India to Maldivian parties: Hold talks to resolve crisis

NEW DELHI,March3,2012: As violence rocked the Maldives on Thursday, soon after foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai tried to bring about a peaceful solution to their political crisis, New Delhi took the unusual step of publicly chastising Male. On Friday, MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin asked all Maldivian political parties to exercise restraint and continue talks for a solution under the roadmap. India, he said, ""urged all parties to maintain calm and to exercise restraint." The statement came even as the government managed to release 11 Indian fishermen who had been caught by Maldives' security forces for fishing in their waters. MEA said in a statement, "With timely intervention from the High Commission of India, the government of Maldives has agreed to release the 11 Indian fishermen." The Maldivian parliament witnessed unruly scenes on Thursday, as lawmakers belonging to former President Mohammed Nasheed's MDP, prevented President Mohamed Waheed from delivering the customary opening address and blocked Speaker Abdulla Shahid from entering the chamber. There was also violence outside the Majlis as MDP supporters clashed with police. The MEA spokesperson "encouraged them to exercise their responsibilities to the Maldivian people and to continue necessary discussions under the All Party Consultative Committee and the People's Majlis (parliament) to find a peaceful and viable solution as agreed under the Roadmap." Although this was an internal matter for the Maldives, Akbaruddin said, India "stood ready to assist the government and people of Maldives in any manner necessary". The trouble is that even after the roadmap was announced, there have been no dates for the forthcoming polls, which appears to be fuelling the continuing protests.