BIRDS OF A FEATHER Maldives reaches out to its friends

LEADER IGNORES STATES THAT CRITICISED HIM Opposition wants India to intervene, but ‘dates not suitable’ for and envoy to be sent.

The embattled president of the Maldives has sent envoys to friendly nations such as China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to brief them on a political crisis in the Indian Ocean nation that spurred the imposition of emergency, his office said.

Abdulla Yameen left out India, which, along with the US, Britain and the United Nations, has condemned the imposition of emergency and the arrest of top judges whose ruling against Yameen touched off new instability.

The Maldives, best known for luxury tourist resorts, has become another arena of contest for India and China after it signed up to Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative to build trade and transport links across Asia and beyond.

India, which has had longstanding political and security ties to the islands about 400km away, has sought to push back against China’s expanding presence in the country of 400 000 people, most of them Muslims. Since the crisis erupted, Maldivian opposition leaders have urged New Delhi to intervene.

Yameen sent Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed to China, Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim to Pakistan, and Farming and Fisheries Minister Mohamed Shainee to Saudi Arabia, according to his website.

“Members of the Cabinet will visit friendly nations and provide updates,” it said.

The government wanted to send a special envoy to India, but the dates were not suitable for the Indian foreign ministry, said Ahmed Mohamed, the Maldives’ ambassador to India. The Maldives has been in crisis since last week, when the Supreme Court quashed convictions ranging from corruption to terrorism of nine opposition figures, including former president Mohamed Nasheed, its first democratically elected leader.

Tension came to a head when Yameen’s government rejected the ruling, imposed the emergency for 15 days on Monday and arrested the chief justice and another judge. –

Members of Cabinet will visit friendly nations.

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