Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04COLOMBO181
2004-01-30 06:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

New Maldivian Human Rights Commission:

Tags:  PGOV PINS PHUM SOCI PINR MV 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000181 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DRL/CRA

NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01-30-14
TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM SOCI PINR MV
SUBJECT: New Maldivian Human Rights Commission:
Opportunity for USG promotion of human rights

Refs: (A) Colombo - SA/INS 01/30/04 unclass e-mail
- (B) Colombo 164, and previous

(U) Classified by Bruce Lohof, Acting Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000181

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DRL/CRA

NSC FOR E. MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01-30-14
TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM SOCI PINR MALDIVES'>MV
SUBJECT: New Maldivian Human Rights Commission:
Opportunity for USG promotion of human rights

Refs: (A) Colombo - SA/INS 01/30/04 unclass e-mail
- (B) Colombo 164, and previous

(U) Classified by Bruce Lohof, Acting Deputy Chief of
Mission. Reasons 1.5 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: During a recent trip to Male', PAO met
with Ahmed Mujuthaba, the Chairman of the Human Rights
Commission of the MALDIVES. Mujuthaba said he wanted
the newly formed Commission to help the democratization
process in the MALDIVES, and later provided PAO a copy
of the Commission's rules and regulations. The
formation of the Commission is an important event for
the MALDIVES and Mission is reviewing how we might help
it build capacity. We would appreciate Department's
views on possible sources of funding. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MEETING THE CHAIRMAN OF NEW COMMISSION: PAO met
with Ahmed Mujuthaba, the Chairman of the newly formed
Human Rights Commission of the MALDIVES, on January 20
in Male'. Mujuthaba reviewed the rules and regulations
that govern the newly formed Commission, specifically
noting its responsibilities and the cases that would
come under its purview. Mujuthaba noted that he was in
the process of translating the "Regulations of the Human
Rights Commission of the MALDIVES" from Dhivehi (the
language of the MALDIVES) into English. He predicted
that a rough translation would be completed shortly, and
offered to share it with Mission. (Note: As translated
by Mujuthaba's office, a text of the rules and
regulations are contained in Ref A. The document
states, in part, that the main objective of the
Commission is "to protect, preserve, and promote human
rights in the MALDIVES in accordance with Islamic
jurisprudence and the Constitution of the MALDIVES." In
their details, the regulations also state that,
following a decision by the Commission on a case, it can
send the case to the Attorney General's Office for
possible prosecution, among other options for legal
redress.)


3. (C) Throughout the meeting, Mujuthaba repeatedly
emphasized the need for a democratizing influence in the

MALDIVES, as well as highlighting the role the
Commission might play in that effort. Mujuthaba said
the group's primary focus in the short term would be the
hearing of complaints brought by citizens. He noted
that the Commission's mandate only extended to events
that occurred after its formation on December 10, 2003.


4. (C) PAO congratulated the Commission on its recent
receipt of a UNDP grant. Mujuthaba said the funds would
be well used but that more funding would be welcome.
Commission activities would be expensive, he said, and
he hoped that he could attract a broad base of funding
that would permit the Commission to keep the government
at a distance. Mujuthaba expressed his desire that the
Commission could become "woven in" to the international
human rights community. Through this, he thought the
Commission could learn to do its work more effectively,
as well as taking on a mantle of international
legitimacy. Wrapping up, Mujuthaba noted that one of
the impediments to human rights work in the MALDIVES was
that a majority of the citizens were not aware of their
rights as citizens of the MALDIVES. On this point, he
recalled that he had approached newspaper publishers to
ascertain whether they would be interested in publishing
a supplement that set out the Commission's mandate and
educated readers on what human rights they were accorded
by the Maldivian Constitution. Mujuthaba said the
publishers had declined, saying it would be too
expensive.


5. (C) FURTHER BACKGROUND ON THE COMMISSION: The
Maldivian Human Rights Commission was formed in December
2003, following the September riots in the capital of
Male' sparked by a serious outbreak of prison violence
on a nearby island. President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
announced the formation of the Commission in his
inaugural address for his latest term in office (he's
been in power 25 years) given on November 11, 2003. In
announcing that the Commission would be formed, Gayoom
averred that its purpose would be to "safeguard the
civil liberties enshrined in the Constitution of the
MALDIVES, and protect and promote human rights in the
country." In his speech, Gayoom also announced that the
government would make additional moves toward
democratization, but did not describe them.


6. (C) COMMENT: The formation of the Commission is an
important event for the MALDIVES, which -- in the
aftermath of the September riots -- is beginning to
tentatively grapple with the issues of human rights and
democratization. In a carefully calibrated way, we
believe that the USG can help this sensitive process.
The formation of the Human Rights Commission provides an
excellent opportunity for such assistance, and we are
reviewing how we might help it build capacity. In doing
this, we would appreciate Department's views on possible
sources of funding, including through ESF. Mujuthaba, a
former minister and MP with a reputation for
independence, is a close Mission contact. The
Commission's Secretary General, Rashida Ali, is also an
excellent contact, and has participated in an
International Visitor Program to the U.S. END COMMENT.


7. (U) Minimize considered.

LUNSTEAD