Maldives’ human rights continued to improve despite concerns: US State Dept.

US Department of State has said in its 2009 Country Report that the Maldives’ “human rights record continued to improve the previous year” despite concerns over “abuse of detainees, women’s issues, lack of religious freedom and workers’ rights.”

“The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens and upheld civil liberties. Its human rights record continued to improve from the previous year, although some issues remained, including abuse of detainees by security forces, the unequal treatment of women, and restrictions on religious freedom and workers' rights,” the 2009 Country Report on Human Rights Practices, issues on March 11 said.

On a positive note, the State Department noted that “there were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings or politically motivated disappearances.”

However there were “reports of mistreatment of persons by security forces.”

“On September 22, several detainees at Maafushi jail reported to the local media and the HRCM that members of the Emergency Support Group (ESG), a team of special security forces tasked with maintaining order in the prison, indiscriminately attacked detainees on September 21. Twelve detainees were reportedly injured.”

The report said that in February 2008, the HRCM released its annual report, which included an investigation into alleged September 2008 abuse of a detainee at Maafushi jail.

“The HRCM determined that five officers of the ESG were responsible. The HRCM stated that it was examining how to obtain financial compensation for the detainee from DPRS and was not aware of any action taken against the ESG.”

In the Maldives, the law permits flogging as a form of punishment.

“In July local and international media reported authorities sentenced an estimated 180 persons to public flogging for engaging in extramarital affairs. An 18-year-old woman was flogged in public on July 5 and received 100 lashes.”

Although “reports indicated that the woman fainted and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Abdulla Mohamed, head of the country's Criminal Court, told the local media that flogging was meant as a deterrent and not designed to cause injury, as regulations prohibit those carrying out the sentences from raising their arms above their shoulders,” the State Department said.

The report noted that “prison conditions generally met international standards, and the government permitted visits by independent human rights observers.”

Also “there were no reports of political prisoners or detainees. “

Despite “the law provides for the equality of all citizens” there is “no specific provision to prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, or social status.”

The lack of equal opportunities for women remained an issue, according to the report.

“Women traditionally were disadvantaged, particularly in the application of Shari'a in matters such as divorce, education, inheritance, and testimony in legal proceedings.”

“A man can be convicted of rape in the absence of a confession only if there are two male witnesses or four female witnesses willing to testify.”

The report said “in March Mazeena Jameel, permanentsecretary of the Ministry of Health and Family, stated that out of 10 rape cases reported, only two led to convictions, partly due to the difficulty of proving rape.”

Moreover, “under the law, spousal rape is not a crime” in the Maldives, it noted.

Making matters worse “there are no laws in force regarding domestic violence against women or workplace harassment, nor were there firm data on the extent of violence against women.”

“In 2008 the Ministry of Gender and Family released data showing an increase in the reported cases of violence against women, although NGOs believed that most cases remained unreported,” it said.

Several reasons were cited for the silence on the issue, including “fear of reprisals from abusers, losing custody of children, lack of economic independence, insensitivity of police when dealing with victims, absence of regulation in media concerning the privacy of the victim, dealing with the stigma attached to being a victim, and low conviction rates. “

The report also cited some disturbing figures related to women.

“The 2006 Ministry of Gender and Family study on women's health and life experiences noted that one in three women between the ages of 15 and 49 years reported some form of physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives.”

“One in five women between the ages of 15 and 49 years reported physical or sexual violence by a partner, and one in nine reported experiencing severe violence. One in six women in Male and one in eight countrywide reported experiencing childhood sexual abuse under the age of 15 years. Of those women between the ages of 15 and 49 years who had ever been pregnant, 6 percent reported having been physically or sexually abused during pregnancy,” it said.

Although women traditionally played a subordinate role in society, they participated in public life, the report noted.

“Women constituted approximately 40 percent of government employees. The literacy rate for women was approximately 98 percent. In 2007 the government appointed the first female judges,” it said.

The report cited migrant workers’ issues as an area of concern.

“Migrant workers were particularly vulnerable to exploitation and, upon arrival in the country, they found unacceptable work conditions, but they were forced to accept work at whatever wage was offered for debt repayment to the employment agency,” it said.

The HRCM found many instances of nonpayment of wages to migrant workers and inadequate housing, according to the report.

“Bangladeshi High Commissioner Professor Selina Mohsin reported that 110 Bangaldeshi migrant workers died last year from construction-related injuries such as falls, heart attacks, extreme tension and stress, and the effects of working in hazardous environments without proper ventilation,”

The HRCM reported, however, that the status of migrant workers employed in the categories of senior management, professionals, and skilled workers was different, it said.

“These workers enjoyed a status similar to citizens, if not at times better,” the State Department added.

After releasing the annual report, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the US re-commit itself to “continue the hard work of making human rights a human reality.”

She said for the “last 34 years, the United States has produced the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, providing the most comprehensive record available of the condition of human rights around the world.”

Human Rights Report: Maldives

- Asian Tribune -