Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05COLOMBO192
2005-01-25 09:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Tags:  PHUM ELAB KDEM KSEP PGOV PREL 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.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000192 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM ELAB KDEM KSEP PGOV PREL MV
SUBJECT: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
IN MALDIVES

REF: SECSTATE 267453

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000192

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM ELAB KDEM KSEP PGOV PREL MALDIVES'>MV
SUBJECT: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
IN MALDIVES

REF: SECSTATE 267453


1. Per Reftel, Mission submits the draft report on
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy in MALDIVES.

Begin text.

In 2004, MALDIVES President Gayoom, head of the
parliamentary-style government, began a process to
strengthen democracy and introduce political reforms. His
commitment to reform, however, was questioned when his
government appeared to crackdown on outspoken reformists.
During 2004 -- the first year of his sixth term -- the
President had declared a state of emergency, which suspended
certain fundamental rights, in the wake of the August 2004
civil unrest. As a result, his government spent the last
three months of the year preparing charges of sedition
against several parliamentarians, some who had been held in
solitary confinement for over 60 days.

From August to December, U.S. diplomats engaged in
discussions with the Maldivian government to encourage the
fair treatment of all detainees as well as to gauge the
GORM's continuing commitment to reform. Press statements,
both from the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka and spokesmen for
the Department of State, publicly called on the Maldivian
government to treat detainees in accord with international
standards on human rights. During multiple visits to
MALDIVES throughout this time frame, U.S. officials
successfully persuaded the government to allow U.S. access
to some of the detainees, including those who had been
transferred to house arrest.

In the aftermath of the December, 26, 2004 tsunami which
caused devastation on a nation-wide scale, President Gayoom
ordered all charges to be dropped against everyone, except
for two people, who had been indicted in connection with the
August 12-13 civil unrest.

Secretary Powell, stopping in MALDIVES after President

SIPDIS
Gayoom had announced his commitment to reform in a June 9
speech, praised the Maldivian leader and expressed the U.S.
government's belief in the ability of the Maldivian
government to create a more open, democratic political
process.

The U.S. government has pursued the promotion of human
rights in the MALDIVES in a variety of other tangible
actions.

Through U.S.-funded training, Maldivian police officers
participated in police investigative and management training
classes. The Maldivian Police Department, which became a
separate entity from the National Security Service, in
September 2004, will be able to utilize such training as it
focuses on implementing a community policing model.
Upcoming training for police officers will include a human
rights segment.

Human rights training is a key component of all U.S.-
Maldivian military-to-military programs. The United States
has sent Maldivian military officers to professional
military education courses in the United States and funded
Maldivian attendees at senior service schools.

In December 2003, President Gayoom established the Maldivian
Human Rights Commission by presidential decree. The
Commission made major strides in addressing human rights
complaints throughout the year and took a forefront role in
monitoring the treatment of detainees arrested following the
August 2004 unrest. The Commission effectively functioned
despite the Majlis' failure to pass implementing legislation
for the human rights body. In response to the Commission's
capacity-building efforts, the U.S. Government sponsored two
Commissioners for International Visitors Programs in the
U.S. in August-September 2004. To provide further expertise
for the Commission, the Embassy received funding to bring
several U.S.-based human rights experts to MALDIVES to
enhance the body's ability to address complaints and educate
the public on human rights. Mission is now working with the
Commission to identify human rights scholars to participate
in this program.

At present, MALDIVES does not have complex labor laws and
does not allow unions to be formed. Within the context of
the Government's focus on reform, MALDIVES plans to
strengthen its labor laws. The U.S. Embassy has been
awarded grant money to host a labor seminar to bring
together Maldivian government and civil society leaders with
experts on labor law in the Asian region to aid the
government in the redrafting of its laws.

End text.

ENTWISTLE