'Extremism a challenge for Maldives also'

Maldives Vice President Dr Mohammed Waheed Hassan, on Saturday said that there is a 'rising confusion in Islam over the extremism' and this is 'one of challenges being faced by the democratic government of Maldives also.'

Dr Hassan was speaking on the theme of 'From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Transition in Justice' at the Observer Research Foundation, an independent public policy think tank, headquartered in New Delhi on Saturday.

On his first visit to India after taking charge as the vice president of his country nearly a year ago, Dr Hassan sought the help of India and other countries in his government's efforts for smooth transition to democracy, which is 'irreversible now.'

Dr Hassan said Mauldives, along with others countries in Asia, are working hard to launch an 'Asian Initiative' to mitigate climate change without waiting for concrete steps from the world community in this regard.

"As vulnerable countries to climate change, we feel we should take the initiative. You will soon hear about efforts from the Asian countries who will mobilize their own resources," he said.

He said the South Asian Association for Regional Coopearion meeting in Bhutan in April will also focus on this important issue.

Dr Hassan said Maldives itself will move into a carbon-neutral country within a span 10 years as already announced by its president Mohamed Nasheed.

'Though the democratic government in Maldives has not had a single political prisoner so far in one year of its term,' the vice president said that 'there is a strong demand from the people for retribution for the abuses they had to suffer under the dictatorship.'

"The government is in a dilemma. It is one of the challenge also how to meet the justified demand for retribution," he said.