Home Minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has criticised Amnesty International for failing to seek comment from the government when compiling its recent report, “The Other side of Paradise: A Human Rights Crisis in the Maldives”, local media has reported.
“They had not sought any comments from the Maldives government. I’m extremely disappointed that a group advocating for fairness and equal treatment had released a report based on just one side of the story,” Jameel told Haveeru.
“An international group of the caliber of Amnesty should have heard the other side as well. But they had failed to obtain our comments,” Jameel is quoted as saying.
Minivan News was awaiting a response from Amnesty at the time of press.
When talking with Haveeru, Jameel did not appear to dispute the content of the statements that were included in the report.
Jameel was also not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.
The Amnesty report recounts sustained and pre-meditated beatings of protesters with a variety of weapons.
Some of those interviewed reported people being attacked in their hospital beds, whilst others recalled torture and further degradation whilst in detention.
Amnesty also detailed a number of incidents of police brutality on February 8, including attacks on Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs Eva Abdulla and Mariya Didi.
“The overall objective of these violent attacks has been to silence peaceful government critics and stifle public debate about the current political situation,” said the report, compiled by Amnesty researcher Abbas Faiz.
“Based on Amnesty International’s interviews with survivors of these violent attacks, it appears that many were targeted by security forces because they were MDP ministers, parliamentarians or supporters,” it read.
Whilst Amnesty stated that several of its human rights recommendations were reflected in the Commission of National Inquiry’s (CNI) report, which was released on August 30, Jameel argued that the CNI had highlighted misdemeanors of protesters which did not make it into the Amnesty report.
“CNI (Commission of National Inquiry) report had clearly highlighted the actions of demonstrators during protests in the Maldives. The foreign observers had labelled the actions of demonstrators as cowboy tactics,” Jameel told Haveeru.
In their closing observations, Professor John Packer and Sir Bruce Robertson had appeared critical of the anti-government protesters.
“Some would want to call an example of the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. In reality it is rather more bully boy tactics involving actual and threatened intimidation by a violent mob,” reported Packer and Robertson.
Jameel continued: “The demonstrators undermine the peace and stability, carry out attacks while being inebriated, carry out attacks with sharp objects and damage private property. Even internationally such actions are regarded as violence. However, the Amnesty report has ignored all such things. It is extremely one sided and unjust,” said Jameel.
The CNI report’s major findings were that February’s transfer of power was constitutional and that, rather than amounting to a coup, the events preceding former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation were of his own making.
The report did conclude that acts of police brutality had been committed in February and urged further investigation by relevant authorities.
Following the release of the report, Jameel explained that the government would leave these investigations to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC).
Widespread doubts persist, however, as to the strength of independent institutions in the country with the Chair of the PIC publicly expressing her doubts over the ability of the PIC to handle the pressure of these investigations.
This issue was reflected in Amnesty’s findings: “Government officials have frequently shrugged off their own responsibility to address human rights violations, saying it is the purview of the Human Rights Commission (HRCM) and the PIC.”
“However, both bodies have yet to conclude their investigations into all of the most serious human rights violations does not absolve the government of its responsibility to exercise due diligence in guaranteeing the rule of law and protecting human rights,” it continued.
Amnesty’s recommendations also included de-politicisation of the police, reform of the judiciary and enhanced training of security forces to meet with international standards of conduct.
Nasheed’s MDP have been fiercely critical of the CNI’s methods following the resignation of their commission member, Ahmed ‘Gahaa’ Saeed, on the eve of the report’s publication.
Jameel’s comments echo those of Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz who, in April, told Minivan News of his own scepticism of Amnesty’s methods
“I don’t see that there has been any investigations done, none of our officers was questioned, interviewed – neither by them nor by the Police Integrity Commission (PIC), nor by the Human Rights Commission (HRCM). I don’t think that’s fair,” said Riyaz.
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Don't be dissappointed BB Jameel, they'll hear your testimony in the HAGUE in the near future,,!!
And you'll have all the time in the world to argue your case then, sit tight!!
See nothing will go unnoticed by them UN guys,
History tells how long after darkness came the light? How many people sacrificed almost everything for their sons to tell about? Where is Saddam, Ghadfi, and Mubarak now??
time alone will tell where will you end up pal!!
Jamyl needs to see a doc asap. Just Read it for once...
Amnesty International is used to small (and insignificant) countries like Maldives with poor human rights records trying to bully them. "Angry Bird" Jameel you are wasting your breath.
jameel u definitely need to be disappointed when you are the main culprit and the master mind be hind the coup. How ever hard you try to convince people that you are innocent its impossible your reaction to amnesty itself proves that you are guilty and defending the act. International Agencies are not like Maldivians to do things upside down you are a fraud.
Amnesty International is a tool of the USA. The Director is Suzanne Nossel, who moved there direct from working for Hilary Clinton at the US State Department. Be assured that Amnesty International now acts on behalf of the USA where interference is needed. If AI criticises Maldives, that is also unofficial US foreign policy!
And people still claim the Maldives is Sovereign.
Honestly though, if international organisations don't force a new election in the Maldives, history will repeat itself.
Can a BAAQEE be a self acclaimed home minister.
I have to say your actions are well coerced by Maumoon who mistakenly gave you the minister's post to find that you back stabbed him.:-)
If AI criticises the Maldives, its unofficial US foreign policy? Then, if the Muslim Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, carries out death sentence on people who are convicted to death by its Muslim judge cleric, does that means, the Saudi government is exercising some of the US states' official policy on carrying out death sentence which is so vehemently opposed by AI. hehe
I just read the whole report by Amnesty.
The eventual consequence for the Maldives if this vulgar display of excessive police brutality creates an atmosphere of fear, will be a catstrophe! If dissenting voices become too few through fear, an unchecked Government becomes a tyranny no matter how well intentioned!
THAT would only be the start of the trauma!
For all you who had been smashed and broken down, from Reeko to ALL of you, the elderly, the Youth, to ALL of you, I LOVE THE HELL OUT OF YOU GUYS! My prayers and love for all the oppressed, the sick, the poor, the suffering in Maldives will be continual, PLEASE STAND strong guys! PLEASE DO NOT YIELD to fear, I PRAY. Experience and express empathy and love for one another, and let that LOVE for each other create strength for you all, unity, solidarity, through empathy will be the fuel needed for the flame of courage and resistance to remain alive in the fierce winds and rain of the storm of tyranny!
The US government, to the disgust of those who believe we should promote democracy overseas, has basically endorsed the coup and the Waheed/Gayoom government.
AI and the USG are very often diametrically opposed. AI is not at all affiliated with, or a tool of, the USG. AI shows more integrity in this instance than the USG. Today Secretary Clinton designates the Haqqani Network as a terrorist organization, many years too late. Just like we only so designated the LTTE more than 20 years after their terrorist activities began in Sri Lanka. So perhaps we will call the Maldivian coup a coup, in 5 or 10 years. Justice delayed is justice denied.
I can not understand why Amnesty and other human rights organization is so much concerned on Maldives ? Why these people never bothered about the mass killing of innocent young kids and women and men in Burma and Myanamar ? Was that a legal killing since it was done by the extreme Budhists against the Muslims ?
You tell me any concerns that were raised by these international community towards these mass killing ? Nothing ?
There is a reasonable ground to believe that these NGO are biased and have some hidden agenda . This is very clear and it is to push Maldives to have religious freedom nothing else.
Anni is the man who need to go hague and he is the one who need to be put behind the bars for robbing this country.
He is the man who is curtailing the democracy in this country and he is a threat to this young democracy .
He tried to abolish the parliament and judiciary system on the 6th of Feb. and then bring a coup here which he failed.
He is the one who is ruling like a king in MDP and many of the party members are being oppressed and they are disappointed with this cult .
To Mody.
Amnesty International about Myanmar:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/ai_search?keywords=myanmar&op=Search&form_id=search_theme_form&form_token=9067f8ece29913522bc98bd90655810e
@International Observer..I disagree with your view that "AI is not at all affiliated with, or a tool of, the USG."
Research Suzanne Nossel..whilst at the State Department she wrote the "soft power" doctrine which has become the standard policy of the US (using NGO's plus military power or the threat of it) to effect regime change where the USA thinks it is required. The wishes of the population are secondary importance.
Announcement:
All you who had the baton and sticks on 6,7,8th,feb, all you who brutilized normal and unarmed fellow maldivians standing against miutiny by armed forces, all of you who think you've served your country, all of you who used force in breaking in MNBC, all of you who destroyed MDP haruge, all of you who stayed in Jumhooree Miadhan refusing direct orders to go to HQ, all of you who continue till date your intimidations, torture, political arrests, public property vandalising, all of you who refused protection to a leagally registered Local TV station, cutting their cables, looting their equipments, and above all punching Nasheed, beating Reeko, sexually assaulting Maria & Eva, and still perusing violations of every human right on the planet,,,,,,
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN RUN OR HIDE OR DID YOU THINK JAMEEL OR NAZIM CAN REALLY PROTECT YOU'ALL, DID YOU THINK THIS IS OVER!
"BAAGGHY" will be tattooed on your'all foreheads, dressed like women, you'll be marched to 25yrs,,or LIFE IMPISONMENT,,
you can run, but where will YOU'ALL hide????
If it takes century, Justice will be served!!
prepare ypurselves ZAALIMEEN!!
and after death, you'll be further punished for FASAAD,DISOBEYING WALLIUL AMRR,& ALL YOUR DEEDS,,
And on judgment day, y'all will be brought out, facing the hot ground, asking for forgiveness from all those people you betrayed !!!!
The really Discusting thing is finding people who thinks in a very primitive manner, Thinking once they committed crimes against humanity, no one should point fingers at them, and Discusting moreover seeing many fools trying to argue on why AI, UNHRC, and International observers need to be interested,,,
Maldives is in this world, member of UN, under umbrella of international organisations...
You fools will need to go out of your shells, see the world to know how much your comments, actions and supports to a COUP',will damage everyossibke way to devolopment,
Stone age idiots!!!
AI certainly condemns the oppression of the Rohynga in Burma by the Buddhists, but that has nothing to do with the Maldivian situation. But the baghees must try to change the subject from what they have done which cannot bear scrutiny. And that report only deals with the human rights violations since February, not the three decades of authoritarian repression by Gayoom's goons that only ended with Anni's installation as President.
mody seems to love the violence against Muslims in Burma.
Here's a little-known fact that no 'MORDIS state media' dares to admit to. The violence was started when a Seyku Imran type raped a Buddhist woman.
And yes, the victim's families retaliated in full force.
So it shall be for the police and army thugs that violate the rights of the Maldivian people. They will be punished with such wrath, that they will kneel and pray for a quick death.
Zayyid. You are wrong and it is the other way round.
One muslim woman was rapped by a Monk. Go and check it properly.
These MDP cults will tell any thing to justify their view no matter how twisted the reality is.
Jameel has instructed Riyaz to question and investigate Amnesty International. La la la....
Very shabby comments made by Home Minister Jameel. Obviously, he does not really know who or what Amnesty International is.