Upset with malicious, motivated attacks in media on mission in Male: India tells Maldives

By Naveen Kapoor
Male [Maldives], July 2 : India's high commission in Male is upset with successive attacks in social media and local media attacking the Indian High Commission and its staff members.
The Indian mission last week shot off a complaint letter to Maldives foreign ministry and have urged them to take steps to protect the high commissioner and diplomatic personnel from "malicious" and "personal" articles in the local media.
Sources told ANI, "Government of Maldives is fully supportive and recognizes that there is an issue about irresponsible and malicious reporting."
Other sources familiar with developments told ANI, "India-Maldives developmental projects and other aspects of bilateral relations during President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's time have been very successful. This is causing jitters to the opposition."
Apart from social media and a section of local media, 'Dhiyares', a mouthpiece of the opposition party (PPM and PNC) has allegedly launched a tirade of attacks on Indian mission and its staff.
India has complained to the Maldives about "motivated attacks, recurring articles and social media posts attacking the dignity of the High Commission, the Head of the Mission, and members of the diplomatic staff by certain sections of the local media".
It has requested to ensure the protection of India's diplomats in accordance with Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations (1961) to "prevent any attack on his/their person, freedom and dignity, and prevent any disturbances to the peace of the Mission or impairment of its dignity".
Quoting from the Vienna convention, the letter referred to Article 29 which stated that the receiving state will treat a diplomatic personal with "due respect and shall take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on his person, freedom or dignity".
It also mentioned the preamble of the Vienna convention which said that the purpose of these privileges "was not to benefit individuals but to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of diplomatic missions as representing States".
India and Maldives share a very healthy relationship and have been involved in multiple developmental projects. After a rough patch with the last regime, India enjoys much more cordial and stronger relations with the Solih-led government.