US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO856

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 COLOMBO 000856 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, DRL/PHD FOR K. CUMBERLAND 
 
E.O. 12958:    DECL:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KDEM, SOCI, EAID, ELAB, MV, Human Rights, Maldives 
SUBJECT:  Maldives:  Proposals for Human Rights and 
Democracy funds 
 
Refs:  (A) Colombo 842 
-      (B) State 88764 
-      (C) State 65803 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified -- 
Please handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (U) Per Ref B, Mission submits two small-grant 
project proposals for DRL Human Rights and Democracy 
funding for the Maldives.  Detailed below, the first 
project involves the Maldivian Human Rights Commission 
(Para 3) and requests $30,000.  The second project, in 
support of the development of Maldivian labor laws (Para 
4), requests $17,980.  The combined funding request for 
these two proposals is $47,980.  Project descriptions 
are keyed to information requested in Para 6 of Ref B. 
 
3.  (SBU) Project One:  Developing the Capacity of the 
Maldivian Human Rights Commission: 
 
PROJECT NARRATIVE:  The Maldives is a moderate Islamic 
nation.  A strong supporter of the global war on 
terrorism, the Maldivian government is in the process of 
pursuing political reforms to strengthen democratic 
freedoms and make the government more accountable.  (For 
further information on the Maldivian political situation 
and the local reform agenda see Ref A review of SA A/S 
Rocca's recent visit to Maldives.)  One of the first and 
most visible illustrations of these reforms was the 
December 2003 establishment by Maldivian President 
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldivian Human Rights 
Commission (HRC).  To date, the Commission has been well 
received by Maldivian politicians, government officials, 
civil society, and international organizations.  At 
present, a draft bill to formalize the HRC and cement 
its autonomy from the government is being reviewed by 
the Maldivian Majlis (Parliament). 
 
The Maldivian HRC is in its nascent stage and would 
welcome guidance from recognized human rights 
professionals.  In discussions with Embassy officials, 
members of the Commission have requested USG support in 
the areas of training and capacity building.  Given the 
Commission's limited finances for travel and limited 
ability to develop its own international programming, 
Mission proposes a project for three U.S.-based human 
rights experts to visit the Maldives for consultations 
with Maldivian HRC members.  If accepted, DRL funding 
for this project would finance three trips, one for each 
of three U.S. participants, of approximately 10 days 
each.  Visits would occur at three month intervals over 
a period of six months. 
 
Specifically, during their time in the Maldives, the 
U.S. experts would work with their Maldivian 
counterparts to help them develop a greater 
understanding for human rights decision-making, 
including how to deal with complaints involving the law 
enforcement and judicial systems.  U.S. experts would 
also help build the members' capacity in developing an 
action plan and long-term goals for the Commission.  The 
U.S. visitors would also aid the Commission staff in 
building effective methods for educating the public on 
human rights. 
 
Mission believes this is the best option for responding 
to the immediate needs of the Commission, as outlined by 
the following considerations: 
 
-- Embassy Colombo's Mission Performance Plan (MPP) 
specifically calls for USG efforts to help increase 
respect for human rights, including through support of 
the Maldivian HRC. 
 
-- At present, Mission's Public Affairs Office is 
programming a limited number of Commission members for 
International Visitor Programs (IVP) in the U.S.  This 
project proposal regarding the HRC would take direct 
advantage of the contacts developed by the IVPs during 
their U.S. visits, as well as provide additional 
exposure and resources for the majority of Commissioners 
not awarded an IVP trip.  (FYI -- The Embassy public 
affairs office will soon conclude a "rule of law" 
project with the External Resources Division of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The project has paid for 
legislation drafting seminars, study tours for judges, 
and acquisitions for law libraries.) 
 
-- USAID does not have a presence in Maldives, thereby 
severely limiting other avenues of possible USG aid. 
 
-- As Maldives is a small country with a population of 
280,000, it may be difficult to attract and retain the 
interest of large human rights organizations working in 
the areas of assistance and training. 
 
-- Mission has spoken with the HRC, which indicated it 
would warmly support this proposal. 
 
SHORT- AND LONG- TERM GOALS:  The short term goal is to 
bring the staff at the HRC into immediate contact with 
established experts in the human rights field, as the 
Commissioners have limited ability, funds, and contacts 
to undertake their own international programming. 
Complementing that, over the long term, the HRC will 
build capacity, attain acceptance both locally and among 
international human rights organizations.  Commissioners 
will also become acquainted with worldwide networks of 
human rights professionals. 
 
EXPECTED IMPACT:  Through interaction with international 
human rights colleagues, the Maldivian HRC will gain an 
increased capacity for dealing with human rights issues, 
understand nuances in investigating human rights 
complaints, and develop the ability to communicate an 
understanding of these issues to the Maldivian public. 
 
LENGTH OF PROJECT AND TIMELINE:  The project is expected 
to last six months, with one visit by a U.S. human 
rights expert at the beginning of the program and the 
second and third trips following at three month 
intervals.  The anticipated start of this project is 
late 2004. 
 
EVALUATION PLANS:  Mission would monitor:  the 
development of outreach documents; progress in 
developing an action plan for the Commission, and other 
activities through the life of the project. 
 
BUDGET: 
$30,000:  Total Request 
------- 
$15,000:  Airfare (Roundtrip U.S.-Maldives for 3 people) 
$ 6,000:  Honorarium for 3 people for 10 days 
$ 7,500:  Per Diem for 3 people for 10 days 
$ 1,500:  Miscellaneous Expense/Tech support 
 
EMBASSY PERSONNEL:  Action Officer is Deputy Political 
Chief Andrea Tomaszewicz.  The back-up officer will be 
political officer Cody Taylor.  No new personnel are 
anticipated mid-project.  Philip Frayne, who will arrive 
in August 2004 as PAO, will have sufficient and adequate 
grant signing authority. 
 
4. (SBU) Project Two:  Developing Maldivian labor laws: 
 
In addition to promoting the human rights issues in 
Maldives, Post has also promoted improved labor rights, 
including accession to the core ILO conventions and 
passage of modern labor legislation that ensures freedom 
of association, the right to form unions and the right 
to bargain collectively.  We have a unique opportunity 
during this reform period in Maldives to make a 
significant impact in a fairly short period regarding 
human and labor rights issues. 
 
PROJECT NARRATIVE:  Post, in consultation with the 
American Center for International Labor Solidarity 
(ACILS) and the GORM, proposes that DRL support a 
national seminar on a new labor bill that is under 
consideration in Maldives.  Maldives' small size and 
dense population makes this kind of forum particularly 
effective and high profile.  It could prove very useful 
for promoting inclusion of the kind of modern, flexible 
labor rights issues in the new law that could spur 
Maldives' development and bring it into compliance with 
core ILO conventions. 
 
Labor rights in Maldives are virtually non-existent. 
Though there are laws about minimum age of employment 
and guidelines about the formation of associations, 
nothing is said about the recognition of worker's rights 
or collective bargaining.  In addition, Maldives has not 
signed and ratified the eight core ILO conventions.  As 
a result of a new focus on human rights, President 
Gayoom has asked the GORM Attorney General to begin 
reviewing labor compliance issues. 
 
We propose a three-day seminar, with presentations by a 
labor law expert from Thailand and a series of workshops 
run by representatives from other South Asian 
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. 
ACILS would serve as the primary expertise databank, 
bringing regional labor law experts from Thailand and 
Sri Lanka and representatives from the highly successful 
Worker Employers Bilateral Council of Pakistan (WEBCOP). 
The audience would be workers' representatives, employer 
representatives, chambers of commerce and industries, 
members of parliament and other government officials. 
This kind of stakeholder forum has been used before in 
Maldives and could aid in the successful implementation 
of new labor legislation.  Mission has spoken with 
Maldivian contacts, who have indicated that they would 
support this proposal. 
 
BUDGET: 
$17,980:  Total Request 
------- 
$ 4,800:  Accommodation for 8 participants for 4 nights 
$ 3,680:  Per Diem 8 participants for 5 days 
$ 1,500:  Reception for 35 people 
$ 1,500:  Conference Hall Rental (3 days) 
$ 1,000:  Airfare (Sri Lanka-Male-SL - 4 people) 
$ 2,700:  Airfare (Pakistan-Male-Pakistan - 3 people) 
$   800:  Airfare (Bangkok-Male-Bangkok - 1 person) 
$ 2,000:  Miscellaneous Expenses/Technical Support 
 
EMBASSY PERSONNEL: Action Officer is economic officer 
Teresa Manlowe until December 2004, followed by Rick 
Merrin, who will arrive in February 2005.  The back-up 
officer will be Economic Section Chief Dean Thompson. 
Philip Frayne, who will arrive in August 2004 as PAO, 
will have sufficient and adequate grant signing 
authority. 
 
SHORT-TERM GOALS:  Launch debate on workers rights and 
improved labor-management relations; provide 
coordinated, stakeholder-approved input for new labor 
legislation; stimulate networking with organizations 
that could provide long-term assistance to GORM 
(including WEBCOP and ACILS). 
 
LONG-TERM GOALS:  Increased level of debate about 
workers rights; improved working conditions for all 
sectors; improved labor-management relations; increased 
capacity for nascent labor union sector; development for 
a framework to begin and normalize tripartite (labor, 
management, government) discussions on labor issues in 
Maldives. 
 
EXPECTED IMPACT:  New, modern labor legislation which 
protects workers rights and allows for the right of 
association and collective bargaining. 
 
LENGTH OF PROJECT:  Prep time:  3 months; Seminar:  3 
days 
 
EVALUATION PLANS:  Continued Post interaction with GORM 
to monitor the passage and implementation of labor law. 
 
LUNSTEAD