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President releases Yameen

People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdulla Yameen was released Friday afternoon from his controversial detention on the presidential retreat island of Aarah, more than a week after he was taken into ‘protective custody’.

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) spokesman Major Abdul Raheem confirmed that Yameen – former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s half-brother – had been released from custody under orders from President Nasheed.

“He was released at his house and we are no longer providing him with security,” Raheem said, adding that Yameen was never “under arrest”.

The leader of the minor opposition party, who was last week released from house arrest by the Supreme Court, had been accused by the government of corruption, bribery and treason alongside Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Gasim Ibrahim, a high-profile businessman thought to be one of the wealthiest men in the Maldives.

Deputy Speaker of the Majlis and PA Deputy leader Ahmed Nazim is also facing allegations of corruption concerning the judiciary, along with ruling party MP Mohamed Musthafa. Both were released by the criminal court last week due to the court ruling that current evidence was insufficient to warrant their detention.

The week prior to Yameen’s detention, recordings of phone conversations between the MPs implicating them in apparent corruption and vote-buying were leaked to the media, prompting both a rise in public anger against MPs and debate over the ethics of tapping personal phone calls.

After taking him into custody following violence outside his house last week, MNDF refused to present Yameen in court despite an order from the Criminal Court on July 15. Parliament’s speaker Abdulla Shahid on Wednesday suspended parliament indefinitely until the release of the MP.

Meanwhile, a coalition of opposition-aligned parties including the Jumhoree Party (JP), People’s Alliance (PA) Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) appealed to the international community to put pressure on the government to release Yameen.

The government contended that even though Yameen was being held on Aarah against his will, his detention was constitutional because of public anger towards Yameen and the risk to his safety.

Assistant Secretary to the United States Robert Blake, who visited briefly last week, suggested the President “either charge or release Mr Yameen.”

Speaking to Minivan News this morning, Yameen confirmed he had been “fully released”.

“I think [President Nasheed] finally realised concept of protective custody was ridiculous,” Yameen said, adding that he felt safe walking the streets.

“I have personal security in my house, but I can’t afford more than that,” he said, adding that he expected the police and MNDF to protect his home from further mob violence.

“[Otherwise] I’m perfectly capable of defending myself,” he said, explaining that he had “followers” who would protect him at the price of continued street violence.

Yameen said he was unsure why the government had sought to gain by detaining him, as the opposition parties were “already engaged in dialogue with the government two days before my arrest.”

“Perhaps the President thought it was the only way I would cave into his demands. Otherwise his actions are incomprehensible – he certainly hasn’t gained anything from this,” Yameen suggested. “International reception has been bad and locally very hostile.”

Yameen further added that the President’s comparison of him during a press conference last week to former President Amin Didi, who was assassinated by a mob in Male’, was “grotesque”, and that Male’ was not suffering from such a degree of public disorder.

Of his custody, Yameen described the physical conditions as “OK”, however “nobody except my wife, children and my lawyer had access to me.”

Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Leader of the major opposition party, the DRP, said last week that Yameen’s custody was the “essence” of the present deadlock as the government had “not followed due process”.

A rare press conference to be held at the President’s Residence Muleaage this morning at 10:45am was cancelled at the last minute.

The President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair was not responding to calls at time of press.

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Island growth in Maldives may counter rising sea levels: Speigel Online

The Maldives may be growing with the rising waters, say a team of six scientists studying the sediments and growth of Maldivian islands.

“We take climate change very seriously,” says Paul Kench, a geologist from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. “But in order to correctly predict the real consequences for the atolls, we first have to understand how they will actually respond to rising sea levels in the future.”

The Maldives attained their current form about 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, according to the scientists’ research. Even natural disasters like the 2004 tsunami, which killed at least 82 people in the Maldives, do not destroy the islands, Kench claims. On the contrary, the Indian Ocean tsunami even added new sediments. “We’ve measured up to 30 centimeters of growth in some places,” he says.

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Major housing and infrastructure projects announced by President Nasheed

New housing projects would begin in Thinadhoo and Kolamaafushi on Monday, President Nasheed announced during his weekly radio address. Similar projects would soon be launched in four other islands including Kulhudhuffushi, Manadhoo, Naifaru, and Feydhoo on Addu atoll.

The government was “extremely pleased” that housing projects could start outside the capital, he said. A road project would begin in Kulhudhuffushi, and several harbour projects would also be started on Monday. Road projects in Thinadhoo, Addu atoll, Fuahmulah and Laamu atoll would also begin soon.

On the Independence Day, the New National Museum, the Velaanaage complex, a new building for the Defence Ministry, and a new building for the Police would be officially opened.

President Nasheed paid tribute to former President Nasir (1968-1978) for his efforts to secure full independence for the country from Britain. The Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 until 25 July 1965.

Maldives gained full independence on 26 July 1965.

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Australians have “primitive phobia” of sharks and “19th century idea of the ocean”: Tim Winton

“We have this 19th century idea of the ocean; we still have this idea that the ocean can absorb the punishment that we dish out,” says award-winning Australian writer Tim Winton. “We think we can just keep putting a few hooks in and we’ll pull something out.”

“People have begun to understand that the great fish like tuna and the marlins and the swordfish are in massive decline … but people don’t realise that sharks are among that cohort. In fact, sharks are really more threatened than whales or dolphins,” he says.

“I’m asking people to be conscious of the kind of footprint that we leave… It’d be a sad thing to bequeath to our children an empty, acidic ocean.”

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US Assistant Secretary Blake claims political stalemate can be solved through dialogue

United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake, has urged the Maldives’ deadlocked executive and opposition-majority parliament to work “collaboratively together to end the current political impasse.”

Speaking to the Maldivian press in the American corner of the National Library after a day of meetings with government, opposition and parliamentary figures, Blake suggested it was ”time for all sides to put aside narrow partisan differences so they can resume work to serve the people, and restore confidence in the public institutions of the country.”

The former ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives claimed the current political crisis facing the Maldives “is one that is familiar to many democracies – the president represents one party while the opposition controls the parliament.”

“I told President Nasheed and [DRP leader] Mr Ahmed Thasmeen Ali that there is really only one way out – both sides must be open to dialogue and compromise. I’m very confident that both sides are capable of that,” Blake said, adding that this had been proved during the drafting of the constitution in 2007-2008.

“A continued stalemate is in no one’s interest. There is a risk of further violence and that in turn will impact tourism and aggravate the economic challenges the Maldives faces. The people really want to see their politicians work together to deal with some of the big challenges the country is facing,” he said.

Blake observed that it was also “very important” for the government to work in accordance with the rule of law, and suggesting President Nasheed either charge detained People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdulla Yameen, who has been accused of corruption and treason, or release him from his ‘protective custody’ on the Presidential Retreat at Aarah.

Blake implied he was aware of challenges facing the judiciary and noted that there were “some very important steps to be taken in the near future regarding the Supreme Court nominees and the continuation of their terms”, but said this was “just one more reason for the government to work together with the opposition.”

Meanwhile at an opposition coalition press conference earlier this week, Thasmeen and Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim announced that the opposition front was ready and willing to engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve the political deadlock.

However, said Thasmeen, the government’s actions were “worsening the situation” and the controversial detention of Yameen was not conducive to peaceful dialogue.

“As you know, leader of the People’s Alliance Abdullah Yameen is under military custody,” he said. “This is unacceptable. We are seeing that there is no rule of law in the country anymore.”

Alleging that Yameen’s detention was illegal and “outside the bounds of law”, Thasmeen added that the opposition coalition did not believe parliament sittings could be held in the absence of the Mulaku MP.

Yameen’s detention was the “essence” of the present deadlock as the government had “not followed due process”.

Gasim reiterated the opposition’s coalition desire for “a just solution” to the current political crisis and urged the government to “immediately release Abdulla Yameen” and consider the importance of allowing the People’s Alliance leader to participate in the talks.

The DRP parliamentary group leader told press that the unified parties had undertaken “broad” diplomatic efforts to inform foreign embassies, governments and international agencies of the situation in the Maldives and seek assistance and support.

“I went to Ceylon about a week ago, met embassy officials, informed them of the situation and asked for assistance,” he said, adding that the opposition coalition was working with the UN, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth.

Thasmeen claimed that the concern expressed by the international community following the recent unrest was “unprecedented”.

Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Leader Hassan Saeed is meanwhile lobbying for international support in the UK.

On the opposition coalition’s nightly protests outside the DRP office, Thasmeen said the party was forced to “mobilise our supporters” due to the dangers posed by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party activists’ “vigilante justice”.

Gasim joined the DRP leader to condemn “calls for people to be killed” and protest gatherings outside judges’ residences.

The opposition leaders also revealed that talks mediated by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa had failed.

While Speaker Abdulla Shahid yesterday announced that sittings would be canceled “indefinitely” following the MNDF refusal to escort MP Yameen to parliament this week, a statement issued by parliament today welcomes the inception of talks between the government and opposition parties.

It adds that although the coming week included national holidays on the occasion of Independence Day on July 26, the Speaker hoped political parties would be able to “establish an environment” for the parliament to function.

“After the hoped-for talks, I intend to hold a Majlis sitting on August 1, 2010,” it reads.

President Mohamed Nasheed meanwhile told press yesterday that he hoped all parties, “especially MDP and DRP,” will be able to come to the negotiating table and resolve the dispute peacefully.

Asked about MP Yameen’s continued detention, Nasheed acknowledged that “nobody could argue that for anyone to remain in custody while peace is to be achieved is the right away.”

While foreign mediators were needed in some cases, said Nasheed, most foreign parties were not prepared to “stay for the long haul” but rather desired credit for their role.

“Nothing can be solved in one sitting,” he said. “I feel that a Maldivian should be the mediator…and foreign parties could talk to the local mediator. In any case, the Commonwealth is saying they are ready, the European Union is saying they too are ready, the UN is ready, four friendly nations are saying they ready. So now I don’t know who to ask.”

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Mass circumcisions for young Zimbabwean men

80% of young Zimbabwean men will be circumcised in a plan by Population Services International and the Zimbabwe government to cut the incidence of AIDS in the country.

The intention is to operate on 1.2 million men using a ‘conveyor belt’ system that performs 10 operations an hour.

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AG Suood ‘finds’ letter from speaker of parliament requesting former AG to dissolve a case of MP Nazim

Attorney General (AG) Husnu Suood has claimed to have discovered a letter signed by the Speaker of the Parliament and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Abdulla Shahid requesting a former attorney general dissolve a case against Deputy Speaker and Deputy Leader of the People’s Alliance (PA) MP Ahmed Nazim, who has recently been charged for corruption and bribery.

Suood revealed he had the letter at a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) event at Dharubaaruge last night.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair explained that Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid was the executive secretary for the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom when he sent the letter.

“The letter was sent to the former attorney general, and Suood managed to find it in his office,” said Zuhair. “It was a case related to 500 [electricity] house meters and one other case, both related to the State Electric Company (STELCO).”

Zuhair further said that People’s Alliance party (PA) leader and MP Abdulla Yamin was the Chairman of STELCO at the time.

“The government will investigate all cases of corruption and will send the matter to the Prosecutor General’s office and present those people before the judges,” he said. “If the lower courts find them innocent, we will take it to the higher courts, to the Supreme Court and if necessary, to the international courts.”

Shahid denied the claims and said he had never sent such a letter to a former attorney general.

“I was not even in a position to send a letter to the former attorney general requesting someone’s case be dissolved,” he said. “When people make allegations like this, they should define it so the accused knows how to respond.”

Nazim did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Comment: Leaving Las Vegas

The economy is controlled by a handful of big, powerful dons who have extensive business interests in all major industries. The dons supplement their income through the illicit supply of drugs, prostitutes and other contraband. They have corrupted the institutions of state through bribery and inducements, and their violent street gangs deal with anyone who dares stand in their way.

Sound familiar? Welcome to ‘Sin City’: Las Vegas in the 1960s.

The parallels between post-war Las Vegas and today’s Maldives are stark. We may not have the casinos of the Nevada desert town but we have plenty of our own vices: street gangs, people smugglers and the king of crime: Brown Sugar.

In recent weeks, it has become clear that many of our own state institutions have also been corrupted by powerful businessmen who made their illicit fortunes under Gayoom’s iron-fisted autocracy.

For ordinary folk, Gayoom’s reign often spelled poverty, misery and torture but for a cunning few, close to the dictator. Vast personal fortunes could be made through lucrative oil contracts, drug dealing and racketeering. The friends and family of the former President were effectively above the law.

Things started to go wrong for the dons, though, in 2008, when a new sheriff rode into town. President Nasheed vowed to clean up corruption and cronyism and sell off rotten state assets to private corporations, threatening the dons’ control over the economy.

The criminal king-pins are fighting back. Secret telephone recordings, aired in the media earlier this month, strongly suggest that a handful of powerful MPs, who made their fortunes under Gayoom, have woven a web of corruption around the People’s Majlis and the so-called independent Commissions in order to protect their vast personal wealth.

The police have arrested MPs Ahmed Nazim, Abdulla Yameen and Gasim Ibrahim for allegedly bribing fellow MPs, such as Kutti ‘I need some cash’ Nasheed, to vote against government bills that threaten the dons’ interests. Now the judges, who were appointed by and owe their loyalties to Gayoom, have freed the powerful MPs and barred police lawyers from court.

President Nasheed is engaged in a bitter fight to try and clean up corruption and stamp out organised crime but has few allies outside his own party.

Las Vegas’ history may, though, provide him with hope. In the 1980s, huge corporations moved into town. They bought up the mobster’s gambling dens and replaced them with glittering skyscraper mega-casinos.

The Las Vegas mafia fought tooth a nail to protect their empires – corrupting policemen, bribing judges and murdering opponents to keep the corporations out. They spun a propaganda war, warning that Las Vegas would lose its ‘soul’ if faceless companies took over.

But in the end, the corporations won. Today’s Las Vegas is hardly a testament to moral purity. But the gangsters have been forced out of town and the corruption, drug dealing and the criminal gangs have largely gone with them.

Whether the Maldives’ will win its fight against the mafia remains to be seen. The $400 million upgrade of Male’ International Airport by GMR & Malaysia Airports bodes well – not only will it boost the economy, it will also stamp out a dodgy airline fuel racket allegedly run by companies close to powerful MPs.

The future of the country, and its democracy, hangs in the balance. Will the mafia win out? Or will President Nasheed finally force them into leaving Las Vegas?

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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MDP calls for disciplinary action against “elements within police”

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the mistreatment of minors arrested by police in their ongoing special operation to curb unrest and violence in the capital.

A press release issued by the party yesterday states that the party received numerous complaints from parents and members of the public alleging that the boys taken into custody were not fed for over 12 hours, blindfolded and beaten, and had their hair forcibly shaved off.

The statement expresses concern that the unlawful actions of “elements within the police” could undermine growing public support and approval won by the Maldives Police Service for its successes in combating crime and drug abuse.

The party called on the Police Integrity Commission to investigate the complaints and take “immediate action” against the police officers accused of custodial beatings.

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