Maldives: BDA Paid $9 Million Per Uighur [False]
[Edit 12:40pm: Allegations were incorrectly made, MP accidentally said Bermuda, but meant another nation]
According to a press report from the Maldives, a government politician claimed that Bermuda was paid $9 million for each Uighur refugee we accepted from Guantanamo Bay in 2009, for a total of $36 million.
The report claims that Independent Member of Parliament for the district of Kulhudhuffushi-South in the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, made the statement during a National Security Committee meeting to discuss their nation’s acceptance of Guantanamo refugees.
The Maldive Islands is an island country in the Indian Ocean with an approximate population of 400,000. The President of Maldives stated on May 16, 2010 that the country would accept two refugees from Guantanamo Bay, which has been met with opposition from factors within the country.
The report that Bermuda received $9 million per refugee is not substantiated locally, and there have been no credible local, or other, reports backing up this claim.
Update: 12:28pm: Allegations are “not true”, says Premier’s press secretary Jamahl Simmons. More details to come…
Update 12:46pm: The MP was referring to Palau, original news reporters updated with this:
Correction: When stating that US$9 million was paid per detainee, MP Nasheed was referring to the case in Palau, although the government of Bermuda also accepted four Uighurs from Guantánamo Bay. Whether Bermuda’s government accepted money from the US was not made public.
Update May 20, 6am: We talked with the Maldives News on the phone [who were very helpful] and the reporter and editor say it was a “slip of the tongue” of the MP, who did in fact initially state that Bermuda accepted money, and then called their organization later to say that he made an error. We have the MPs phone number to confirm as well, however as of yet we have not been able to reach him, but will keep trying.
Update 7:37am: We, through his press secretary, spoke with Premier Dr. Brown last night who stated:
Reports from the Parliament of Maldives are incorrect.
The Government of Bermuda was neither offered nor received any money in exchange for taking on the Uighurs from the United States. The US did however agree to pay for relocation expenses up to $100k per man.
The decision to take on the Uighurs was done purely as a humanitarian gesture in recognition of the long history and special relationship that the people of Bermuda shares with the American people.
The four men [Khaleel Mamut, Abdulla Abdulqadir, Salahidin Abdulahat, Ablikim Turahun] were released from the US detention centre at Guantanamo and resettled in Bermuda in July 2009.
The Uighurs landed in Bermuda at around 6am on June 11, 2009 on a private jet, with Bermudians being made aware of their arrival approximately five hours later that day.
Enjoying freedom. Photo: Justin Maxon/The New York Times
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The four men are part of a group of Chinese nationals handed over to American forces in Afghanistan, but found years ago not to be “enemy combatants” and cleared of any and all charges. They were not repatriated to China due to fears of their safety upon return.
Controversy erupted after Premier Dr. Ewart Brown’s decision to accept the Uighurs without first consulting Cabinet or Government House.
There were numerous protests locally, and the British Government expressed its displeasure, stating that due to Bermuda’s status as an overseas territory they should have been consulted on the move.
The fact that only Dr. Brown and one Cabinet Minister [David Burch] were involved in the decision making resulted in accusations of “autocratic behaviour” from fellow elected Members of Parliament.
Dr. Brown survived a vote of “no confidence” after Parliament rejected the resolution in a 22-11 vote after a marathon 14 hour debate, which went through the night.
Bermuda’s acceptance of the former refugees was applauded by various international human rights groups.
Will be interesting to see (if this is true), where th $36m shows in the Govt accounts.
I won’t be holding my breath to find out.
You’re more likley to see the $36M in Ewart’s account….
Really? You won’t find it John.
Difficult to see how one could (a) geographically confuse Palau with Bermuda and (b) misread the figure 12 to read 9.
isn’t it curious that only small island nations, ie Bermuda, Palau, Maldives, are willing to take in these former prisoners?