Military Coup Threat To Maldives Warns Former Human Rights Head

A military dictatorship could seize control of the Maldives if the country’s media do not become neutral and a “good constitution” is not installed warned former leader of the Human Rights Commission, Ahmed Mujthaba, on Saturday.

In a speech given at an Open Society meeting in Bandos Island Resort, Mujthaba urged politicians to create an appropriate constitution as soon as possible.

He said this was important due to the fact that it will take “many years” for democracy and a respect for human rights to become part of Maldivian culture even after the constitution’s completion.

Mujthaba pointed out that the Maldives had never been a democracy and that presently, the country was at a delicate crossroads where a wrong turn could end up throwing the entire democratisation process in chaos.

“Do we want the country to move back into a subsistence economy?” Mujthaba asked listeners. “Do we want a strong man to emerge to finally control the situation and install a military dictatorship or an Iranian style theocracy or a Saudi type kingdom? If the answer is no, the state radio and TV must become liberal and neutral in reporting news and facilitate public debate on various issues.”

In addition to a neutral media Mujthaba also said that, “the politicians in power must stop trying to cling onto the power and those in the opposition must stop trying to take power. The two must work together to ensure a better life for future generations through a good Constitution.”

According to Mujthaba the present constitution, which took 17 years to construct, is no better than the one that came before it as government regulations and practices and acts of Majlis can still be changed “whimsically”.

“I learnt more about what was wrong with the country that I was born in and I call home in the one year and nine months that I was in the Commission than I did my entire life,” Mujthaba added.

He went on to say that he had been specifically disturbed over the fact that the Human Rights Commission received media coverage only when one of its members resigned on grounds that the Commission was not functioning in accordance with the Constitution and Islamic Sharia.

“The state media gave no assistance in the dissemination of information on human rights,” said Mujthaba.

He said that for the sake of the entire country the media need to start focusing on serious issues, such as human rights abuses, and need to report them objectively.