Dunya: News of birds being put down triggered a state of shock

MNP's Women's Wing Leader, former Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon has stated that the news of illegally imported birds being put down had caused a state of shock for her.

Dunya had remarked this in an interview given to Sun expressing concern over the case of illegally imported birds being put down. 

In this regard, she stated that the discretion to put down living creatures that are illegally imported to Maldives provided by the law should not exist. She also added that she believed lawmarkers should put more effort to amend such laws and regulations that are currently in force.

"Harming humans, animals and other living creatrues is absolutely unaceeptable. No matter what the circumstances, it could have been solved better than that right?" she had said.

"The discreition to put down illegally imported birds being stipulated bu regulation is not actually a reason for it to be put down. Those things can be returned to the country they were imported from, right?" she added.

Speaking further, Dunya stressed that action must be taken against the parties that were privy to putting down the birds – adding that living creatures cannot be protected from the harm they are subjected to unless the law is properly enforced.

Whilst many individuls have raised their voices against the illegally imported birds being put down – currently the law does not prohibit this.

As per the Regulation on Importing Birds to the Maldives, illegally imported birds will be held and rid of by Birds, Plant and Quarantine Services.

The number of birds put down by Fisheries Ministry using lethal injection exceeds 500.

The matter has been brought to the attention of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He has instructed relevant authorities to conduct an investigation of the matter and formulate a detailed report.

Fisheries Ministry claimed that the birds were put down under the advice of the Attorney General.

However, Attorney General's Office has refuted this, stating they had also advised the birds can be returned.