Day: August 22, 2012

Police crackdown on February 8 “brutal”, “without warning”: HRCM

A police crackdown on a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) march across Male’ on February 8 that left dozens of demonstrators injured was “brutal” and “without prior warning,” the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) concluded in an investigative report (Dhivehi) made public yesterday.

Based on its findings, the HRCM recommended that the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Police Integrity Commission (PIC) should investigate the “disproportionate” use of force in violation of police regulations authorising use of less-lethal weapons. Legal action should be taken against the officers responsible for any such offences, the commission concluded.

“This commission notes that the human rights of a number of people were violated as a result of police using disproportionate force in violation of the constitution, the Police Act and regulations, and international conventions the Maldives is signatory to in dispersing a gathering of MDP supporters at the MMA [Maldives Monetary Authority] area on 8 February 2012 ,” the HRCM report concluded.

“The commission believes that those who carried out these acts must bear responsibility.”

On February 8, thousands of MDP supporters took to the streets after former President Mohamed Nasheed declared that his resignation the previous day was “under duress” in a “coup d’etat” instigated by mutinying Special Operations (SO) police officers.

The HRCM report on the human rights violations that occurred on February 8 was compiled based on interviews with senior MDP leaders who participated in the walk, police commanders, senior military officers, eyewitnesses, victims of police brutality and media personnel as well as photo and video evidence.

An injured protester

While 32 people filed complaints with the commission concerning varying degrees of injuries sustained in the crackdown, 20 people submitted medical documents of their treatment of injuries.

Among the injuries caused by the police baton charge, the HRCM report noted that several people were bruised and battered, one person fractured a bone in his leg, one person was left with a broken arm and six people sustained head wounds.

Two fingers on the left hand of one demonstrator were crushed, the report noted, and the victim had to undergo treatment at the operating theatre.

The former ruling party meanwhile informed HRCM that the march across Male’ was spontaneous and that the party had not planned to stage any protests on the day.

According to the MDP, participants of the walk were sitting down at the MMA area when the police charged without warning and caused serious injuries, noting that most people were attacked from behind.

Senior members of the party told the commission that police were asked to let MDP supporters continue their march along the outer ring road of Boduthakurufaanumagu.

MDP claimed that police refused to transport victims of the alleged brutality to the hospital and that former President Nasheed’s military bodyguards left the area before the baton charge.

“Emotionally charged”

In interviews with senior police officers and commanders in the field on February 8, the HRCM was told that police intelligence had learned that the MDP supporters were planning to “confront” police officers.

Participants of the MDP walk “attempted to cause damage” to the Family and Child Protection Unit building and Galolhu police station, the officers claimed, at which point they determined that the gathering was not peaceful.

Police did not allow the march to continue because participants could have entered the Republic Square or green zone, where gatherings are prohibited under freedom of assembly regulations.

Police further claimed that protesters hit police shields and that armed gangs “under the influence of drugs” were part of the crowd.

While protesters did not cross the police line, the senior officers said that rocks were thrown at the police. About 30 riot police and plain-clothed officers from other departments were in the area at the time, police said.

While police conceded that “a large number of civilians were injured by police officers” on February 8, senior officers interviewed by the HRCM revealed that the riot police were not acting on commands.

The violence occurred “because individual police officers were too emotionally charged at the time,” the senior officers said.

“And when civilians were getting injured by individual police officers, [they said] senior police officers went to the area and attempted to gather all police officers in one place,” the report stated.

The senior police officers further claimed that police were “very psychologically weakened” due to the events of February 7.

Following the crackdown, police admitted that “use of force” forms were not filled out and an “after action review report” was not drafted as was required under normal procedure.

Meanwhile, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) informed HRCM that about 15 soldiers were active in the area during the crackdown, but claimed that military personnel did not witness police brutality.

When the protesters reached the MMA junction, they began striking the MNDF riot shields and throwing water bottles. They were then pushed back about 20 feet, where they sat down, the MNDF explained.

Contrary to the HRCM’s findings, the MNDF claimed that police advised the protesters to disperse and issued warnings before advancing with riot shields.

Military personnel used coloured smoke “to minimize damage and for ease of controlling those gathered,” the MNDF informed the commission.

Concluding observations

Opposition-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV meanwhile provided video footage to HRCM showing the arrest of MDP MPs ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, Mariya Ahmed Didi, Imthiyaz Fahmy and Ibrahim Rasheed.

MDP Chairperson 'Reeko' Moosa Manik

An HRCM team that visited Dhoonidhoo detention centre observed “bruises all over the body” of one of the MPs, while her eyes were bloodied and swollen.

The commission noted in its concluding observations that police officers “acted very harshly” towards the politicians “in ways that could cause physical and psychological harm” even though they showed “no resistance.”

While the Raajje TV cameraman was shooting the arrest of MDP Chairperson Reeko Moosa Manik, HRCM was told that two plain-clothed officers “pushed and shoved” Raajje TV reporters to the Republic Square and severed the camera cable, ending the station’s live feed.

However, in its concluding observation, the commission reprimanded the private broadcaster for their coverage of the events, which “incited fear and hatred among citizens, instilled a spirit of vengeance and caused serious damage to private and public property.”

Conversely, the commission noted that reporters from private broadcasters DhiTV and Villa TV – alleged by the MDP to have incited hatred against the administration of former President Nasheed and promoted the “coup d’etat” – were “threatened and intimidated” by MDP supporters and were consequently prevented from covering the march.

The HRCM also noted that students at Immadhudeen School during the afternoon session were adversely affected by the MDP supporters gathering outside the party’s Haruge camp on the afternoon of February 8. The party’s gathering area was ransacked by rogue riot police and army officers prior to President Nasheed’s resignation.

The commission contended that MDP supporters were loud and used obscene language outside Haruge, which was reclaimed by supporters led by President Nasheed to the area after the MDP national council meeting earlier in the day.

Citing article 72(b)(1) of the Police Act, which prohibits “commission of an act that could obstruct the execution of any of the police powers and discretions, or plotting to commit such an act, or participate in the commission of such an act, or call for or encourage or assist others to commit such an act,” the HRCM claimed that MDP supporters who participated in the walk “obstructed the performance of police duties.”

Moreover, the commission noted that patients and staff at hospitals ADK and IGMH faced “serious difficulties and inconveniences” due to MDP supporters gathering outside both hospitals following the police crackdown.

However, the BBC reported “a baton charge by police on crowds gathered outside one of the main hospitals.”

“People scattered as officers sprinted towards them silhouetted against the lights of passing traffic,” the BBC’s Andrew North reported from Male’. “Inside the hospital, dozens of Mr Nasheed’s supporters are still being treated for injuries, following earlier scuffles in the main square. Among them is Reeko Moosa Maniku, chairman of Mr Nasheed’s Maldives Democratic Party – who was with the former president when the clashes broke out. With a large head bandage and his shirt bloodied, he regained consciousness as we arrived. The police said they would kill me, he told us, as they beat me. Another MP was still unconscious in another ward.”

The crackdown

While riot police baton charged the front of the protest march on February 8, Minivan News observed riot police officers charging the crowd from a narrow alley leading to the MMA area.

The Special Operations officers used obscene language, pointed to and chased after individual MDP activists and severely beat unarmed civilians.

Parts of the attack from the rear were filmed by Al Jazeera, which reported on February 8 that “police and military charged, beating demonstrators as they ran – women, the elderly, dozens left nursing their wounds.”

Amid the clashes, a group of opposition demonstrators infiltrated the crowds, attacking MDP supporters, according to witnesses.

Former President Nasheed was reported among the injured, and received head injuries during the clashes. He was briefly taken under police custody before being released back into the crowd.

Minivan News also observed several youth with head injuries queuing up for x-rays in the waiting area outside the reception area at IGMH.

One young woman who had gone to IGMH with her sister was being treated for a head wound. A gauze wrapped around her head was spotted with blood, and she claimed the wound was still bleeding as she went in for an X-ray.

“The police were just standing there and suddenly we were being beaten with batons and pepper spray was thrown in our face. They threw us to the ground and kept beating us,” she said.

Explaining that she, her sister and most women had joined the party’s “walk around Male” because they understood it was not a violent protest, the young woman said she had never seen indiscriminate beating of men and women on Male’ under Mohamed Nasheed.

“It was just supposed to be a peaceful walk. That’s why we went, and why more women than usual went. But there was no warning of the attack, no announcements, we were all beaten even after we began retreating. My sister was almost trampled,” she said. “I just think it’s disgusting that the police could beat so many unarmed women.”

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Mother of abandoned guest house baby a 13 year-old minor, police confirm

The manager of a guest house in Male’ has discovered a six month old baby left alone in one of the property’s rooms on Monday (August 20), prompting a police investigation that today revealed the child’s mother to be a 13 year-old minor.

According to local media reports, the child was discovered by the manager of the M. Hudhufas guest house in the capital after he heard the baby crying for several hours. Upon entering the room, he discovered the child alone and unharmed.

The Maldives Police Service was alerted to the scene immediately, with the baby being taken into state care temporarily while a search was conducted for the child’s parents.

A girl claiming to be the child’s mother later came to the police station by herself after officers called the mobile number she had provided while checking into the guest house.

“We called the number to confirm if she was the baby’s mother and asked her to report to the station. When she came, we found out that she was just a 13 year-old girl,” Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said.

When asked about the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy, Haneef noted that no further information could be revealed about the case at this stage, as the mother was a minor herself.

A police investigation is currently ongoing in collaboration with the Gender Ministry.

Haneef also declined to confirm if the police were investigating the details of how the minor became pregnant or if there was suspicion she may have been the victim of abuse.

“We have now returned the girl and her baby to her family,” he added.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem also pointed out that in cases involving minors, “no conclusions” should be drawn until an investigation into the matter was completed.

When asked if a minor who gives birth to a child out of marriage could face criminal charges, Shameem said that it was “very unlikely”.  He contended that, under the law, a child below 18 cannot give their consent for sex – therefore any resulting pregnancy is deemed to be the result of sexual abuse.

“For example, in this case, we need to determine first if she is in fact the mother of the baby or not. Then we need to find out how she got pregnant and where her parents were when this happened, because they are responsible for looking after their underage children,” Shameem added.  “She is a minor so she cannot give consent [for sex], so police need to investigate the case. It it is very unlikely in such cases for minors to be charged and prosecuted,” he explained.

The “Stringent Punishments for Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Against Children Act’ explicitly states that a child below 13 years of age cannot give consent to any form of sexual relationship, which will be deemed as abuse – a punishable criminal offence.  If the child is aged between 13 to 17 years of age, the court must similarly deem that she or he cannot give consent to any form of sexual relationship unless proven otherwise in court.

However, given the history of cases of unmarried pregnancies in the country – often resulting from sexual abuse or unsafe sex – women or girls have traditionally faced the brunt of legal repercussions and widespread stigma. Subsequently, there have been a number of recent incidents reported in media where pregnant women have been forced to take desperate measures, such as self-induced abortions, infanticide or leaving babies abandoned.

In June, police recovered the body of a newborn infant buried in the outdoor shower of a house on Shaviyani Feydhoo island. The baby’s mother was identified as a 15 year-old school student.

Meanwhile, over the last two years, three newborns have been found dead in the country, with another two incidents where newborn children were discovered abandoned but alive. Two foetuses were reported discovered during this two year period, one hidden in a milk tin and the other at the bottom of Male’s municipal swimming pool.  Another fully-developed baby was thrown into a park having apparently been strangled with underwear tied around its neck.

The two babies found abandoned and alive have now been placed under state care.

The Centre for Community Health and Disease Control (CCHDC) has described these incidents, as well as the figures detailing an increase in the rate of sexually transmitted diseases, as evidence of a sexual health crisis in the Maldives.

Nazeera Najeeb, who leads the reproductive health unit of the CCHDC, told Minivan News in an interview earlier this year that the centre was witnessing an “alarming” increase in cases of underage and unplanned pregnancies, where some girls are getting pregnant “without even knowing it”.

“These unwanted pregnancies are subsequently resulting in more unsafe abortions, baby dumping or infanticide,” she noted.

Najeeb added: “Not just that, sexual violence committed against girls such as sexual abuse and rape, remains at alarmingly high levels. In most cases, abused girls did not even know what happened to them, because no one talks to them about it.”

To curb these perceived problems, she stressed the need for implementing a comprehensive sex education curriculum in and outside educational institutions to create greater awareness on sexual and reproductive health subjects.

Though the concept of sex education is widely supported by health authorities, including Health Minister Dr Ahmed Jamsheed, efforts to implement such practices nationally have been limited.

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Save Our Surfspot (SOS) campaign gathers support

“Maldivian surfers are beginning to attract support from around the world for a campaign to save a popular surfspot from privatisation,” reports Travel News Maldives.

“The Save Our Surfspot (SOS) campaign was launched in response to news that the Government of the Maldives wants to sell Thanburudhoo Island in North Male’ Atoll and its two surf breaks known as ‘Sultans’ and ‘Honkeys’ for US$5million. The island is also a breeding ground for herons, a protected bird in the Maldives.

The campaigners have organised an online petition via international campaign website Avaaz with a target of 10,000 signatures, as well as a social media campaign to encourage people to support the cause. Their calls are now starting to be taken up by the international surf media and supporters as far away as Australia, the USA and Russia.”

Read more

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HRCM findings will reflect CNI conclusions on transfer of power: President’s Office

The government will not make “special” preparations to address the findings of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) once they are published next week, claiming it does not expect any “abnormal” outcome from the report that would see its legitimacy questioned.

President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza today told Minivan News that while it did not wish to speculate on the CNI’s outcome before receiving its findings on August 29, the government expected similar conclusions regarding the transfer of power to those of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has dismissed the government’s claims, adding that the CNI was an independent body, overseen by international partners, and would therefore focus on the “big picture” concerning the power transfer, rather than any individual report.

The HRCM yesterday publicly released several reports around alleged human rights abuses committed in the lead up to February 7, as well as reported violations that occurred once the government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan came into power on February 8.

Among some of the key findings of the reports were that former President Nasheed gave “unlawful orders” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police officers at the Artificial Beach area on the evening of February 6. The HRCM also concluded that the Maldives Police Service needed to investigate alleged brutality conducted by its own officers after the transfer of power.

The HRCM’s findings are expected to be taken into consideration by the panel currently overseeing the CNI, which includes members appointed by President Waheed and a representative for former President Mohamed Nasheed. Under its reformed composition, the CNI is also co-chaired by retired Singaporean judge Govinda Pannir Selvam. Representatives from the United Nations and the Commonwealth will also advise the CNI’s work.

The CNI was initially established by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to investigate the details of February’s controversial transfer of power, before having its board reconstituted following international and domestic pressure.

Potential outcomes

With the government expected to receive the CNI’s report on August 29 – a day before it will be released to the public – Abbas Adil Riza said that the President’s Office saw “no need” to devise plans to address the potential outcomes of the CNI.

“The HRCM report has proven what we have always maintained about how this government came to power. We expect similar findings [from the CNI] that the previous chief executive displayed gross negligence and a violation of laws. We don’t expect a different stand,” he claimed. “However, on the basis of the CNI report, we will take necessary actions against any criminal behaviour found to have been committed at the time, should issues be raised.”

Abbas added that elections were therefore still scheduled for July 2013. Both the MDP and the Commonwealth Ministerial Acton Group (CMAG) have called for early elections to be held during 2012 to resolve the increasingly bittier political divide in the country.

With President Waheed expected to travel to Sri Lanka tomorrow for a postponed state visit, Abbas claimed that no discussions regarding the CNI and its outcomes were planned with Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa.

He added that the visit would therefore be focused on high-level talks concerning wider bilateral relations and commercial opportunities between the two nations.

“Out of context”

Responding to the release yesterday of the HRCM’s findings, MDP Spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said the party’s “experts” were studying the individual reports at present before making comment.

However, on a first glance basis, he accused the HRCM of publishing a “convoluted array of statements” that were additionally “out of context” with wider happenings during the transfer of power.

“The report accuses [former] President Nasheed of issuing unconstitutional orders, the whole thing is out of context and frozen over a 48 hour period,” he said. “At this stage, I would say there are many oversights in these findings.”

Ghafoor added that Abbas’ claims that the CNI would draw a similar conclusion to the HRCM’s findings reflected the position taken by Umar Naseer, Interim Deputy Leader of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

On Sunday (August 19), Naseer leaked details of the HRCM’s findings before they had been released publicly, focusing on claims that Nasheed had given “unlawful orders” to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police officers at the Artificial Beach area on the evening of February 6.

He added that the HRCM report concluded that the MNDF and police officers at the Artificial Beach area were “unlawfully” ordered to leave the area, which led to a breakdown in command and control of the security forces.

The HRCM report was also said by Naseer to conclude that Nasheed’s orders to leave the area violated article 245 of the constitution, by obstructing security forces from fulfilling their lawful duties.

However, Ghafoor added that he was “not concerned” that the HRCM’s findings would lead the CNI to dismiss the MDP’s allegation that it was removed from office in a “coup d’etat”.

He claimed that due to international participation, the CNI, as an independent body, was well placed to view the HRCM report in the wider context of Maldivian politics. Ghafoor claimed that the CNI would be aware of alleged concerns over the conduct of the country’s independent institutions to do their work without political influence.

Ghafoor alleged that during the last three years, the majority of former opposition, now government-aligned, MPs had allowed the country’s independent institutions to be “shielded” from scrutiny concerning the outcomes of their work.

“The HRCM has always been a source of problems concerning independence” he claimed. “You just need to look at its failure to investigate the atrocities committed under the former government [of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom].”

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Maldivian football contemplates new horizons ahead of Nehru Cup

Maldivian football fans will look to New Delhi this week as the national team competes for the first time in India’s Nehru Cup.

The team arrived in Delhi yesterday ahead of their first game against Nepal tomorrow evening at 6:30PM (7:00PM local time).

The match will be played in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which will host all the tournament’s fixtures.

The tournament begins this evening, with India taking on Syria.

Mauroof Ahmed, Technical Director of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), said that despite being invited at short notice, the team were in good physical shape.

“In terms of fitness we are well prepared. In terms of spending time together as a team, we need more games,” said Mauroof.

Following their opening fixture, the Maldives will play the hosts and holders India on Saturday (August 25),  Syria on Monday (August 27), and Cameroon a week today (August 29).

This will complete the round robin stage of the tournament, at the end of which, the top two sides will play for the trophy on September 2.

Team Coach Istvan Urbanyi told maldivesoccer.com of his high expectations despite a lack of time for preparation.

“I wish we could have a long-term preparations. This time, I am going with a team prepared by clubs, definitely fitness wise,” said Urbanyi.

“I have the maximum expectations because we tried our best even though we didn’t have enough time to build up a team.”

Despite media reports that they have sent an inexperienced squad, the tournament’s favourites are Cameroon, who sit a clear 88 places above any of their opponents in the FIFA world rankings.

Meanwhile, the teams from the Asian Confederation are all thought of similar ability, with the Syrians officially ranked highest and the Indians the lowest. Of the participants, the Maldives is the only side to have moved up the rankings in the past 12 months.

Cameroon’s invitation to the tournament continues the tradition of high quality international opponents featuring in the competition since it started in 1982. Previous non-Asian confederation invitees have included Argentina, Uruguay, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia and Russia.

This year’s tournament is the 15th edition of the Nehru Cup which was resumed in 2007 after a ten year hiatus. The most successful team in the competition’s history is the Soviet Union, who won four titles during the 1980s.

Football development

However, in a region fixated with cricket, the Maldives stands out as a nation that has seemingly shunned wickets and bats for goal-posts and football boots.

“Football has been the number one sport for quite a while,” say Mauroof. “There is a long history of football here, going back 55 years.”

“Cricket is not very popular. In terms of space and available land, football is far more convenient,” he added.

During the recent European Football Championships, huge screens were set up across the capital Male’ to show every game live.

Hundreds of boys turn up every night to play on the sandy pitches on the southern side of the Male’, often having to wait for another game to finish before placing their portable goals at either end of any available space.

Mauroof explained that the best way for the game to continue to develop in the Maldives was to find overseas opportunities for its players.

“The football association is doing work to get players international exposure. We have a close links with the Japanese FA and plan to send one player and one coach to Japan,” said Mauroof.

“Playing in the local leagues will not bring players to an international level. The mentality has to be changed. The challenge is to instil professionalism,” he continued.

The national team’s current captain and leading goalscorer, Ali Ashfag, was offered opportunities in Europe with Portuguese club Benfica as a younger player before opting to remain in the Maldives.

More recently, youngster Mohamed Miraash Imthiyaz travelled to Spain this summer to play with an FC Barcelona under-13 side.

“He is very talented,” said Mauroof. “He has been in our development programme for two years.”

Mauroof was quick to add, however, that Miraash’s parents had been the main driving force in securing opportunities for their son.

“The parents are very motivated. Miraash has also attended other international academies for clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool,” he said.

However, limited finances were described by Mauroof as being a key issue in the further development of the sport, with overseas opportunities often dependent on sponsorship money.

“It will take time,” he said.

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MJA expresses concern over alleged media boycotts

The Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) has expressed concern over boycotts of certain media outlets by state institutions, political parties and other entities.

In a press release issued yesterday, the MJA stated it had received multiple complaints from media personnel regarding the issue. One such complaint alleged that private broadcaster RaajjeTV had been given exclusive access to interviews with the MDP following former President Nasheed’s recent trip abroad.

The MJA also highlighted the President’s Office’s apparent refusal to cooperate with private broadcaster Raajje TV.  The organisation has claimed that these alleged media boycotts, which are perceived as being sympathetic to opposing political views, were becoming alarmingly common in the Maldives.

Speaking to Minivan News, MJA President Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir said that although the boycott issue had been present from the time multi-party politics was established in the Maldives, the problem had become a growing concern of late.

“At a time when media itself is so polarized and prone to political rivalry, we are concerned that political actors are finding it harder to accept media reports which are not aligned with their own personal opinions. This leads state institutions or parties to allow access only to selected media, in effect denying other media the opportunity to fulfill their journalistic tasks,” he said.

Hiriga stressed that owing to a lack of resources, media outlets may not be able to attend every event they are invited to, adding that state institutions and political parties must however remain equally accessible to all media.

He emphasized the importance of not boycotting any media outlet based on their editorial policies or perceptions of political leaning, while at the same time noting the importance of the media’s objectivity in its reporting of news.

The MJA also stated that a boycott of any media institution would be neither encouraged nor accepted by the association.  The statement also called for political actors and the general public to lodge complaints with the relevant media authorities should they have complaints concerning standards of journalism.

In response to the MJA press statement, MDP Spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor stated that the party held no such policies to boycott media outlets. He went on to say that the party’s events were open to all media and that he felt some outlets opted to not attend them intentionally.

President’s Office Spokesperson, Abbas Adil Riza, Media Secretary Masood Imad and the Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz were not responding to calls at the time of press.

Last month, state officials accused Raajje TV of acting irresponsibly with its reporting by spreading what it called “baseless” allegations about the conduct of officers and inciting violence.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed previously named RaajjeTV as ‘enemies of state’ in a press conference held on July24, the same day on which the Maldives Police Service released a press statement stating its refusal to cooperate with or provide protection to the same channel.

Meanwhile, Raajje TV last month continued to accuse police of targeting, assaulting and harrasing its reporters.

A statement from Raajje TV on July 10 read: “Raajje TV journalists have been forced to live in fear as they have increasingly become targets of attacks by the national security forces, particularly the police service. The station also believes that these attacks and harassment have been the source of emotional distress and psychological damage to all Raajje TV employees.”

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Over 60 resort workers on Randheli island rushed to hospital with severe food poisoning

Over 60 people working on construction of a resort on Randheli island have been rushed to hospital today after suffering from severe food poisoning.

According to an official from Noonu Atoll Regional Hospital on Manadhoo island, the resort workers currently receiving treatment at the hospital today mostly included expatriate workers from Bangladesh and India.  A few Maldivians were also said to be admitted, according to the hospital source.

The official said that they started receiving the sick resort workers with food poisoning at around 2pm.  A few workers were taken to health centres on nearby islands as the hospital was overwhelmed by the sudden surge of patients.

Extra beds and blankets were provided in order to hospitalise the sick resort workers after the 18-bed site found itself at maximum capacity, the hospital source added.

“All of them were diagnosed with food poisoning. They were vomiting, having severe headache and stomach pain and some were suffering loose motions as well,” the official explained.

It is unknown how the resort workers came down with food poisoning.  The resort, according to local media reports, is being developed for Louis Vuitton Moet et Chandon Hennessey (LVMH). The resort developer was not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press.

The hospital official said; “some patients are saying they got sick after eating a fish, possibly rotten.”

He added that none of the resort workers are now in serious condition, but were being kept under observation.

In a statement, the Maldives Police Service said it had assisted with transporting the affected workers to hospital for treatment.

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Dr Hassan Saeed slams the “Island President” with new book

Dr Hassan Saeed, Special Advisor to President Dr Mohamed Wahhed Hassan and Leader of the government-aligned Dhivehi Quamee Party (DQP) has this week published a book entitled, “Democracy betrayed: behind the mask of the island President”.  The publication is written about former President Mohamed Nasheed, who contends that he was removed from office in a “coup d’etat” earlier this year.

Speaking to local media at the book’s launch at the studios of private broadcaster Villa Television (VTV) this week, DQP Secretary General Abdullah Ameen claimed the publication detailed reasons why Nasheed had to resign during February’s controversial transfer of power.

According to the Sun Online news agency, Ameen said the reasons mentioned in the book included the controversial detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed and allegations that Nasheed wished to “destroy the values of Islam” in the country.

Both Ameen and the book’s author, Dr Saeed were not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press concerning the publication.

However, DQP MP Riyaz Rasheed told Minivan News today that he would be able to discuss the book upon his return to Male’ next week.

Previous publications

In the months running up to the controversial transfer of power on February 7 that saw Nasheed resign from office – a decision he later claimed was made under duress – the DQP had published a pamphlet about the former president entitled ‘President Nasheed’s devious plot to destroy the Islamic faith of Maldivians’.

The former government slammed the publication at the time for containing “extremist, bigoted and hate-filled rhetoric”. The publication also led to successive attempts by the Nasheed administration to arrest two senior members of the party and sparked a debate on freedom of expression and hate speech in the Maldives.

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National netball squad prepares for multiple tournament participation

The Maldives national netball team will be participating in two regional championships over the next few weeks, both of which are being held in Sri Lanka.

The team will first participate  in the eighth Asian Netball Championships beginning Saturday (August 25), before also taking part in the Asian Beach Netball competition that begins a week later, according to the President’s Office.

Before heading to Sri Lanka, the squad, along with Vice President of the Netball Association, Mohamed Nabeel, met with President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to discuss the sport’s development in the country.

Alongside, hosts and defending champions Sri Lanka, nations including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Brunei and Japan will be participating in the Asian Netball Championships alongside the Maldives.

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