Commonwealth group to discuss Maldives

A Commonwealth panel that deals with serious violations of the group’s political values will hold an emergency telephone conference on Sunday over the ousting of the Maldives president. Akbar Khan, the head of the Commonwealth delegation of political, legal and human rights officers to the Maldives, said the nine-member Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) would hold the meeting at 1230 GMT in London. It will discuss the events that saw President Mohamed Waheed take power after the resignation of Mohamed Nasheed on Tuesday, ending three weeks of protests that were capped by a police mutiny. “This is an extraordinary meeting by teleconference,” Khan told AFP. CMAG is the policy-making panel of the Commonwealth which investigates any violation of Commonwealth principles of democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights. Khan said his delegation was in the Maldives when the dramatic events unfolded in the capital Male as Nasheed announced Tuesday that he was forced to resign with the military threatening a bloodbath. Nasheed has made a written submission to the CMAG, Khan said, adding that the new government of Mohamed Waheed was also expected to make a submission. Maldives is a current member of the CMAG, which includes, among others, Australia and New Zealand. In a statement shortly after Nasheed resigned, the Commonwealth urged respect the rule of law and the constitution.