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By Ibrahim H. Shihab/Maldives Republic
Male, September 22: The issue of agreements signed with the Government of India during the Ibrahim Mohamed Solih administration has remained unresolved, despite the 20th Parliament holding several regular sessions, extraordinary sessions, and committee deliberations.
The Security Services Committee (241 Committee), having been asked to examine aspects of the Hydrography Agreement, the Uthuruthilafalhu Agreement, and the Dornier Aircraft agreement — all made with the Government of India — unanimously approved the formation of a four-member subcommittee to look into the matter.
The four-member subcommittee consisted of;
Deputy Speaker and MP for Dhiggaru (People’s National Congress — PNC), Ahmed Nazim MP for Central Hithadhoo (PNC), Ahmed Azaan Marzooq MP for Hanimaadhoo (Maldivian Democratic Party — MDP), Abdul Gafoor Moosa and MP for Thulhaadhoo (Independent — IND), Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru.
While the motion on the three agreements had initially been referred to the Committee by Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Hithadhoo, Ahmed Azaan Marzooq, the subcommittee approved that the matter be investigated on 10 June.
At the second meeting of the 241 Committee, held before the motion on the agreements was submitted, Marzooq said that the people voted for President Mohamed Muizzu because they believed that many things had undermined the Maldives’ independence and sovereignty.
“One of the biggest responsibilities of this committee should be to look into what we said then, what we said to get into government should be looked into and investigated… We know that there have been incidents that affect the independence and sovereignty of the country. Therefore, this committee has to use the powers given to it by the Constitution to investigate these incidents,” Marzooq said.
However, the parliament does not appear to have exercised its constitutional mandate, as the matter has been left pending at the committee stage going for nearly three months now, with some MPs belonging to the PNC confirming to local media sources that this was due to direct instructions from President Muizzu.
“The issue has been stalled on the direct instructions of the President because it may hamper relations with India. It is known that the President was angry when the issue was raised without discussion,” Adhadhu News quoted a PNC source as saying.
The parliament’s website does not show any records that subcommittee meetings had been held.
While Marzooq’s motion has not moved forward, the Muizzu administration has, other than the repatriation of Indian troops operating within the Maldives, not acted on any of their proposed actions regarding India which were made during the lead-up to the elections.
Neither the Indian helicopter nor the Dornier aircraft have been sent back. Even the troops that were sent back have been replaced with civilian Indian contractors from Hindustan Aeronautics Company; meaning the aircrafts are still chiefly being operated by Indian personnel, even as the administration continues to reiterate that all Indian troops have now been withdrawn from the Maldives as promised.
Insofar as Muizzu may have won office on the heels of a significant anti-India slant, he must now attempt to strengthen relations with the neighbour and regional power as he seeks assistance regarding the Maldives’ weakened economic position as well as on, possibly, jumpstarting stalled development efforts as his administration draws ever closer to the one-year mark.
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