EU envoys snubbed by Maldivian President

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen yesterday refused to meet a delegation of European diplomats who visited the country following appeals for intervention by opposition political parties. 

The diplomats from the European Union, Germany and Britain flew to Male yesterday after Yameen incarcerated the country’s Chief Justice Abulla Hameed and Supreme Court Judge Ali Saheed in the wake of a landmark ruling freeing nine opposition members of Parliament. The ruling of the Chief Justice was later reversed by the remaining judges of the apex court.

The envoys, who requested to meet with President Yameen and the Cabinet of Ministers, were refused a meeting, German Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jorn Rohde tweeted. 

“Sadly the Maldivian Govt refuses dialogue: today with my UK/EU colleagues we requested to meet the President/Cabinet ministers and speaker of majlis to discuss our concerns on the current situation. Our requests were unfortunately refused. That is surely not the way forward,” he said in a tweet. 

The group was later granted an appointment with the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Yameen’s move to declare a state of emergency in the country enabling him to take action against the Chief Justice raised alarm bells within the international community. A number of nations, including Australia, Canada and India, have called on the Maldivian Government to respect the Judiciary and implement its ruling. 

The UN has urged Yameen to lift the state of emergency, and was scheduled to discuss the crisis in a closed-door meeting at the Security Council. 

Faced with criticism from the international community, Yameen’s administration sought reassurance through their allies and sent special envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Maldivian authorities chose to leave out both India and Sri Lanka, two countries who are involved in the developing situation in the island, from the outreach program.