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PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLMC
DE RUEHLM #0289/01 0461048
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151048Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5466
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0222
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 9908
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6860
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4930
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3548
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0657
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 3637
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2717
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 7429
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0326
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5150
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1819
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000289 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS, SCA/EX, M, RM, PM, AND R 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MASS MARR ECON ETRD AMGT OEXC KPAO
MV 
SUBJECT: MALDIVES: STRATEGY FOR ENGAGING ONE OF ISLAMIC 
WORLD'S MOST PRO-U.S. COUNTRIES 
 
REF: A. COLOMBO 135 
     ¶B. 2006 COLOMBO 1910 
     ¶C. 2006 COLOMBO 1862 
     ¶D. 2006 COLOMBO 1827 
     ¶E. 2006 COLOMBO 1443 
     ¶F. 2005 COLOMBO 2144 
     ¶G. 2005 COLOMBO 1881 
 
SUMMARY 
--------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Maldives is a moderate, pro-American Islamic 
country that cooperates on American military objectives and 
is responsive to US advice on reform and openness.  In a 
generation, it has gone from being South Asia's poorest 
country to that with the region's highest per-capita income. 
However, Maldives is at a crossroads as halting progress on 
allowing greater pluralism, a young population with a rising 
drug problem, growing Islamic extremism, and economic strains 
on its poorer citizens, pose significant challenges to 
President Gayoom and his country's pro-Western outlook. 
Despite these obstacles, progress remains possible.  The US 
can play a significant role in supporting Maldives' efforts 
to achieve democratic and economic reform. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Post has drafted a Mission-wide strategy to assist 
Maldives as it evolves toward democracy, bearing in mind that 
USG financial resources will likely be severely constrained. 
The Embassy seeks Washington's support to bolster these 
efforts, bring about sustainable democratic reform, and help 
the country to confront its other challenges.  The Ambassador 
and other senior US officials should urge the Maldivian 
president, reformists in the government, and opposition 
leaders to work together to move the reform process forward. 
USTR, State and other agencies such as USTDA, in tandem with 
the Embassy Economic Section, should promote Maldivian 
openness to US investments, engage regionally-based science, 
environment, and agriculture officers, and determine whether 
Maldives would welcome a Trade and Investment Framework 
Agreement.  DAO and ODC, with cooperation from military 
officials, should seek to further boost military cooperation 
through exchanges, joint exercises, and ship visits.  In 
addition, Washington can leverage Public Diplomacy's modest 
Fulbright program and also work with the New Delhi-based 
English Language Officer to assist the Maldives Ministry of 
Education as it plans to open the country's first-ever 
university in 2008, promote educational opportunities in the 
US, and use the International Visitor Fellows Program to meet 
democratization objectives and combat the rise in Islamic 
extremism.  Per ref D, Management Section is preparing cost 
estimates for a proposed American Presence Post (APP).  End 
summary. 
 
------------------------------- 
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES: 
THREATS TO DEMOCRATIC PROGRESS? 
------------------------------- 
 
Political Progress Slow 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) Despite its strong Western orientation, this small 
Islamic nation has faced a number of challenges since it 
began an indigenous push for democratization starting in June 
¶2004.  Political parties, legally recognized for the first 
time in June 2005, have little maturity or understanding of 
their roles.  The public, though engaged, remains broadly 
unaware of civic rights and responsibilities, in large part 
because social studies is not taught in schools.  Both the 
government and the fledgling opposition Maldivian Democratic 
 
COLOMBO 00000289  002 OF 006 
 
 
Party (MDP) have over-promised and under-delivered on reform 
commitments, leaving many citizens feeling frustrated and 
disenfranchised. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Despite some potential for cross-party cooperation, 
progress on reform has been slow.  In March 2006, the 
government published a "Roadmap for Reform" and subsequently 
introduced several bills to parliament that remained mired in 
committees.  The government blamed opposition agitators for 
delaying the process, while the MDP complained that many of 
the bills codified existing poor practices and accused 
government-appointed parliamentarians of impeding genuine 
change. 
 
Arrests, Violence, Mar Political Demonstrations 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Since political rallies were first legally permitted 
in 2005, tensions frequently have flared up during such 
demonstrations.  The government often mischaracterizes reform 
activists as terrorists or seditious instigators attempting 
to incite violence; the opposition, for its part, 
deliberately provokes security forces and then accuses the 
police of using heavy-handed tactics to break up lawful 
gatherings. 
 
Economic Pressures 
------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Maldives' small but rapidly growing economy offers 
significant untapped potential for US exports and investment 
in the tourism, aviation, energy, and other sectors. 
Nevertheless, economic concerns have created some strain in 
Maldives.  According to a 2006 census, unemployment in 
Maldives is at 14.4 percent, while the country imports 53,000 
foreign workers, primarily to carry out construction projects 
and staff resorts.  Half the country is under the age of 
fifteen (see para 7).  The lack of higher education capacity 
has given extremists from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan an 
opening to train young Maldivians who have then returned to 
lead a growing extremist strain that is critical of the more 
moderate, pro-Western Islam practiced by the President and 
his Cabinet.  Many locals, reluctant to break up family units 
by moving to resort islands to work, depend heavily on the 
fishing industry for income.  Many have left their home 
islands to seek economic opportunities in Male', an island 
two square kilometers in size and home to 103,000 people. 
Male' is teeming with young people, some unemployed and many 
with substance abuse problems.  It has become a flash-point 
for protests and occasional violence. 
 
Rising Drug Problem 
------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Social pressures have exacerbated the political 
tensions; 50 percent of the population is under the age of 
15, and there are no universities and few career options 
within Maldives.  Disaffected young people have increasingly 
turned to drug use; in January 2007 the UNICEF Resident 
Representative in Male' estimated up to 25,000 people, or 7 
percent of the population, regularly use hard drugs, normally 
heroin in the form of smoked "brown sugar."  The average age 
of first use is 11 years old.  In the small, tightly-knit 
island community, nearly every family has been affected by 
drug use in some way.  UNICEF also cited anecdotal evidence 
that intravenous drug use may be on the rise, possibly in 
prison populations as well as within the general public.  The 
high risk of needle-sharing, especially among users in jail, 
is potentially a major public health threat, UNICEF assessed. 
 
 
COLOMBO 00000289  003 OF 006 
 
 
Potential Islamic Extremism 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Another emerging concern is the rise of Islamic 
extremism.  From June of 2006 onward, interlocutors from 
across the political spectrum have worried that a 
fundamentalist strain of Islam antithetical to Maldives' 
traditional culture may be taking root.  The Islamist Adalath 
(Justice) Party, which promotes "Koran over Constitution" 
ideals, has made small inroads, using its role as a political 
party to circumvent strict laws that limit public 
proselytizing.  While the Adalath Party came in a distant 
third in a December 2005 parliamentary by-election, in 
January 2007 several Embassy contacts reported the Adalath 
Party was gaining in popularity.  Adalath officials remained 
unresponsive to several Embassy requests to meet with them. 
 
¶9. (SBU) In January 2007, the Information Minister worried 
that a small group of zealots felt even the Adalath Party was 
religiously lax, and the Attorney General was concerned the 
Supreme Islamic Council led by the Chief Justice was not 
providing an adequate counter-balance to fundamentalist 
influences.  A female opposition MP expressed worry that on 
at least one island, the community was pressuring women to 
wear a full veil, formerly almost never seen in the moderate 
atoll nation (ref A).  A number of contacts also noted that 
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan offered scholarships to madrassahs, 
and when Maldivians returned from such education programs, 
they were far more extremist in their practices and beliefs. 
Several times throughout 2006 and early this year, senior 
Maldivian officials requested that the US publicize 
educational opportunities in America and offer more cultural 
exchanges in order to provide a moderating voice highlighting 
democratic values. 
 
-------------------------- 
ADVOCATING U.S. INTERESTS 
ON A CONSTRAINED BUDGET 
-------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Recognizing that USG resources are limited, there 
are nonetheless numerous ways that the United States can help 
Maldives bring about sustainable democratic reform, and 
confront its other challenges so that the country maintains 
its pro-American outlook and orientation.  We recommend the 
USG focus its efforts in the areas of promoting democratic 
reform, enhancing the professionalism and pro-Western 
orientation of the security forces, promoting US exports, and 
leveraging our public diplomacy toolkit to help promote the 
role of women and educational opportunities in the US to 
counteract the efforts of Islamic extremists. 
 
Engagement on Political Reform 
------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) President Gayoom, in power since 1978, announced 
the reform agenda in 2004.  He maintains a strong influence 
on the judiciary and legislature, so will remain the most 
important catalyst in the reform process.  The Ambassador and 
other senior USG officials, through periodic visits and 
letters, should urge the president to push forward on 
democratization, maintain the timeline he set out in the 
March 2006 "Reform Roadmap," and thereby secure his legacy as 
a genuine and effective reformist.  In addition, the USG 
should try to bolster the reformists' role in the cabinet 
through messages to the government that specifically laud 
those ministers' efforts.  In addition to visits, messages 
from Washington, including letters to President Gayoom from 
principals, could have a strong positive impact.  Both Post 
and the GORM would also warmly welcome high level visits to 
 
COLOMBO 00000289  004 OF 006 
 
 
the Maldives, such as U/S Fore's planned March 7 trip to 
Male'. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The USG should also continue to engage with actors 
across the political spectrum, encourage cooperative 
dialogue, and reiterate to the opposition that it must behave 
responsibly and within the greater national interest during 
the Maldives' transition to a stronger democracy.  The 
Department's release of the 2006 Human Rights Reports will 
form the basis for constructive discussions with both GORM 
officials and opposition leaders.  The Embassy will continue 
cultivating contacts in the burgeoning civil society sector 
and with journalists working on press freedom issues.  The 
USG can spread the message in Maldives that democracy 
encompasses a broad range of vibrant institutions.  In 
addition, the Embassy will undertake further outreach to the 
Islamist Adalath Party, attempting to engage the group to 
hear its concerns and criticisms. 
 
Cooperation with U.S. Military 
------------------------------ 
 
¶13. (SBU) Maldives has demonstrated several times its 
commitment to a close military-to military relationship with 
the United States.  In 2006, Maldivian security services held 
two sets of joint exercises with US troops, demonstrating 
competence, professionalism, and eagerness to increase 
interoperability and support for US objectives.  Due to 
Maldives' relative proximity to Diego Garcia, DATT has often 
called on the Government of the Republic of Maldives for 
travel clearances for US ships and aircraft in Maldivian 
space and received positive responses and full cooperation. 
Despite its small population and limited applicant pool, 
Maldivians consistently earn places at US military academies 
and perform well there.  In January 2007, Ambassador asked 
Defense Minister Ismail Shafeeu to consider sending 
Maldivians on multilateral peace-keeping operations, since 
there is always demand for peacekeepers from Islamic nations. 
 Shafeeu expressed some reservations, but said he would 
seriously consider the option because the suggestion came 
from the US. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) The receptiveness of Maldivian defense officials 
to broader and deeper cooperation with US counterparts is a 
significant opportunity to enhance relations with a 100 
percent Islamic country in a strategic part of the world. 
Maldives' proximity to the Persian Gulf and its historical 
and commercial ties to that region further leverage the 
benefit to be gained by expanding our security relationship. 
The US should continue to seek increased contact between our 
militaries, in particular by trying to arrange more frequent 
ship visits, training opportunities through IMET and other 
programs, and joint exercises. 
 
Promoting Commercial Ties 
-------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) The US Pavilion at the annual Maldives Hotel and 
Trade Exhibition scheduled for June 2007 will feature 15-20 
US exporters or their representatives showing products.  In 
addition, an Embassy-organized US-Maldives Friendship Week 
will feature booths showcasing the 10.5 million dollars of 
USG tsunami recovery assistance, the SouthWest Windpower 
pilot renewable energy project, and activities of the 
HIV/AIDS Global Fund that earmarked a contribution for 
Maldives.  The Ambassador will address the Maldives Chamber 
of Commerce at a luncheon.  The Embassy Economic Section will 
arrange and facilitate meetings with GORM officials for the 
Kathmandu-based Regional Environment Office, Delhi-based 
Science and Agriculture officers, and the Mumbai-based 
 
COLOMBO 00000289  005 OF 006 
 
 
Foreign Commercial Service, thereby initiating 
regionally-based US actors' enhanced engagement with 
Maldives.  If parent agencies in Washington contribute and 
follow up on such efforts, small investments can yield large 
results, both in terms of tangible economic reform and 
greater goodwill toward the US. 
 
¶16. (SBU) The Embassy will advocate possible Boeing and 
SouthWest Windpower equipment purchases and explore possible 
Direct Commercial Sales of military equipment such as small 
boats.  We will also work with the US Trade and Development 
Agency on possible technical assistance in areas such as 
renewable energy, "last mile" internet access, and 
infrastructure development.  Moreover, the USG should work 
with the host government to launch Maldives' participation in 
the GLOBE scientific education program.  The Embassy 
appreciates the active engagement of USTR Ambassador Hartwick 
and will work with USTR to ascertain Maldives' level of 
interest in a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement 
(TIFA). 
 
Leveraging Public Diplomacy Assets: 
Education, Role of Women Key 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶17. (SBU) The Maldives is slated to open its first-ever 
university in 2008.  In July 2005, the Embassy PD Section 
sent a senior Fulbright specialist to Male' to help develop a 
journalism curriculum.  This yielded a GORM commitment to 
sponsor two students who will obtain journalism master's 
degrees in the US and return to Male' to teach the new 
curriculum.  PD will also encourage current Fulbright 
scholars resident in Maldives to offer informal guidance and 
mentoring to officials planning the new university. 
Moreover, we recommend the Department support increased 
English language teaching programs in Maldives through 
Embassy collaboration with the New Delhi-based Regional 
English Language Officer.  PD and the language officer can 
work with the Maldivian Ministry of Education to strengthen 
curriculum development, pedagogy, and teacher training 
programs, aiming at a mid-term goal of securing an English 
Language Fellow in Maldives in FY 2008. 
 
¶18. (SBU) In addition, the Embassy is now examining the 
possibility of having an Education USA-affiliated student 
advisor resident in Male' to capitalize on Maldivians' 
growing interest in higher education in America.  We will 
invite US schools and universities to include Maldives in 
recruitment efforts and promote linkages with American 
educational institutions and vocational schools.  The Embassy 
will take the first step in this process through a US 
Education Promotion Fair in Maldives in March, followed by a 
comprehensive effort during the planned US-Maldives 
Friendship Week in June.  Washington officials can make a 
strong impact by attending the event or sending a taped 
address to be played during a keynote session.  Principals 
might focus on any of a range of issues, including 
educational opportunities, US business interests, or the 
transition to multi-party democracy. 
 
¶19. (SBU) Mission also proposes that the Department provide 
additional I Bureau funding to support increased speaker 
programming in the Maldives, including on the following 
themes: Rule of Law; Organization and Role of Political 
Parties; Role of Women's NGOs; Climate Change; Role of the 
Media in a Democratic Society; and Narcotics Control.  Post 
will ensure that the five to seven annual International 
Visitor Fellow Program slots allotted for Maldives cover 
programs to help in these areas.  The Department could 
greatly enhance these efforts by increasing Sri Lanka's IV 
 
COLOMBO 00000289  006 OF 006 
 
 
allocation so that post can offer more places to Maldivian 
participants.  Whenever possible, the Embassy will help 
coordinate voluntary visitor programs for Maldivians who fund 
their own travel and expenses.  Additionally, civic education 
continues to remain an urgent need, and the Embassy again 
asks that the Department support the National Democratic 
Institute (NDI) December 2005 proposal to increase civic 
awareness in Maldives (ref F). 
 
¶20. (SBU) There is also a strong need to strengthen the role 
of women in Maldives.  Although a few women are engaged in 
politics and civil society, pro-government websites regularly 
vilify and sexually slander female reform activists.  A 2005 
baseline survey by the Maldives Human Rights Commission 
indicates that awareness of women's rights is minimal 
throughout society.  The survey yielded widespread complaints 
of sexual harassment and found that a greater percentage of 
women than men expressed tolerance for men hitting their 
wives.  Although women have some parity in terms of education 
and employment opportunities, few women are active in 
business or politics.  The International Republican Institute 
(IRI) is running a women's NGO empowerment program in Sri 
Lanka and has expressed willingness to extend training to 
groups in the Maldives if funding becomes available.  Post 
strongly endorses this proposal and urges DRL and other 
bureaus to consider Maldives when funding is available for 
programs to improve the status of women.  Such programs would 
also help Maldives to counter the influence of radical 
Islamic groups operating within the country. 
 
MOVING FORWARD ON APP 
--------------------- 
 
¶21. (SBU) In November 2006, ref D requested Department 
support for establishing an American Presence Post (APP) in 
the Maldives.  Embassy Colombo currently is forced to cover 
the Maldives through short visits by several sections and 
agencies.  An APP would provide a platform to coordinate our 
overall relationship on a consistent basis.  Ambassador 
informally introduced the topic of this APP to President 
Gayoom when he presented his credentials in October 2006. 
Gayoom welcomed the idea, asking to be notified of additional 
details when available.  Management will prepare an estimate 
of the costs to establish this APP and furnish the 
information to SCA/EX and the Bureau of Resource Management. 
BLAKE