MidnightWatcher's Blogspot

By Abbas Faiz – “To many, the Maldives are a paradise on earth. Tourists arrive in their droves – at least two for every Maldivian in the country – escaping to the islands’ unspoilt beaches and temperate waters. But a campaign of violent repression this year has shattered this idyllic image, exposing a human rights crisis that has gripped the country since President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation in February.

The televised resignation of Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected president, threw the country into deep political turmoil. Alarmed by this development, the international community began to get closely involved in efforts to resolve the political crisis. While these efforts were underway, the country plunged into a deep human rights crisis that threatened to derail it from its hard-earned gains of the recent past. It had held its first democratic elections as recently as 2008. The streets of the capital island Malé and a far away island city, Addu, became the scene of almost daily protests rallies by Nasheed supporters – which were quelled using unnecessary, excessive force by the police and military.

Earlier this year, I visited the Maldives, arriving less than two weeks after these events. The streets were calm, but I soon sensed the underlying tension and the fears of the people on both sides of the crisis who were afraid that things might get worse. I met with the former President, Mohamed Nasheed and I also met with the new President Dr Mohammed Waheed, the minister of home affairs, the minister of foreign affairs, the Speaker of the parliament, the chief justice, civil society activists, lawyers, journalists and many victims of human rights violations. While the authorities claimed they were committed to human rights protection, not a single person from the police or the army has to date been brought to account for the violations committed.” Read more.

Flashback: Maldives: New President to Appoint Pro-Sharia Islamists to Cabinet as Island Nation Slides Towards Extremism – “The Maldives’ new president has expanded his Cabinet to include members of the former autocratic ruler’s party, and Islamic conservatives will be appointed ministers in coming days. Conservatives have been demanding the introduction of strict Islamic laws in the Indian Ocean nation that relies on high-end tourism… Adhaalat, or Justice Party, which wants to see the introduction of Shariah law, and several other moderate parties will also receive ministerial positions, according to presidential spokesman Masood Imad.” Read more.

Flashback: Maldives: New Law Will Imprison or Banish Anyone Who Preaches Any Religion Other Than Islam – “President’s Office has gazetted the controversial Religious Unity Regulation, declaring it an offence to preach a religion except Islam in the Maldives… The regulation, which instructs scholars to consider the social harmony, states practices that should be avoided in preaching Islam in the Maldives, including the practice of making comments in contradiction with prophetic traditions and majority view of the scholars… A person who violates the regulation will be sentenced to 2-5 years in prison, banishment or house arrest.” Read more.