President Muizzu Affirms Operation Kurangi Focuses on Migrant Rights Over Penalties

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that 'Operation Kurangi,' a strategic initiative to manage undocumented immigration, is designed to safeguard the rights of migrant workers rather than serve as a punitive measure. Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office, President Muizzu detailed an administrative strategy aimed at balancing the need for national immigration control with the protection of vulnerable populations. He emphasized that the initiative represents an administrative undertaking of an unprecedented scale in the Maldives' history. Central to the operation is the drastic improvement of state intelligence regarding the expatriate population. According to the President, the government's data on the migrant workforce has surged from a mere 13 per cent at the start of his administration to 98 per cent over the last two and a half years. President Muizzu dismissed notions of a systemic crackdown, arguing that precise demographic data is a vital prerequisite for ensuring human rights. He explained that safeguarding individuals requires the state to know exactly who they are and where they reside, contrasting this approach with past administrations which he claimed undermined human dignity and allowed certain individuals to exploit the system for personal gain. The administration is currently processing this data to create an expedited pathway for workers who wish to regularize their legal status. Meanwhile, deportation proceedings continue for those who must be legally removed from the country. President Muizzu characterized the issue of undocumented migration as one of the nation's most severe challenges, underscoring his government's commitment to finding a comprehensive and humane solution.