Maldive MP: Bermuda, Uighurs, Gitmo & More
Two days ago, the Maldivan press reported that an MP said that Bermuda had received $9 million per Uighur we accepted from Guantanamo Bay. Bernews reported the MPs statement, and sought confirmation from our Premier.
Later that day, the news report printed a correction stating the MP meant Palau, to which we then updated our report, as well as with our own Premier’s comment on the matter.
To entirely confirm the circumstances in the Maldives to our satisfaction, we phoned the Maldivan MP ourselves, and spoke with him yesterday. He confirmed the report out of the Maldives; he did in fact initially say that Bermuda had accepted millions, which was a “slip of the tongue”, as he actually meant Palau. He he said later contacted his local press to correct his error.
The MP, Mr Mohamed Nasheed, is a former Information Minister and independent Member of Parliament. In a slightly confusing scenario, Mr Nasheed has the exact same name as the President of the Maldives, however the two are not related. The President served time in jail years back allegedly for writing articles critical of the government, and Amnesty International declared him a Prisoner of Conscience.
While talking, we took the opportunity to ask Mr Nasheed about the circumstances of his country, and how he feels it related to Bermuda’s own similar experiences.
The brief background of the Maldives situation:
On May 18, 2010 the Maldives, an island in the Indian Ocean with a population of approx. 300,000, said it would accept two prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba, one a Palestinian and the other yet to be identified. The country called it a humanitarian gesture.
The Maldivian opposition has accused President Nasheed of seeking financial assistance from the US in exchange for taking the prisoners, and the opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party has threatened to challenge the government in court.
Mr. Nasheed had previously told the AFP news that the US had asked the Maldives to monitor the two prisoners once they are transferred, and that the Maldivian government can’t transfer the prisoners to a third country without prior approval from the US.
He reiterated both those points to us, saying his government was effectively being asked to put “surveillance” on the two ex-refugees, and explained that the two men would “still be under the US jurisdiction” even when in the Maldives.
He said the “line” the President is using of it being a humanitarian gesture is incorrect, as there are so many locals needing assistance in their own island. He strongly feels that the Maldives acquiesced to the US request due to other reasons. He explained the debt issues his nation is facing, and feels that the desire the US support in possible financing plans may have played a part.
Why did the Maldives change from accepting Uighurs to other nationalities? [There were 17 Uighurs at Guantánamo when President Obama took office. The men had been cleared in 2005. Bermuda took 4, Palau took 6]. Mr Nasheed suggested that China’s displeasure may have contributed to the change.
Mr Nasheed also said their President was not forthcoming with the information initially, and various negotiations had been made with the US, and that the only reason it became public as was due to an accidental leak.
We asked Mr Nasheed something one of our readers noted, why does it seem that we [smaller islands] are being asked to take in the former Gitmo refugees?
He immediately stated “because we are vunerable”. He went on to explain that whether it be military, technical, financial assistance, or whether it be the leverage the US can wield in international banking and business matters, he feels that smaller islands like ours are being approached due to vulnerability.
Mr Nasheed also extended his apologies for his error for initially saying Bermuda, rather than Palau.
