MALDIVES: AMBASSADOR PRESSES FOR SPEEDY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000686

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/16/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON MV
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: AMBASSADOR PRESSES FOR SPEEDY
RATIFICATION OF CONSTITUTION AND END TO PRISON ABUSES

REF: A. COLOMBO 56

B. COLOMBO 100

C. COLOMBO 250

D. COLOMBO 385

E. COLOMBO 473

F. COLOMBO 652

Classified By: Ambassador Robert Blake: 1.4(b,d).


1. (C) Summary: In a meeting with the Ambassador on July
15, Foreign Minister Shahid stressed the need for
additional enabling legislation -- in advance of President
Gayoom's signature on the constitution -- that will allow
the police forces to continue to legally operate. He said
the President had instructed Ministries to ensure the
legislation is ready by the end of July so he can ratify
the Constitution then. Shahid also noted that political
parties are in the process of nominating candidates to
Parliament for selection to the Election Commission,
which will oversee the upcoming Presidential election
(date TBD). Ambassador noted complaints by the New
Maldives that their candidate for President Hassan Saeed
has not been given equal access to television time.
Shahid said all parties now have such access and urged
New Maldives to constitute a party. Ambassador pushed
the government to take allegations of prison abuse seriously.
In light of rising oil prices and the global food crisis,
which has caused economic hardship on the Maldivian economy,
the Ambassador highlighted a U.S. technology pilot wind
power renewable energy project that is now ready to expand
to more residential islands. End Summary.

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Tsunami Aid, Opening of Trade Fair
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2. (U) Ambassador opened by informing the Minister that he
was visiting Maldives to mark the beginning of construction
on a harbor as part of the USG's $12 million tsunami
reconstruction effort and to open the US Pavilion at the
Maldives Hotel and Trade Show. The U.S. would provide $5.4
million to construct a breakwater and quay and dredge the
harbor basin on the island of Dhuvafaaru, which is being
developed as a "safe" island to resettle 4,000 Maldivians
displaced after the tsunami. The International Federation
of the Red Cross, with contributions from the American Red
Cross and other national societies, is nearing completion
of construction on residential housing, a primary and
secondary school, an administrative complex, and a health
center. The Ambassador also briefed the Minister that he
and Trade Minister Jaleel had opened the Maldivian Hotel
and Trade Show earlier in the day. The U.S. once again had
the largest pavilion, reflecting U.S. interest in expanding
trade with Maldives. These efforts were paying dividends
as US exports had more than doubled from $9.3 million in
2005 to $19.3 million in 2007. Shahid thanked the
Ambassador and the USG for their continued tsunami
assistance and engagement to expand trade.

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Status of Constitution
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3. (C) Ambassador asked FM Shahid about the status of the
constitution, noting that despite President Gayoom's pledge
to ratify (e.g. sign) it quickly, it remains on the
President's desk. He underscored USG concern that time
remains very short for Maldives to pass implementing
legislation to set up the Supreme Court, Election and other
Commissions that will be needed to oversee free and fair
elections, none of which can take place until the President
ratifies. Shahid stressed that the President does want the
Constitution passed as quickly as possible, however,

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problems remain. In particular, there is one item of
utmost concern: if the President signs the Constitution
before additional actions are taken by Parliament, the
police force will lose all legal authority. Shahid noted
that this would be disastrous for Maldives, as anyone
currently in prison and/or anyone committing a crime would
no longer be able to be legally held or arrested.


4. (C) Shahid explained that to prevent such a
circumstance, a Parliamentary committee, in cooperation
with political parties, is working on enabling legislation
that would legalize codes and bi-laws under which the
police currently draw their authority. Shahid underscored
repeatedly that this action is vital to ensuring the police
force has the legal authority to operate, maintain order,
hold prisoners, etc. until such a time in the future when
the police bill is passed. (Note: The police bill has been
pending in Parliament for several years.) Shahid noted
the government's goal is to pass this enabling legislation
by the end of this July. In the meantime, work on the
constitution's implementing legislation continues.

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Upcoming Elections
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5. (C) On the subject of elections, Shahid noted that
Parliament recently took action to suspend a law which
states that no one may campaign until the election date is
officially "called" by the Election Commission.
Individuals and parties may now campaign freely. The
Ambassador asked about reports that free airtime of public
television is not being granted to independent candidates
such as Hassan Saeed of New Maldives. The Foreign Minister
noted that at present all political parties receive free
air time. However, independent candidates do not because
it would open the system to potential abuse by
self-proclaimed candidates without any significant
following. (See also paragraph 9) Shahid noted that there
is an incentives for groups such as New Maldives to form
parties because only registered political parties will be
able to nominate candidates for the new Election
Commission, for example. Nominees cannot be members of
those parties; they are expected to be apolitical
citizens. Parliament will then choose five nominees to
make up the Commission. The Ambassador asked if political
parties would be allowed to send observers to polling
stations. Shahid said that decision will be left to the
Election Commission.

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Foreign Support of Local Candidates?
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6. (SBU) Ambassador highlighted that U.S., in cooperation
with the European Commission and others, plans to send a
limited number of observers from our Embassies in Sri Lanka
for the upcoming election. Shahid welcomed the
participation of such international observers. However, he
did express concern over the perception that foreign
governments are "aligning" themselves with a particular
candidate. In particular he criticized British Government
support for a get out the vote campaign by the Open Society,
a Maldivian NGO that was founded by New Maldives and has
Hassan Saeed on its board. Such support gave the
impression that Saeed has "international" support. Shahid
hastened to add that he did not have any specific concerns
with the United States, but noted that he had raised this
issue with the British High Commissioner. (Comment:
Shahid has a point. New Maldives effectively founded Open
Society and provides office space for it.)

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Prison Abuse
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7. (SBU) Recalling their earlier conversations, the
Ambassador noted continued reports of serious abuses of
prisoners in Maldivian jails and again pushed Shahid and
the GORM to take action to stop these abuses. Shahid
responded that Maldives has an active Human Rights
Commission (HRC) that investigates prison abuse, among
other issues. The HRC has free access to prisons; Shahid
noted that HRC Chairman Saleem reviews claims of abuse, and
is active in bringing legitimate concerns to light. The
Foreign Minister did point out, however, that some reports
of abuse are false, and many of those may be politically
motivated.

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Economic Woes
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8. (U) The Foreign Minister stated that high energy prices
and the global food crisis, combined with the lack of
realization of two large infrastructure projects that were
expected to generate large up-front leasing fees for the
GORM, have caused a significant negative effect on the
Maldivian economy. Former Finance Minister Gasim, who
resigned July 10, did so in part because of criticism of
the government's revenue shortfalls. Ambassador
highlighted the renewable energy pilot project conducted by
Daily Life Renewable Energy. The project, which uses wind
technology on remote islands previously relying solely on
(oil)-powered generators, has proven successful. Stelco,
the state-owned energy company, now wants to move forward
with a larger project that will install wind turbines on
larger residential islands. Minister Shahid noted his
familiarity with the project, stating that it is an
important way for Maldives Q as a self-proclaimed leader
in global efforts to promote sustainable living and reduce
carbon emissions -- to set an example that others can
follow.

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New Maldives Prepared to Accept Threshold to Establish
Credibility of Independents
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9. (SBU) Ambassador spoke briefly later in the day with
New Maldives representative Ahmed Shaheed who was
campaigning with Saeed in the south. Ambassador told
Shaheed he had raised the importance of access for New
Maldives to television and Shahid's response. Ambassador
noted that the GORM had a point on the need for some sort
of way to distinguish serious candidates from frivolous
ones. He asked why New Maldives had not formed a party.
Shaheed responded that New Maldives sought to appeal to all
parties. Ambassador suggested that since parties must have
signatures of 3,000 voters to form a party, might a similar
threshold be established for independent candidates to
prove their bona fides? Shaheed welcomed the idea.
Ambassador undertook to suggest it to the GORM.

BLAKE