The Government yesterday issued a statement expressing its deep concern over recent developments in the Maldives.

The following statement was issued by the Foreign Ministry: “Sri Lanka is deeply concerned about recent developments in the Maldives and events that have impacted on Sri Lanka, including the recent arrest of two Sri Lankan nationals in the Maldives, the questionable removal of a Maldivian social media activist who was in possession of a valid Sri Lankan visa, the stabbing of a Maldivian national in Sri Lanka, as well as the state of emergency that has been declared in the Maldives and the impeachment of the Vice-President.”

The statement continued, “Sri Lanka is also concerned by the impact of the State of Emergency on the fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution of the Maldives and urges the Government of the Maldives to uphold the commitments it has made – including as a member of the Commonwealth and signatory to the Commonwealth Charter – to the universal and Commonwealth values of democracy and the rule of law.

Having endured similar challenges in its recent past, the new Sri Lankan Government is committed to the principles of democracy, good governance and the rule of law. We also believe that the right to dissent is an integral part of a functioning democracy. Unlike the previous regime in Sri Lanka, which silenced dissenting voices in the guise of fighting terrorism, the new administration is committed to the fundamentals of democracy.”

The statement concluded: “It is in this context that the Government finds it deeply disturbing that Sri Lanka, a country which has always maintained the closest friendly relations with the Maldives is being used to initiate questionable action against political and social media activists. Sri Lanka encourages the Government of the Maldives to ensure that recent developments are not allowed to escalate into a source of regional instability.

Sri Lanka hopes that the Maldives will take steps to end the state of emergency, initiate measures to respect and protect freedom of expression and ensure that recent developments will not reverse Maldives’ hard-won democratic achievements.”

Maldives lifts emergency after international backlash

AFP: The Maldives government Tuesday bowed to mounting international pressure and lifted a state of emergency imposed last week after an alleged plot to blow up the president onboard his speedboat.

The government said it had decided to end the week-long emergency after the Indian Ocean archipelago’s security forces advised President Abdulla Yameen that “the overall security situation in the country has improved”.

“The Government of the Maldives today has lifted the state of emergency in the country with immediate effect,” said a foreign ministry statement.

“With the lifting of the state of emergency, all fundamental rights that were suspended, have been restored.”

Yameen imposed the state of emergency last Wednesday in a move that gave wider powers to police and armed forces to arrest and suspending freedom of assembly and movement. 

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) welcomed the end of emergency rule, saying the decision to invoke the emergency was designed to give the government legal cover to crack down on its opponents and impeach his own estranged Vice President Ahmed Adeeb.