Male calm after days of clashes

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An uneasy calm prevailed on Saturday on the streets of the Maldivian capital following days of protests and clashes in the wake of the resignation of the country's first democratically-elected President Mohamed Nasheed.

Shops and businesses opened in the city on Saturday morning after remaining closed during the protests which erupted four days ago. On Friday also, markets had opened partially.

Areas around the Maldives National Defence Force headquarters as well as the police headquarters witnessed normal activities.

Traffic was plying without disruption outside Majalis (Maldivian Parliament) as well as the new President Mohamed Waheed Hassan's office. The scene outside 44-year-old Nasheed's office was also normal.

According to Nasheed's staff present at his house, the former President was awake till about 4 in the morning along with his aides. Nasheed's father, who too was present in the house, told PTI, "The situation continues to remain the same. There has been no change." However, he refused to speak further, saying he had stayed away from the government affairs.

Nasheed, who addresses a gathering every evening outside his house, on Friday led a massive rally of supporters in the capital after Friday prayers, where he demanded 59-year-old Hassan's resignation to pave the way for fresh elections.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy G Ganapathi, who had met both Nahseed and Hassan on Friday, is also scheduled to hold talks with some other officials on Saturday. He is likely to fly back home on Saturady afternoon.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake arrived here on Saturday and to meet both Nasheed and his successor Hassan.