Maldives quits Commonwealth: Maldives announced on Thursday that it will leave the Commonwealth over unfair treatment. It also said that its governance was constantly being meddled in by the Commonwealth that hindered the state’s operations.
The word came out after the Commonwealth threatened Maldives to suspend it if it failed to show any improvement in major economic issues by March next year.
Commonwealth is an Intergovernmental Organisation of 53 countries that include mostly British empire territories.
Maldives quits Commonwealth
Maldives’s Government has been denying the corruption charges against the President, Abdulla Yameen for a long time now. It has said that there wouldn’t be any delay in pulling out of the Maldives from the Commonwealth.
The Foreign Ministry of Maldives said in the statement that it Commonwealth had treated it “unjustly and unfairly”. The statement said, “The Commonwealth secretariat seem to be convinced that the Maldives, because of the high and favourable reputation that the country enjoys internationally, and also perhaps because it is a small state that lacks material power, would be an easy object that can be used.”
It also said that the Commonwealth has tried to be an active participant in the domestic political matters which is contrary to what the charters of the UN and Commonwealth define. While accusing it os unjust treatment it (Maldives) stated that the Commonwealth had been using it as a tool to for the democracy promotion which is actually a sham.
While accusing it os unjust treatment it (Maldives) stated that the Commonwealth had been using it as a tool to for the democracy promotion which is actually a sham. And all it cared for was its own reputation and leverage in the world.
Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary General expressed disappointment and regret for the decision and she said that they hope it to be a temporary separation. While CHRI Chief, David White remarked, “It’s a sad day”, as he stated that it was true that Maldives had been threatened with suspension but it was only for greater good for bringing in political reforms.
It is not the first time that the country has been threatened with suspension. The Commonwealth had done it twice in the past, in one instance the President of Maldives was even replaced back in 2013.