Author: Hawwa Lubna

Teased, touched and assaulted: foreign women facing harassment

Walking down a crowded street two weeks ago in the Maldives capital of Male’, Lisa*, 25, had one of the most horrific experiences of her life.

Teased, touched and assaulted by two young men on the street, the Australian foreign worker was left deeply upset and stunned over the harassment that occurred in broad daylight.

“I was walking near the swim track when these two boys in their 20s came behind me and grabbed my ass. I screamed and they walked away. I kept walking forward and then suddenly saw the two boys approaching me again. I was really scared because I did not know what they were going to do next,” Lisa recalled.

“They came back, surrounded me and started to pass comments at me. They touched me inappropriately, grabbed me and one of them slapped me,” she continued. It lasted for about 20 seconds I think. I took my phone and warned them I was calling the police. Then they grabbed me once more and just ran off.”

She had travelled from Australia to work in the Maldives just a few months before the incident, and had not expected to face harassment or attack, she said.

In the last few weeks foreign women from diverse nationalities working in Maldives have come forward and told Minivan News about various attacks, ranging from verbal abuse to physical and sometimes sexual assaults.

Clarice*, a 23-year-old French woman, was teased and stalked on the street while she was walking home on March 1.

“I was walking past the artificial beach around 12:30pm in the afternoon. A group of four local boys, maybe in their 20s, started following me. They passed comments like ‘you are my angel’ and one of them grabbed my arm and said ‘oh your skin is so beautiful’. I really did not understand what they wanted and I was really scared because they kept following me,” Clarice explained.

“Because they were following me I went back to the office, instead of going home. I live alone so I was did not want them to find out where I live,” she added.

Clarice decided not to inform police because it was mostly verbal abuse, she said.

Unsafe at home

Meanwhile, several other women interviewed exclaimed that the “threats have extended from streets to homes”.

Katie*, a 34-year old American who has worked in Male’ for almost a year, said she thought she had figured out the Maldives, its culture and its people. Respecting the Muslim background, she said she was sensitive to societal rules, dressed modestly and until recently, thought of Maldives as a safe place.

What changed her impression was a horrific incident last month which a local man sexually assaulted her while she she was unlocking the door of her apartment.

“It was early morning around 4:00am. I was unlocking the door to my house when I felt someone grab my neck from behind. At first I thought it was my friends who had left just seconds ago. But the grip was very firm so I turned around and saw a man wearing white shirt and pants. I screamed at the top of my voice,” Katie recalled.

“He grabbed my breasts, ripped the t-shirt I was wearing. I tried to hit him with my hands, screamed and tried to escape. At that time the door was unlocked and he had pushed me inside. I managed to hit his groin with my feet. That’s when he let go of me and ran out. I tried to follow him but he fled on a motorbike too quickly,” she said. “I was so distraught, I could not even call the police.”

Neighbors who heard her screams called the police. Around five to six officers arrived on the scene with a forensic team.

Disappointed with police

However, according to Katie, the police did not take her statement until three weeks later and then got the details of the attack completely wrong.

“The police had stated my necklace was stolen. It broke off during the attack, I still have it. The attacker must have known the necklace I was wearing was not gold because it was made of multi-colored beads,” Katie pointed out.

She added that she had later found out from CCTV camera owners nearby her house that the police had not requested the footage or interviewed neighbors for clues. Frustrated over the lack of police assistance, she called the US embassy. “I don’t think they would have even taken the statement if the American Embassy had not called them,” Katie claimed.

Lucy, a 36 Irish woman, also talked to Minivan New about an attack, and a disappointing experience with the police, following a robbery and sexual assault she encountered last year.

She was attacked while walking up the flat’s staircase with two other female friends around midnight.

“The apartment was on the sixth floor and I was walking upstairs to my friends apartment. They were couple of steps ahead of me and I was walking up when, suddenly, a man came behind me and grabbed my breasts and tried to pull my clothes,” Lucy recollected.

“I go to the gym and I lift weights. But I couldn’t get him off. He was quite a large and it seemed he was under the influence of something. I hit him with my bag several times. He did not attempt to grab it and run. I think his intention was to pull off my clothes. By then my friends had heard the screams and came running downstairs. That’s when he released me and ran off,” she added.

Lucy however noted that the attack had not affected her as much as when she was robbed just weeks before the attack, and found the robbery to be the “worst ordeal”.

“My laptops and phone was stolen from my apartment. That was the worst ordeal because somebody broke into my room while I was sleeping,” she observed.

Thanks to her strong personality, Lucy said she managed to get over both attacks and visit Maldives again this year. However, she echoed others’ grievances over the lack of support from police.

“When police came to the flat the only response I got from them was ‘this never happens’. They did not take my statement or follow up on me. I don’t think the case was investigated,” she claimed.

Lisa, who earlier spoke to Minivan News, also complained over the lack of police professionalism after she reported the harassment on the street and added that it seemed “police did not the case seriously”.

Police Spokesperson Sub-inspector Hassan Haneef responded that police investigate all the complaints and officers who investigate foreigners cases are skilled and capable in communicating in English: “But we do face difficulties in communicating with Bangladeshi expatriates,” he said.

He noted that it was difficult to state whether harassment of foreign women was on the rise, but confirmed that such cases had been reported.

Haneef also urged women to report such attacks, assuring that complete investigations would be conducted.

Lisa, Clarice, Katie and Lucy say they are awaiting justice and for a day they can walk the streets without being teased, touched or assaulted. A day when they don’t have to be extra cautious on streets, scan around for possible stalkers or triple check their locks.

In the meantime all they ask from the local community is “not to assume we provoked the attacks and step in to help a woman being harassed”.

*Names changed

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Somali castaways in Maldives say “no” to repatriation

Forty Somali castaways under the custody of Maldivian authorities have recently refused to return home despite arrangements that were made for their safe repatriation, Minivan News has learned.

According to a top government official, who spoke to Minivan News on condition of total anonymity, the government had devoted “immeasurable amount of time and effort” over the past three years to safely repatriate several Somali nationals who have been discovered in Maldivian waters in dinghies lost at sea.

Many were found in frail health conditions due to dehydration and malnourishment, and had to undergo long treatments before being transferred to Dhoonidhoo Detention Center, where they were provided temporary refuge until negotiations on repatriation were finalised.

“However, after all their identities were verified, passports and a chartered flight was arranged for their safe transportation, they refused to go back to Somalia,” said the source, who has worked closely with the case.

“The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s delegation arrived in Maldives to confirm their preference because no refugee can be repatriated without consent under the international conventions,” he said. “So the delegation asked them one question – Are you willing to go? All of them said ‘no!'” he recalled.

He observed that the Maldives cannot resort to the option of forced repatriation as Somalia is recognised as a unsafe state.

Maldives has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol citing “financial and technical capacity constraints” but the convention prohibits all states, regardless of whether they have acceded it, from returning a “refugee to a territory where his or her life or freedom is threatened”.

“So the project is now a big failure,” he concluded, adding that the Maldives can face “increasing pressures from the international community if it continue with the forced repatriation.”

Minivan News could not get a comment from the foreign ministry at the time of press on how the state intends to move forward in solving the repatriation block.

Authorities have earlier echoed concerns over the increased financial burden to the state in providing shelter to the Somalis, who are said to be now in good health and actively involved in prison-based agricultural projects.

A Maldivian expert on combating human trafficking meanwhile noted in an interview to Minivan News that “if repatriation does not work out, the only legal solution would be for Maldives to sign the international conventions on refugees and Rights of Migrant Workers Families and accept the Somalis as refugees, and provide necessary protection granted under these conventions.”

“The Maldives will be pressured to sign the conventions. But, the question is are we ready to face that? We are already in a crisis with the current 100,000 expatriate population in the country which accounts to one third of the Malidives population. If these conventions are passed, it means, the expat population will be doubled or tripled,” he warned. “Are Maldivians willing to become a minority in their own country?” he asked.

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Construction sites blamed as dengue cases surge

The Centre for Community Health and Disease Control (CCHDC) on Tuesday issued the first warning this year on a possible outbreak of dengue fever, and urged the public to to take preventive measures to fight the mosquito-borne disease that has become one of the worst public health threats in the Maldives.

Though the Maldives holds South-East Asia’s record for being malaria-free, since 2004 the country has been battling a growing epidemic of dengue fever annually with nearly a 1000 reported cases and three deaths annually, except in 2006 and 2011 where the reported cases doubled, and fatalities reached 10 and 12 respectively – a record high in the country’s history.

According to the CCHDC statement, 163 cases have been reported so far this year, 100 cases from Male’ and Hulhumale’ and the other cases from across the islands.

Although Maldives usually experience two peaks of dengue following the rainy seasons; one between January to March and the other during June to August, the center observed that dengue cases continues to be reported from Male’ and Hulhumale’ outside the peak periods.

“This is due to the non-stop construction work going on Male’ and Hulhumale”, noted the center.

Health experts have also echoed similar concerns and pinpointed Male’s mosquito-breeding to pools of stagnant water in building sites across the city – which is often poorly monitored.

The center meanwhile called for public support to in the fight against dengue by taking preventive measures including the clearance of mosquito breeding grounds inside homes, schools and other public areas and increased use of mosquito repellant sprays and lotions.

Ignorance

However, health experts worry that public will ignore the warnings until the death toll increases.

In 2011, dengue did not come to the center of attention until June when four children died of dengue in 48 hours, making headlines on almost all local media outlets. The government the next day set up a task force to combat the outbreak.

At the time, speaking to this author, Public Health Programme Coordinator for the Center for Community Health and Disease Control (CCHDC) Dr Fathmath Nazla Rafeeq shared her concerns over the lack of public attention to the center’s alerts.

“Since December [2010] we had warned about the increase in dengue cases. But most of the people don’t even remember. They assume that mosquitoes should be controlled if there is a dengue outbreak and everything will be okay when authorities spray fog,” Nazla observed. “Therefore, on most islands, its [mosquito control] is highly neglected. Once dengue starts to spread, people panic,” she added.

According to her, a dengue outbreak is inevitable, unless public collaborate with the authorities to eliminate mosquito breeding sites regularly.

Health Minister and former Director of CCHDC Dr Ahmed Jamsheed meanwhile wrote on his blog on June 2011: “Multiple reminders in the form of health warnings and press releases issued by CCHDC following heavy rain and prior to an expected outbreak are either ignored or not acted upon sufficiently”.

Furthermore, he noted “there are several fundamental problems in how mosquito control work is being carried out; with improper approaches and wrong techniques resulting not only in a failure to control mosquito, but also mosquitoes getting resistant to chemicals due to irrational and improper use of chemicals, which is an extremely worrying problem.”

While advice and reminders fail, Jamsheed suggests that punitive measures need to be taken to continue the fight against dengue – including the introduction of Health Protection Bill.

When passed, the bill will provide “sufficient resources to ongoing efforts on community education, awareness and health promotion, access to premises with mosquito breeding and legal action against those who do not comply with the law or regulations,” according to Dr Jamsheed.

“With neither a cure nor a specific treatment, prevention becomes the only strategy we have,” Jamsheed concluded.

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Haveeru Chairman Dr.Zahir appointed as university chancellor

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has appointed the chairman of local newspaper Haveeru, Dr Mohamed Zahir Hussain as the chancellor of the Maldives National University. The presentation of the letter of appointment was held this afternoon at the President’s Office (PO).

Dr.Zahir served as the Minister of Education for more than 11 years under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

Furthermore, under the same administration, he had also served as the Minister of Youth Development and Sports, the President of the Maldives College of Higher Education, Special Advisor to the President, and Senior Minister at the President’s Office.

According to the PO website, speaking at the ceremony, the President noted Dr.Zahir’s services in the education sector of the country and expressed his confidence that Dr Zahir Hussain would apply his vast experience for the advancement of the National University.

Zahir’s appointment comes following the resignation of Dr.Musthafa Luthfy, who resigned from the post on February 19.

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EC employees strike over pay, demands resignation of 3 members

Employees of the Maldives Elections Commission (EC) have halted work this afternoon in a dispute over pay, while also demanding the resignation of three commission members they accuse of bias.

Around 45 EC employees who attended office today halted work at 2pm and moved to the commission’s meeting room where they staged a sit-down strike.  The list of reasons for the strike  were displayed on a projector screen, according to a senior employee who spoke to Minivan News on condition of anonymity.

The list included five separate accusations:

1.Employees doubt the impartially of commission members

2.Intimidation of staff

3. Lack of appreciation of staff

4. Making baseless accusations against employees

5. Commission members working for self-interest in violation of laws and regulations.

The strike concluded at 4pm today, though is scheduled to continue during tomorrow’s office hours, the employee noted, “until the commission agrees to the demands”.

“We are are mainly dissapointed over our pay, which is much lower than what the employees of other independent institutions are earning”, the employee claimed. “We receive 45 percent of our salaries as an allowance because the job prohibits us from working anywhere else and restricts our political freedom to prevent conflict of interest”

“Therefore, we are asking the commission to give us a monthly living allowance equivalent to that of Civil Service Commission (CSC)’s employees” the EC employee explained. “The living allowance will be a maximum of Rf3000 [USD194] only.”

Furthermore, he alleged that staff had serious concerns over the “lack of integrity and independence” of three members of the five seat commission; Mohamed Farooq, Ali Mohamed Manik and Ogaru Ibrahim Waheed.

“They are not working impartially,” he claimed, adding that Farooq had argued against giving living allowances to employees. “But if you look at the audit report alone, the members have spent thousands in violation of the public finance regulations in buying mobile phones, ipads and covering phone allowances”.

“We are demanding the resignation of Farooq, Manik and Waheed if our demand for living allowance cannot be fulfilled,” he added.

Minivan News could not reach commission president Fuad Thaufeeq or deputy Ahmed Fayaz Hassan at the time of press.

However, both were quoted in the local media saying that discussions were ongoing over releasing living allowances to the commission’s employees.  A final decision has not been made on the matter.

The pair have not responded to allegations of bias directed at three members of the commission.

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Inquiry not a criminal investigation: commission head Shafeeu

There will be no criminal investigation into the events leading to the resignation of of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7, and the subsequent transfer of presidential power to then-Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, the Committee of National Inquiry (CNI) said on Thursday.

The commission is charged with looking into the legality and legitimacy of the transfer of presidential power following allegations from former ruling Maldivian Democratic (MDP) that Waheed came to power in an opposition-backed coup in which elements of police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) were bribed to revolt against Nasheed and force him to step down at “gun point”.

Both security forces and then-opposition parties – which now largely represents key cabinet posts and ministerial positions at Dr Waheed’s administration – have steadily denied the allegations.

The commission members now including former minister of defence and national security during President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration, Ismail Shafeeu, members Dr Ibrahim Yasir and Dr Ali Fawaz Shareef on Thursday held its first press conference and briefed the journalists on the commission’s responsibilities, assuring that the members will conduct a “strictly impartial and independent inquiry”.

However, according to commission head Shafeeu, the commission will not conduct any criminal investigation against anyone while assessing the events leading to Nasheed’s resignation – suggesting that the report which will be submitted to President, Vice President and Prosecutor General before May 31, is unlikely to hold any party or person accountable to the transfer of power.

The commission’s “terms of reference” released to the press read that the “mandate of the commission specifically indicates that the inquiry will not be a criminal investigation. Any criminal investigation pertaining to the subject of the inquiry will remain the responsibility of the relevant authorities”.

Meanwhile it states the commission’s mandate as “exploring the facts, circumstances and causes of the events on 7 February 2012, resulting in the transfer of powers”.

Shafeeu further explained that “the inquiry is not intended to allege anyone of any crime” and said the final report will include opinions from three commission members which will be solely based on the personal assessment of the events and information gathered from the state institutions and concerned individuals.

According to commission member Yasir, many believe that commission is investigating criminal charges because former presidents had formed commissions tasked with criminal investigations.

“As soon as the commission was formed by Presidential decree, people began to ask about what sort of investigations we will conduct. But, we have not been asked to conduct any investigation. What we are doing is conducting an inquiry to identify the circumstances leading to transfer of power on February 7,” Yasir observed.

He added that the commission welcomes information from the public and the work is underway to set up a website where people can send information and follow the commission’s works. He also said that all political parties have been requested to co-operate and meetings are ongoing with independent institutions.

The commission has already met with the Police Integrity Commission, Attorney General (AG), Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), Civil Service Commission (CSC) Prosecutor General (PG) and several NGOs.

Member Favaz meanwhile noted that commission has decided to seek technical assistance from United Nations (UN) and foreign ministry will facilitate the process. When asked whether Commonwealth will join the investigation Fayaaz responded: “We decided to channel UN’s assistance because the body compromise of all the nations while Commonwealth represents a specific group of countries. But we do welcome assistance from all international bodies and countries”.

The Commonwealth and Transparency Maldives has previously concurred with the need for international involvement, stating that it “strongly felt that there should be international participation in any investigative mechanism, as may be mutually agreed by political parties in Maldives.

Though government had shown willingness, the inclusion of international experts in the inquiry process is still pending.

MDP’s spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor meanwhile dismissed the inquiry commissions remarks claiming that it has “absolutely no substance”.

“The terms of reference of the inquiry commission has nothing to do with what the CMAG has asked or what we are asking for. This [commission] is tailor-made to the wishes of an politician who is trying to consolidate the rule of Gayoom’s factions. And now they are saying there will be no criminal investigation,” Ghafoor alleged.

“How can there be an impartial investigation when the members are appointed by those who were involved in the coup and denying international involvement in the inquiry process?” Ghafoor asked.

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Universal health insurance scheme under review

The government’s universal health insurance scheme ‘Aasandha’ is currently being reviewed by the authorities to introduce a measure to  share the cost of  healthcare services covered under the scheme.

The discussions follow concern from the government over the scheme’s sustainability, as the demand for healthcare continues dramatically increase, costing the country millions.

The newly-appointed Chairman of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) and State Minister of Home Affairs Thoriq Ali Luthfee recently suggested in the local media that the Aasandha scheme “cannot continue to operate without interventions to control the demand.”

He alleged that the scheme was introduced “for political motives” without any proper planning.

Subsequent to the remarks, members of the public raised concerns over a possible cancellation of the scheme and loss of access to free healthcare. The new administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has shut down some initiatives introduced by his predecessor, including the  Maldives Volunteer Corps and the Second Chance Program for inmate rehabilitation.

However, in an interview to Minivan News on Tuesday, Aasandha Private Limited’s Managing Director Mohamed Shafaaz confirmed that the scheme will go forward although measures will be taken to control the rising demand for health care.

According to Shafaaz, since the inception of the Aasandha scheme on January 1, over 138,000 individuals have sought health care under the scheme – which accounts for almost 40 percent of the total population.

Meanwhile, on a daily basis almost 7000-8000 people are using the scheme, totaling a daily cost of the scheme of up to Rf 3 million (US$194,552), he further noted.

“We expected the demand to increase initially with the inception and hoped it would reduce later. but the trend has not changed. Demand is still increasing,” Shafaaz explained. “There are some people with serious illnesses like cancer, heart conditions and kidney problems etc, but most people are going for consultations just because it is free,'” he added.

Therefore, he noted that the current discussions focus on introducing a co-sharing model to share an extent of the healthcare cost with the people, instead of sole coverage by the state.

Currently the ‘Aasandha’ scheme, a public-private partnership with Allied Insurance, provides free coverage of up to Rf100,000 (US$6485) annually for health services for all Maldivian nationals.

“The problem is it is completely free. People do not have to pay anything. But if we bring a small change like levying a charge of  around Rf 10 (US$0.65), people going for unnecessary consultations will be discouraged,” Shafaaz noted.

However, he noted that “nothing has been finalised” yet and the changes will hopefully be decided and made public this week.

In a previous article Minivan News explored the Maldivian public’s prodigious appetite for medical care following the inception of the scheme and the subsequent challenges to the health sector.

Aasandha appears to prove the business rule that low prices attract public interest applies even to medical services – many Maldivians talk about being encouraged to go to the hospital simply because treatment is free.

Medical professionals have also commented on what they describe as the population’s reflexive hypochondria.

Dr Ahmed Jamsheed, Chief Operating Officer at Male’s ADK hospital at the time and currently the Minister of Health, observed in a personal blog entry, that ‘the launching of Aasandha has challenged the two hospitals in Male’, pushing them to their limits with frenzied ‘patients’ (or should I call them customers?) flooding and packing the hospitals.”

Observing that ADK has seen a 50 percent increase in specialist consultations and a 100 percent increase in demand for basic services, Dr Jamsheed describes the hospital as “overwhelmed.”

“In the absence of an ongoing epidemic, statistically and epidemiologically speaking, it is unlikely that so many people would be sick needing health care simultaneously,” he said.

He also echoed similar concerns over the financial implications in sustaining the scheme and suggested that a scheme where patients co-shared the cost would be more ‘useful in limiting unnecessary hospital visits and prescription charges.’

He also alleged
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Government shuts down ‘Second Chance’ program for inmate rehabilitation

Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed announced that the government intends to shut down the Second Chance Program, alleging that the former administration had used the program “to release unqualified criminals under political influence and without any clear procedure “.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, the Home Minister alleged the program was politically influenced and claimed that it was set up in violation of the parole system and the Maldivian laws.

He claimed that several inmates who did not qualify for social re-integration were released during the program based on a list approved by then-President Office.

The “uncontrolled release of criminals” over the recent years had threatened the public safety, Jameel further alleged.

“The [incarcerated] criminals have been released without any control in the past days to a level public safety has been threatened. Those criminals were released by sidelining the Maldivian laws,” Jameel claimed.

According to him, a total of 1879 criminals were incarcerated for various offenses during Nasheed’s term, but only 621 are currently remaining in prisons while 1258 have been released with no clear procedure.

Therefore, he said that the program will be shut down and all its responsibilities will be tasked to the Parole Board and Clemency Board, which will be re-formed in the coming week.

However, both boards have been criticised over the years for being “slow and ineffective”.

“All hope lost”

In an interview to Minivan News following the government’s announcement to shut down the program, former Manager of the Second Chance initiative, Aishath Rasheed said that the Parole and Clemency board “does not have the technical expertise to continue the program”.

“I was a member of the parole board. Both boards exist as mere names. Some members do go for the meetings but have to go back home because the meetings cannot be held due to lack of quorum,” Rasheed said. “Because of the lack of attendance, the efforts to reintegrate the  inmates back into the society were severely delayed”.

She highlighted that a majority of the prison population were young people incarcerated for small drug offences and that the “long jail terms were destroying their lives”.

Therefore she explained that the Second Chance Program was set up by the deposed President Mohamed Nasheed in September 2011 to expedite the re-integration of former inmates incarcerated for drug offences back into the society.

According to the UNDP report, “Prison Assessment and Proposed Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders Report“, published last year, 66 percent of all prisoners in the Maldives at the time of report were in jail for drug use or possession, often small quantities, while the majority were males under 30 years of age with education below O-levels.

“With the inception of the program a second opportunity was given to the young inmates by providing employment assistance, counselling for substance abuse, mentoring and other services to help to reduce recidivism,” Rasheed said.

“But with the shutting down of the program that opportunity is lost now. Those inmates and their parents had high hopes. But all hope is lost now,” said Rasheed, who was also a member at the parole board.

She further noted that several parents of inmates have called her up since she was dismissed from the position.

“We had finished training 50 inmates and they were ready to be released when this happened. Their parents are now calling up to ask me what will happen to them. I don’t have an answer to that,” she said.

She requested the government continue the second chance program, insisting that the program was “politics free”.

“There was absolutely no politics. Nobody instructed us on whom to release,” added Rasheed.

All 439 inmates released were thoroughly evaluated and approved by the courts while any former inmate found to have violated the terms of the release were sent back to the prison to complete their jail term.

During the chaotic events of February 7, Rasheed said a group of rogue security personnel involved in the mutiny against Nasheed’s government stormed into the Second Chance office inside the Ghazee Building and gassed the office.

“Four policemen and two MNDF officers into the office that morning and shouted at us to go upstairs. One of our project managers, who sits in a wheel chair, asked them how she could go upstairs when there was no lift. The policemen left but came back later and ordered us to leave again. They shouted that ‘this office is a big nuisance’ and sprayed some sort of gas and left,” Rasheed recalled.

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“Negligence” to blame for deaths of four children in three weeks: HRCM

While attention in the Maldives focuses on a political crisis which shows no sign of abating, the people are faced with another issue of urgent attention: an increase in the number of child deaths.

Four children under the age of 10 have been reported dead in isolated incidents in just the last few weeks.

The first case was reported on February 19 after a one year-old baby fell from the second-floor balcony of a house in Male’.

A week later, a 10 year old boy was reported dead on the island of Miladhoo in Noonu atoll on February 27. According to local news outlet Sun, the boy had consumed paint thinner (a toxic solvent) while playing around with friends and was subsequently poisoned.

In the first week of March, a two year-old girl was found dead in a fish pond inside a house on Maaamigili in Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, while a six year-old boy was fatally injured after he was hit by a speeding motorbike in a road accident on Gan in Laamu Atoll. The boy went into a coma and died on Thursday night.

Following the death of the boy, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) released a statement saying that the children deaths had increased recently due to “negligence in providing the necessary protection required by the children”.

Expressing concern over the deaths, the commission had urged the government to identify potential threats to the children in the community and formulate the legal framework to protect the children from harm, and educate parents to minimise such incidents.

Speaking to Minivan News, Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam observed that “it is difficult to believe that any mother or father would deliberately neglect the child or cause any harm”.

However, he noted that the way of life has changed drastically over the past years including children’s behavior and playing habits. “Therefore it is necessary to be more attentive to what the children are doing all the time,” Shiyam said.

He noted that police are investigating the reported deaths of children to determine if there was any negligence involved, and will forward the cases to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG).

“The PG will decided whether to prosecute the cases,” he said.

The deaths come amid the political unrest in the Maldives, which continues to attract almost all of the public’s attention. Cross party peace talks backed by international support have failed to resolve the political stalemate.

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