India expresses ‘deep dismay’ over emergency extension in Maldives

Smita Sharma 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

A day after President Abdulla Yameen extended emergency in Maldives by another 30 days, India on Wednesday expressed its “deep dismay” over the development.

“The manner in which the extension of the State of Emergency was approved by the Majlis in contravention of the Constitution of Maldives is also a matter of concern,” added the Ministry of External Affairs in its latest statement. 

This on a day Indian Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra met Maldivian Foreign Secretary Ahmed Sareer in capital Male where Sareer conveyed his government’s “firm commitment to work with international partners, including India”.

On Tuesday, India had hoped that the emergency declared on February 5 for a fortnight would be lifted. But just hours after India’s statement, the Maldivian parliament or Majlis voted in favour of emergency extension. The United States, too, expressed its disappointment today.

Meanwhile, European Union Council will be meeting on Monday in Brussels while UNHRC (UN Human Rights Commission) is deliberating in Geneva next possible steps on Maldives. Any travel sanctions could hurt the economy of the small island nation which depends majorly on tourists from China, Europe, US and India among others.

Tribune has learnt that the EU remains in close touch with India to formulate its Maldives policy, with its envoy to India Tomasz Kozlowski holding discussions with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale post the emergency declaration.

Meanwhile, a defiant Maldivian government said it “notes the concerns of the international community” but argued the emergency extension was warranted “due to threats posed to national security and stability following the Supreme Court Order on February 1”.

Alluding to reports of action against Maldives being mulled by India and others, today’s statement also called for dialogue on “sensitive internal differences”. “It is important for friends and partners in the international community to stand with the Government and the people of the Maldives, and to refrain from any actions that could escalate an already delicate situation and derail the efforts being made to bring back normalcy in the Maldives,” the official statement added.