The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Maldives, Sir Donald McKinnon, today urged Maldivian stakeholders to keep the national interest paramount and move forward in a calm and responsible manner, as the country anticipates the Report of the Commission of National Inquiry this week.
Sir Donald observed that the Commission, established to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power on 7 February 2012, had been reformed in June in order to be more widely acceptable and to enable an independent, impartial and credible investigation to be conducted.
“I look forward to the imminent completion of the work of the reconstituted Commission of National Inquiry and to its being able to agree on its Report. As we approach the release of that Report, I would encourage all stakeholders to respect the Commission’s findings, and to take time to reflect carefully on how to act upon them in a manner that maintains harmony in Maldivian society and helps strengthen democratic practice and institutions in the country.
“It will be important to ensure that calm and public order are maintained, and all concerned act with restraint and responsibility.”
“There will no doubt be many issues to address emerging from the Commission’s Report. I encourage political leaders to increase their efforts towards engaging in genuine dialogue, in order that consensus may be achieved, in a constructive and peaceful manner, on the path forward.”
Sir Donald noted that he had remained in regular contact with both President Waheed and former President Nasheed, and would continue to do so in the days ahead.
