The international community asking the Maldives to abide by commitments under UN conventions does not amount to “undue interference,” UK High Commissioner to Maldives John Rankin has said.
In an interview with private broadcaster Raajje TV in Malé yesterday, Rankin said decisions on domestic matters were up to the Maldives as a sovereign nation.
“But it is legitimate for one country to [remind] another country to abide by the undertakings which together we have signed up to,” he explained.
“That is a normal matter of diplomatic relations. So it is perfectly proper and not undue interference for one country to ask another to operate by those principles which we both voluntarily agreed to.”
Last week, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon hit back at statements issued by the Commonwealth, India, Canada, EU, and the UN expressing concern with the denial of legal representation to former President Mohamed Nasheed following the opposition leader’s arrest and prosecution on terrorism charges.
“Those who prefer to issue public statements about an on-going legal case, or on a domestic political situation, are advised to do a basic fact-check, before bandwagoning on to accusations made by a political party,” Dunya said in a statement.
Dunya insisted that due process was followed in Nasheed’s arrest and prosecution.
“The government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will not take instructions from a foreign government on any issue in governing the country,” Dunya said, urging foreign countries and international organisations to “refrain from acts and signals that could undermine the sovereignty of independent states.”
Nasheed arrived in court on Monday (February 23) for the first hearing of his trial without legal representation and with his arm in a makeshift sling after police manhandled and dragged the former president into court when he attempted to speak with journalists.
Rankin said the international community was watching developments in the Maldives closely and that the British government “remains very concerned” over Nasheed’s detention.
“The international community as a whole is watching what is happening here. Our concern is that President Nasheed, like any other citizen of the Maldives, should enjoy due legal process, that this fundamental right should be protected, and that we have transparent court procedures,” he said.
The Maldivian government has assured Nasheed’s safety following discussions on Thursday (February 26), Rankin added.
Prior to Rankin’s arrival in the Maldives, UK Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire issued a statement stressing the importance of following due process and respecting Nasheed’s rights “for international confidence in the Maldives”.
“It is also incumbent upon the Government of Maldives to ensure his safety. We urge calm right across Maldives and we encourage all parties to act with moderation and restraint,” reads the statement.
“The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Sovereignty
Rankin meanwhile referred to the Maldives’ obligations as a signatory to relevant UN conventions.
Rankin said the UK was “a friend of the Maldives” and that stability in the country was important to Britain with thousands of British tourists visiting the Maldives annually.
“As friends though, we are also honest friends and sometimes honest friends have to raise difficult issues, but we raise it precisely because we want to support that continued stability here,” he said.
Asked about Dunya warning that the Maldives might leave the Commonwealth, Rankin said the decision was up to the Maldivian government, but suggested that “together we can make progress internationally by working together in the Commonwealth.”
At a press conference last week, Dunya also accused Canada of exerting undue influence in the Commonwealth through funding. Canadian Foreign Minister Rob Nicholson had issued a statement suggesting that “the brutal and unjustified treatment of the former president call into question Maldives’ commitment to due process and democratic principles.”
Rankin said the Commonwealth was “a consensus organisation” of sovereign nations working together.
“But all members of the Commonwealth have signed up for the Commonwealth charter – a set of values which we have agreed between us, which we are all committed to. And therefore, the United Kingdom, for whom I speak, hopes that Maldives will continue to abide by those values.”
Photo by Businesstoday.lk
Related to this story
EU, UN join international chorus of concern over Nasheed’s arrest, terrorism trial
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Former President Nasheed arrives in court with arm in makeshift sling
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If Britain were abiding all the civilized, rational norms and being a singnatory to every UN Convention and Protocol, why did Prime Minister Blair blatantly continue telling lies saying that there has been and there is Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq? Iraq was invaded by his initiative destroyed and eradicated every trace of universally considered beginnings of human civilization. Why has Mr. Rankin quitely keeping this major LIE a forbidden topic and chasing after us? It is time we chase Mr. Rankin and make him go to The Hague and defend his Prime Minister for war atrocities.
The international community has been watching developments in the Maldives for a long time. Sigh.
Good job changing the subject, habibib.
The government of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom will not take instructions from a foreign government on any issue in governing the country,” Dunya said.
But it will take cash handouts and foreign aid and sign treaties promising to honor human rights and democratic ideals but then completely ignore those agreements after the money has been received.
An easy to understand comparison for many in the government would be a prostitute in a Colombo hotel room promising to perform sex acts but demanding payment up front, then refusing to actually finish the job that was paid for.
Question:
Is the UK a part of the solution (with its professed stance as an 'honest' friend) OR part of the problem by aligning itself with one of the political parties?
I am not personally attacking Dhunya. But, I have the right to say things regarding her as she is a public person and receive salary from my contributions (my tax).
The meaning of Dhunya is World in Hindi and Arabic. Then. you can imagine the psychological effect it has on her.
She studied Geology for her degrees.
She was made Fpreign Minister by her father's brother (uncle),
She is married to a Bangladeshi.
Yeah Aabida, Dhunya has no right to talk like that. Dhunya thinks her uncle could continue like in Syria. The Maldivian people are not chicken eating Arabs. We are tuna eating and has a lot of omega 3 in our brains and blood, and our brains are strong. We will not allow like Bhutan or Syria. We will give our lives to the democracy we found by hard work
.
Yeah Aabida, Dhunya has no right to talk like that. Dhunya thinks her uncle could continue like in Syria. The Maldivian people are not chicken eating Arabs. We are tuna eating and has a lot of omega 3 in our brains and blood, and our brains are strong. We will not allow like Bhutan or Syria. We will give our lives to the democracy we found by hard work
.
I'm so glad I mentioned to Mr Rankin at the British Car Day in Colombo that there is Evil under the Sun in the Maldives. Do you see what a small place the World is?
Dhunya, you would do well to read through John Donne's 1623 sermon in which he says that "no man is an island". It looks as though the bell tolls for the Gayoom dictatorship.
habibib should be ashamed.
When America invaded Iraq, Iraqi people were 'muslim brothers being attacked by the great Satan' to their kind.
Now when Ishit is invading them, Iraqi people are 'flecks of feces, to be swept under the dirt and forgotten' to them.
He can point fingers all he wants - but what difference is there between the colonialist Americans and Arabs, and the remorseless and cruel Israeli army, and the so-called maldivian government?
They all use religion to justify their wickedness, have no shame in murdering their own countrymen to uphold the status quo, and use the names of honored martyrs to give themselves a moral high ground.
When habibib points his finger at others, three more point back at him.
British has invaded Iraq on a baseless claim and that was now agreed by Toni blair too.
Israel has been torturing Palestine people for over 30 years and yet nothing happens.
Rule of Law and diplomacy is a name that is nice to hear but it is a tool that is used by many influential people to undermine the lesser influential people .
Whatever anyone says, the UK High Commissioner's response is professional, courteous and to the point..its tone highlights what is lacking in our dear foreign minister's statement....diplomacy - isn't this what international relations is all about? But I doubt our foreign minister will get the jist of this courteous "lecture" of how other folk do it. And judging from some of the responses here, dredging up history to somehow prove their point, she is not entirely alone...This may perhaps explain why the lady appears to be mesmerisingly confident of herself a viable foreign minister while spouting incoherent, arrogant and defensively belligerent statements in the name of relations with the world outside her banana republic..hmmm?