Commission of National Inquiry
| Founded | 24 February 2012 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mohamed Waheed Hassan |
| Defunct | 30 August 2012 |
| Headquarters | Muliaage[1], , Maldives |
Key people |
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| Members |
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| Website | www |
The Commission of National Inquiry was an independent body established by president Mohamed Waheed Hassan on 21 February 2012 to investigate the events that occurred in the Maldives from 14 January–8 February 2012.[2] This also included the controversial resignation of Mohamed Nasheed which he claims was a coup.
Members
There are five members of the commission as well as two legal advisers nominated by the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and the Commonwealth.[3] Although the Supreme Court of the Maldives formally objected the composition of members claiming a threat to national sovereignty, president Waheed insisted that it was necessary.[3]
- G. P. Selvam – Co-chair
- Ismail Shafeeu – Co-chair
- Ibrahim Yasir – Member
- Ali Fawaz Shareef – Member
- Ahmed Saeed – President Nasheed's member
- Sir Bruce Robertson – Legal Adviser
- Professor John Packer – Legal Adviser
Nasheed's members
Members appointed by Mohamed Nasheed were given a criterion to meet:[4]
- be a person of integrity with high ethical, moral and professional standards with at least an undergraduate degree from a recognized university
- not have been politically active during the past two years
- not have held a Cabinet post or served as a member of the People's Majlis during the past two years
- not have taken a public stand on the events of 7 February 2012
Past nominees presented by Nasheed didn't meet said criteria. Past nominees were:[4]
- Mohamed Aslam – Housing Minister of Nasheed's government
- Shifa Mohamed – Education Minister of Nasheed's government and MDP activist
- Hassan Latheef – Human Resources, Youth and Sports Minister of Nasheed's government
- Hudha Ahmed – Cousin of Nasheed and MDP activist
- Aishath Velezinee – State Minister of Nasheed's government and MDP activist
- Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem – Married to a close relative of Nasheed
- Fareesha Abdulla – Under Secretary, Legal Affairs, at the President’s Office during Nasheed's administration
- Hisaan Hussain – Legal Affairs Secretary of the Nasheed administration and MDP activist
- Mariya Ahmed Didi – Former MDP Chairperson
- Lieut. Col. Zubair Ahmed Manik – Uncle of Nasheed
Waheed's government had viewed Nasheed's disregard of the criteria as an attempt to stall the CoNI's work.[4]
Report
The deadline for the report was originally set to 31 July 2012, but President Waheed extended it after the commission felt the need for an extension.[5]
A day before the Commission released its report, Ahmed Saeed resigned from the Commission which the government condemned.[6] Saeed said that he resigned due to the report being misleading and incomplete.[7]
CoNI presented its report to president Mohamed Waheed Hassan on 30 August 2012 and soon after dissolved the commission.[8][9]
Criticism
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) accused the report of being deeply one sided and lacking accountability.[10] Mohamed Nasheed originally accepted the report with limitations but later refuted entirely.[11] ZNetwork questioned the legitimacy of the report as three of the commission members were Gayoom loyalists.[12]
The International Federation for Human Rights had said that systemized omitifications were identified in the report which raises concerns about the accuracy of the report's conclusions.[13]
References
- ^ "VP Deen to reside at Dibaage, Bandos". Sun. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
Following the resignation of the former President Mohamed Nasheed, the official residence of the President, Muleeaage, is being used for the operation of Inquiry Commission.
- ^ "President establishes, by decree, Commission of National Enquiry". The President's Office. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ a b "CoNI Members". Commission of National Inquiry. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "STATEMENT ON COMMISSION OF NATIONAL INQUIRY (CNI) NOMINEE". The President's Office. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ "President extends due date for Inquiry Commission report". The President's Office. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Government of Maldives Condemns the Resignation of Former President Nasheed's Nominee to the Commission of National Inquiry". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Maldives). 30 August 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ Bosley, Daniel; Mohamed, Mariyath (31 August 2012). ""I realised it was all going wrong": member Saeed on CNI's final days". Minivan News. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
- ^ "CONI presents its final report to the President". The President's Office. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "President Waheed dissolves CONI". The President's Office. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Growing Sense of Impunity in Wake of CoNI Report – MDP". Maldivian Democratic Party. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "CoNI". Commission of National Inquiry. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Foran, John (4 September 2013). "Maldives at the Crossroads: Not Just another Day in Paradise". ZNetwork. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Malone, Leah (24 April 2013). "Civil society groups slam government for "failure to ensure conducive environment for elections"". Maldives Independent. Retrieved 15 June 2025.