Day: December 13, 2012

MDP requests parliament look into alleged police cover-up of bystander’s death

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) filed a motion Wednesday (December 12) asking parliament to look into the death of Abdulla Gasim Ibrahim, accusing the Maldives Police Service of a cover-up.

Leaked CCTV footage released in early December threw into dispute the official police account of 43-year-old Gasim’s death. Police had initially stated that he had died due to injuries caused in a motorcycle accident, while the footage appears to reveal that a police officer had some involvement in the incident.

In the footage, a police officer is seen attempting to stop a speeding motorcycle suspected of being used by thieves to flee a crime scene.  Using his baton, the officer in the footage appears to hit out at the vehicle’s driver, causing him to lose control of the bike that then collides with Gasim’s motorcycle.

The MDP has submitted a motion to the parliament asking the Committee on Oversight of the Executive to look into the matter, and hold those responsible accountable.

“The police have not shared details of the actual events with either the family or the public. The video footage that was leaked shows that things happened in a way absolutely contrary to the initial reports. That is why we have submitted the motion and asked the parliament to look into this and make the authorities answerable to this,” MDP MP Mohamed Aslam said.

The motion was submitted by Mohamed Aslam and supported by MPs Ilyas Labeeb and Mohamed Rasheed – all from the same party.

Police Integrity Commission (PIC) President Abdulla Waheed stated today that he was out of Male’ on an official trip and was unaware of case proceedings at the moment.

Meanwhile PIC Director General Fathimath Sarira, speaking to Minivan News on December 3, has stated that the commission had previously received the footage and an investigation was nearing the point of conclusion.

Gasim’s family has said they have received no updates to date on how the case was proceeding either from the PIC or the police.

“I don’t know what else we can do. [police] are elusive and very slow, which is why we keep calling back. All I want is justice,” Naseema Khaleel, Gasim’s wife previously stated.

Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) Vice President Ahmed Tholal was not responding to calls at the time of press.

The MDP and former President Mohamed Nasheed had previously also released statements condemning the alleged cover-up of the incident, calling on Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz to take responsibility for the matter.

“I am shocked and appalled by the leaked video, which appears to show a policeman hitting a motorcyclist in the head with a baton, which led to the death of an innocent bystander,” Nasheed stated at the time.

“Under [President Mohamed] Waheed’s administration, we are seeing a return to the thuggish brutality of Maldives’ authoritarian past. I implore the international community to pressure the Waheed government to immediately and impartially investigate this case, to bring human rights abusers in the security forces to book, to cease its harassment of opposition members, and hold early elections so democracy can be restored.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Gayoom labels MDP revolution motion illegal

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has labelled the motion passed by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to overthrow the government through a revolution as a “criminal offence”.

Speaking to reporters at a ceremony held at the Progressive Party of Maldives’s (PPM) office, Gayoom – who is the interim President of PPM – insisted that the MDP would not be successful in overthrowing the present government.

“The constitution in any country won’t permit a government to be overthrown from the street. Even in the US, UK, France or India such a thing won’t be allowed, so it is a dangerous notion. In truth they have committed a criminal offence,” Gayoom was quoted as saying by the Haveeru news service.

According to Gayoom, the MDP’s announcement to commit the offence must carry the due penalty, stressing that the idea to bring about a revolution cannot be entertained.

“It is in offence to even speak of such a thing,” he added.

The MDP has insisted that the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed had been removed through a “coup d’etat” on February 7. However, Gayoom denounced these claims, adding that the then President, Mohamed Nasheed had resigned of his own free will.

“He wasn’t taken to a place, tied up and forced. He went home after resigning on television, in front of the people. That does not to constitute to overthrowing a government from the street,” he explained.

The ex-President further said that based on the present political environment in the Maldives “there were no means or chance” to bring about a revolution.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament tables no-confidence motion against Defence Minister in defiance of Supreme Court injunction

Parliament announced today that a no-confidence motion filed against Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim has been tabled despite a Supreme Court injunction ordering parliament to halt pending no-confidence votes.

The People’s Majlis secretariat revealed that Defence Minister Nazim has been given the required 14-day notice and his ministry also duly informed by Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

Article 101(a) of the constitution states, “At least fourteen days notice of the debate in the People’s Majlis concerning a motion under article (a) shall be given to the concerned member of the cabinet, and he shall have the right to defend himself in the sittings of the People’s Majlis, both orally and in writing.”

The move comes in apparent defiance of an injunction or stay order issued by the Supreme Court to halt conducting no-confidence votes through secret ballot, pending a ruling by the apex court on the constitutionality of the secret vote.

Speaker Abdulla Shahid and Parliament’s Counsellor General Fathimath Filza were not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

The injunction (Dhivehi) was issued in a case filed by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) council member and lawyer of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim ‘Wadde’.

Waheed contended that secret votes were unlawful as article 85 of the constitution states that the People’s Majlis or any of its committees “may decide to exclude the public and the press from all or any part of the proceedings if there is a compelling need to do so in the interests of public order or national security.”

Waheed requested the Supreme Court specify the constitutional measure to determine a two-third majority of parliament – required to impeach the president – and to declare that the Majlis decision to approve a secret ballot was unconstitutional.

On December 3, parliament voted 41-34 to approve amendments to the parliamentary rules of procedure to conduct no-confidence votes to impeach the President and remove cabinet members through secret ballot.

MPs of the government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) joined the formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to vote the amendment through.

The no-confidence motion against Defence Minister Nazim was submitted by the MDP earlier this month on the grounds that he misused his authority as acting Transport Minister by using the military to influence termination of commercial contracts.

The MDP has also submitted a no-confidence motion to impeach President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.

The no-confidence motion against Nazim was filed with the signatures of 17 MPs, according to the Majlis secretariat.

Under article 101(a), “A motion expressing want of confidence in a member of the Cabinet may be moved in the People’s Majlis, under the hand of at least ten members, specifying the reasons.”

“Challenging separation of powers”

In a separate ruling, the Supreme Court also issued an injunction ordering parliament not to appoint a new member to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) pending a ruling on the legality of parliament’s dismissal of the CSC’s former chair, Mohamed Fahmy Hassan.

Fahmy had filed a case contesting the legality of his removal from the independent institution on November 20 on the grounds that he had allegedly sexual harassed a female employee.

“What is at stake is the supremacy of the parliament as the representative of the people. By its actions, the Supreme Court is challenging the separation of powers that underpins the constitutional basis of governance,” MDP MP Eva Abdulla told Minivan News yesterday.

In its stay orders, the Supreme Court referred to article 144(b) of the constitution, which states: “When deciding a constitutional matter within its jurisdiction, a court may in connection with a declaration pursuant to the article make any order that is just and equitable, including an […] suspending the declaration of invalidity (of a statute, regulation or action due to inconsistency with the Constitution) for any period and on any conditions, to allow the competent authority to correct the defect.”

Kutti NasheedMeanwhile, Independent MP for Kulhudhufushi South, Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, contended in his blog yesterday (December 12) that the Supreme Court did not have the legal or constitutional authority to issue the injunctive orders against parliament.

Moreover, the Supreme Court “does not have the power to even accept those cases,” he wrote.

Article 88(b) of the constitution states: “Unless otherwise specified in this constitution, the validity of any proceedings in the People’s Majlis shall not be questioned in any court of law.”

Nasheed argued that decisions made by parliament could not be challenged in court except in instances clearly specified in the constitution.

The purpose of article 88 was to prevent parliament’s decisions being challenged or overturned, Nasheed said, as in the absence of such a clause the Supreme Court would become a “People’s Appeal Majlis” with supremacy over the house of elected representatives.

“If every decision of the People’s Majlis is appealed at the Supreme Court in the manner that any judgement by the High Court can be appealed at the Supreme Court, then there is no difference between the People’s Majlis and the High Court,” Nasheed wrote.

This was against the separation of powers envisioned in the constitution, Nasheed said, which vested legislative powers in parliament and clearly specified instances where its decisions could be challenged at court.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Maldives without budgetary provisions to cover GMR’s US$800m compensation claim

Financial authorities in the Maldives have said no budgetary provisions presently exist to cover an estimated US$800 million in compensation being sought by Indian infrastructure group GMR after the government abruptly terminated its agreement to develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told Minivan News today that no mechanism was currently budgeted should the Maldives face a multi-million US dollar bill for evicting GMR, but stressed it was not for the company to decide on any eventual payment.

GMR has said that the proposed US$800 million claim was based on its “provisional estimates” and that the company had also taken into account the Maldives’ ability to cover such payments if compensation was awarded by the Singaporean courts overseeing arbitration.

However, Jihad today played down fears that any potential fine could prove perilous for the Maldives’ economy, as well as attempts to reduce its spiralling budget deficit, stating that any possible fines would be set by the Singaporean arbitration court hearing the dispute.

“We will deal with the matter when we know the amount of compensation to be paid,” he said. “GMR cannot decide, it will be down to the court [hearing the arbitration].”

Jihad also claimed that there had been no communication between GMR and the Maldives government over compensation as the matter was presently being dealt with through arbitration.

“There has been no communication [with GMR] over the levels of compensation,” he said.

Budget battle

With the compensation case pending, the Maldives government is this month attempting to reduce its spending as it also faces calls to cover debts from its neighbours and pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce a ballooning fiscal deficit and protect dwindling state reserves.

The Indian government last month requested that the Maldives repay US$100 million in treasury bond funds by February 2013 – a matter it claimed was not related to a diplomatic row over the airport dispute at the time. Local media has previously reported that state reserves could fall to just US$140 million (MVR2.2 billion) once the payments are settled.

It is amidst these budgetary challenges that GMR has said it was seeking up to US$800 million in compensation following the termination of its US$511 million concession agreement signed under the former government back in 2010.

“Preliminary estimate”

GMR’s chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sidharath Kapur told Minivan News today that the sum was a “preliminary estimate” based on a number of factors including investments made by the company, debt equity and loss of profits as a result of the contract termination.

Kapur added that on Tuesday (December 11) the company had communicated with Maldives Ministry of Finance by sending an official letter outlining its concerns that the contract had been “wrongfully” terminated without respect for the agreed procedures.

Speaking to the India-based Economic Times newspaper today, Government Spokesperson Masood Imad suggested GMR had been a victim of failing to perform proper due diligence before signing a contract with the former government – which was ousted following a police and military mutiny in February 2012.

A particular point of contention for GMR during the contract’s lifetime was an Airport Development Charge (ADC) – a US$25 fee for outgoing passengers stipulated in the concession agreement – which was blocked by the then-opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) in the Civil Court on the grounds that it was a tax not authorised by parliament.

Former President Nasheed’s administration chose to honour the original contract, and instructed GMR to deduct the ADC revenues from the concession fees due the government, while it sought to appeal the Civil Court ruling.

However, the Nasheed government fell in February 2012 and the opposition inherited the result of its court victory, receiving a succession of bills from the airport developer throughout 2012, despite the government’s insistence that the January 5 letter from MACL outlining the arrangement was no longer valid.

Government spokesperson Imad alleged that the ADC dispute has resulted from a lack of transparency by the former administration. “We feel the former government should have been transparent with GMR on the ADC issue,” he was quoted as telling the Economic Times today.

However, Kapur rejected the governments’ claims, stressing that its tender agreement to develop INIA had been overseen by legal and financial experts including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank entity, as well as the certified approval from the former Attorney General Ahmed Ali Sawad.

“The IFC had clearly said that there are no further approvals required for the ADC. We were in compliance with all laws and all approvals had been taken as backed by the then attorney general of the Maldives,” he said. “Beyond that, what further due diligence could we do? Any international bidder would have taken comfort in that level of due diligence.”

With GMR’s calls for compensation currently being heard by the Singaporean judiciary, Kapur said the company believed there was a high probability it would be awarded financial remuneration to be paid by the Maldivian government.

Pointing to the verdict given by the Supreme Court in Singapore earlier this month, Kapur said that in allowing the Maldives government to expropriate the airport, the provision of compensation was required to be given to the company.

“What the appellate court has said is that appropriate compensation must be paid.  [The Maldives government] have the right to do as they wish as long as compensation is paid, this is binding on the Maldivian government,” he said.

While expecting a favourable outcome in its calls for compensation, Kapur added that the company was aware of the Maldives’ present financial vulnerabilities as well as its ability to cover any such payments.

“The possibility of getting compensation is high, but [the Maldives government’s] ability to pay is unknown,” he said.

Kapur added that in other international tribunal cases such as this, there were a number of methods that a court can use to ensure compensation is implemented. However, he said it was still too early to speculate on what form these methods may take in the case of the INIA dispute.

“Specific mechanisms”

Meanwhile, in a letter sent to the Maldives’ Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Andrew Harrison, CEO of the GMR Male International Airport Limited (GMIAL) that ran INIA under the agreement, reiterated the company’s argument that there had been “specific mechanisms” established to terminate the contract under specified circumstances.

“There is no suggestion that any of the circumstances arose,” the letter was reported to have read, according to the Economic Times.

Harrison was also said to have claimed that despite the present government’s stand that the contract was “void ab initio” or invalid from the beginning, the government “also warranted and specifically represented that the Concession Agreement was valid, legal and binding.”

“Further, as part of the closing of the financial transaction on 28 December 2010, the then Attorney General of the Maldives rendered a formal legal opinion confirming that the Concession Agreement was lawful,” the letter was said to state.

Minivan News was trying to obtain a copy of the letter at the time of press.

Smooth takeover

Management of INIA was taken over by the state-owned  Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) on Saturday (December 8 ) after the Singaporean Supreme Court had overturned an injunction blocking the Maldivian government from voiding its concession agreement with GMR.

Both GMR and the MACL have this week praised the management handover as “going smoothly” as the government began planning for the future of INIA beyond the aborted privatisation plan. The termination of GMR’s contract officially ended the largest single foreign investment project in the country’s history.

On Tuesday (December 11), the Maldives cabinet recommended the formation of a government-owned company to run Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA)

Looking towards the future of the airport, the cabinet recommended that Male’ International Airport Ltd be formed with 100 percent government shares, while claiming full authority to operate and develop INIA through a special contract with the Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL).

Speaking to Indian media earlier this week, President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has dismissed suggestions that China urged the Maldives to push out the Indian company.

“The only significant cooperation we have with China at this time is through development assistance… like building the museum, housing projects. I don’t think India should worry about it at all,” Waheed was quoted as saying in the Hindu newspaper.

The claims were made as Maldives Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim departed to China for a five-day official visit said to be focused on securing its assistance in developing the Maldivian military.

The President had claimed that the Maldives was presently “not looking for a foreign investor” to develop the international airport, with the government announcing that it was undecided on whether any new privatisation agreement would be sought in future.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Vital climate change data “ruined” by Hanimaadhoo rubbish fires: MCOH resident scientist

Krishnakant Budhavant, Resident Scientist for the Maldives Climate Observatory – Hanimaadhoo (MCOH), has revealed that smoke from rubbish fires on the island is “ruining” vital climate change data recorded at the station.

The world-class ‘super-observatory’ in Hanimaadhoo, Haa Dhuaalu Atoll serves as a key background site for atmospheric and climate studies in South Asia.

However, the data recorded by MCOH is being corrupted “at least twice a week” by local islanders who are burning rubbish in the fire-restricted area near the observatory, Resident Scientist Budhavant has claimed.

The smoke from these fires – depending on the wind direction – drifts towards the station and interferes with the data being recorded by the observatory’s highly sensitive equipment, Budhavant told Minivan News.

“These fires are becoming a regular occurrence here, and more recently they are being lit closer to the observatory,” he said.

“We can normally expect to lose roughly two to three days worth of data per week, but in some instances the smoke is ruining our data for the entire week,” Budhavant added.

MCOH serves as a receptor site monitoring long-range transport of pollutants from the emissions regions of South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

According to Budhavant, MCOH is “the best” observation site downwind of South Asia for the study of long-range transport of air pollution.

It is jointly operated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Maldives and an international team of scientists organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP’s) Atmospheric Brown Cloud (ABC) initiative.

The observatory employs 11 local Hanimaadhoo residents.  According to co-chair of the science advisory board of the MCOH, Professor Örjan Gustafsson, the site provides important information on “imported” versus domestic air pollution, which is “helpful” to assess the air quality status throughout the Maldives.

Burning Issue

During a recent visit by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Budhavant was “promised” that something would be done to move the fires and that “necessary action” would be taken.

Hanimaadhoo Island Council President Abdul Salaan Ali explained that islanders have been asked to stop burning rubbish as the smoke from these fires often drifts towards the observatory.

Despite being designated a new area to burn biomass, Hanimaadhoo residents are yet to comply.

A rubbish fire lit within the 500 metre fire-restricted area of the observatory.

“We have made a new dumping ground for the rubbish to be burnt, but there is no road connecting it to the community yet. This is why they are still burning rubbish.

“Currently the road to the new site is blocked by trees belonging to the islanders and we [the island council] will need to compensate them for their removal,” Salaan added.

“We have asked the government for the money, but still they have not paid.”

Whilst claiming the best option would be to move biomass burning away from the vicinity of the observatory to another area of the island, Budhavant has stated that an interim option would be to have islanders burn the rubbish on certain days of the week.

“Even if they restricted burning the rubbish to certain days, it would mean that we wouldn’t collect data during the period. It would save us a lot of trouble,” Budhavana added.

Various scientific organisations from around the world have contributed to the observatory, providing it with around 29 different instruments to measure changes in the atmosphere.

“It’s difficult to know just exactly how much money is being spent on this observatory because there are several groups involved. However, I do know it is a very large amount of money, millions of US dollars,” added Budhavant.

He claimed that through the establishment of the MCOH, the Government of Maldives had gained global recognition for scientific collaboration, while the wider scientific community was given an opportunity to study regional climate using the long-term data measured at the site.

“There is now collaboration between UNEP-ABC and the EPA to increase the use of MCOH data for national air quality assessment as well as using MCOH as a local resource centre for science education,” added Budhavant.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Environment and Energy told Minivan News this week that issue of biomass burning “had come to our attention and we are working to resolve it”.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

STELCO takes Male’ City Council to court over ‘permit conflict’

The State Electric Company (STELCO) has filed a case with the Civil Court requesting it invalidate Male City Council’s (MCC’s) decision to disallow issuing permits to the company.

In a statement released Wednesday (December 12), the state electricity provider stated that the lawsuit was filed because the MCC had blocked the company from providing some of its services, resulting in disruption for customers in the capital.

The disallowed permits are needed to provide electrical services to properties around the capital.

STELCO argued that MCC’s decision lacked any legal grounds and it therefore requested the court to decide if the decision was valid or not. It also requested the court invalidate a letter sent to STELCO by the MCC informing it of the decision, so that it could resume its services.

Speaking to Minivan News following the lawsuit being filed, MCC member Ibrahim Shujau said that the council had not yet been officially informed of the case and had only been made aware of the matter through media reports.

Shujau claimed that STELCO was releasing statements that were misleading and did not convey what had really happened.

“The Housing Ministry informed us to stop providing permits stating that the Ministry itself would carry out the issuing of permits. We told them under the Decentralization Act, it was our responsibility in giving the services. But they gave a deaf ear to our concerns,” He explained.

The Male’ City Councillor also alleged that STELCO was carrying out its operations in breach of national laws, therefore, the MCC had on numerous occasions advised them not to disregard these laws.

However, Shujau said that STELCO’s failure in heeding its request had meant that the council had to halt services provided to the state electricity provider.  He added that the MCC would only resume providing permits if the state electricity provider came back within “the boundaries of law”.

Shujau alleged that Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muizz had been responsible for the dispute in an attempt to defame members currently serving in the MCC ahead of the next local council elections.

“I would not let [Housing Minister Muizz] fail the city council, I would fight against it, even single handedly if required to,” said Shujau.

Managing Director of STELCO, Dr Mohamed Zaid was not responding to calls at time of press.

The dispute

The Row between STELCO and the MCC escalated this week after the state-owned company held a press conference on December 10 to express concern over the council’s decision to disallow issuing permits to them.

At the press conference, STELCO Deputy Managing Director Mohamed Latheef said that the company had been informed by the MCC that it was to temporarily cease providing services such as digging up roads in the capital as of December 5.

According to Latheef, the dispute began when STELCO started providing electricity to several locations in Male’ without the permission of the city council. He argued that properties in concern had been previously taken from the city council by the Housing Ministry.

“As the nature of the services provided by this company are such that we require the assistance and cooperation of the municipal service provider of the state, and because Male’ City Council has currently ceased providing its services, the subsequent result is that the company is now unable to provide certain public services,” he said.  ”Some of the services that require the permission of the city council include digging street sides, laying cables and certain tasks that require the roads to be closed off.”

Latheef claimed the company had held several discussions with the council, the most recent of which took place Sunday (December 9).  However, the MCC was said to have remained unwilling to reverse their decision.

STELCO Engineer Ibrahim Naashid in the same press conference said that the state-owned company was receiving about 15 requests per day to connect electricity, but was unable to do so as a result of the city council’s decision earlier this month.

“On an average, we were unable to provide electricity service to 15 parties in the last three to four days. However, not all premises require the digging of roads to provide electricity cables, so we have provided electricity to some premises through our distribution box that have been previously installed. But if digging the road is required to provide the service, it is impossible to give the service now,” he told the press.

Naashid explained that the company was required to obtain a permit from the city council to lay cable even in an emergency power outage, resulting in huge difficulties for the company in the present situation.

“Earlier, it is possible for us not to immediately get a permit from the city council in an odd time like midnight hours, but we do inform their supervisors and those responsible in maintaining the roads. If it’s a difficult time like midnight hours, we carry out the work and inform them the next day,” he explained.

However, Naashid affirmed that the company would still carry out its work in providing their service to the people in case of emergencies regardless of the views that the city council may hold.

Male’ City Council’s response

In a response to STELCO’s claims, the MCC in a letter seen by local media warned the state-owned electricity provider that it would take “harsh” action if any service was provided to the “people” without its permission.

The city council said STELCO was failing to abide by laws and regulations, as well ignoring two different letters sent to the company advising it to comply with such requests.  The MCC stated that it had not received any response to its letters.

The letter signed by Deputy Mayor Shamah Rasheed and addressed to Managing Director of STELCO Dr Mohamed Zaid stated that it was the responsibility of the MCC to enter into agreements with parties and carry out business transactions.  The MCC said such transactions were to be carried out in accordance with policies set by government authorities that outline the provision of basic services such as water, electricity and sewerage services to the people as stipulated under the Decentralization Act.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Juvenile Court acquits two suspects arrested over Ahusan Basheer murder

The Juvenile Court has today ruled that two minors charged in connection with the murder of 21-year-old Ahusan Basheer are innocent, claiming the state had failed to produce enough evidence to prove their guilt.

A Juvenile Court Spokesperson today told Minivan News that the state produced five witnesses to the court against the accused.

‘’The five of them said they were not sure if the two minors accused were there at the scene of the incident,’’ the spokesperson said.  According to the Juvenile Court, the two minors presented were identified as a male and a female, though further identification could not be given for legal reasons.

‘’The state attorney told the Juvenile Court that the statement made by the witnesses conflicted with the statement they had previously gave to the police,’’ the Juvenile Court spokesperson said.  The court added that no other forensic or digital evidence had been produced by the prosecution.

Ahusan Basheer was stabbed to death on March 17 near his house. Police at the time identified Ibrahim Shahum and Ibrahim Shimaz as the main suspects in its investigation.

Their cases are proceeding in the Criminal Court, which has yet to reach a verdict.

Other attacks

Prior to the attack on Basheer, another 21-year-old male called Abdul Muheeth was also killed in Male’ after being stabbed on February 19.

In addition to these murders, a 16-year-old boy named Mohamed Arham was also found dead with multiple stab wounds on May 30, while controversial blogger and journalist Hilath Rasheed made a miraculous recovery from an attack in which his throat was slit by as yet unidentified assailants.

This year alone, several more victims – including expatriates – have been brutally injured or killed in what are suspected to have been gang-related attacks.

The spate of stabbings and murders have provoked pressures from the public to impose stricter punishments to the perpetrators. Families of the victims have both in court and through public platforms called for justice and the death penalty to be implemented to curb the increasing gang violence.

Though the Islamic Sharia and the penal code states death penalty as a punishment, it has not been executed for decades. Death penalty sentences are traditionally changed to life imprisonment at behest of the president.

The government has meanwhile said it will not hesitate to implement death sentences if the parliament approves it.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

“Father unlikely to run for re-election”: Dhunya Maumoon

Dhunya Maumoon, daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom , has said that it is unlikely her father will contest in the upcoming 2013 presidential election.

Speaking to local newspaper Haveeru yesterday, Dhunya said she believed only two candidates would be contesting in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primaries.

She claimed the two candidates would be the PPM’s Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer and its Parliamentary Group Leader – and half brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – MP Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

“Hasn’t Umar [Naseer] said that it is him and Yameen who will be competing in the primaries? That is how things are currently being seen. But it is [Gayoom’s] own decision if he wishes to compete,” Dhunya told Haveeru.

Naseer this week announced his intention to stand in the upcoming party primaries at a time when former President Gayoom, the current interim PPM leader, also hinted at the possibility of his running for re-election.

“I would definitely back Gayoom if he is to contest the elections. He is our ‘ace of spades’. You cannot say that the ace of spades is not the ace of spades,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gayoom told Indian newspaper The Hindu Tuesday (December 11) that he may consider contesting in the next presidential election, which is presently expected to be held in August or September next year.

“Things change very frequently. So I am keeping my options open,” Gayoom was quoted as saying.

“[If I run] it won’t be out of my choice, if ever, it will be out of compulsion. Because I feel I have served the country for 30 years and I feel it is up to other people [now].” he added.

Although unclear of his intention to run for top office, Gayoom announced that he would be contesting for his party’s presidency during a press conference held today (December 13). Gayoom was elected interim leader during the party’s inaugural convention in October 2011.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President appoints Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla as Acting Minister of Health

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Health.

Samad was appointed the position by the President pending the return of Minister of Health Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, who is on an official visit abroad.

Samad’s latest appointment follows on from Minister of Environment and Energy Dr Mariyam Shakeela last month being given a dual cabinet role as Acting Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights.

Dr Shakeela has previously told Minivan News that she was confident of being able to effectively perform her duties for both ministries.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)