Mauritian Solidarity Front, also known by its acronymFSM is a political party in Mauritius trying to represent the island nation's sizable Muslim minority. In the 2010 general elections in Mauritius, FSM's won one historical parliamentary seat through its leader Cehl Fakeemeeah. It is also considered to be the real successor of C.A.M led by Sir Abdul Razakh Mohammed in the past. In fact, since the Elections of 2000, there was no Muslim party in Mauritius except FSM. The history of Mauritius recognise FSM as the second largest Muslim party in the history of Mauritius. With the Comite Action Musulman who won 5 seats in the 1967 general elections, collaborated with PTr & PMSD to win against MMM after the 1976 general elections and participated in the 1982 general elections with PTr under the banner of National Alliance Party; FSM initially Hizbullah won its first seat through Imaam Beehary due to Best loser System but failed to win the 2000 & 2005 general elections although having gathered colossal number of voters throughout the island. In 2010, FSM won 51 161 votes throughout the island and one seat through its leader, Cehl Meeah and won 41 815 votes during the 2014 general elections. Other small Muslim parties rose but afterwards were dissolved such as the Mauritius Muslim Democratic League which won 266 votes during the 1976 elections and the National Mauritian Muslim Rights initially Mauritian Muslim Rights in 1976 & 1983 elections won 236 votes in 1976, 156 votes in 1983 and 606 votes during the 1987 elections. The Mauritian Islamic Party won 9 334 votes during the 1982 elections and Muslim People Front won 8 233 votes during the 1995 general elections. After the year 2000, there is only FSM to represent Muslims in elections.. Until 2004, the party was known as Hizbullah . The theocratic party is centered around its leader Cehl M. Fakeemeeah. In 1992, Cehl Fakeemeeah announced the formation of the Hizbullah. Cehl Fakeemeeah known as Cehl Meeah, was born in Mauritius in 1958. He began to teach the Qur'an to groups of children in the local mosque when he was 15. At 21, he won a scholarship to Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah where he studied Islamic jurisprudence and returned to Mauritius in 1991. When he decided to enter the political arena, and his members suggested the name Hizbullah, which could best describe his convictions. He indulged in some social activities, such as helping the poor and the needy of Plaine-Verte, Vallée Pitot and others. He also initiated free drug-detoxification programs in response to an increase in trafficking of street drugs in the Muslim areas. He has been accused on several occasions by the media to prey on the poverty of people to ramp up his popularity. He was elected counselor in the municipal elections of 1995. He ran for the elections in 1992 but failed to be elected. In 1995 however, Hizbullah won one seat in the Parliament through Imam Beeharry, a preacher at the Noor-e-Islam mosque in Port Louis. However at the legislative elections of 11 September 2000, the party lost the seat. In the general elections of 2010, one seat was won through Cehl Fakeemeeah. He is also known to have alleged links with a radical militia known as "l'Escadron de la Mort" which used to burn down what they considered not allowed by the Islamic faith in the capital. The militia was responsible for burning down a betting house in the capital, killing 4 people who lived upstairs. In December 2000, Hizbullah leader Cehl Fakeemeeah was arrested and accused of involvement in the murders of three Mauritian Militant Movement members just before the island's 1996 parliamentary elections. The UK based Islamic Human Rights Commission adopted his case declaring him a "Prisoner of Faith" and considering his arrest a direct result of his political opposition. It also expressed concerns about his treatment in detention. His political views are commonly considered radical, extremist and theocratic. The FSM's wish to shape politics and governing policy from religious views. He is known for his strong views on abortion which he claims as being an abomination against God. He strongly opposes gay rights on the island and is a strong supporter of proselytism. On Monday, 5 March 2012, Cehl Meeah was cleared of all charges leveled - against him regarding the hold-up at the Bijoulux jewellery shop following which he was again freed of any accusations in the case of the room 216 at Victoria Hotel on Wednesday, 7 March 2012. He was defeated in the 2014 general election and in the 2015 municipal elections.
