The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has accused the Commonwealth Secretariat of being involved in an alleged cover-up of key details surrounding the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2012.
In a statement released yesterday (January 23), the MDP claimed that parliament’s Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) had uncovered evidence of a “systematic government cover-up designed to subdue testimonies from key witnesses to the coup d’etat”.
The statement accused the Commonwealth Secretariat of having “close involvement” with the government’s Committee of National Inquiry (CoNI) that reported on the power transfer on February 7, 2012 – making it implicit in any alleged cover-up.
Among the MDP’s allegations, the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the Maldives Sir Donald McKinnon was accused of “giving in” to government demands to appoint certain individuals to oversee the report.
“The CoNI, established by Dr Waheed shortly after he came to power, was originally made-up of three people – all well-known sympathisers of former President Gayoom – and chaired by President Gayoom’s former minister of defence,” the statement read.
“After an international outcry, the government was forced to agree to reform the CoNI. The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the Maldives, Sir Donald McKinnon, was subsequently sent to the Maldives to mediate an agreement, but eventually gave in to government demands that President Gayoom’s former defence minister must remain as chair, and that the other two members must remain in place.”
The MDP added that the final report of the CoNI had maintained that the transfer of power had been constitutional and rejected allegations of a “coup d’etat” despite what it claimed was “widespread evidence to the contrary.”
Minivan News is awaiting a response from the Commonwealth Secretariat at time of press.
The statement was released the same week in which senior military and police intelligence figures gave evidence to the EOC alleging that the transfer of power on February 7 “had all the hallmarks of a coup d’etat”, and claimed that the final CoNI report had not reflected their input.
The figures included Brigadier General Ibrahim Didi, Commander of Male’ area on February 7, Police Head of Intelligence Chief Superintendent Mohamed Hameed, Chief of Defense Force Major General Moosa Jaleel, Head of Military Intelligence Brigadier General Ahmed Nilaam, Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Jinah and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh.
All six have since resigned or been suspended from duty.
President’s Office Spokesperson Ahmed ‘Topy’ Thaufeeq told Minivan News today that the CoNI report was a “transparent” process undertaken by “qualified Maldivian people”.
“Because of this, the CoNI report is accepted by the government. We have a judiciary, if anyone has a problem with this affair they can go to the courts themselves,” he added.
Asked whether the MDP’s allegations that the suspension of senior military staff who gave evidence to the EOC was an attempt by the government to “subdue testimonies from key witnesses”, Thaufeeq argued that the government “was not in a position to talk about a military matter”.
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anything against MDP, they will not accept.
Now the parliament committee is doing an investigation based on their won agenda and doing interview with the supporters of MDP? What outcome you can expect from them ?
The committee members consist of MDP people and some of the most corrupted Mp Ali Waheed is the head of the committee?
What kind of creditable report this guy can bring out ?
For sure for Anni and his associates, they can bring a nice and encouraging report which will be in favor of them.
Whole things is that now Nasheed credibility in international community is questionable and Nasheed and his associates need to create some voice to make it heard?
Second objective is to start to create violence in the country .
"Thaufeeq argued that the government was not in a position to talk about a military matter”.
How does, giving evidence as is legally required, infront of a committee of the Majlis, become a "military matter"? As this is referring to the case of General Nilam, it's clear as daylight that the General's rights under the Constitution of the Maldives are being violated by MNDF.
"We have a judiciary, if anyone has a problem with this affair they can go to the courts themselves,”
Oh dear, that old chicken-and-egg situation again eh? The whole fiasco came about because the judiciary was inept, corrupt and basically useless! The Maldivian judiciary can barely judge that a coconut is brown on the outside, and white inside.
Good. Everyones dirty.
Much like the Maldivian Politicians.
The whole process stinks, how can it be fair!
yes thats tru.e. comenwelTh sectretary is suppOrt coulp BMW gavertnmtnt. I thinnk BMW goint to give REsort to KAmalesh Shrwarma and Sir Dponald MackinnonE. Theqy are very corrrupt 2 peeeples.
who hasn't mdp accused of being a part of the coup? anyone and everyone has been accused of being involved.
the parliamentary committee should look into why its member jabir is not in jail for being arrested consuming hash oil and alcohol. corrupt committee members with no credibility.
This is ridiculous.
MDP accused the UN, the resident representative Andrew Cos of being part of the coup. India's High Commissioner and now the Commonwealth.
Anni also accused US Assistant Secretary of State Bob Blake of also backing a coup government, and immediately Bob Blake walked out of his meeting with Anni. No one takes MDP seriously now.
As for the Majlis Committee report, a Committee with an MDP majority, of all people Ali Waheed as the Chair, and without any international involvement will not produce a report that is unbiased, independent, impartial and objective. I think we already know the outcome to this.
Deposed Dictator Gayyoom's Defense Minister Ismail Shafeeu headed CoNI. What else do you expect? People do not believe these old farts anymore. Sir Don McKinnon may as well go back to his New Zealand farm and sit on his well earned beers...and basically leave innocent Maldivians alone.
@Q2
coni has credibility because of commonwealth appointed judge and observers from united nations and commonwealth. do you not realise or are you in denial?
in this country,Nasheed thinks that only his supporters are people who should be live and rest of the people need to take a refuge in their own country.
Nasheed ruled like a dictator and he had challenged the constitution and he had forgotten what is written there.
he took the law under his arm and ruled like the dictator like Gayyoom.
No matter what Nasheed and his parliament group says, the majority of the Maldivian will never believe a word from this ugly episode.
@kuribee
You forget your constitution was written during Gayyoom's time in power. It is written in such a way that there is no scope for development,it keeps all Maldivians stuck in the past,so whilst the world around you changes you are all beaten with the line "its against the constitution" we can't change.
A major fact being the UN has already called upon your government to remove certain articles that are not in accordance with international law, which the Maldives is signed up to and doesnt even comply with universal Islamic law. The Maldives have a different version to Islam compared to any other Islamic Nations.
Nasheed crime was to attempt to remove a corrupt judge from the system. A Judge who enprisons the innocent because of their sex, political view and because they couldn't afford the bribes for him to give a not guity verdict.
The law was broken by the people who overthrew the elected government, yes the ELECTED government.
The crux of the problem is that those in power fail to be answerable to international bodies so they delay and avoid giving the required information. Therefore reports are only based on what is presented to the secretarit.
For a true reflection of the state of the country look to NGO's and international press organisations, because they don't have to suck up to ministers or declare themsleves to your government whilst doing their research.
Walk the streets of Male and you can see the police and security forces abusing their powers. You can see the MP getting richer from business deals because they are on the slection committee. And most of all you can see the influence of religion being used to keep the population submissive through fear and persicution to forcably maintain the will of a twisted view of Islam.
The final word, the majority of the Maldives did vote for Nasheed, hence why he was elected and ousted a dicator of 30 years.