Maldives commits to an impartial investigation

The government of Maldives has com­mitted to strengthening the Commission of National Inquiry, under the guidance of the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Maldives, Sir Donald McKinnon. The commission was estab­lished on 15 May to undertake an inde­pendent and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the trans­fer of power in Maldives in February.

In accordance with the agreement, the commission will be headed by a retired senior judge from Singapore and expert advisors from the United Nations and the Commonwealth will be available to provide support. Three of the original members remain while former Presi­dent Mohamed Nasheed has been able to nominate his own representative to serve on the committee.

“Now that we have agreement on the reconstituted commission, I look forward to it starting its work and carrying out its important mandate,” said Sir Donald. I hope also that with its enhanced terms of reference and revised composition, the commission will be a more broadly ac­ceptable mechanism and will allow the country to move forward.”

While the former president has agreed to accept the commission’s in­vestigation and ruling, he continues to urge world leaders to acknowledge that he was ousted in a coup and is pressing for presidential elections to be held this year. The current president, Moham­med Waheed Hassan, maintains that the earliest elections can be held under the Maldivian constitution is July 2013.

Nasheed was forced to resign on 7 February under pressure from police and military forces with ties to long-serving ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled Maldives for 30 years before Nasheed’s election in 2008.

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