Trainees Return from Australia to Improve Maafushi

Eighteen Maldivian trainees returned from Australia last week for the purpose of improving the administration at Maafushi Prison.

Instructed according to recommendations given by the Australian Consultant, the reinforcements reportedly received practical experience in Perth, Western Australia.

The 18 trainees were the final group to receive training under the Home Affairs Ministry’s current programme to improve prison conditions, however, Deputy Minister Azim Shukoor has confirmed that the government plans to send more people abroad for training in 2007.

“Even if the plan doesn’t work out,” said Shukoor, “we will bring international experts home and conduct the training in the Maldives. We will soon start discussions on obtaining the opportunity to send people abroad for training”.

Some critics have recently expressed criticism towards the Ministry’s programme. They say that despite the fact that last year’s trainees are currently working in Maafushi, the prison continues to be unorganised and hectic.

Just this week, Haveeru Daily reported that nearly two hundred prisoners broke out of their cells and began fighting on the grounds.

An official at the Maldives Police Service confirmed that the fight occured on the evening of 31 December, but assured that the incident was immediately brought under control.

While the police refused to give any further details on the situation, the Home Affairs Ministry said that the fight broke out in Unit 2 of the prison after some prisoners attempted to escape. Apparently the security guards needed support form the Police Force to get the prisoners back to the unit.

Despite some minimal damages occurring in the cells, all inhabitants and police officers were unharmed.

In a similar incident that took place earlier in December, 154 prisoners started a rebellion and took Maafushi prison guards hostage after stealing a set of keys.

The prisoners were demanding greater rights, including more time out of their cells. Speaking to Minivan News, one of the prisoners said that he was kept in a cell with just one additional person and only let out from one until four.

He said: “We have been doing what they say but now we are standing up for our rights.”

The Home Affairs Ministry hopes that under its new training programme both the rights of prisoners and prison staff will be more respected and enforced.

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