Government has denied claims that Maldives refrained from participating in a vote taken at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) regarding the Rohingya crisis.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on behalf of the government refuting the claims by some individuals and media outlets that the Government of Maldives refrained from joining an important vote at UNGA on providing protection to Rohingya Muslims.The statement clarified that the vote taken by UNGA on Friday was not related to the Rohingya crisis, rather that it was a vote taken to see if the general committee of the 72nd session of UNGA should include "Responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" as the 132 number on agenda.
The statement further cited that the vote taken on Saturday was also not related to the Rohingya crisis. It said that Maldives has always condemned in the strongest terms the atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. It further added that even during this month, Maldives has called on the United Nations to take strongest possible action against the perpetrators of the injustices committed against Rohingya muslims.