US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO257

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000257 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DRL/CRA, INR/NESA, DS 
NSC FOR E. MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL:  02-17-14 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PHUM, PINR, CASC, MV, Maldives 
SUBJECT:  Maldivian government cracks down on opposition; 
8 arrested, but unofficial total could be larger 
 
Refs:  (A) FBIS Reston Va DTG140332Z Feb 04 
-      (B) Colombo 248, and previous 
 
(U) Classified by James F. Entwistle, Deputy Chief of 
Mission.  Reasons 1.5 (b, d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The Maldivian government has confirmed 
that it arrested eight people on February 13 and has 
indicated that it will charge them with planning an 
illegal demonstration, among other items.  There are 
reports that an additional 10-25 people may also have 
been detained on trumped up "petty crime" charges. 
There have been no reports of violence and the Maldives 
is reportedly quiet with a heightened police presence in 
Male'.  The GoRM's actions were clearly an attempt to 
quash opposition elements that have been ratcheting up 
the pressure on President Gayoom's regime in recent 
months.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) GORM LAUNCHES CRACKDOWN:  The Maldivian 
government has confirmed that it arrested eight people 
on February 13.  No violence was reported.  The GoRM 
asserted that the eight had been "conspiring to conduct 
illegal activities," according to the government-owned 
news website "Haveeru."  Other sources have indicated 
that the number of those arrested may be higher.  On its 
website, for example, the opposition Maldivian 
Democratic Party (MDP) asserted that 10 people had been 
arrested and another MDP contact told us 70.  Amnesty 
International, in the meantime, has estimated that up to 
20 had been detained (see Ref A).  In a February 17 
conversation with polchief, Minh Pham, UNDP Resident 
Representative for the Maldives (Amcit -- strictly 
protect), confirmed the 8 official arrests, but added 
that he had heard that an additional 20-25 people may 
also have been detained.  He said many of those detained 
were being held on trumped up "petty crime" charges. 
Pham confirmed press reports that one of the eight 
officially under arrest was Jennifer Latheef, MDP co- 
founder Mohamed Latheef's daughter.  Pham said he had 
heard that she would be charged with "terrorist-related 
offenses." 
 
3.  (C) The arrests were clearly timed to prevent an 
anti-Gayoom demonstration that had been tentatively 
scheduled for February 12 or 14 on the capital island of 
Male' (see Ref B).  The GoRM's actions were successful 
and the demonstration, in the end, did not take place. 
Explaining the government's position, Home Minister 
Ismail Shafeeu said on Maldivian television late 
February 13 that Male' residents had been "unsettled" 
because people had been distributing leaflets and 
materials.  He added that "activities carried out in the 
name of an illegitimate organization will not be 
permitted in Maldives." (Note:  Shafeeu was clearly 
referring to the MDP.  The GoRM does not recognize any 
political parties and the MDP is illegal in the 
Maldives.) 
 
4.  (C) OPPOSITION RESPONSE:  The MDP reacted speedily 
to the arrests, terming them "arbitrary" and the "latest 
horrendous crime against humanity committed by President 
Gayoom and his police thugs," according to its website. 
Noting that the arrests came immediately following the 
group's February 12 election of MDP "governing council" 
members (see Ref B), the website claimed that the GoRM's 
moves were a targeted attack on the MDP, and family 
members of MDP co-founders Mohamed Latheef and Mohamed 
Nasheed.  The website added that the planned 
demonstration was to be a peaceful one in which 
protestors delivered a letter to President Gayoom 
informing him of the party's formation and recommending 
measures for the promotion of human rights. 
 
5.  (C) In a February 17 conversation with poloff, 
Latheef -- who is now based in Colombo -- sounded quite 
distraught about the recent events, describing the 
Maldivian political situation as "terrible and getting 
worse."  He said the GoRM had only arrested his daughter 
to get at him.  He asserted that the "terrorist-related" 
charges against her -- which apparently stemmed from her 
alleged involvement in September 2003 violence in Male' 
(see Ref B) -- were completely fabricated.  (According 
to Latheef, his daughter had studied civil rights in the 
U.S., and had been engaged in trying to prevent police 
violence in the Maldives and nothing more.) 
 
6.  (C) Regarding the current situation, Latheef thought 
that the crackdown had been spurred on by recent anti- 
Gayoom unrest in the National Security Service (NSS -- 
the Maldivian military and police force).  In an effort 
to maintain control and gain back NSS confidence, Gayoom 
had reinstated two NSS officers who had been removed 
from the organization due to allegations of torture 
linked to the September 2003 violence.  With the NSS now 
in his pocket, Latheef averred, Gayoom was running the 
country as "a military state," and flaunting the 
Maldivian Constitution and the rule of law.  He called 
for the international community to take an active 
interest in the situation and pressure Gayoom to release 
those arrested. 
 
7.  (C) SITUATION CALM (FOR NOW):  Following the 
February 13 arrests, Male' and the rest of the Maldives 
are reportedly quiet.  On February 17, Pham related that 
Male' residents seemed subdued and he added that there 
was a heavy police presence.  Pham indicated, however, 
that there were unconfirmed reports of tension at the 
main prison on Maafushi island (near Male').  He had 
heard, for example, that some prisoners there were 
threatening to commit suicide to protest the February 13 
arrests.  (The Maafushi prison was the site of the 
violence that triggered the September riots in Male'.) 
 
8.  (C) COMMENT:  As flagged in Ref B, opposition 
elements have been ratcheting up the pressure on 
President Gayoom's regime in recent months.  Former 
ministers have reportedly joined the MDP, for example, 
and the group was becoming increasingly active both 
inside and outside the Maldives.  The final straw for 
Gayoom was clearly the opposition's plans to hold a 
public demonstration in Male'.  It is highly unlikely, 
however, that the GoRM's February 13 moves to quash the 
opposition will be the last word in the matter.  The 
anti-Gayoom opposition seems to be real -- and not 
ephemeral, with many Maldivians feeling that the country 
needs more political openness after 25 years of one-man 
rule by Gayoom.  Given the government's hard-line 
response, it seems that the Maldives might be in for the 
classic tussle of escalating reactions/counter-reactions 
between an entrenched government versus a rising 
opposition.  END COMMENT. 
 
9.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD