The United Nations is anxiously watching rising tensions in the
Maldives and joined calls Friday for a suspended presidential election
runoff to be quickly organized.
UN officials are so concerned that a special briefing for the UN
Security Council has been held on the Indian Ocean tourism magnet.
The Maldives' supreme court called off a presidential runoff vote
scheduled for last weekend between former president Mohamed Nasheed and
Abdulla Yameen, a half brother of former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
There have been almost daily demonstrations since.
"We continue to follow the situation in the Maldives with concern in
light of the mounting tension" since the postponement of the election,
said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky.
UN leader Ban Ki-moon has released several statements calling for
calm and for Maldivians to "renew their commitment to the constitution
and rule of law, and work towards creating enabling conditions for
peaceful, credible run-off elections to take place as soon as possible,"
Nesirky stressed.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Oscar
Fernandez-Taranco, who has acted as a UN envoy to the Maldives, briefed
the Security Council on Wednesday.
The UN official warned the 15-nation council that there was "a
potential for trouble" and that recent democratic gains are "under
threat," said a diplomat who was at the meeting.
Gayoom was the Maldives' authoritarian leader for three decades up to 2008.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento