The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused DRP MP Ahmed Nihan of “irresponsibly” spreading false rumours that Guantanamo Bay detainees had been secretly brought to the Maldives, calling his claims “not only false but designed to mislead the public and create mistrust.”
Nihan yesterday claimed he was “99.99 percent sure” that the detainees had already been brought to the Maldives, an assertion the government has “categorically rejected”.
“The Maldives government, last December, publicly announced its intention to contribute to the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility by receiving a few innocent detainees in the Maldives,” the Ministry said today in a press statement.
“The governments of the United States and the Maldives are carrying out bilateral discussions to establish the legal framework within which the humanitarian transfer will take place, in full compliance with the laws of the two countries, and in manner that will ensure that the persons invited to the Maldives will not a pose a security threat to the Maldives,” it added.
Accepting detainees would “directly contribute to the enhancement of the national interests of the Maldives, through promotion of human rights and solidarity with fellow Muslims, and strengthening partnership with countries who cherish freedom and human dignity,” the Ministry said.
Nihan, who said he was on his way to Mecca for a pilgrimage, today claimed that “a press statement is not enough to prove I’m wrong.”
“I wonder why they are so worried about what I said?” he asked, accusing Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed of “speaking in double tongue.”
Nihan argued that the government had not been open with the public on the matter, saying “I’m sure the government can clarify that 0.01 percent. Parliament’s National Security Committee will be requesting information from immigration regarding people who had visited the Maldives with improper passports.”
He said the government, “especially President Nasheed and the Foreign Minister Dr Shaheed”, “should be more open to the public regarding the Guantanamo Bay issue if they really want to prove that the gitmos are not here already.”
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FM should resign for leaking X-files.
Interesting! For our Foreign Ministry:
- harbouring suspected terrosists without any regard for the security and stability of our tiny nation and tourists who visit us, is showing "solidarity with fellow Muslims"
- Listening to and monitoring the communications of "innocent" people and barring them from travelling abroad is promoting human rights;
- Becoming partners in crime with the US in continuing the inviolation of the rights of innocent Gitmo detainees strengthens partnership with countries who cherish freedom and human dignity
It is worrying that such wierd and twisted definitions are used to conclude that the resettlement of Gitmo prisoners in the Maldives enhancing our national interests.
Anni gone crazy! He is forgetting the 7 promises he made to the people and going around doing other business, like cleaning up d mess created by George Bush. The next president of the Maldives wil have lotsa cleaning to do.
The Ministry statement reads: “The governments of the United States and the Maldives..."
One would have thought the Foreign Ministry would have enough delicacy to give the Maldives precedence in their statement. It's after all standard practice in diplomatic communication.
I think there has been a lot of misinformation out there on this issue, coupled with public ignorance.
First of all, in no court of law, international or otherwise have these detainees been charged with any crimes under the Geneva Conventions or any other international legal frameworks.
Second, Gitmo has been a symbol of oppression and violation of human rights for a long time. As muslims, and freedom loving people we should help the international community shut it down.
Nihan is an idiot. Period!! How can the Maldives become a terrorist hub if we're actually combating terrorism by promoting human rights (shutting down Gitmo) and being a considerate and careful actor on the international scene?
I think this whole issue has been blown out of proportion. This is a humanitarian issue, and we're doing an excellent job by rising to the occasion.
No one in the Maldives will deny the fact that Dr. Shaheed is a political opportunist and his only aim is to stay in the post and foster his own interest, little is he worried about what is true and what is not. If there was pollto assess what % of Maldvians trust Dr. Shaheed, I am sure shaheed will score awfully badly.
Washington times has said that Maldives is becoming a paradise for terrorists. And Anni and Shaheed are busy making this place a paradise for the terrorists. Wonder who are they actually trying to please by bringing the GITMOS here!!!
Foreign Ministry is making someone or the other the scapegoat of this whole thing.
What they do not realise is that they have been so secretive about bringing these detainees. And now that Ali Waheed and others have informed the public (this should have been done by the government, by the way), they are a little nervous.
Bringing the detainees is not a criminal act. Why then was the need to do everything so secretively?
If the government has informed the people about what they are doing, I think people would have reacted differently. Now that this has become a sort of 'a cat out of the sack,' this is gaining more attention. Everyone now seems to be suspicious of the intentions behind what the government is doing. This could have been avoided had the government adequately informed the people.
The Foreign Ministry probably knows that most Maldivians will not approve bringing in detainees to Maldives. But Dr Shaheed has already told the Americans that Maldivians will welcome these detainees. I don't know why he did that without actually getting the opinion of Maldivians on the issue.
From my point of view:
This is not an issue of providing or not providing shelter for a fellow Muslim.
This is not an issue of side stepping from a humanitarian act.
This is not an issue of not believing these detainees are innocent (or otherwise, for that matter).
This is an issue that will make Maldives enter into a situation that is potentially far too dangerous for the country.
My final say:
We cannot afford to accommodate any convicted or labeled or wrongly labeled terrorists on Maldivian soil. Period.
For once Nihaan is telling the truth. We have a Gitmo detainee brought to the Maldives already - the Maldivian guy who was there!
You guys are ignorant and hopelessly misinformed. You refuse to even find out more fearing that the government might actually be right on this issue. Shame on you...
It is obviouse such claims would come up because Foreign Ministry has not been very professional in handling this issue.
Nihan being a law make of the nation is also wrong making statements without given proper evidence.
So far as far as this matter is concerned FM is not very professional insted of giving direct response to the core issue they seemed to be making allegations against the people who raise voice, those who leaked the issue while they were silently making the deals.
There is definitely something wrong and I believe there will be real pirotechnic show no sooner or later.
The DRP should recall the case of the Zanzibarian castaway who had washed ashore in Maldives on a log of wood.His name was Leggi Saalim Kaleygefaan. Now, had the authorities or the people ejected him out then, back to his birth-place on a Mecca bound odi, many things would have been different for the DRP.
What a rhetoric statement for the Foreign Ministry to state that and accuse DRP MP Ahmed Nihan for "irresponsibly spreading false rumours that Guantanamo Bay detainees had been secretly brought to the Maldives, calling his claims “not only false but designed to mislead the public and create mistrust". Was it not the "Dr. Kuday-in-too-big-a-suit" who tried in vain to bluff his way through the whole issue up to know.
And accepting detainees WOULD NOT “directly or INDIRECTLY contribute to the enhancement of the national interests of the Maldives, through promotion of human rights and solidarity with fellow Muslims, and strengthening partnership with countries who cherish freedom and human dignity” . It would only sow the seeds, which has already been sown, for discord and utter disregard for the laws of the country. In other words, why the f*** is the Maldives trying to wipe the ar** of the American Pres.
Looks like like Government is crying for help. However they want spin this story and trying to throw the ball on the opposition side, they were unable to do it. Zuhair is playing Palestine card, Shaheed is playing leaked documents. No one is talking the real issue. Thats why Nihan and Ali Waheed is above all over the pundits.The public opinion is on opposition side in this issue.
The Problem of MDP is lack of the legal counsels. There are some Maldivians working at the President's office, but i'm sure that they are not good enough to consult a president. When we go through the laws we came to know that it's illegitimate to accommodate them in Maldives.
If they were, i's sure no one can refrain his freedom of movement, where he shall be eligible to travel to other jurisdictions. He shall be eligible to vote, to be a member of any political party, to run in elections, and all the constitutional rights what we are legible for.
And one more thing, He can be eligible to acquire property, state pleas and many more. I wonder where the government is going to accommodated him. Hulhumale,' or Vilingili or Male; if he is entitle to get any housing benefit of any government company, we will protect to get the same.
I am 99.9% sure that Nihan is going to meet Osama Bi-Laden under the false pretense of going to Hajju. Anyways who goes to Hajju at this time of the year. The arrangements were made for this special meeting at Alivage. All financial spending on this secret meeting was spent by Thasmeen. (as confirmed by the CIA & FBI). Nihan is carrying a confidential letter from Gayyoom to the Osama.
A copy of this letter has been leaked from the DRP office and Anni has sent it for further investigation to Ambaree.
All of the above are just 99.9% sure.
Get the Gitmo boys Maldivian wives .... and less change this to a marital visa problem.
If the GBay detainee to be resettled in the Maldives is a "Palestinian gentleman" (as quoted by Choo-hahahaaa the Press Sec), why not ask him as to where he would wish to go. If this whole issue is one that revolves around freedom and human rights, I guess the "gentleman" in question at least needs to make his own choice or express his "freedom under Human Rights". But what we see today is Maldives trying to enforce a "freedom and Human Rights" dictated by the Americans. Stop whining about saying this is a "humanitarian issue".
Shakir taking about secret meetings...Can you please explain the secret meetings going between HEP & Koli Ali Maniku. President Nasheed had 2 meetings one in Male' early this year and another one just few weeks ago when President was transiting thru Singapore. It makes me LoL when i still recall all those things said about Koli during Nasheeds activist period. All of a sudden Koli has become his favorite advisor. I salute Koli for making these little brains twist so quickly.
Nihan, I pray that God force some sense into you for your misleading rumors which has caused much fitnah in Maldives. Only if you can think of your death cause we all know we will die soon or later.. just as you will.. AND YOU REALLY THINK YOU WILL BE SPARED for the lies you are creating against people who have been tortured just because they love Allah (swt). Who is it that your going to pray to when you go to Mecca? Is it not the same God? I think if your heart is cold, there is no point in wasting your money since I doubt that you will get any good rewards for just being a Muslim by name. You should be a shame of calling yourself a Muslim!