The alleged reports of under-age concubines in the Maldives are now a reality, the country’s Human Rights Commission has confirmed whilst a police probe into the matter is still inconclusive.
Confirming what many feared to be true, under-age concubines where children are kept as sex slaves by religious extremists are true, the Maldives Human Rights Commission told a news conference.
“What we want to tell you with assurance and certainty is that the Human Rights Commission is now certain and sure that it happened,” Ahmed Zahid, Vice President of the Commission was quoted as saying in minivan news, addressing a news conference this week.
“A girl under the age of 18 who was a concubine went to IGMH and had a pregnancy test at the hospital,” Zahid has said.
Its investigations found that 85 children have taken pregnancy tests between January and September this year.
Of them 10 girls had tested positive for pregnancy and the child concubine is believed to be among them.
However, the Commission has not been able to find the identity of the girl, Zahid has said.
Meanwhile a two month long police probe into concubines, ordered by President Mohamed Nasheed is still inconclusive.
Police told Asian Tribune: “we can neither confirm nor deny as investigations are still on.”
Asked why the delay in its investigations when the HRCM has been able to prove concubines, Shiyam said: “All I can say is that we need more time to prove if child concubines are really happening.”
He could not even provide a timeframe as to when the investigations will end.
Despite President Nasheed’s commitment to address the issue of concubines, concerns are being raised since a coalition partner in his government has already denied the matter.
The Adhaalath Party, a coalition partner of the Nasheed administration, in charge of the Islamic Ministry has said concubines are meant to “dishonour Islam.”
But the Commission has reacted strongly to the Islamic Ministry’s stand, arguing that the issue is not about religion and it is about children’s rights.
- Asian Tribune -
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