Emergency Motion in Parliament Over Indian Troops Boarding Maldivian Fishing Boats

An urgent motion has been tabled during today’s parliamentary session regarding the issue of Indian troops boarding Maldivian fishing vessels within Maldivian territorial waters.

The emergency motion, brought forward by Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed, urged the government to promptly address the matter. Waheed stressed the sensitivity of foreign troops boarding Maldivian fishing boats and criticized the government for what he deemed as insufficient attention to the issue, asserting that the government is failing in its legal obligations in this regard.

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The motion was adopted and debated in the House, with 54 members present voting in favor.

The incident in question involved the interception and inspection of three fishing boats by armed officers from the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday. Among the vessels intercepted were the Maahoara-3, Neru-7, and Asurumaa-3, the latter being a yellowfin tuna fishing boat from ADh. Mahibadhoo.

Accounts from the sailors aboard the vessels allege that Indian soldiers demanded access to the boats’ satellite phone numbers during the searches, causing apprehension among the crew. Additionally, crew members claimed to have faced threats during the encounters.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has indicated its intention to issue a formal statement on the incident at a later time.

The Boat and Ship Maintenance Union (BKMU), representing the interests of fishermen, revealed that soldiers who boarded the Maahoara-3 again on Thursday reiterated their demand for the satellite phone number. Notably, BKMU highlighted that the soldiers involved in Thursday’s encounter were from a different ship than those encountered on Wednesday.

Video footage of Wednesday’s encounter has been shared by the union, providing insight into the interactions between Maldivian fishing boats and Indian soldiers.