Deputy High Commissioner of Britain visits Addu :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

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Deputy High Commissioner of Britain visits Addu

30 September 2005

Lesley Craig, Deputy British High Commissioner, visited the MDP ADDU office at Hithadhoo and spoke to the families of detainees and some of the people who were earlier arrested by the police on the 27th of August.

The delegation stated that they are here to get first hand information on the present situation in Maldives and in fact wanted to see the REAL MALDIVES through a commoner's eye. They inquired about the role of women and youth in both social development and political development of our country to which the response was quiet disappointing as predictable. Today's youth have no commendable role in the developmental process of the country because they are into drugs and they aren't aware of what is going on in the country, the message was conveyed.

They assured all possible help to the people of Maldives and advised the reformists to be careful with whatever action they take being a reformist, since there are people who will take the advantage by acting as reformists.

A formal political prisoner, Mr. Zahid, who was released ony recently, told the delegation that he was arrested on suspicion that he was writing articles to the Dhivehi Observer News Website but later was charged with terrorism, on the basis of attempting to provoke the common people against the regime of Dictator Gayyoom but was later released without charge and kept in Male’ arrest for months.

Also, a letter was handed over to the Deputy High Commissioner on behalf of the families of Addu reformists who are still in detention in Maldives jail. The delegation assured their support to ensure that the people are treated humanely and to be released unless formal charges were brought up promptly.

The United Kingdom is in fact the current President of the European Union which issued a foreign policy statement last month expressing their support for the democratic movement in Maldives and concern over the unrest in Maldives last month.

On behalf of the families of all the detainees a letter was given to them, pleading for the early release of all the detainees who are still in police custody.

Several hundred people gathered round the office and on the route of the delegation to express their concerns. People, old and young took part in expressing their views by holding banners and chanting slogans calling for democracy and freedom and the release of their sons who are illegally detained by the Dictator.

Photos from the event - Hithadhoo