Coup inquiry member reappointed after “conflict of interest”

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has appointed a new member to the Committee of National Inquiry, replacing Ahmed Mujthaba.

The commission, created to investigate the events that unfolded in the Maldives during the period from 14 January to 8 February, now includes former minister of defence and national security during President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration, Ismail Shafeeu, Dr Ibrahim Yasir, and new member Dr Ali Fawaz Shareef.

Mujthaba stepped down as he was also the convener of the all-party consultative meetings, and, according to a statement from the President’s Office, “the President believes a conflict of interest could arise in fulfilling the two functions.”

Ahmed Mujthaba was Gayoom’s former minister of tourism and the first president of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

Shafeeu will head the commission, the President’s Office stated.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has challenged the questioned the impartiality of the commission, particularly given the involvement of former ministers under Gayoom.

“How can [the government] carry out an impartial investigation, when they themselves were involved in the actions during that time period?” said MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor earlier this week.

“This is exactly the same type of commission that was formed during Gayoom’s regime to look into the events that unfolded in Maafushi Jail in 2003, including the custodial death of Evan Naseem,” Ghafoor said.

“Look what happened to the report they published then – people questioned it, and part of it was censored. We are calling for a third party consisting of international experts to come and into look into the matter. We absolutely do not believe that this commission will be impartial in investigating the matter.”

The Commonwealth 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.”

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5 thoughts on “Coup inquiry member reappointed after “conflict of interest””

  1. PROPAGANDA, PROPAGANDA! TO COVER UP HIS CRIMES! THERE WILL BE NO ESAPE FOR YOU; WAHEED! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ; JUST WAIT. THE JUDGEMENT IS ON THE WAY. I'M NOT MALDIVIAN. I BELONG TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. I VALUE DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM VERY VERY HIGHLY. YOUR TIME IS CLOSING IN. PRESIDENT NASHEED IS THE TRUE AND ACCEPED PRESIDENT OF THE MALDIVES PEOPLE, NOT YOU .; YOU WHO HAVE CONSPIRED. I FIND IT VERY ;EXTREMELY HARD AND TO EVEN CALL YOU A PRESIDENT BEAUSE YOU DON BELONG TO THAT CATEGORY. YOU , WAHEED, BELONG TO CRIMINALS/ JAILS.,ETC.YOUR WEALTH SHOULD BE TAKEN FROM YOU AND GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU SHOULD BE PUT IN JAIL FOR CREATING THIS CAOS IN COMPANIONSHIP WITH GAYOUM. YOU HAVE DEVISED YOUR OWN DOWNFALL WITH GAYOUM AND ASSOCIATES.

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  2. REGARDS TO WAHEED AND GAYOUM AND ASSOCIATES; THE ROT IN JAIL TEAM , FOR THE WAY OF THE FUTURE OF D.E.M.O'CRACY OF THE MALDIVES!

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  3. Was it a "conflict" that he showed "interest" in investigating?

    Mr President Waheed, you are yourself accused of being part of the coup and you didn't see any conflict of interest when you decided to unilaterally appoint the investigators; how much more will you insult our intelligence?

    I'd suggest to salvage what dignity you have left. This not pre 2008. The pandoras box has been opened and every citizen and their mother is a politician. To us the democratic vote is the new toy taken away way too early. President Nasheed is a celebrity on the world stage. You do not have the cojones or the means of Mr Gayoom to hang on. And of course we will not stop.

    So, in the "interest" of the people resign and thus automatically usher in fresh elections. The best thing you can do for yourself, given how the situation panned out.

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  4. lol...its funny a tyrant appointin members to investigate the tyranny he brought in...

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