Friday
26th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
President Yameen. Photo: TMJ
The opposition coalition has called out for the immediate nullification of the bilateral agreement signed between the Indian and Maldivian governments to develop the harbour and dockyard facilities at Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) titled "Development, Support, and the Maintenance of the Maldives National Defence Force Harbour Sifavaru at Uthuru Thila Falhu".
A statement released by the opposition coalition read that the UTF agreement was unconstitutional, and posed a threat to national sovereignty, and was an agreement that was void ab initio. The coalition called for the removal of all Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives and the nullification of the agreement.
The statement read that "making an unconstitutional agreement, which is kept hidden from the people and the People's Majlis, and then defending it after keeping it secret for so long is the cowardly act of traitors".
The opposition coalition's statement vowed that all agreements made in violation of Article 115.k.ii would be nullified.
The statement also threw light on the last session of the Parliament Committee on National Security Services. The opposition pointed out their concern at the Ministry of Defence's refusal to grant the Committee a copy of the agreement for their perusal.
"This coalition believes that ... it is mandatory that Committee be given the opportunity to peruse each and every clause of the agreement", the statement read.
The coalition further stated that the failure to hand over a copy of the agreement to the Committee, and the Committee's negligence to procure a copy, is in effect a failure of the government and the Majlis to put the worries of the citizens to rest.
While the opposition coalition has released this statement, many members of the general public have taken to social media to call for the nullification of the UTF agreement, and for a stop to India's growing influence over the Maldives.