MALDIVES: SPECIAL MAJLIS RECONVENES

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001704

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2014
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: SPECIAL MAJLIS RECONVENES

REF: A. COLOMBO 1686

B. COLOMBO 1516

Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.4 (B,D).


1. (SBU) The Special Majlis, originally formed for the
purpose of considering constitutional reforms, met October 12
for the first time since July when some Members walked out in
a dispute over the election of a Speaker. According to Dr.
Ahmed Shaheed, Chief Government Spokesman, of 109 Special
Majlis MPs, 98 attended the three-hour session, including
four who were released from detention after the Government
lifted the State of Emergency on October 10 (Ref A). (Note:
Seven MPs remain in detention. The remaining 4 MPs were out
of the country on travel, according to Shaheed. End note.)
The next meeting is scheduled for October 14.


2. (SBU) According to Shaheed, debate during the October 12
session centered on whether election of the Speaker should
take place by open vote or secret ballot. Both sides
displayed "a more accommodating spirit" on this issue than
during the stormy July session, he said. Some of the MPs who
had walked out to protest the absence of a secret ballot
during the previous sitting declared that they would not do
so this time, while others said if they did walk out, they
would return "after a few hours" and not boycott the entire
session. The protesting MPs' apparent change of heart will
help move reforms forward, Shaheed said, describing the July
walk-out as "a delaying tactic . . . designed to frustrate
the process." Two of the four former detainees addressed the
October 12 Majlis session, he noted, one of whom rose to
express his continued support of a secret ballot. A motion
has been tabled to vote on the method of electing the
Speaker, which will be taken up during the October 14
session. Once a Speaker is elected, Shaheed said, the
Special Majlis will be able to turn its attention toward
proposals for constitutional reform, adding that he expects
that President Gayoom's proposed draft "will carry the day"
(Ref A).


3. (SBU) Shaheed attributed Gayoom's decision to lift the
State of Emergency to the Ambassador's October 6-7 visit.
Unlike the disastrous September 6 visit by EU Chiefs of
Mission, he said, whose approach set the Government on its
"back foot," the more positive tone adopted during the
Ambassador's visit produced "more positive outcomes." He
indicated that he had understood from the Attorney General
that at least some of the detainees had already seen a lawyer
but said he would verify that claim.


4. (C) Comment: While the Government obviously wants to
portray the reconvening of the Special Majlis as proof that
reform efforts are back on track, the continued detention
without charge of some of its most prominent pro-reform
Members will cast a pall over the proceedings. The election
of a Speaker (detainee Ibrahim Gasim, once considered a prime
contender for the post of Speaker, is clearly out of the
running) will be a significant test for this fledgling
institution. The selection of a candidate not hand-picked
by the President--and thus not bound to ensure that only
Gayoom's approved proposals "will carry the day"--would be an
important development along the path to reform.


LUNSTEAD