Maldives has assured Sri Lanka of strong bilateral relations in a bid to mend ties that had been strained as a result a series of diplomatic spats between the two countries.

Maldives Foreign minister Dhunya Maumoon told reporters that the Maldives and Sri Lanka has even now a very strong relationship, the Haveeru news agency reported. She highlighted that the Maldives has always provided any assistance requested by the Sri Lankan government.

“I want to assure [our Sri Lankan partners] that we’re still with Sri Lanka. We won’t do anything that may have an adverse effect on the relationship we’ve,” the minister said, during a press conference at her office in capital Male.

Relations between Maldives and Sri Lanka suffered a deep blow early this month as the South Asian neighbour accused the Maldives of using historically warm bilateral ties to crackdown on Maldivian political and social media activists.

In a statement, Sri Lanka’s external affairs ministry said Sri Lanka is deeply concerned about recent developments in the Maldives and events that have impacted on Sri Lanka, including the arrest of two Sri Lankan nationals in the Maldives and the questionable removal of a Maldivian social media activist who was in possession of a valid Sri Lankan visa. It is deeply disturbing that Sri Lanka, a country which has always maintained the closest friendly relations with the Maldives, is being used to initiate questionable action against political and social media activists, it added.

“Sri Lanka encourages the government of the Maldives to ensure that recent developments are not allowed to escalate into a source of regional instability,” the statement read.

The condemnation by Sri Lanka came a day after it summoned the Maldives top representative in the country over the arrest and subsequent repatriation of a suspect wanted in connection to a recent blast on a presidential speedboat.

Ahmed Ashraf, known by his social media moniker of Shumba Gong, is a self-declared supporter of the embattled former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor.

Sri Lankan authorities arrested him on November 1 on the request of their Maldivian counterparts.

Ashraf was brought to Male the following morning. He was taken to the police detention centre in the island of Dhoonidhoo in Kaafu Atoll. 

The Criminal Court gave a 15-day remand extension to Ashraf. His remand was extended by an additional 15 days after he was produced in court Tuesday afternoon following the expiration of the initial remand given to him.

During her meeting with Sri Lankan officials, the Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Zahiya Zareer briefed the Sri Lankan foreign secretary about the recent arrest of a Sri Lankan in the Maldives.

The 27-year-old man, who had been identified by Maldivian authorities as a trainer sniper, was arrested on October 24. He has since been remanded for 15 days.

Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror newspaper had quoted the country’s defence ministry as saying that the sniper in question was not attached to the Sri Lankan military. However, the newspaper did not identify its source.

Some Sri Lankan media outlets have even reported that the man was an importer of Maldives dry fish.

Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times identified the sniper as 24-year-old Lahiru Madhushanka. 

Maldives has maintained its assertion that the Sri Lankan sniper is indeed a trained shooter.

Reports of the Sri Lankan sniper’s arrest came a day after Maldivian security forces confiscated assault rifles and hand guns in what has been the biggest weapons bust in the country’s history. The weapons had been seized from Hibilhadhoo island in Baa Atoll being developed as a resort.

The army had confirmed that two assault rifles found in the weapons bust belonged to the state armoury.

The items showcased during a press conference last week included several hand guns, a T56 assault rifle and a MP5 sub-machine gun. In addition, a large quantity of bomb making material were also displayed at the press briefing.

Security forces have also cautioned the public to be wary of more illegal weapons on the loose.

The joint warning by the armed forces and the police came a few minutes before the Maldives declared a month-long state of emergency in what has been extraordinary security measures following an explosion on a speedboat carrying the president and subsequent discovery of an arms haul.

The declaration of emergency, which was later cut short after a week, came a day after security forces discovered an explosive device near the presidential palace.

Maldives military had confirmed that the suspected device found in a vehicle parked near the presidential residence of Muliaage in capital Male was an improvised explosive device which had been subsequently been diffused. 

The discovery of the IED came just over a month after an explosion aboard the presidential speedboat carrying President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom now confirmed as an attempt to kill the president.

President Yameen was unhurt but his spouse and two others were hurt in the explosion.

The primary suspect in the blast appears to be former Vice President Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor who was arrested on October 24 as soon as he arrived from an official trip to China.

He is accused of high treason, a charge he denies. The government has intensified its crackdown on the former vice president and his associates. 

Before and since the former vice president’s arrest, police jointly with armed soldiers have been carrying out raids across capital Male. Most of the houses and offices searched so far had direct links to the former vice president. 

Parliament, meanwhile, had passed a no-confidence motion, effectively impeaching Adheeb. ---- 

Haveeru