Maldives wants India`s help in climate change battle

New Delhi: Maldives on Saturday sought India`s
cooperation in accessing new technologies and data-gathering
to tackle climate change and said it was working with other
countries to launch an "Asian Initiative" to mitigate global
warming, which threatens to submerge the island.

Maldivian vice president Mohammaed Waheed Hassan said
Asian countries should take a lead on seeking innovative and
pragmatic solution to complement the implementation of UNFCCC
processes in dealing with challenges related to climate
change.
"As vulnerable countries to climate change, we feel we
should take the initiative. You will soon hear about efforts
from the Asian countries who will mobilise their own
resources," he said, delivering a talk on `From Dictatorship
to Democracy: A Transition to Justice` here.

"We should pool in our resources and create a fund on our
own without having to wait for developed countries to help,"
he said. Hassan said the SAARC meeting in Bhutan in April will
also focus on this important issue.

He said Maldives itself will move into a carbon-neutral
country within a span 10 years as already announced by
President Mohamed Nasheed.

Lauding India for cooperating with Maldives on climate
change and other issues, Hassan said the island needs India`s
help in accessing new technologies and data-gathering to
tackle climate change.

"We also need their cooperation in renewable and new
energy resources," Hassan said.

Turning to other issues, he said there is a rising
confusion in Islam over extremism and this is one of
challenges being faced by the new democratic government of
Maldives.

Appreciating the people of Maldives for ushering in
democracy after decades of "autocratic rule", Hassan said the
government was planning to set up a Truth and Reconciliation
Commission like the one established in South Africa after the
abolition of apartheid.
"We are planning to set up a TRC. Lots of people were
abused politically, emotionally and physically during the
previous rule. They should get justice," Hassan said.

"The government is in a dilemma. It is one of the
challenges also how to meet the justified demand for
retribution," he said.

The TRC in South Africa was a quasi-judicial body.
Witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights
violations were invited to give statements about their
experiences, and some were selected for public hearings.

Hassan also sought cooperation from countries like India
in education and other sectors.

Asked whether `new media` can play a major role in
opening up of societies in pre-dominantly Muslim countries
like Iran and Saudi Arabia like it played in opening up
Maldives, Hassan said, "Already, there are lots of debates
going on in the new age media like internet" in controlled
societies like China and Iran.

PTI