As Maldives battles political unrest, the country's top lawyer, Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, was brutally attacked in the capital of Male on Wednesday. Shameem was appointed by the former pro-India Maldivian government led by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Shameem is undergoing treatment for a bone fracture on the right arm and is said to be stable, reported Maldivian media Adhadhu. The report added that the attack did not appear to have involved a knife or sharp object.
The motive for Shameem's assault was not known and the assailant has not been arrested yet. An investigation is on.
The dubious attack on Shameem comes as the country faces political turmoil. Following the impeachment scare against President Mohamed Muizzu, the Maldives government approached the Supreme Court over the recent amendment to Parliament's standing orders which makes the impeachment process easier.
Clashes broke out in the Parliament between the ruling and the opposing MPs last week. Gasuim Ibrahim, leader of the Jumhoori Party, has urged Muizzu to formally apologise to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek "diplomatic reconciliation" to mend bilateral relations.
'Not a failure of Indian diplomacy'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday commented on India's strained ties with the Maldives, stating that the growing Chinese influence in Maldives isn't a failure of Indian diplomacy. "There is competition with regard to the growing Chinese influence in the region, but it would be wrong to term it a failure of Indian diplomacy," said Jaishankar.
The EAM, who served as Ambassador in Beijing during his decades-long career as an IFS officer, added that China will try to influence these countries as part of a competitive politics. "We must recognise that China is also a neighbouring country and in many ways will, as part of competitive politics, influence these countries. I don't think we should be scared of China. I think we should say 'okay, global politics is a competitive game. You do your best, I will do my best'," the diplomat-turned-politician remarked.
On the 'India Out' campaign in the Maldives, Jaishankar urged the audience to "trust" Indian diplomacy. "Every country has problems in its neighbourhood. It is never as good as they say it is. It is never as bad as they say it is. There will be problems. Our job is to anticipate, assess, and respond. At the end of the day neighbours have relationships with each other," he said.
"At the end of the day, neighbours need each other. History and geography are very powerful forces. There is no escape from that," he added.
