Where would The Chinese national Richard Wu Mei De get justice, after spending over 15 years arbitrary detention in Maldives. when governments disregard individual human rights and international human rights groups and the UN act ineffectively.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
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Model Complaint Form
For communications under:
• Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
• Convention against Torture, or
• International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Please indicate which of the above procedures you are invoking: 1 and 2
Date: 10 July 2009
I. Information on the complainant:
Name: Wu Mei DeFirst name(s): Richard
Nationality: ChineseDate and place of birth: 1st March 1957, Shanghai, P.R. China
Address for correspondence on this complaint: Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service, Male', Maldives
Submitting the communication:
On the author’s own behalf: yes
On behalf of another person: ………..
[If the complaint is being submitted on behalf of another person:]
Please provide the following personal details of that other person
Name: ……… First name(s): ………..
Nationality: ……… Date and place of birth: ………..
Address or current whereabouts: ……….
If you are acting with the knowledge and consent of that person, please provide that person’s authorization
For you to bring this complaint …………
Or
If you are not so authorized, please explain the nature of your relationship with that person: ………………
And detail why you consider it appropriate to bring this complaint on his or her behalf: …………..
II. State concerned/Articles violated
Name of the State that is either a party to the Optional Protocol (in the case of a complaint to the Human
Rights Committee) or has made the relevant declaration (in the case of complaints to the Committee against
Torture or the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination): Republic of Maldives
Articles of the Covenant or Convention alleged to have been violated:
III. Exhaustion of domestic remedies/Application to other international procedures
Steps taken by or on behalf of the alleged victims to obtain redress within the State concerned for the
Alleged violation – detail which procedures have been pursued, including recourse to the courts and other
Public authorities, which claims you have made, at which times, and with which outcomes:
1.1-From November 1993, up to April 1997 I have sent 72 letters to the President of the Maldives Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to complain someone in his government misuses the power of government to arbitrarily imprison me. I only got one reply from the president’s office in January 1995 saying that the president was not the person who imprisoned me, I have to contact with the person who imprisoned me for finding the solution.
1.2- From 1997 up to January 2009 I wrote uncountable letters to all concerned authorities in the Maldives. I only got very few replies which have no progressive improvement for my issue. All my files of those written documents were taken by the force of authority.
1. 3- Chinese Government has tried several times to find a diplomatic solution for my issue since 1994. But all failed to work out due to the very unfair and deceptive policy of Maldivian government in dealing with my issue.
1. 4- In August 1998 during SAARC summit meeting in Sri Lanka my issue of arbitrary detention has been internationally brought up to reachan agreement on domestic settlement. But it failed to carry out in October 1998 as it has agreed in the meeting because of deceptive policy and practice of the government in my issue.
If you have not exhausted these remedies on the basis that their application would be undulyprolonged, that they would not be effective, that they are not available to you, or for any other Reason, please explain your reasons in detail:
2.1- look back the history of my issue from November 1993 up to February 2009 all domestic remedies of Maldives have been proven unduly prolonged and were not effective and very unfair to address such a serious issue of systematic rights abuse in Maldives.
2.2- the way of carrying in out my arbitrary releasing in February 2009 cause me to believe that the policy of the new government of Maldives’ also never wanted to stand for justice in my issue.
2.3- My communication with the Home Ministry of Maldives from February to June 2009, clearly proven that the justice would not be served in my issue within domestic remedies of Maldives.
Have you submitted the same matter for examination under another procedure of international investigation? or settlement (e.g. the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights, or the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights)?
3- The case of my long arbitrary detention in Maldives has been submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Chinese Government in May 2003.
If so, detail which procedure(s) have been, or are being, pursued, which claims you have made, at which times, and with which outcomes:
4.1- The case of my arbitrary detention in Maldives submitted to the ICJ [International Court of Justice] by Chinese government in May 2003 was under the procedure of ICJ that astate may take up the case of one ofits national and invoke against another state the wrongs which its national claims to have suffered at the hands of the letter, the dispute becomes one between states.
4.2- The ICJ investigation began on 13th June 2003 with a team of 7 members came to Maldives by a UN special flight. The investigation was co-operated with the Law Committee of the Maldives progressively.
4.3- First stage of ICJ investigation was completed on 21st July 2003 with a report. It ascertained that I was fully innocent, without any legal base was put into prison of Maldives since November 1993 after I filed a case in Maldivian Civil Court in September 1993 for a business dispute against an influential Maldivian national who was a former cabinet minister.
4.4-The second stage of ICJ investigation began in August 2003 to investigate on 22 subjects related to my issue with reinforced about 25 more new members into the ICJ investigation team.
4.5-The ICJ investigation was stuck in September 2003 by a political deception of creating bleeding tragedy in Maafushi Jail of Maldives through shooting prisoners for stopping ICJ investigators from coming inside of the Jail to get slow poison evidences from me inside of the jail. Pending period of ICJ investigation was given for periods of one year before resuming it again.
4.6-During the pending period of ICJ investigation, China, Maldives and UN together has formed a special international committee began to work on a settlement of my issue from June 2005 under the propose of Maldivian President Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, that to settle my case without resuming ICJ investigation in the reason of avoiding long waiting of my issue for process of the Democracy Reform in Maldives, under the condition of if Iwould be willing to accept such settlement, withoutbeing forced. The committee gone through a procedure of checking the records of Maldivian government, Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka and UN first stage investigation report to finalize a UN Court ruling of settlement that Maldivian government has to compensate me with US$300,000.
I could not accept this unjust outcome influenced by political powers without investigate directly on me, the victim of this grave systematic human rights abuse, to find out what have really happened to me during over 15 long years of arbitrary imprisonment in the foreign country, specially on the subjects of : how I was arbitrarily imprisoned for the first time and second time, what the government has done before arbitrarily put me into the prison, what kind of serious crimes of brutal and inhumane physical torturing, slow poisoning and ill-treatment I have been subjected from time to time throughout over15 longyears arbitrary imprisonment in Maldives, who should bear the legal responsibility for large number of my legal and personal documents being taken away by the government of Maldives which will cause serious consequences for me,how much slanders have been creating and releasing by the government against me since the very beginning days of my illegal imprisonment and how badly it has been affecting to the life of my family in China and to my life while I was in the prison and out from the prison, how much will affect to my life and the life of my family in future, the despoiled rights of my affected life and the life of my family in China did not being taken into consideration in the settlement for the redressing of the consequences, what would all of this could effect to rest of my life in future?… while international human rights standard has rules to consider on such redressing.
I declared my stance to Chinese delegation that came to see my point of view over this issue on 17th July 2005, Chinese Central Government officially informed Maldivian government on 20th July 2005 that my issue has to be investigated through resuming ICJ procedure as me, the victim demanded.
4.7- The government used detailed excuses to prolong the pending period one after another.On 4th May 2006 an agreement for the dead line of the pending period of my issue was signed between UN, Maldives and China.
4.8- After the dead line of the pending period was over, on 4th May 2007, a UN special investigation team came back Maldives by a UN special flight to resume investigation of my issue. But the government of Maldives used its full power to stop the investigation from being resumed, even through practicing international corruption of buying over a director level officer in April 2008 from UN Human Rights Commission.
4.9- In February 2009, I was subjected to arbitrary releasing during an ongoing medical treatment in the Hospital. The arbitrary releasing tried to change the legal ground of international court case to reach officially closing the ICJ case of my issue.
IV. Facts of the complaint
Detail in chronological order, the facts and circumstances of the alleged violations. Include all matters
Which may be relevant to the assessment and consideration of your particular case? Please explain how you
Consider that the facts and circumstances described violate your rights.
**I was subjected to arbitrary detention since November 1993 for stopping me to run a civil court case of business dispute which I sued against an influential Maldivian national in September 1993.
**The Government wanted to put high pressure on me to leave from the case and go. Therefore I was subjected to so many detailed inhumane torturing and ill-treatments throughout more than15 years of my arbitrary detention in Maldives. These can be proven by many witnesses and evidences when the investigations begin.
**Large number of my personal belongings and legal documents and evidences were taken by force of authority.
**I was subjected to arbitrary releasing in February while I was undergoing a medical treatment in the hospital. The government refused to follow proper legal procedure before releasing me as I demanded in writing to them and the government carried out the arbitrary releasing in the same way as how I was subjected to arbitrary detention more than 15 years back.
**After UN sent an official opinion to the government of the Maldives on 6th May 2009 regarding the government has to compensate every of my losses including the loss of my investment in the Maldives caused by long term illegal imprisonment in Maldives. The government began to put more pressure on me in order to force me lodging the settlement of my issue within the court of the Maldives. I was cut off from providence of every basic need from the government including the food.
**I was subjected to slow poison since very beginning days of my long illegal imprisonment in Maldives back to 1993. I strongly believe that some strange death of prisoners was killed by the government through slow poison. Especially on the case of Ms. Soda who strongly died in prison in August 1994. Such a crime of systematic rights abuse against prisoners has to be investigated internationally. Throughout over 15 years my arbitrary detention in Maldives I discovered more than 20 different slow poisonous substances were used on me in different occasions and large number of prisoners were slow poisoned with me in the same cell or in same area.
**I did my first complaint regarding slow poisoning to Chinese government in October 1996 as soon as I discovered I was slow poisoned. Chinese delegations especially came to visit me in jail for this issue after my complaint reached.
**I did my first international complaint regarding slow poisoning to international community in October 1997 when I realized the president of Maldives should bear accountability for slow poisoning me. Since internationally began to inquire on this issue, I was put into isolation cell for that I have to accept giving a statement to say that I have never been slow poisoned in Maldivian Jail. Because I rejected giving such a statement, I had been pressured by stronger slow poison to reach the government’s target. Finally I ended up with a serious stomach bleeding on the mid night of 31 December 1997 (1st January 1998). Many prisoners can be provided as witnesses.
**The government officially admitted to UN on 24th February 2005 that I was slow poisoned, during my time spending in Maldivian jail. But the government still did the same on me after their admission. I have the latest evidences of slow poison to prove that I was slow poisoned even in 2008.
**Large numbers of my slow poison evidences were taken from me by force of authority which many witnesses can be provided.
**I am still keeping some evidences of slow poison underground inside of the jail. I will bring it out only in front of international investigators.
**I have been subjected too many physical torturing in the jail. The most serious cases are:
On 1st February 2000 I was beaten by six security personnel in the jail up to my brain was shaken, I lost the ability of my body balance. An international action was taken at that for my life safety.
**I was beaten by seven ESG (Emergency Supporting Group) personnel in jail on 14th January 2008. It was the worst physical torturing I ever suffer in my life.The detail information of this incident of torturing was provided in my report titled The Crime of ESG that published on my blog(www.richardwumeide.blogspot.com).
I have been subjected to so many ill treatments and degrading punishment throughout over 15 years of my arbitrary detention in Maldives. Few samples are given here:
1. I was continuously kept in an isolation cell in Maafushi prison of Maldives by the order ofthe present Mr. Maumoon for 14 months (from September 2002 to November 2003) and gone through many unthinkable hardships such as slow poisoning and inhumane treatments that I was not allowed to have a haircut and nail cut for more than 10 months by the order of the President of Maldives. I was cut zero of my head by the guards. 2. I used to be denied or there was a long delay for my medication through excuses of all kinds on many occasions. This can be proven by a large number of witnesses. 3. On 30 May 2006 the authority used reason of a new open area of unit 2 would not allow to prisoners to use any personal dresses other than jail uniform and took away everyone's personal dresses. Later on the jail administration was unable to maintain within every 3 days (72 hours) to change prisoners' uniforms and began to return to prisoners their own dresses. But I never got any of my clothes back. I was rejected by making one reason after another and therefore I often suffered from one week to ten days without change of clothes. 4. I was kept in an isolation cell for 41 days since 3rd of August 2008. I was not provided most of the basic living needs as the other prisoners in isolation cells. Even without providing me soap and toothpaste for more than a month, without providing me a change of clothes for 41 days in the isolation cell. But at the end the jail administration tried to pressure me to sign that I was kept in the isolation cell for only 10 days as what the rules used to show to international human rights organizations. 5. More than 50 of my personal diary books were taken away by the authorities from time to time. About 20 of my files with documents were taken away, four wrist watches, five Chinese - English dictionaries, large number of my religious books, other reading materials and all kinds of daily usage items were taken away by force in different conditions.
Author’s signature: …………
[The blanks under the various sections of this model communication simply indicate where your responses
Are required. You should take as much space as you need to set out your responses.]
V. Checklist of supporting documentation (copies, not originals, to be enclosed with your
Complaint):
- Written authorization to act (if you are bringing the complaint on behalf of another person and are
not otherwise justifying the absence of specific authorization): ……..
- Decisions of domestic courts and authorities on your claim (a copy of the relevant national
legislation is also helpful): ……..
- Complaints to and decisions by any other procedure of international investigation or settlement:
……..
- Any documentation or other corroborating evidence you possess that substantiates your
description in Part IV of the facts of your claim and/or your argument that the facts described amount to a
violation of your rights: Please find attached Amnesty International's 2000 Report (Maldives). Communication between me and Ministry of Home Affairs, Maldives, all were published in my blog : www.richardwumeide.blogspot.com/
If you do not enclose this information and it needs to be sought specifically from you, or if accompanying
Documentation is not provided in the working languages of the Secretariat, the consideration of your complaint maybe delayed.
Amnesty International, Amnesty International Report 2000 - Maldives , 1 June 2000, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3ae6aa0c8.html [accessed 24 July 2009]
Amnesty International Report 2000 - Maldives
Republic of Maldives
Head of state and government: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Capital: Male Population: 0.3 million Official language: Maldivian Dhivehi Death penalty: abolitionist in practice As in previous years, the government failed to provide credible information about the situation of political prisoners. Despite AI's efforts, there was no contact from the government. There were continued reports of torture and of official cover-ups to protect the perpetrators.
Background
Parliamentary elections were held in November amid reports of suspected irregularities. Political parties were not allowed to function.
Lack of government response
The government remained silent about the situation of Richard Wu Mei De, a Chinese national detained without due process of law since November 1993 at the instigation of a Maldivian national whom he tried to sue for irregularities in a business partnership; government connivance in the detention was suspected. His detention was declared arbitrary by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Political prisoners
Possible prisoners of conscience continued to be held. Among those believed to be held were Hussain Shakir, Ibrahim Nusthafa and Mohamed Rasheed, reportedly detained since early 1996 in connection with a demonstration about electricity price rises on Fubahmulaku Island.
Political prisoners were detained on the prison island of Maafushi, in Dhoonidhoo detention centre and in police stations. They reportedly included a parliamentary candidate detained after an argument with a rival candidate with links to the government.
Ten people from Faafu Magoodhoo were banished, reportedly without being tried or sentenced, for seeking to organize a demonstration against the local Atoll chief.
Health concern
There was continued concern about the health of Ismail Saadiq, a businessman arrested in June 1996 for alleged fraud, who was reportedly denied medical attention. In June, for example, he was transferred to Dhoonidhoo detention centre where he was reportedly held in a small cell, denied appropriate food, and prevented from receiving a scheduled blood transfusion. Three weeks later he was transferred to house arrest, reportedly after he fell ill and after he had signed a declaration that he would not seek contact with the outside world. Ismail Saadiq continued to claim that his prolonged detention was politically motivated. During his trials, he was reportedly not allowed to appoint a lawyer and was denied adequate time or access to documentation to prepare his defence.
Ill-treatment
Information emerged indicating that many inmates in Gamaadhoo prison were subjected to various forms of ill-treatment after a fire which burned down the prison. According to reports, security guards beat some prisoners who were tied to palm trees. A former detainee at Dhoonidhoo stated that prison guards regularly beat prisoners, at times on orders from the senior warden.
A serious crime of brutally torturing prisoners by a newly established force in Maafushi Jail of Maldives named Emergency Support Group [ESG] is frequently taken place in Maafushi Jail since November 2007. I have been subjected to such brutal physical torture on 14th January 2008. Such systematic rights abuse would have to be rooted out following serious consideration of international diplomacy.
At 6:00 pm of 14th January 2008, we three prisoners who were in the cell of F-6/Unit-2 in Maafushi Jail had been told to come out from the cell for a work of fixing a fan in the cell. It was only for waiting outside of the cell door during this short time’s work, a member of ESG put hand cuff on me so tightly that the hand cuff cut into the skin of my right wrist.
On the spot, I complained against such extreme unreasonable tighten way of putting hand cuff on me. I resisted letting him to put hand cuff on my left hand before losing the extreme tightness of right hand. Then other three ESG men came up there together put hand cuff on my left hand and brought me to their team leader who was in Unit-2 area at that time.
I explained to the team leader how the problem arise as it was due to the extreme unreasonable tight way of putting hand cuff on my right hand. He replied me that it was not a problem. He only changed my hand cuff from front side to back side and ordered to keep me behind a building. Then he took out his mobile phone to contact the jail office for this. I realized that this extreme tight way of putting hand cuff on me was a well designed trick for reach something ales.
Shortly after, a senior ESG officer named Amvaru headed a special ESG team of six members to bring me to isolation cell area by a van. I was tortured inside the van. After the van reached there, my body was being drugged on the flour with my hands being cuffed behind me.
I was putted on a finger cuff behind other than a hand cuff since waiting for opening the gate of C- area of Unit -1. I was tortured during the waiting time. After they brought me to inside of C- area of Unit-1, I was subjected to the worst physical torture which I ever suffered in my life both in dressed and naked state. I received so many cuffs and kicks all over my body, on my face. My head was hit on a wall repeatedly by someone pushing hardly from behind. The torture caused so much swellings and bruises all over my body, on my face and head…Such condition I have only seen from the photos of Even Naseem and Hussain Solar, those prisoners who were tortured to their death in prison of Maldives.
Four days later, the in charge of isolation area [Unit-1], informed me that I should be in isolation for 30 days before send me back to Unit-2. The purpose of keeping me 30 days in isolation cell might be as to recovery my swelling and broses caused by the hit, since such hitting swellings and bruises can naturally going off within 30 days time. In such a case no one of prisoners can witness to prove the extent of how I was tortured. But the extreme tighten putting hand cuff on me and beating me up on the point where the hand cuff was, has caused three traumatic bruises cannot be removed from the skin of my right wrist and there is great possibility of the bone of my right wrist was broken or creaked. This can prove the extent of how I was put hand cuff and how I was beaten up without the witnesses.
I met the first person who had been tortured by ESG was prisoner named Aness, when I was strangely brought from A-2,Unit-1 to F-6Unit -2 by ESG on 6th January 2008 while I was ready to shift from A-2,Unit-1 to the B-area of Unit-1 as the in charge of Unit-1 at that time Mr. Shakel has informed me.
I met the second person who has been tortured by ESG was prisoner Ali Amzan when he was brought to F-6 of Unit -2 after he spent 9 days in C-2 Unit-1 as a punishment of isolation.
Both of them were put finger cuff from behind other than a hand cuff during they were tortured. Both of them were tortured by electrical shocker as addition to the cuffs and kicks. Aness was tortured behind a building in Unit-2 before brought him back to the same cell of F-6 of unit-2. Ali Amzan was tortured in C-area of Unit-1 and spent 9 days in C-2 of Unit-1 as a punishment of isolation before brought him to F-6 of Unit-2.
Many prisoners have been subjected to similar torture like both of them. Ali Amzan and a number of other prisoners were cut zero of their heir by force of ESG while there is no rule in the jail to limit the length of prisoner’s heir.
After I have been kept in isolation cell of C-9 of Unit-1 since 14th January 2008, I came to know that there were so many prisoners had been tortured by ESG since November 2007. Some of them were brought from other areas of the jail to C-area of Unit-1, like me. Some of them were directly brought from Male to Jail; Some were tortured once more than one hour, One of prisoner named Zabir Ahmed was tortured by ESG repeatedly for seven times within a period of two and half months.
During a period of 30 days I spent in the isolation cell of C-2 Unit-1, I have several times heard the voices of torturing prisoners those who came to C- area of Unit-1 after me. Even after an international action for ESG torturing prisoner was taken on 23rd January 2008 and Maldivian Home Minister came to the Jail for settling the problem of ESG torturing prisoners on 9th February 2008, at the same evening of the Home Minister came, I have heard the voices of a prisoner was tortured inside of C-area of Unit-1.
The extent of torturing was instructed by the Jail administration. The ESG only acted as the tool of torturing to carry out the order of the jail administration.
During beating up prisoners, ESG used to ask the prisoner who was being tortured about “SIZE”. They often announced that the size of prisoner is zero; the size of ESG is unlimited. They have been empowered to beat any prisoner, at any time, any place, in any manner they liked. ESG does not need afraid of doing anything to prisoners; the prisoners have to accept whatever ESG do to them without saying a word. ESG wants prisoners to justify this” SIZE’.
It happened: ESG took out some prisoners in B and C area of Unit-1 in the middle of night only for beating them up.
It happened: ESG went into a cell in Unit-2 in a night to beat up a prisoner who was along in the cell, while the prisoners in nearby cells could hear the voice of beating.
It happened: ESG beating up a prisoner inside of the Jail Medical Centre in the presence of a foreign doctor and some other medical men. The doctor and medical man have to turn their faces from seeing the beating, but ESG was not afraid of committing crime of beating up prisoners in front the doctor and medical men.
The government used to go through various ways to enlarge the “size” of ESG and raising them up to a special position.
ESG used to recue its new members from remote islands for avoiding its members may afraid of prisoners to take revenge on their family after ESG beating up prisoners.
ESG is neither Police force nor police star force, but they have been empowered to use some new equipments which I have never seen the police force or the police star force used on prisoners during my past 15years imprisonment in Maldives, such as finger cuff and electric shocker…
On 19th January 2008, when a new batch of ESG has completed their training, the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Abdulla Kamaludheen, the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr.Abudlla Riyaz, the Special Adviser of President Mr. Umru Zahir came to the jail to attend the ceremony of presenting the certificate of ESG membership to the new batch. This indicated why ESG has such special position and “size”, why ESG is not afraid of openly committing crime of beating up prisoners.
Government used to provide ordinary member of ESG with monthly salary as high as 8000 MRF and some other benefits, provide officers with of ESG with much higher payment and some other better benefits according to their position to attract them willingly doing such brutal dirty work for the need of the government.
According to ECG members, the very high monthly salary for the head of ESG Mr. Mohamed Hushan is just a very small part of his detailed ways of making money from his position. From that recently Mohamed Hushan invested millions to built two big good standard fishing boats which are far from possibility in his legal income can do so. His few corruption cases were widely talked in the jail by both government’s staffs and prisoners:
In the middle of 2006, the International Committee of Red Cross donated some TV sets for Unit-2 area prisoners to have a TV program which was organized and promised at that time. But the prisoners have never gotten those facilities. Mohamed Hushan took those TV for his personal gain.
A good amount of 23.000 MRF for staffs who doing some extra work was eaten by Mohamed Hushan, large number of staffs together signed a petition for this issue. But Mohamed Hushan did not face problem for these staff’s money, the staff who signed petition were facing problem from him.
The government has arranged for the family of Mr. Mohamed Hushan to live in abroad and also Mohamed Hushan can spend his holiday in abroad with his family, In such a way the government insure the boss of torturing has no worry of any problem may come up to him for doing this brutal dirty work. By providing him with all those special arrangement, ever if any legal problem might come up, Mohamed hushan can easily escape from the county with enough money and safety of his family.
President Maumoon empowered Mr. Mohamed Hushan and a group of former National Cadet Corp to take over the main position of administration in Maafushi jail in January 2006 for carrying out his new deception of killing me under the guise of other then the government killing me. Because UN made the President Maumoon has to take full legal responsibility for my life safety during the pending period of UN investigation of my issue.
Though President Maumoon has tried so many deceptions to get rid of me which is the only possible chance for him to escape from facing justice, but all failed to success.
President Maumoon could not word off the investigation of UN for my issue. There is limitation for delaying of the restarting UN investigation. He has to resort new sauce and new way to get rid of me for his escape.
As soon as Mr. Mohamed Hushan and his group took over the administration of Maafushi jail on 19th January 2006, they have tried several times, in several different ways to carry out the new deception of the President to kill me under guise of other then the government killing me.
On 3rd February 2006 Mr. Mohamed Hushan and his group failed to success a well designed attacking on me through Maldivian prisoners. This attempt made me always keep myself no mixing together with Maldivian prisoners since then. But the jail administration through a long way recreated the condition to resort as Maldivian prisoners can attack me since the middle of 2007. Due to that situation, I wrote a letter to the Home Minister Mr. Abdula Kamaradin on 5th July 2007 and met with the chief officer of the jail Mr. Asif on 21st of august 2007 demanding to provide me condition to be safe from possible attacking like before.
At the night of 4th September 2007 a large force of more than 50 ESG men drugged me to A-area of Unit-1 for I was unwilling to go into the condition of mixing together with Maldivian prisoners in which the government can try to use Maldivian prisoners to attacking me under the guise of personal disagreement as what had happened in February 2006.
Though for drugging me to A-area of Unit-1, the government used a large force of ESG, but the government was very carefully avoiding to be blamed for physically torturing me. They used a video camera focusing on me all the time from the beginning came into the cell F-5 of Unit-2 to put hand cuff on me in behind and drugging me out until they locked me up into the cell A-2 of Unit-1.
After I was locked up into isolation cell A-2 of Unit-1, the government denied giving me any of my personal belongings unless I would accept the condition to mix together with Maldivian prisoners.
From 12th September 2007, government began to open the door of all isolation cells in A-area of Unit-1 for three hours during afternoon, in the October was increased to four hours a day. I remained my cell door closed for not mixing together with Maldivian prisoners until I was taken back to Unit-2 by force of ESG on 6th January 2008 for a new way of attacking on me.
On 19th September 2007, UN sent an official note to the representative of Maldivian government in UN Dr. Latheef for issue of my endangered personal safety and my ill-treatment in the jail. On the 21st September 2007 Chinese Prime Minister took official steps for the same problem. After that I only got few of my things back, but most of my belongings were still not allowed to give me unless I would be willing to mix together with Maldivian Prisoners.
The international action in September 2007 and my way of stuck on never mixing together with Maldivian prisoners in my own willingness even I have to suffer much from lack of basic living needs made this new deception of using Maldivian prisoners to attack me again failed. An UN investigation team came to Maldives again on 4th May 2007 to resume the investigation of my issue after the end of the dead line of pending period. It’s clearly show the policy and determination of UN in my issue.
The time is running out for president Maumoon to escape from facing justice. In his extreme desperate condition, he took big risk to resort ESG beating me up for scaring me away.
The strategy of president Maumoon in taking great risk to use government people beating me up was that there is no much difference for president Maumoon in his legal responsibility of my issue when UN investigation team reaches me that so many serious crimes done to me in past 15 years will come out. The crime of ESG beating me would be only one of many. It is worth for him to take this risk trying again.
President Maumoon first created an environment of that ESG can beat anyone, any time, in any manner they like to reach the target of beating me up naturally. After very hardly beating me up and keeping the pressure on that I can be possibly beaten again any time by ESG. By chance may be able to scare me away. Even if cannot scare me away. President Maumoon would use the excuse of that ESG has beaten many prisoners, not specific to me only.
In late December 2007, a Maldivian prisoner who I knew little came to A-area of Unit-1, He advised me between the bar of my cell to push up my issue of such long years illegal imprisonment in Maldives through making a hunger strike in the jail, otherwise I may have to stay another 15 years in the jail. I explained him the reason of why I would not do so.
In December 2007, I completed the second draft of a more than 90 paged report titled: The Route of Escape to expose many hidden dirty tricks that were played by President Maumoon behind outlook of many events took place in Maldives which related to my issue. For my principle of fighting against oppression, injustice and lawlessness in issue of my long illegal imprisonment in Maldives, I decided to release the report only after the completion of constitution reform in Maldives. I informed why I would have to delay releasing the report, in writing, to the head of administration in Maafushi jail at that time Mr. Asif on 3rd January 2008 with a copy of two parts of the report.
On 6th January 2008, I was very strangely taken from A-2 of Unit-1 to F-6 of Unit-2 by force of ESG without giving me a reason while I was ready to shift from A-2 of Unit-1 to B-area of Unit-1 as the in charge of Unit-1 informed me.
After I was taken to Unit-2, I came to know that there were about 227 prisoners in Unit-2 on a hunger strike since the morning. I realized that the government tried to use the opptunity of the prisoner’s hunger strike in Unit-2 to reach their target of get rid of me in one way or other under the guise of other than the government to be blamed. The purpose of trough ESG took me back to Unit-2 was for separating me from every my basic living things, not even tooth brash and changing cloths, in such a way tried to push me to get into the hunger strike.
My torolance on the great difficulties made the trick of pushing me hanger stricken again failed. After nine days I lived in F-6 ofUnit-2 without providing me changing cloths and tooth brush, finally the government resorted to use ESG beating me up.
No matter how tricky excuses the government of Maldives would be made by. Anyone who has common knowledge would know that such physical torture can never happen to me without the order from the president Maumoon and through the arrangement of the Home Minister. Because all concerned administration in Maldivian authorities perfectly know that my imprisonment in Maldives is a very serious international issue which concerned by UN and Chinese top leaders. In late 1999 Chinese President and the Chairman of Chinese Parliament specially visited Maldives for my issue. In 2001, When Chinese Prime Minister came to visit Maldives during his south Asian trap; my issue was one of major issue between two governments. In May 2003 Chinese government filed a case in International Court of Justice [ICJ] for my long arbitrary dentition in Maldives. In June 2003 ICJ began to launch investigation on my issue. After the shooting tragedy took place in Maafushi Jail in September 2003, UN made President Maumoon to agree the condition for the pending ICJ investigation of my issue that I should be free from any ill-treatment and I should be provided with best condition available in the jail, during the pending period of ICJ investigation of my issue, because my innocence was proven in meeting with ICJ standard. Now a UN investigation team has been waiting in Maldives since 4th May 2007 to resume the ICJ probe of my issue. In September 2007, UN and Chinese Prime Minister took official action for my complaining of endanger personal safety and ill-treatment in the jai. On 12th December 2007, a team of UN Subcommittee on Privation of Torture and Other Form of Ill-treatment [SPT] visited the jail to examine treatment of the prisoners. During their visit in the jail, some complaints from Maldivian prisoners regarding ESG beating prisoners were made to SPT in my presence. Maldives is part of International Convention against Torture, Maldives is also one of 34 nations in the world had ratified the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. Therefore SPT would recommend immediate change on the serious problem of torturing prisoners to the government of Maldives. SPT would came back to check the situation on the recommendation after six months. There is no way that president Maumoon can make any excuse for such torture has happened to me without his order.
There were some more reason to cause president Maumoon becoming extreme desperate other than UN special investigation team has been waiting in Maldives since 4th May 2007.
In September 2007, for responding to high pressure on forcing me mixing together with Maldivian prisoners, an international complaint was made and my report titled: The Checkmate for Mr. Maumoon with some other related documents were published internationally. This made the situation of my issue become irreversible that the issue has to be settled through the international tribunal at the end of ICJ investigation.
In December 2007, a member of Maldivian Parliament talked about the issue of my 15 years arbitrary imprisonment in Maldives in a parliamentary session. It came to Maldivian media to become a political pressure directly threaten president Maumoon within Maldives.
The government came to know that I am going to release the report of The Route of Escape as soon as the work on constitution amendment is completed.
Though I have been subjected to several physical tortures in past 15 years arbitrary imprisonment in Maldives, but this time is the worst of all. After 30 days I spent in isolation cell, there was a blue bruise in size of three ages still did not fully go off from the up part of my right leg. A number of prisoners in Unit-2 were willing to witness for what they have seen on the up part of my right leg when I returned back to Unit-2 after spent 30 days in isolation cell. By that, anyone can understand how serious injuries I had on my body at the 30 days back.
The legal responsibility for such systematic crime should be bare not only by the members of ESG, those who directly did torture, but also has to be bare by those higher officials of the government administration and the president, those who authorizing, organizing and ordering such crime against the legal rights of prisoners.
Gather together the view point of the victim of ESG torturing and with my own viewpoint, as one of the victim. I listed out following demands to the consideration of international community, The People’s Majlis of Maldives, Maldivian political parties, Maldivian Human Rights Commission, Maldivian Human Rights NGOs, Maldivian Civil Service Commission and Anti Corruption Board of Maldives
[ 1]. Establishing an international-Maldivian joined special committee to conduct a thorough investigation on the issue of the new instrument of ESG brutal beating prisoners which has been taken place at the time of near completing the Democratic Reform and human rights enhancement in Maldives. Especially at the time after SPT of UN visited the jail in December 2007 to find out the involvement of highest Maldivian authority in this systematic crime taken place in the jail.
[ 2 ]. Clarification on the legality and power acts of the establishment for the new institution of ESG.
[ 3 ]. Providing chances and way for every victim of ESG torturing to identify out every ESG member who committed crime of torturing prisoner.
[ 4 ]. Taking proper legal action against anyone who should be responsible for the crime of abusing prisoners in authorizing, organizing, ordering and torturing. The solution of redressing the abused rights of the victim should be found through legal process, it should not be driven to the solution of personal revenge.
[ 5 ]. Providing independent medical examination for any victim of ESG torturing who need to find out the real state of their injuries
[ 6 ]. Redressing the rights, damages and suffering of every victim of ESG torturing meeting with human rights standard and in providence of legal assistance for every victim.
[ 7 ]. Reporting the issue of ESG torturing to concerned international human rights organization.
[ 8 ]. Unveiling the issue of ESG torturing to the knowledge of general public of Maldives through media.
[ 9 ]. Establishing a proper system to protect the legal rights of prisoners. Totally rooting out the condition of such systematic rights abuse can take place in future.
I call for international community and international media, Maldivian community and Maldivian media to notes the meaning and seriousness of such systematic crime took place at the time near to complete democratic reform and human rights enhancement in Maldives, especially at the time after SPT of UN visited the jail.
I call for strong condemnation against this brutal act of current government of Maldives.
I call for everyone who loves to enhance human rights in Maldives to contribute effort and exert all yourselves authority to root out the condition of such systematic rights abuse that can be toke place in future of Maldives.
< END >
NOTE: This Report Is rewritten after it has been take by the force of ESG on 18th February 2008 with some other documents.
After some months I came to know that Ms. Mariam Waheeda is the Permanent Secretary of the Home Ministry in Maldives. Her comment on the Face Book regarding my issue should be considered more than her personal viewpoint.
Its sad u are trying to put the blame on the govt. Former govt tried so many times to send u back to China but u refused. This govt took u out of jail but u wanted to remain in jail cause u want to increase ur time in jail. In other words u stayed in jail on ur own will. I think u shud go to court and get justice from the person who brought u to Maldives. By the way DPRS had a single room with food at a guest house for a month but u choose to sleep in front of the Dept. Be truthful Mr. Wu Medi
Do you know what the truth is when you talk about being “truthful”? I think you don’t have any legal sense therefore talking childishly.
Firstly you were talking about former government tried so many times to send me back to china. In fact they don’t have this right. I did not face this, not even once. They worked on this on my back. But they could not get my passport from Chinese government.
Secondly the government carried out arbitrary releasing during my medical treatment in IGMH hospital, without any legal procedure. I never refused to come out of jail. But it should be in a proper legal procedure which I demanded in a written form, formally.
Thirdly the jail is not an institution where people can check in and check out at their own will. The government carried out arbitrary releasing was only to escape from bearing the accountability of arbitrary detention.
Fourthly I don’t think I can get justice in court of Maldives and I don’t think I should get justice by fighting against any Maldivian individual other than the Maldivian government. Because the jail is does not belong to any individual, but the government.
Fifthly if I accepted to go to a guest house with food it means that I accept to be released without proper legal procedure, than the evil intention of the government to close the pending international court case of my issue would be reached.
Why UN Human Rights Councilestablished a new SpecialComplaint Procedureon 18th June 2007 to “address consistent patterns of gross and reliably attested violation of all human rightsand all fundamental freedoms occurring in any part of the world and under any circumstances”. But it never works on the true facts of my complaints to UN Human Rights Council? The corruption and inefficientness of UN Human Rights Council caused to ignore such calculated, malignant and devastating crimes against human rights and civilization that required urgent reform!
I am a citizen of the People’s Republic of China. My name is Richard Wu Mei De. I have been subjected to persistent gross and systematic human rights violation in a foreign country, Republic of Maldives over past 15 years. Because of my inherent sense of dignity and better informed knowledge on equal and inalienable rights, I have been struggling to fight against oppression, injustice and lawlessness in the foreign country since then. Now I am still struggling in quest of justice for my despoiled dignity and rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standard.
My long struggle in the Maldives has clearly exposed the present deficiency of international human rights safeguards system that: In today’s world, the one who has better informed knowledge on international system of justice for human rights violation, to deter those contemplating human rights crimes, to bring torturers to justice, to enable survivors to obtain justice and redressing, would bring loss of much more his dignity and rights than those who has less informed or have no knowledge on preserving inherent, inalienable dignity and rights of human being. It is because of that every international and domestic human right organizations claim to protect and promote human rights in a very attractive standard. They disseminated the ideal human rights standard and system to the world, but in real practice, their corruption and inefficientness caused to ignore such calculated malignant and devastating crimes against human rights and civilization. When I complained the true facts of my issue to some of most important and famous human rights organizations, no one of them truly stands for what they have claimed. Otherwise I don’t have to suffer so mush. Even now.
I came to Maldives in February 1993 for a business purpose on behalf of five of our business partners in Shanghai. Our business in Maldives began very successfully and became very well known in the middle of 1993. All our staff was from Shanghai. A few months after opening, I ran into a business dispute with our landlord who was an influential Maldivian. This resulted in illegal deportation of my staff.
Under the written recommendation of Maldivian Trade Minister at that time and supportive stance of my other four Chinese partners, I filed a case in the Civil Court of Maldives in September 1993 for the business dispute against our landlord. When all my documents for the court case brought from China were ready, I found myself imprisoned without any legal procedure since 4th November 1993.
I was released on 2nd August 1994 with an official document, after Chinese government visited me in April 1994 to discover my arrest was under no legal authorized department and insisted to Maldivian government that I have the right to run my civil court case for the business dispute against Maldivian citizen. But I was arrested again within a month by “an order of high authority”. No one informed me the real reason behind. , I was put back to prison in early September 1994 after a very brief process of an investigation on a fabricated case that I attacked the Presidential Palace with an AK-47 gun and injured a body guard of the president with one bullet short on his left shoulder.
My issue of arbitrary detention in Republic of Maldives came to light internationally in April 1997. Amnesty International firstly reported my issue on its 1998 Year Report. Several other international human rights organizations got involved with my issue. UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared in year 2000 that my detention in Maldives was arbitrary. Maldivian government used to play all kinds of political tricks and spend any cost to obfuscate my issue whenever any international action was taken for my issue while pressuring me to give up. The reason behind using the full power of the government against me is that I am an individual foreigner that the former president of Maldives Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has to bear his personal liability for his crime of ordering toimprison me without legality in late August 1994.It was 36 hours after I sent my letter to the Presidential Office to requestMr. Maumoon to look into the problem of that I have no way to run my civil court case due to that all my personal belonging including the court case documents were stolenduring first 9 months my arbitrary imprisonment in Maldives. He did not want to his government to bear the responsibility for the consequence of the lost my court case documents. He simply ordered to put me back to jail again. Mr. Maumoon believed that no foreigner within his country in his regime can stand up to hold the government accountable whenever the government does whatever misconduct against any foreigner in case of business disputes between foreign investors and Maldivian. No foreigner in such case was able to stand against the pressure of the government’s policy. Everyone has to give up and go. This has been proven by many similar cases throughout many years of recent Maldivian history.
For pressuring me to give up my efforts in quest of justice, the authority used to subject me to all kinds of torture and ill treatments often worse than other prisoners who severing their sentences in the prison, especially during the pending period of ICJ investigation. There were many very serious crimes such as slow poisoning, physical torture done against me in which I can prove these with the opportunity to collect evidence and witnesses according to international legal standard.
After I have gone through over 15 year’s very hard illegal imprisonment, I was told that I would be released from the imprisonment without any legal procedure while I was taking a routine medical treatment in IGM Hospital, Male' in February 2009.
I never accepted this arbitrary released as the governments' attempt to close the long pending international court case of my arbitrary detention in the Maldives in which the case was filed by Chinese government in May 2003 under the legal procedure of ICJ ,” A State may take up the case of one of its nationals and invoke against another State the wrong which its national claims to have suffered at the hands of the later, the dispute then become one between State”. On 15th February 2009 I declared my six demands in writing to the legal official of the Home Ministry who came to discuss with me for the releasing issue in IGM hospital. I demanded that the government has to follow proper international legal procedure before releasing me, but the government disregarded my rights and the legal procedure to carry out the arbitrary releasing by force as how the government has done to me the same way at 15 years back for the arbitrary detention.
I made a complaint to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) on 17th February 2009 I made five requests including the immediate informing UNHRC, International Court of Justice and the Chinese government to prevent closing of the long pending international court case by the government of Maldives. I also requested HRCM to take steps to prevent any possibility of deporting me illegally and to make arrangement of proper living condition for me without changing the legal ground for my international court [ICJ] process. All my requests were rejected by HRCM on 19th February 2009 when I was informed by HRCM through a phone call.
I met Maldivian Deputy Home Minister on 18th February 2009to demand the government to follow proper legal procedure for my release. The Deputy Home Minister stated that I was voluntarily staying in the prison because the government wanted to release me years back and there was no international court case on my issue since I had no proof of such a case. But he gave no word on my viewpoint of the international standard consideration on such issue that the prison is not an institution where people can check in and checkout at one’s own will. If the government did not provide me the condition to redress the consequences of the arbitrary detention, it meant that the government did not provide me the condition to be free from the arbitrary detention. Therefore the government has to be responsible for arbitrary imprisoning me.On my clarifying about the international court case of my issue with the Deputy Home Minister, he did not behave as a government minister should. At the first he could not give me an official statement to say that there was no international court case for my issue. Then he could not give me a statement to say that he was not aware of the existence of the international court case for my issue as he later claimed so. Finally he said that he could only give me such a statement under the condition of that I would agree to leave the international court case and go back to China. I believed that such words the Deputy Home Minister can only say in front of me, but he would never say in the presence of international community
I am one hundred percent sure of the existing of the International Court Case of my issue that filed by Chinese government in May 2003 for my long arbitrary detention in Maldives in which Chinese government failed to work out through many trying of diplomacy settlement up to several Chinese top leaders efforts on the issue, including the Chinese President who visited Maldives on 13th December 1999 for the issue. The ICJ investigation began the first stage probe on 13th June 2003with a team of 7 members who came to Maldives by a UN special flight and completed on 22nd July 2003 with a report. The second stage of the ICJ probe began with reinforcing 25 more new members into the investigation team. The probe was going on progassivly on 22 subjects related to my issue, but it got into pending after the political deception of shooting tragedy causing 4 prisoner’s deaths and 17 injuries which took place in Maafushi Jail of Maldives in September 2003. Even though I was fully aware the fact of an ICJ investigation on my issue, because my matter was under the confidential period of ICJ investigation, I am not in the position to provide any written document to prove the fact of the ICJ investigation on my issue, but this does not mean that there was no ICJ investigation on my issue. I am in the position to provide several unexplainable matters that I have gone through which can prove the facts of ICJ investigation. When international community and human rights organizations conduct a proper investigation, the fact of my ICJ case is clear to see . Such fact known by many people could not be covered up when conducting of an investigation on it.
On 19th February 2009 the Home Ministry issued a Press Release over my issue which numbered: PM 12:06:21. It stated that the government of Maldives has been continuously trying to deport me since September 1994 with the help of the Foreign Ministry and Chinese government but had failed to succeed. How could I go against the power of both governments if Chinese government would truly support Maldivian government to deport me arbitrarily by providing them my passport?
I wrote each three letters to The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, The Home Ministry and The Foreign Ministry on March 16th, April 6th and April 19th 2009 regarding my arbitrary detention which followed by an arbitrary release in Maldives. Despite the government’s rule that reply should be given within three working days. The Human Rights Commission of Maldives, the Foreign Ministry never replied me back. The Home Ministry did not give me their reply until 24th June 2009, but they sent to me a letter on 27th May 2009 to urge me to lodge the settlement of my issue in the court of Maldives, Because Mr. Laurent Mellan, a senior staff in UN Human Rights Commission, who tried to cover up his past wrong doing in my issue through UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to work out my issue within Maldivian Court by giving the opinion of UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to Maldivian government. The UN opinion read as bellow: “Working Group request the Government to exhaust of all available domestic remedies in order to provide Mr. Wu Mei De with the access and ability to bring the matter for a resolution before a court of law with a view to potentially obtainreparation and compensation for all loses including those related to his investments caused by his illegal long imprisonment. But not on “Humanitarian Grounds.” Three days after sending me the letter of urging me to lodge my issue in Maldivian Court, the Home Ministry ordered to stop providing me food effecting from 1st June 2009. On 8th June, 22nd June, 24th June 2009 the Home Ministry has put further pressure on me to lodge the settlement of my issue in the court of Maldives.
I gave my viewpoint over the issue of settlement in my letter to the New Maldivian HomeMinister on 23rd June 2009 “In whichever the court to settle this issue has to base on getting fair and proper justice for me. The proper justice has to base on proper investigation over what I have been subjected to inhumane torturing and ill treatment in the prison of the Maldives. How much my personal and the legal documents were taken away by the authority. How can any court to finalize a just settlement without investigate what had happened to me in jail and how much has effected to the life of my family and my business in china?”I received the reply for this letter from the Home Ministry on 28th June 2009. It not only openly lied by denning the fact of the pressurizing meto lodge my issue in Maldivian court which can be simply proven by government’s letters in my hand,but it also clearly indicate that the settlement of my issue in Maldivian courtwould be based on whatever the government likeswithout fair and independent investigation.
Today’s UN has every system and rules to address issues of my kind and in resuming the ICJ investigation of my issue. UN Human Rights Council established a new Complaint Procedure on 18th June 2007 to “address consistent patterns of gross and reliably attested violation of all human rightsand all fundamental freedoms occurring in any part of the world and under any circumstances”. But the UN Human Rights Protection system never works on the true case of my complaints to UN Human Rights Council as it introduced in www.un.org . Partly it was due to the policy of Chinese government in dealing with Maldivian government, in case of resuming the legal process of my issue inICJ between the rights of an individual Chinese and national interests for it might effecting to the rights of more number of Chinese who are in Maldives by the government of Maldives. It was mainly because one of a senior staff, a director level official in Office of theUN High Commissioner forHuman Rights Mr. Laurent Mellan who was bought to meet me by the government of Maldives in April 2008 while he was in Maldives. Now he has to do more wrongs to cover up the wrong that he has done in my issue in the past. Now he is trying hard to work out the settlement of my issue in his personal way or a settlement within the court of Maldives which is without international investigation to find out what kind of serious crimes the Government Maldives really had done to me including the torturing and ill-treatment done to me during over 15 years I was arbitrarily kept in the prison of Maldives and what had affected my life and life of my family in China and what will effect to the rest of my life in future.
If there is no international investigation into the serious crimes done to me including many instance of physical torture I have been subjected in the prison, especially the two most serious cases, that first one was in February 2000, I was beaten up by six security personal in the prison up to my brain was shaken, I lost the ability of my body balance. Another case was on 14th January 2008, I was subjected to the worst physical torturing I ever suffered in my life. The most unthinkable crime in torturing is slow poisoning prisoners which caused my stomach serious bleeding on the last day of 1997 and some strange death of other prisoners from time to time. If there it means that no matter how many solid evidences and witnesses that I have kept for proving such grave crimes and rights abuse in Maldivian prison, would not be able to prove anything legally and internationally. This part of human rights violation would not be rooted out in future of Maldivian prisonand would not take into consideration on the accountability of those who is responsible for the crime and on the redressing of the consequences to the victims of such systematic rights abuse and in the settlement of my issue. This is obviously against UN human rights policy and practice.
If there is no international investigation on more than 20 different slanders that Maldivian government has released against me since the very beginning days of my arbitrary imprisonment, for covering up themselves their wrong doing by misleading other prisoners, I have no way to prove what the truth is to against such slanders in rest of my life. This is a few samples of the slanders such as that I have three or four times torn off my passport in the Airport when Maldivian government wants to deport me… My crime in China related to billions of Chinese Yuan was under INTERPOL investigation; until INTERPOL takes me I would be kept in Maldivian jail without any case, for avoiding the legal charge from Chinese government I did not want go back China… I was a senior member of an international Mafia organization, I have bellowed money from them to invest in Maldives, if I did not bring the money back, I would be killed…I have deep link with Sri Lanka’s terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of TamilElam “LTTE”, I used to transport arms for them and transfer their people to Europe with the cover of my business in Maldives… I have been suffering much from these evil slanders of the Maldivian government since few days after I was imprisoned up to now. This can be understood simply from the comments made on my blog and on my face book, also many questions people used to ask me both inside and outside of the prison. This was one of the main reasons from the beginning to force me have to go ahead with this long fight against Maldivian government to clarify these slanders. Because if I could not make people to believe my innocence regarding these slanders in my presence now in this place, how can I make people to believe my innocence after leave from here at some years later. I cannot think of to live in a life without dignity and innocence in my Chinese society where people pay high importance on such things. If those slanders will not to be clarified through international investigation as it was doing during 2003 ICJ investigation, I would have to suffer for the rest of my life for the defamation caused by those slanders.
If there is no international investigation over that the large number of my personal belongings in the prison were taken away by the authority, who shall bear the legal responsibility for taken away more than 50 books of high valued my personal diary which recorded every details ofover 15 years my prison life in Maldives, about 20 document files with my legal and personal documents of all kinds, the suffering and great difficulties I have gone through for taken away large number of my religion books, Chinese-English dictionaries, reading materials and all kinds of daily usage items? How to redress my deprived rights and suffering in this regards?
If there is no international investigation over what really had effected to my life and the life of my family in China during this 15 years caused by such long period illegal imprisonment in Maldives, How to redress my rights set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standard.
When I did my complaint UN Human Rights Council on 5th May 2009, Mr. Laurent began to work out my issue in his personal way. On the very next day, 6th May he directly called me on my mobile phone in which he got my mobile number through someone from UN Office in Maldives without knowing me. In May 2009 Mr. Laurent unofficially sent me a UK lawyer Mr. Jude Laing who was a personal lawyer of the president of Maldives Mr. Muhammad Nasheed before he came to power. Mr. Jude tried to work out my issue in his personal way. When I was unable to follow what Mr. Jude wants me to do with my issue that broke down the relation between us. He could no longer get into my case directly as he tried, but since then Mr. Jude put much side pressure on me through NGOs both inside and outside of Maldives. E.g.: Maldivian Detainee Network and a UK based NGO The Prisoner of Conscience asked me that I have to go through Mr. Jude to contact them for recognizing me as a prisoner of conscience hence they can provide me with some financial assistance in my position. If I do not wish to go through Mr. Jude then there will be no recognizing. I don’t know why those human rights NGOs would have used double standard human rights in dealing with my issue by the influence of Mr. Laurent and Mr. Jude without fulfill their mandate and obligation as human rights defenders.
I wrote a letter to UN Resident Coordinator in Maldives on 22nd February 2009 with copies of other related documents to request him to forward my issue to UN Human Rights Commissioner and the Secretary General of UN. I was told by UN office in Maldives unofficially through phone that my complaint has been forwarded in March of 2009. But there was no response from any of them it is hard for me to believe that both UN Human Rights Commissioner and the Secretary General of UN would have used double human rights standard in dealing with my issue.
I did my first complaint according to Special Procedure of the United Nations HumanRights Council on 5th May 2009. It only resulted that Mr. Laurent Malian began to try to settle my issue in his personal way. Later I did several more complaints to the Special Procedureof UN Human Rights Council on 30th May, 4th June, 20th June, and 30th June 2009. But there were no action being taken according to the procedure of UN Human Rights Council.
According to the advice given to me on 9th July 2009 from the UN Investigation Division of OIOS [Office of Internal over Sight Service] I sent my 5 paged Model Complaint Form to the appointed UN branch according to the procedure UN Human Rights system, but there was no response.
According to the advice of OIOS that any inquiry of their staff [OHCHR and the Human Rights Council] would have to be initialed through contact with them, I did my complaint against the senior staff of UNHuman Rights Commission Mr. Laurent Mellanto the president ofUN Human RightsCouncil through cp@ohchr.org on 4th August 2009 attached with some related documents, but no response.
On 11th August 2009, I request TheSecretariat for Human Rights CouncilAdvisory Committee to forward my complaint to The President of UNHuman Rights Council to overcome such persistently committed gross violation of human rights through cp@ohchr.org but no response.
Being a foreigner, it has been six months that I have been sleeping in the staircase at outside of the office of jail authority. It has been over two months since I was cut off from providing food from the government.For the government of Maldives has put very hard and inhumane pressures on me to reach their target of forcing me to accept unjust settlement of my issue, I have done several complaints to UN Human Rights Council and other international, Maldivian, Chinese human rights organizations. But no one of them takes action as they claimed and to fulfill their obligation to stop the new systematic rights abuse of carrying out arbitrary releasing after over 15 years arbitrary detention for the legal ground of closing ICJ case of my issue. For my complaint of that Maldivian government has put hard and inhumane pressures on me to reach their target of forcing me to accept unjust settlement, no one of them takes action to change this endangered situation. Such unjust settlement is not something in meeting with today’s international human rights standard and working in UN human rights protection system to address such issue of persistent committed gross and systematic human rights violation.
.Anyone can judge that the main reason of what have happened to me in my long struggling to enable to justice and redressing is caused by the corruption and inefficientness of UN Human Rights Commission and UN Human Rights Council to ignore such calculated, malignant, and devastating crimes against human rights. UN Human Rights Council required urgent reform, otherwise there is no hope of efficient human rights safeguarding in the world.
The detailed information of my long struggle to enable me to find justice and redress, how Maldivian government carried out arbitrary releasing after over 15 of arbitrary detention, how the Maldivian government to presurelazing me to accept an unjust settlement and the how UN Human Rights Council and other international human rights organizations acted on this issue, is provided in my blog: www.richardwumeide.blogspot.com
I have been subjected to a serious systematic rights abuse in a foreign country: Republic of Maldives for more than past 15 years. I have been fighting for the dignity and rights of a Chinese since then.
After failures of many trying for a just diplomatic solutions of my issue from Chinese government, the case of my long arbitrary detention in Maldives was filed by Chinese government to The International Court of Justice [ICJ] in May 2003.ICJ began its investigation in June 2003.But got into pending in September 2003.
UN has every systems and rules to address the case of my kind and in resuming the ICJ investigation. But the UN system never works on my complaints to UN Human Rights Council. It was only because one of senior staff in UN HumanRights Commission was bought over by the government of Maldives in2008.Now he has to do more wrong to cover up the wrong that he has done in past. It caused my case have no way to reach a just solution and in my present life I have to face great danger and great difficulties.
The detail information of my issue has been provided in my blog: richardwumeide.blogspot.com
I call for help of China society for Human Rights to take urgent and firm steps to rescuer me from endangered my life safety and to provide me the way in quest of justice.
The information provided in this blog are the true facts of my issue.
Over 15 years of arbitrary detention in full knowledge of both Chinese and the Maldivian governments, as well as the United Nations and Amnesty International would seem unbelievable in today's world. But it's a true fact.
Anyone can see this from these documents. What my suffering has brought up is not only a challenge to redress my despoiled rights, but an opportunity to address the ineffective function of the world Human Rights Protection System, and to enhance Human Rights in the Maldives.
I call for everyone to contribute to the effort of safeguarding Human Rights in any part of the World.
a Chinese businessman who invested in Maldives, was arbitrarily detained over 15 years. found no way to redress his despoiled rights and lack of subsistence. seeking for moral and legal supports.
The information provided in this blog are the true facts of my issue.
Over 15 years of arbitrary detention in full knowledge of both Chinese and the Maldivian governments, as well as the United Nations and Amnesty International would seem unbelievable in today's world. But it's a true fact.
Anyone can see this from these documents. What my suffering has brought up is not only a challenge to redress my despoiled rights, but an opportunity to address the ineffective function of the world Human Rights Protection System, and to enhance Human Rights in the Maldives.
I call for everyone to contribute to the effort of safeguarding Human Rights in any part of the World.