:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Maldivian Democratic Party building abroad

SPECIAL REPORT, 3 March 2005

A delegation of the Maldivian Democratic Party has been in London representing their case to the government of the United Kingdom, Human Rights organisations and NGOs in the UK.

MDP General Council delegation at the House of Lords, UK with Lord Naseby
(L-R) Ahmed Moosa, Lord Naseby, Mohamed Nasheed and Ahmed Mausoon

General Council Members Mohamed Nasheed and Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa met with officials of the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office. The discussions centred on the need for a pluralistic democratic system in the Maldives and the improvement in human rights and civil liberties. The meeting was held on the 23^rd of February 2004 at the British & Commonwealth Foreign Office in London. Mr. Dauris, Deputy Head, South Asian Department, thanked the MDP delegation for their explanation of the political and human rights situation in the Maldives. Furthermore, Mr. Dauris mentioned the possibility of European Union member states reviewing the situation in the Maldives and said that he had discussed the Maldives recently in London with H.E. Stephen Evans, the British High Commissioner for the Maldives.

The delegation also met with Amnesty International Secretariat in London and discussed the issues of the continued disregard for human rights abuses in Maldives.

The delegation is also in discussions with Tourism Concern, a non-governmental organisation promoting ethical tourism. A basic proposal has been forwarded to them and a conference will be organised in London in the House of Commons. This conference will address the human rights abuses in the Maldives and the covert dictatorship of Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, currently in his 26th year. British Parliament Members, Tour Operators and journalists as well as other relevant NGO’s will be invited to attend the conference.

It is reported that the delegation is in consultation with several Members of the Parliament in Britain who have shown considerable interest in the Maldives situation and have expressed an interest in raising the question in a parliamentary session in the near future.

On 3^rd March 2004, MDP delegation including Mr. Ahmed Mausoom of the General Council met with Hon. Mark Oaten MP, Shadow Home Secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party, at the House of Commons to make representation of the case for need for democracy in the Maldives. The Hon. Mr. Oaten showed a keen interest in raising the issue to the government of the UK and promised a parliamentary debate on Maldives in the very near future. Furthermore, he asserted his interest in providing MDP with assistance in the areas of management, campaigning techniques and expertise in conjunction which is a key interest area of Liberal Democratic Party.

Later in the afternoon, the delegation met with Lord Naseby at the House of Lords and made similar representation. Lord Naseby visited Maldives recently and is the Co-Chairman of the House of Lords Parliamentary Committee on Sri Lanka. He showed interest in the cause and requested to be provided with additional information.

MDP is encouraged by the support and cooperation from all parties in it’s quest to exert pressure on the government of Maldives to allow the Maldivian Democratic Party to legally and freely function, uphold the Rule of Law and refrain from any furthers acts of infringing on the rights of its citizens and to release all prisoners of conscience and allow freedom of expression and association in the Maldives as guaranteed by the adopted constitution.

The MDP delegation plans to travel to Geneva for meeting with United Nations Commission for Human Rights, United Nations in New York as well as discussions with State Department, USA in Washington in the very near future.

MDP International Secretariat Office has now been setup in London due to the current harassment to its activities in Sri Lanka, initiated by underhand dealing of the despotic regime of Gayyoom.

"MDP demands the immediate and unconditional release of all its members in custody, who have still not been officially charged and are being held in detention unlawfully, these include Mr. Ahmed Nazim Sattar, Abdulla Saeed, Ahmed Falah, Aminath Najeeb and Ismail Zila" says Ahmed Moosa, member of the General Council of MDP. He further added, "We will continue to work for as long as it takes to establish a civil society upholding the true values of democracy in the Maldives. Days of the "secret dictatorship" are over. Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom must allow reform to take place and must adhere to the constitution of the Maldives.