The leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Fayyaz Ismail, has sharply criticised the Muizzu administration for abstaining from voting on a United Nations resolution that designates 11 July as the “International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica”, to be observed annually. Speaking to local media outlet Adhadhu, Ismail expressed deep concern over the government’s action and pledged to hold them accountable for the decision.
Ismail characterised the Muizzu administration’s assertion that it simply followed the stance of most Muslim countries as “cowardly” and “humiliating.”
“The government’s claim that the resolution lacked support from most Muslim countries is a flat-out lie. The truth is that most Islamic states participating in the UN vote unequivocally endorsed the resolution,” said Ismail. “By fabricating a false narrative, the administration is attempting to evade accountability for its actions. We are committed to hold the government accountable through our parliament members.”
The decision to abstain from the vote has sparked widespread criticism, with many demanding an official explanation. Unnamed government officials have defended the decision, stating that the Maldives followed the lead of most Islamic countries.
The Srebrenica massacre, a tragic chapter in history, saw over 7,000 Bosniak Muslims brutally killed by Bosnian Serb forces and over 20,000 civilians expelled from the area in a horrific instance of ethnic cleansing. The resolution, adopted with 84 votes in favour, 19 against, and 68 abstentions, condemns any denial of the Srebrenica genocide as a historical event and actions that glorify those convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide by international courts.