Three senior government officials of the United States to visit Maldives

The Embassy of the United States for Sri Lanka and Maldives has said that three top government officials of the United States will travel to Maldives next week, to discuss the democratic challenges faced by the Maldives.

Zee News cited the US Embassy and reported on Saturday that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence Vikram Singh, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jane Zimmerman are to travel to Sri Lanka and Maldives from 26 January to 1 February 2013.

The Embassy said that in Sri Lanka, the three officials will meet senior Sri Lankan officials and members of various political parties as well as civil society.

The paper reported that in Maldives, they will meet government officials and members of political parties to continue support for a way forward that respects Maldivian democratic institutions, the rule of law, and the will of the Maldivian people in the run up to this year’s presidential elections.

The Sri Lankan government has been criticised for failing to investigate human rights violations during the final stage of the thirty-year civil war.

Zee news has also said that former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed was removed from his post ‘under duress’.