India snubs Maldives President on envoy visit

New Delhi: On a day when embattled Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen  despatched special envoys to three “friendly countries — China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia”, it was confirmed that India had rejected a request from the Maldives to send a special envoy to New Delhi.

India is miffed that its concerns and that of the international community about undermining of democratic institutions and the judiciary in the Maldives have been ignored by President Yameen.

The latest developments show a worsening of Indo-Maldivian ties, with Beijing, Islamabad and Riyadh lending a sympathetic ear to Mr Yameen.

The Maldivian embassy in India announced that foreign minister Mohamed Asim was to visit New Delhi “as his first stop” as a special envoy on Thursday, but “the visit was cancelled on the request of the Indian government”. The Maldives said India had informed that “the said dates were not suitable for India’s leadership”, with the Maldivian embassy making it clear that India had not been “bypassed” in any manner.

Indian government sou-rces in New Delhi, however, confirmed that the request for the Maldivian special envoy’s visit had been turned down. An angry New Delhi was not ready to receive a special envoy from the Maldives after President Yameen ignored India’s advice to respect the Supreme Court order on
the release of political prisoners. The Maldivian President had recently declared a state of emergency there, much to India’s dismay. Incidentally, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is in Saudi Arabia on an official visit while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to leave for West Asia on Friday on a three-nation visit.

Indian government sources in New Delhi said India has “not seen any real action on the concerns stated by the international community and India” and that “democratic institutions and the judiciary continue to be undermined and concerns ignored, (and that) these issues need to be properly addressed.” Indian government sources also said “there is a set protocol to send an envoy” and India has “not been informed of the purpose of sending the envoy”. Sources also noted that Ms Swaraj is away in Saudi Arabia while Mr Modi will leave for West Asia on Friday.

In a statement, the Maldivian embassy said: “The first stop of Special Envoy of the President was (supposed to be) India. Foreign Minister of Maldives Mohamed Asim, the designated Special Envoy of the President, was scheduled to be in India on February 8, but the visit was cancelled on the request of the Government of India. The Government of the Maldives was informed that the said dates were not suitable for India’s leadership.” The embassy said the Maldivian government was not “bypassing” India in any way.

While China and Saudi Arabia have been the main backers of President Yameen, it is the inclusion of Pakistan on the list that is being seen as the most significant message by the Maldivian President. While India and Pakistan are strategic rivals in Saarc, of which the Maldives too is a part, foreign policy observers feel President Yameen has sought to send a clear signal to New Delhi that his government can survive with Chinese, Pakistani and Saudi support, something that is bound to send alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. India has also been unhappy with the increasing Chinese influence in the Maldives and the way in which the Maldives recently signed a Free Trade Agreement with China.

In another statement, the Maldivian government said: “Members of the administration’s Cabinet, on the direction of President Abdulla Yameen, will visit friendly countries of the Maldives and provide updates on the current situation. Minister of economic development Mohamed Saeed has this evening departed to China. Minister  of foreign affairs Mohamed Asim has this evening departed to Pakistan. Minister of fisheries Mohamed Shainee is scheduled to depart to Saudi Arabia.”

India had earlier said  it was “disturbed” over the Maldivian government’s refusal to abide by verdict of the Supreme Court there on the release of Opposition leaders as well as the suspension of constitutional rights there. India also said it was concerned over the arrest of the Supreme Court Chief Justice and political figures, adding that it was carefully monitoring the situation. Just last week, India had said the Maldivian government must “respect and abide” by last Thursday night’s order of the Supreme Court of the Maldives on the “release of all political prisoners” there. New Delhi had said this should be done in the “spirit of democracy and rule of law”.

President Yameen has dug in his heels and refused to obey the court order on the grounds that it leads to “encroachment on the regulatory powers of the State, the disruption of the functions mandated to State institutions under the Constitution, and the infringement of national security and public interest”, adding that “if implemented, (it) would potentially lead to an undermining of the supremacy of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives”.

The Maldivian Supreme Court had earlier ordered the immediate release of exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed and other Opposition leaders, terming their trials a violation of the Constitution and international law. The Maldives has seen political unrest and street protests since Mr Nasheed was convicted in 2015 on terror charges and sentenced to 13 years in jail, while Mr Nasheed himself was earlier granted asylum by the UK after he was authorised to seek medical treatment there amid mounting foreign pressure. The Maldivian leader, who is currently in Sri Lanka, had welcomed the court order and has said Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen must resign in the wake of the ruling by the Supreme Court.