MALDIVES: BANNER DAYS FOR DEMOCRACY?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000420 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS NSC FOR DORMANDY E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM MV SUBJECT: MALDIVES: BANNER DAYS FOR DEMOCRACY? REF: COLOMBO 297 Classified By: James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of Mission. 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Democracy in Maldives is going through a growth spurt -- a big one -- and the government seems to be taking it in stride. Amnesty International was set to release its report on February 24 from its official visit to Maldives in October 2004. The Maldivian court is scheduled to sentence the National Security Service officials found guilty in connection with the September 2003 custodial death and prison riot. Finally, President Gayoom intends to announce his eight presidential appointments to the newly elected Majlis, which will have its inaugural assembly on February 27. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party is planning to return to Maldives for the first time since he claimed political asylum in the UK. It is a pivotal political moment for the government, and the attitude exhibited by senior pro-government members of the new Majlis will be telling. End Summary. Release of Amnesty International Report -------------- ¶2. (C) In a February 24 conversation with poloff, Chief Government Spokesman Dr. Ahmed Shaheed said that Amnesty International (AI) was planning to publicly release the report from its October 2004 visit. According to Shaheed, the AI report would highlight two criticisms, that conditions at the Dhoonidhoo detention center following the August 2004 unrest amounted to torture and that the court system does not allow for a fair trial due to lack of available legal aid and the occurrence of presidentially appointed judges. Shaheed seemed accepting of the criticisms, but noted that the Government of the Republic of Maldives (GORM) had made immediate changes in the environment at Dhoonidhoo following recommendations by the Maldivian Human Rights Commission (HRC). AI's February 24 press release states, "no one has been brought to justice for these abuses." Referring to the criticism of the courts system, Shaheed said that reforms were "in the pipeline" and felt that the judicial system at least treated all people equally. ¶3. (SBU) The AI release also commends the government for some of the reforms already underway, such as formation of the HRC and the separation of the police from the National Security Service (NSS). The organization calls on the government to make the protection of human rights, as defined in international treaties, the "guiding principle" in drafting new constitutional amendments and laws. Sentencing for officials complicit in custodial death -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Shaheed said that the court was scheduled to sentence the prison officials who had been found complicit in the September 2003 custodial death and subsequent prison riot. (Note: The death of the prisoner led to associated riots on the capital island of Male', with some government offices being torched. The GORM was stunned by the magnitude and intensity of the unrest that had occurred. End Note.) While senior officials in the National Security Service were absolved of involvement by a Presidential Commission investigating the incident, prison personnel were brought up on charges, marking a significant decision by the government to address the abuse and hold at least some officials accountable. Presidential appointments to Majlis -------------- ¶5. (C) Preceding the February 27 inaugural assembly of the newly elected People's Majlis ("Parliament"),President Gayoom is set to announce his eight presidential appointments. (Note: The Constitution provides for 42 elected members and 8 appointed ones in the 50-member legislative body.) Shaheed said the President would not consider appointing any candidate who lost the Majlis election, although many of those defeated had lobbied the President for such consideration. Shaheed characterized the President's eight appointees as mainly a younger group -- "in their 30's" -- and would likely include one or two current members of the Special Majlis. Opposition leader to return to Maldives -------------- ¶6. (C) Separately, poloff spoke on February 24 with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairman Mohamed Nasheed, who said that he intended to return to Maldives for the first time since seeking political asylum in the UK. (He left Maldives in October 2003 and was granted asylum in the UK in June 2004.) Nasheed's return is complicated, however, since the terms of his asylum in the UK permit him to travel freely anywhere except Maldives. Since he is distrustful of how the government will treat him on his return, he is reluctant to relinquish his British aslyee status. He told poloff he hopes to resolve these issues and return to Maldives by mid-March. ¶7. (C) Nasheed said it is time for the group to have leadership in Maldives based on the exiled organization's success in the Majlis elections and the MDP's intent to keep President Gayoom committed to his reform agenda. (Note: As the government does not recognize political parties, the MDP is only an opposition group at present.) He hopes that the MDP will be able to establish 18 "party branches" throughout the atolls, adding that 8 have already been formed. Nasheed also said that the MDP was in contact with the National Democratic Institute (NDI),the U.S.-based organization that conducted an assessment in Maldives in October 2004. According to Nasheed, NDI officials agreed to monitor the MDP's activities in Maldives, although no official guidelines had been established. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Opportunities to be receptive to change are everywhere for the GORM, and its reaction to on-going events will illustrate to Maldivians and others the strength of the government's commitment to reform. It is a positive sign that government interlocutors actually mention the MDP when speaking with Embassy officials, an acronym that they did not acknowledge only recently. The country is primed for addressing democratic reforms. We hope that the GORM will remember the negative consequences of its efforts to stifle opposition voices last August, and will continue its new attitude of unity and openness. We will continue to encourage them in that direction. End Comment. LUNSTEAD