An Amnesty report released on Wednesday, ‘The Other Side of Paradise’, has accused the Maldives government of several actions amounting to violations of human rights. It outlined that there would be no meaningful reconciliation unless there was an end to the campaign of violent repression, abuses and impunity.
The accusations include many instances of arbitrary arrest and torture by security forces with complete impunity.
Security forces are also said to have increased attacks against peaceful demonstrations, which were instigated by the controversial resignation of the first democratically elected President, Mohameed Nasheed, who later claimed he was forced to resign at gunpoint, suggesting a coup by forces aligned with the previous leadership.
The Amnesty report asked the current president, Mohameed Waheed, to ensure prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into alleged violence by officials. The rights group found that not a single criminal case had been filed for any of the violations committed since the resignation of Nasheed.
The Maldives' damning reports of human rights violations surface as Sri Lanka agree to extend and strengthen the cooperation between the two nations. The Maldivian president recently sought Sri Lanka’s assistance in training security personnel and special Force units, as the Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa reiterated Sri Lanka’s support to provide further training opportunities for Malidvian security forces.
Incidentally, the Maldives leader extensively supported Sri Lanka at the 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this year.
