US embassy cable - 03COLOMBO1648

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, S/CT 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  09-23-13 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PHUM, CASC, MV, Maldives 
SUBJECT:  Unprecedented unrest in the Maldives against 
backdrop of election preparations 
 
Refs:  Colombo 1643, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. 
Reasons 1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Unrest hit the Maldives over the 
September 20-21 weekend, with rioting in Male', the 
capital.  The unrest was apparently triggered by at 
least two deaths that occurred either before or during a 
prison riot at a jail located on a nearby island. 
Several buildings, primarily government offices, were 
torched in Male' and police used tear gas to quell the 
disturbance.  This rioting comes against the backdrop of 
the just-launched Presidential selection process, and 
may indicate underlying political unrest.  We have no 
reports of Amcits being injured in the disturbance. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) The disturbance began on September 20 with the 
killing of two prison inmates either before or during an 
apparent small-scale riot on the tiny prison island of 
Maafushi, about 45 minutes away from the capital island 
of Male'.  Rioting broke out in the capital on Saturday, 
September 21 when the casualties were sent to Male'. 
According to press reports, relatives of the dead began 
agitating near a cemetery where one of the casualties 
had been taken, which sparked wide-scale unrest. 
Several government buildings were torched, including the 
Elections Commission, High Court, and several police 
stations.  The Majlis (Parliament) apparently suffered 
broken windows and other minor damage.  The injured were 
sent by chartered aircraft from the Maldives to Colombo, 
reportedly to avoid further unrest.  One additional 
inmate died on September 22.  Out of the ten total 
casualties brought to Colombo, all the victims were 
convicts. 
 
3.  (C) The National Security Service (NSS) whose 
members perform both military and police duties, quelled 
the riot with rubber bullets and tear gas. A night 
curfew was announced on Saturday.  Five NSS personnel 
have been arrested in connection with the initial prison 
deaths.  President Gayoom expressed dismay at the 
rioters' actions, and blamed the weekend's unrest on 
"hardened criminals."  Further, Gayoom stated that he 
would punish any NSS personnel connected to the initial 
deaths of prisoners that sparked the rioting, and 
announced an inquiry into the causes of the violence. 
Reports from the press and a visiting Mission team 
indicated that as of Monday (September 22) the situation 
was calm, although there was an increased security 
presence, with a few armored vehicles near the city 
center. An NSS official told the DATT September 23 that 
two NSS officers were injured in the prison fracas and 
several others in the riots in Male'. 
 
4.  (C) An Embassy FSN was in Male' at the time of 
the riots and witnessed a crowd of approximately 600 
people throwing stones at the police initially sent to 
control the riots.  The small police unit continued to 
suffer at the hands of the mob, with police posts and 
vehicles set on fire.  Our FSN reported, from 
conversations with locals, that the general feeling was 
that years of oppressive rule had finally taken its 
toll. 
 
5.  (U) We have no reports of American citizens being 
affected by the weekend disturbances.  Most tourists to 
the Maldives (which include about 5,000 U.S. citizens a 
year) go directly from the airport (on an island 
opposite Male') to one of the over eighty resort islands 
around the country without overnighting in Male' 
(although daytrips to Male' are a standard offering at 
most of the resorts.) 
 
6.  (C) COMMENT:  These unprecedented riots were 
apparently triggered by mistreatment of prisoners but 
quickly mushroomed into a broader expression of 
discontent.  Maldivian officials are quick to assert 
that the disturbances are not connected to the just- 
launched Presidential selection process, although we 
find it interesting that the Elections Commission was 
one of the buildings put to the torch.  It is too early 
to tell if this weekend's disturbances will affect 
tourism, a major pillar of the Maldivian economy.  Our 
team returns from the Maldives September 24 and will 
provide a fuller report then. END COMMENT. 
 
7.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD