:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Umar Zahir lies to the Maldivian people

By "Donim" - Thursday, 23 September 2004

Home Minister Umar Zahir yesterday joined the Gayyoom bandwagon of lying ministers.

A press statement from his ministry claimed that detainees were provided with life-vests as they were transported across the sea to their respective prisons.

This is an outright lie.

In fact not only were the detainees not given life-vests, they were handcuffed and blindfolded, as they were taken by sea to prison.

This action by Gayyoom's police is a grave violation of Maldivian and international maritime laws, and no state of emergency can cover it in a proper court of law.

Neither does the state of emergency allow for the kinds of atrocities committed on detainees by the police.

Accounts by released detainees are building a horrific picture of the actions of Gayyoom's armed forces during and the aftermath of the mass arrests in August.

These include severe beatings, kicking, sexual and verbal harassment of men, women and children.

On their own, and in a state of emergency, the detainees have no hope of obtaining compensation or justice for their suffering at the hands of Maldives police.

But the international community assist by flying out a team of human rights legal experts to work on behalf of the detainees and demand justice for the atrocities committed by Gayyoom's police.

Police reportedly carried out these acts while the detainees were blindfolded and therefore individual officers may never be identified.

But their commander in chief Gayyoom can and should be made answerable for the actions.

Gayyoom should also face legal action for lying to the Maldivian people, as should Umar Zahir.

Legal action should also be taken against other cabinet members like Mahmoud Shaugee, Umar Zahir, and attorney general Hassan Saeed, who know about the human rights abuses, but are remaining silent about them.

Corrections

This report was initially reported as Ismail Shafeeu as Home Minister. We apologize for this mistake on our behalf.