Justice delayed

The cold blooded murder of Dr. Afraasheem Ali was orchestrated and carried out nearly ten years ago, in 2012. The kidnapping, and murder, of journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdullah was carried out nearly seven years ago, in 2014. The attack and murder of reform activist and blogger Yameen Rasheed was carried out nearly five years ago, in 2017. This year the nation witnessed, in uncomfortably close quarters, the attempt on the life of Speaker, and former president, Mohamed Nasheed. Had they been successful, it would have been just one of many liberal, outspoken, voices silenced with a premature end to their lives. However, the people have largely refused to accept the deafening silence left in the wake of their absence and yearn for justice to be delivered in the name of their unforgotten heroes.

Under the “insaaf” (justice) section of the Jazeera Raajé manifesto, the promise of swift justice, in varying spheres and aspects, takes up over 10 pages. The people have done their part in enabling an environment of change by delivering a super majority in the parliament to the ruling party. With it came an overhaul of the judiciary and the creation of a dedicated task-force.

The Commission on Investigation of Unresolved Murders and Enforced Disappearances, or the “Maru Commission", was created in November 2018 on the first day of the Solih presidency by Presidential Decree. The following year, the commission's findings in the form of a draft was sent to the parliament. The parliament made the choice to release this report to the public. The investigation document held pivotal information connecting the missing links between the series of murders, including the names of the perpetrators. However, the untimely publication of the confidential papers by the parliament was heavily criticised by investigators.

While all the elements needed to to solve the cases were already on the table, the story of justice delivered had been a myth up until the release of the report — and still two and a half years later, the people continue to wait, ever impatiently to witness the fruits of their allegiance.

The wheels of justice does seem to be finally turning, albeit slowly, as the administration reaches the midpoint. Yet the cases continue to grow cold with each passing year. These murders are speculated to have been fuelled by ulterior motives and with far more sinister reasonings behind them than what they initially appear to be. Yet, even to this day, there continues to be more rhetoric than actions towards justice in the face of these, and similar, atrocities.

Despite identifying some crucial truths in the findings of the commission, the relevant authorities say that the findings fall short of their professional standards and leaves no assurance for convictions. Their hands are tied. The investigation has come to a grinding halt just before the point at which action should be taken — where the perpetrators can be brought in for questioning and their charges decided upon. The minds behind these unfair, and unjust, terrors walk freely with impunity while the families of their victims wait expectantly; their hopes for justice dwindling moment by moment.

The voters will continue waiting in hope of the day when the conspirators and perpetrators of these horrific attacks are held accountable. They continue to hope for the words on the pages of the articulate manifestos to become reality — to finally feel some measure of peace in knowing the perpetrators have been subject to the eyes of justice and held accountable to their grievous crimes. They yearn for the justice that continues to be denied; still hoping that these deaths will not remain as mere statistics in a history of senseless murders.