The Commonwealth has clarified that criteria for members of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) are expected to extend to all members, under the government’s commitment signed last week.
The CNI was set up by incoming President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to investigate the controversial circumstances that brought him to power on February 7.
Dr Waheed appointed the three member panel: Dr Ibrahim Yasir, Dr Ali Fawaz Shareef and Chair Ismail Shafeeu, Defence Minister under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
The ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – and subsequently the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) – challenged the independence of the commission and set a deadline for its composition to be adjusted.
Last week, a day before CMAG’s deadline, the government agreed to allow a retired Singaporean judge to co-chair the CNI, and also permit former President Mohamed Nasheed to appoint a representative to the commission.
Following the signing of that commitment – and the departure of Commonwealth Special Envoy Sir Donald McKinnon – the government gave a press conference during which Attorney General Azima Shukoor outlined the conditions for Nasheed’s appointee: they must not have served in a political position in the past two years, must not have taken a public stand on the transfer of power, and must “be of good behavior and integrity”.
If an acceptable appointee was not nominated before the June 1 deadline, the government stated that it would appoint a lawyer to represent Nasheed on the panel.
Following the government’s rejection of nine nominees, the MDP challenged these conditions as highly subjective: “They are [essentially] saying Dr Waheed will appoint President Nasheed’s representative,” said former Youth and Human Resources Minister, Hassan Latheef.
Spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Richard Uku, told Minivan News that the criteria for membership of the CNI, as reflected in the commitment given to the Commonwealth Special Envoy, “are intended to apply to all Commission members, including existing ones as well as the nominee of former President Nasheed.”
“The Commission is intended to consist of persons who have not taken a public stand on the events of 7 February 2012 or who may be expected to testify to the Commission. The criteria are designed with this in mind,” he said.
“The Maldives Government has made a written commitment, witnessed by the Commonwealth Special Envoy Sir Don McKinnon, to keep one place vacant for a suitable nominee from former President Nasheed on the Commission of National Inquiry. It is the Special Envoy’s hope that such a nominee can be in place no later than 1 June 2012, so that the reconstituted Commission can commence its work,” Uku added.
MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said it was likely that the Commonwealth would again have to mediate: “The government have defined ‘suitable’ in a manner conducive to them – in that case it might as well be Azima Shukoor. I think in the end it will be up to CMAG or the Special Envoy to define what they mean by this. That’s the impression I am getting at the moment,” he said.
The ‘Thinvana Adu’ campaign of NGOs has issued a statement in support of changes to the CNI, saying that it would “pave the way towards addressing the current political crisis”, and that any commitment to dialogue and working with international organisations by political actors “is a positive sign.”
Thinvana Adu spokesperson Aiman Rasheed said the NGO coalition was not able to comment officially on the conditions as they had not seen the Commonwealth’s agreement with the government and the MDP – “however any conditions should be agreeable to both parties,” he suggested. “Our stand is that the MDP should be represented on the commission, and that any people on the committee are acceptable to all parties. That is not the case with the current composition.”
Meanwhile, despite agreeing to change the CNI’s composition, the government has continued to maintain that the Commonwealth is being manipulated by opposition politicians, with President Waheed alleging to diplomats in Delhi last week that the Commonwealth was “intimidating” and “punishing” the government. He also challenged CMAG’s remit in placing the Maldives on its formal agenda.
“We are aware of the Maldives Government’s concerns as to CMAG’s scrutiny of the Maldives situation and have responded to them,” Uku told Minivan News.
“CMAG is specifically mandated by Commonwealth leaders to promote adherence to Commonwealth fundamental political values and to address situations where those values are seriously called into question. Given the situation where an elected Head of Government claimed that he was forced to resign, the nine Foreign Ministers who comprise CMAG felt obliged to be seized of the situation.”
Gayoom’s political party, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), have meanwhile also demanded a representative on the CNI.
“President Nasheed has made the false allegation that our party’s interim president is behind the coup, and if a seat is reserved for Nasheed’s representative, then we must have representation on the council as well,” said PPM Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, addressing media last week.
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That fella Baagee Waheed should be cahsed out of this country. He thinks he is a muslim but am sure that he even cannot recite "Gulhu Allah" by heart. What a shame on a the first Phd holder of Maldives. His children also is muslims but not a single paryer is done. BMW also goes to pary only on Fridays to show the public that he is very religious. By looking at his wife one knows that they do not follow Islamic values. A friend of her told me that she refused to wear the hi jab.He can citisize the CMG but he cannot say anything to the police and military people who mutinied. Shame on BMW. CMG should come very harsh on this coup govt.
“The Commission is intended to consist of persons who have not taken a public stand on the events of 7 February 2012 or who may be expected to testify to the Commission. The criteria are designed with this in mind,”
That's very reasonable and surely MDP should be able to find someone with those characteristics. I don't think Maria Didi et al qualify for such a position!
As usual MDP will always try to get their way. After all, it is MDP's way or the highway!
Waheed is guilty as sin! This is a coup government and totally illegal.
Nothing but procrastination!
Dr.Yaasir?Mr.Ismail Shafeeq? Dr.Ali Fawaz?
All three of them does not fit the criteria.They have spoken in support of the change though not in public.MDP should get someone qualified in the field of investigations, whether from Maldives or from another country.
Getting the truth is not easy when Police,Army,Judiciary,Civil Service and the government coalition is involved in it.
Another fine mess by the commonwealth.
The plan is to drag there feet as long as possible to delay the elections. Waheed should resign and resolve all these issues. How come MAG is asking waheed to compete in a primary.
He doesn't even belong to PPM
@Ahmed
Waheed is guilty of not garrotting you on the spot!
It against Islam and human decency to question the legitimacy of your rightful leader as long as he does not challenge the principles of our faith.
For the ruled must be accountable to the ruler. The ruler should not be accountable to the ruled. That is an abomination.
Learn your place and show the proper obesiance to your superiors, you wrecthed MalDeviant. Alhamdulillaah!
The last comment is quite frightening... you obviously belong to another time, far in the past... or to Guatanamo detetion camp in Cuba !!
@ D H
I rest my case, you are evil mad men from the dark ages!! Learn my place, hilarious! I only respect those who deserve respect which will never be Traitor Waheed, this illegal regime and vomit spouting brainless idiots like you.
@Marco ignore that dude, he is just a troll sprouting garbage, he likes to say provocative things.
CMAG is acting outside the their mandate and what else can be said then.
I agree that commission need to be independent and free from political influences but this does not mean that they need to pull their panties in front of Anni either.
MDP will never accept any outcome against them and everything need to be in favor of them and rest of the people need to agree what ever the dictator Anni says.
Common I am also a Maldivian and also MDP member but I have given up when on the dictator few months back due his arrogance attitude and when he tried to collect all the power to him forgetting who had helped him to become the President.
One comission who will not fail and be totally fair .... GIC (Giyaamath Inquiry Commission). No representation from any party or person. No question asked. And no answer required. Fair and just punishment guaranteed.
@mode
Still within CMAG mandate.
a. Maldives is a VOLUNTARY member of the common wealth. signed it many years ago, and status renewed ever since by Gayoom till his end, and Anni after that
b.Millbrook action plan mandates that democracy is enforceable to all members
c. CNI impartiality must based on transparency, so i guess, they should "pull their pants in front of everyone"
d. MDP agreed with the by election results, to say that they will not, is the same as saying, you will not agree with anything im writing (even without knowing how u think).
Maumoon Abdul gayyoom will be the only suitable candiditate from anni.lol
Why would anyone in their right mind want to rule this place. It's bankrupt. Murder, rape, drug abuse, theft, child abuse and other hienous crimes are rising out of control.
The place is sinking into the Indian Ocean as we speak. Perhaps that's a sign from Almighty Allah!
Exactly! Maumoon shall very well fit to represent President Nasheed because he knows Arabic and Islam better than Nasheed knows....Saabahey Kafabaalees AZIMA!!!!!!!!!!!
Reminds me of the Israeli Palestinian peace talks. Obstruct and obfuscate until the very last moment, then give in to half hearted measures. All the while establish "facts on the ground".
Since the time of Mohamed Ameen, if not before, Maldivian governments live by and through the support of the army. Once the army withdraws their support, the government falls.
Right through Ibrahim Ali Didi, Ibrahim Nasir, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and even Mohamed Nasheed, it has been the same story.
When the army rebelled, Nasheed fell. Now the army is controlled, directly or indirectly, by the latter-day-saint Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Apart from the army, Maumoon also has the sharp Maldivian weapon called Almighty Islam. The Great Muslim God is right behind him.
Maldives takes one step forward and two steps backwards. This is the tragedy of many third world countries. Democracy is an alien conecpt in the Maldives still. People in power only pay lip-service to it. They don't actually work for it.
If Maldives can come out of the big mess they are in now, Maldives will be lucky. There is a great danger that there will be social disorder for a long time.
All muslim countries have a special fondness for the army. Suharto in Indonesia, Mubarak in Egypt, Bashar in Syria, Abdulla in Jordan ,.......in Pakistan. You name it. Its everywhere.
@ Michael Fahmy on Mon, 21st May 2012 9:56 PM
"All muslim countries have a special fondness for the army. Suharto in Indonesia, Mubarak in Egypt, Bashar in Syria, Abdulla in Jordan ,…….in Pakistan. You name it. Its everywhere."
You make it sound like a problem of the Muslims. Nothing can be further from the truth. The world's most populous country of China is the most oppressive and controlled regime in the world, militarily or otherwise. Until the breakup of Eastern Europe, most of Europe was in a similar sad state.
You've come to the wrong conclusion using the right statistics. The right conclusion would have been that poverty, lack of democracy and below average educational standards of the populace gives rise to oppressive regimes. Furthermore, these are hugely inter-related factors. Being a muslim or muslim nation is only one of a number of regressor variables in this model!
This definitely a coup!Why should Waheed appoint a commission in the first place if it is not? How did the letter of President Nasheed's resignation delivered to the Parliament? A man wearing a t shirt delivered the letter. Is this how this letter should be delivered? I think not. This is coup.The traitors would face justice and it will be severe!!!
*Why Because Judiciary Never taking Required Action For Chief Judge & Qaasim Ibrahim Push finger In too the Judiciary *7th Feb Morning So many People Inside The MNDF building Unauthorized People
*MNDFSecurity Many items Was Given to the Public 7th FEB morning
*Mr.Nasheed Resng Letter Accepted By illegal Process parliament Office
*Was Several Meeting Held In Vice Present Home With PPM Since Long He Never Shared Any Conversation With Former Government When he Was As a Vice President ( still Many more Question regarding the Resignation I don't Believe The First Democratic Leader Elected To the Maldivian President He would Resin Without Reason !!!!!!