IPU Sends Urgent Mission to Maldives

The IPU mission aims to help defuse political tensions ahead of presidential elections.  ©REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

IPU has sent an urgent mission to Maldives to help find ways to improve trust and confidence between State institutions in a country increasingly polarized by political division and where the annulment of presidential elections by the Supreme Court in September has taken a political crisis to new heights.

The Organization has repeatedly called for the rule of law in the Indian Ocean Island nation to be respected and for the executive, legislative and judicial branches of State to respect their individual constitutional prerogatives and function independently of each other.

In particular, IPU has been concerned by the inability of the Maldives parliament to carry out its legislative and oversight responsibilities freely and independently. The frequent intimidation, harassment and attack of MPs as they go about their work have been deeply worrying and has led to a spate of new cases being lodged with IPU’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.

The IPU delegation, already in the Maldives and which includes New Zealand MP and Attorney General Paul East, is due to meet with government leaders including President Waheed. It will also engage with senior parliamentary authorities including the Speaker of parliament, as well as members of the Maldives Supreme Court and other law enforcers such as the Police Commissioner.

The annulment of the first round of presidential elections in September 2013 won by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party leader Mohamed Nasheed, and time running out for a new president to be elected by 11 November when President Waheed’s term of office ends, has led to a political stand-off impacting on the work of the parliament and MPs.

“The mission not only aims to promote confidence and trust between State institutions ahead of the forthcoming election, but also to have a better understanding of recent allegations of human rights violations against members of parliament. These include arbitrary arrests, attacks and intimidation, including death threats,” says IPU head of human rights programmes and mission member, Rogier Huizenga.

The mission, which lasts a week, will have concluded ahead of the new first round of presidential elections, now due to take place on 9th November.