MALE, Maldives — The Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) official Spokesperson Mohamed Hussein Shareef and the DRP Registrar and former Controller of Immigrations Ibrahim Shafiu spoke about the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) “Other Maldives” campaign’s alleged campaign manager James McGrath at the serial 1200 press conference held on weekdays at the Maumoon 2008 Campaign Media Office today.
Hussein Shareef revealed email correspondence to the press which suggests that James McGrath has links to a movement to change the Maldives into a multi-religious society.
Shafiu provided details of the legal basis on which the DRP has lodged complaints against McGrath.
Hussein Shareef revealed to the press that a senior DRP official had recently received, from an anonymous source, a forwarded email message which suggests that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and McGrath have links to a movement to introduce religious freedom to the Maldives.
The email message was sent on 3 August 2008 at 1352hrs with the subject heading “McGrath’s trips” from an email address titled “MDP Riyaasee (Presidential ) Campaign” to various recipients whom Hussein Shareef says are senior MDP officials. The body of the message is as follows;
Dear All
Attached is James McGrath’s program for the rest of his visit.
GOTV Managers - pls arrange trips with Thuthube. Budget needs to be approved from Mausoom as per the template he has developed for North and South trainings. GOTV Managers - also pls make arrangements for conducting the trainings. The Campaign Aide assigned to your atolls will assist you with the 40 million but I hope the 1 year period is enough to make this country what we want it to be a multi religious place . HA - R (Sama), B - ADh (Shifana), V - Th (Nathu), L - S (Ifa).
The correspondence is signed “Thanks, Shehe”. Hussein Shareef suggested that “Shehe” might be former MDP Shadow Education Minister Shehenaz Abdullah.
Religious Mission
Hussein Shareef expressed his deepest concerns about foreign intervention in the political affairs of a sovereign state. He said that the Islamic religion is one of the cornerstones of Maldivian society and that the Maldivian people would not wish to lose the country’s religious unity.
Hussein Shareef said that if the email is a forgery the MDP should react to it as soon as possible. He said that the DRP has received information that the email has been forwarded to several others and printed copies of it have been disseminated on the streets of Male.
Hussein Shareef said that the sum of 40 million regardless of what currency it is in, is a large sum and whether such a sum has been circulating in connection with MDP visits to the atolls should be investigated.
He concluded that as concerned citizens, the DRP will bring the email to the attention of the Maldives Police Service (MPS).
Regulations
Shafiu spoke to the media on McGrath’s alleged violation of visa regulations.
He said that MDP acting President Ibrahim Hussein Zaki has agreed that McGrath has been providing assistance to the MDP’s “Other Maldives” campaign. He said that regulation number 1/2007 issued by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) prohibits those in the Maldives on a tourist visa from working whether voluntarily or on a wage basis. He said that McGrath who is currently in the Maldives on a tourist visa has broken the law.
He urged the MDP to respect Maldivian law.
He said that the MDP has exhibited a systematic disregard for the rules and regulations of the Maldivian legal system. He said that the MDP had previously invited an organization by the name of Global Protection Committee (GPC) headed by Michael Lord-Castle who had made comments which some accused of being militant to local English daily to the effect that the GPC encourages “tracking” the President down and” bringing him to justice”.
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