS) of the Maldives.

According to the informant, the decision to lockup Mr. Saadiq was purely motivated by Gayyoom's on-going fear of loosing power. He allows no one to challenge his authority and rule.

Dhivehi Observer has also obtained a "Development Plan" by Maldivian League for Democracy (MLD) which was composed by Mr. Ismail Saadiq, which detailed his vision for the Maldives. This comprehensive Development Report is further evidence of the formation of this party in 1993 or perhaps even earlier. It is quite astonishing that Gayyoom has been able to block this information from the public domain for over a decade.

Following information is as received from the informant clearly states that Mr. Saadiq formed Maldivian League for Democracy (MLD) to deal with the political problem in the Maldives.

Fishermen to form political party in the Maldives
Bangkok (Interpol) June 29, 1993

Maldives fishing industry leaders are to set up a political party to represent their interests amid fears over further price cuts for their produce.

The Maldivian League for Democracy (MLD) said that present government do little to represent the fishing industry's interests instead has drawn a Master Plan to give away the industry to selected Thai Canneries and old age Japanese buyers.

At a meeting in Bangkok on Friday it agreed to set up a Fishermen's Party and put up candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Their leader Ismail Saadiq said he was furious that politicians in Maldives and in the Ministry of Fisheries have failed to stop the Thai buyers to dictate the price.

They have vowed to continue to oppose plans to increase their fleets unless the so-called JVCs agree to increase their price and purchase fish from several other locations.

The new regulations have been scheduled to come into effect on 1 July and have led to fears for more than 3,000 jobs in the Maldives.

Ismail Saadiq, chairman of the Maldivian Fisherman Association and MLD, said: "It may well be time to put people into the parliament that will actually deal with these issues.

"There has got to be a stand against this because this government and selected parliament is letting us down badly in all areas.

"When this government was set up, I honestly believed it was going to be a positive thing for the Fishing communities.

Fishing strongholds

"But the fishing industry has been let down tremendously badly by this government and the people in the Male parliament, I honestly believe, they lack of knowledge about the fishing industry."

Mr. Saadiq said candidates were likely to be fielded in fishing strongholds such as the south of Male Atolls and 4 Northern Atolls. He said the aim was to have "somebody in each constituency, if we could" and it is possible a fishermen's party could secure up to 33 MPs even under the feudal system in the country.

Despite rumours, Saadiq refused to confirm that his friends in the present cabinet and senior military officers were backing his movement.

Read the "Development Plan" by Maldivian League for Democracy (MLD)