Unprecedented unrest in the Maldives against

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001648

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT
NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09-23-13
TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM CASC MV
SUBJECT: Unprecedented unrest in the Maldives against
backdrop of election preparations

Refs: Colombo 1643, and previous

(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead.
Reasons 1.5 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Unrest hit the Maldives over the
September 20-21 weekend, with rioting in Male', the
capital. The unrest was apparently triggered by at
least two deaths that occurred either before or during a
prison riot at a jail located on a nearby island.
Several buildings, primarily government offices, were
torched in Male' and police used tear gas to quell the
disturbance. This rioting comes against the backdrop of
the just-launched Presidential selection process, and
may indicate underlying political unrest. We have no
reports of Amcits being injured in the disturbance.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) The disturbance began on September 20 with the
killing of two prison inmates either before or during an
apparent small-scale riot on the tiny prison island of
Maafushi, about 45 minutes away from the capital island
of Male'. Rioting broke out in the capital on Saturday,
September 21 when the casualties were sent to Male'.
According to press reports, relatives of the dead began
agitating near a cemetery where one of the casualties
had been taken, which sparked wide-scale unrest.
Several government buildings were torched, including the
Elections Commission, High Court, and several police
stations. The Majlis (Parliament) apparently suffered
broken windows and other minor damage. The injured were
sent by chartered aircraft from the Maldives to Colombo,
reportedly to avoid further unrest. One additional
inmate died on September 22. Out of the ten total
casualties brought to Colombo, all the victims were
convicts.


3. (C) The National Security Service (NSS) whose
members perform both military and police duties, quelled
the riot with rubber bullets and tear gas. A night
curfew was announced on Saturday. Five NSS personnel
have been arrested in connection with the initial prison
deaths. President Gayoom expressed dismay at the
rioters' actions, and blamed the weekend's unrest on
"hardened criminals." Further, Gayoom stated that he
would punish any NSS personnel connected to the initial
deaths of prisoners that sparked the rioting, and
announced an inquiry into the causes of the violence.
Reports from the press and a visiting Mission team
indicated that as of Monday (September 22) the situation
was calm, although there was an increased security
presence, with a few armored vehicles near the city
center. An NSS official told the DATT September 23 that
two NSS officers were injured in the prison fracas and
several others in the riots in Male'.


4. (C) An Embassy FSN was in Male' at the time of
the riots and witnessed a crowd of approximately 600
people throwing stones at the police initially sent to
control the riots. The small police unit continued to
suffer at the hands of the mob, with police posts and
vehicles set on fire. Our FSN reported, from
conversations with locals, that the general feeling was
that years of oppressive rule had finally taken its
toll.


5. (U) We have no reports of American citizens being
affected by the weekend disturbances. Most tourists to
the Maldives (which include about 5,000 U.S. citizens a
year) go directly from the airport (on an island
opposite Male') to one of the over eighty resort islands
around the country without overnighting in Male'
(although daytrips to Male' are a standard offering at
most of the resorts.)


6. (C) COMMENT: These unprecedented riots were
apparently triggered by mistreatment of prisoners but
quickly mushroomed into a broader expression of
discontent. Maldivian officials are quick to assert
that the disturbances are not connected to the just-
launched Presidential selection process, although we
find it interesting that the Elections Commission was
one of the buildings put to the torch. It is too early
to tell if this weekend's disturbances will affect
tourism, a major pillar of the Maldivian economy. Our
team returns from the Maldives September 24 and will
provide a fuller report then. END COMMENT.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD