A former political prisoner won the Maldives' first democratic presidential election, defeating longtime ruler President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and sending euphoric opposition supporters pouring into the streets in celebration.
With all the votes counted from October 28 election, opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed won 54 percent of the vote to Gayoom's 46 percent, according to the Maldivs Elections Commission.
The result appeared to end the 30-year-reign of Asia's longest-serving ruler, who won six previous elections but never before faced an opponent.
Under strong international pressure and growing street protests, Gayoom began a democratic reform program on the Indian Ocean archipelago in 2004, lifting the ban on opposition parties, supporting a new constitution and committing to holding the nation's first multiparty presidential election.
The election was viewed as a referendum on Gayoom, who is hailed by supporters for bringing development and tourism dollars to this tiny nation of 370,000, but is criticized by opponents who brand him a despot who violently suppressed opposition.
Nearly 87 percent of the nation's 209,000 registered voters cast ballots in the historic election.
As results of the run-off election were announced, hundreds of opposition supporters gathered on the streets of the capital, Male, to dance, hug and cheer for Nasheed, who was reportedly in talks with the 71-year-old Gayoom.
Nasheed, head of the Maldivian Democratic Party, is a charismatic democracy activist who had been jailed by Gayoom's regime. He promised to push through deeper democratic reforms for the nation.
Polling went more smoothly in the run-off than during a chaotic first round earlier in October when six candidates were on the ballot. But hundreds of people still complained they had not made it onto registration lists while the names of some dead relatives had.
As the polls closed, Elections Commissioner Mohamed Ibrahim said just over 1,000 complaints had been received and were being processed. Anyone waiting in line was permitted to cast a vote.
Nobody won a majority in the Oct. 8 poll, forcing a runoff. Nasheed, who trailed Gayoom by 16 percentage points in the first round, quickly got endorsements from the losing candidates, who united to oust the longtime ruler.
Since Gayoom came to power in 1978, the Maldives has been transformed from a fishing community without roads to a regional tourism hub attracting billions in foreign capital that his supporters say has improved the standard of living for many.
But first-time voter Aisthath Muha, a teacher, said his reforms haven't gone far enough and accused those in power of putting personal gain over the needs of the people.
"There are so many things we would like to see changed," said the 22-year-old. "We want the government to develop the country, but here it is the opposite."
Campaigning was dominated by weeks of character attacks played out in the media, with little attention to serious challenges such as the impact of the global financial crisis on tourism, rising sea levels caused by climate change and a ballooning heroin problem.
-- Associated Press |