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Maldivian dies in Sri Lanka after falling off from 18 storey hotel

A Maldivian man died in Sri Lanka on Wednesday night after falling off from the 18th floor of the Jaik Hilton Hotel.

Local media identified the victim as Mohamed Midhushah, 37, who traveled to the country on May 12.

According to local news website Sun Online, Sri Lankan police have decided to conduct a post mortem to find the cause of death.

The officials of the hotel said the incident took place around 3:45am in the morning.

The hotel officials also said that Midhushah had fallen into the compound area of the hotel, and that the Slave Island Police station was investigating the matter.

In an interview given to the website, Inspector Ariya Singha from the Slave Island Police station said that at the time of the incident there were nine other people in the apartment including three foreign women: one from Madagascar and two from Sri Lanka.

The inspector also said that police had found a lot of alcohol bottles in the apartment, and that the occupants had been partying when the incident occurred.

He also said that according to the suspects, the incident was believed to have happened after Midhushah went to the balcony for a smoke.

“Witnesses said Midhushah went to the balcony only with a cigarette. They had been partying until it was very late. We found bottles of alcohol inside the premises,” he said.

He also said that the people on the balcony only found out what had happened after they noticed that he was not inside the apartment, and while searching for him they saw lot of people gathered in front of the hotel where they found Midhushah lying on the ground.

Inspector Singha said that Midhushah was dead when he was taken to the hospital, and that the Colombo National Hospital had confirmed his death upon arrival to the hospital.

He further added that the case is being investigated and preparations are underway to conduct a post mortem in the presence of the deceased’s family.

According to the media, Midhushah’s family had already flown to Colombo for the post mortem.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also confirmed of a death of a Maldivian abroad but refused to reveal any further details.

Minivan News was unable to contact the family of the deceased.

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Government’s revision of import duties “doesn’t make sense”, say former economic ministers

Minister of Finance and Treasury Abdulla Jihad yesterday announced the government’s intention to revise the changes made to import duties and to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST), after arguing that these policies had failed to improve the state’s finances.

The measures, introduced under the previous government, followed consultations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over how to strengthen and stabilise the economy.

These policies included introducing a general Goods and Services Tax (GST); raising import duties on pork, tobacco, alcohol and plastic products; raising the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST) to 6 percent; and reducing import duties on certain products.

The shortfall from reduced import duties was expected to be more than compensated for by Rf 2 billion (US$129.8million) in Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST), effective since February 2011, and Rf1 billion ($US64.9 million) as general Goods and Services Tax (GST), introduced in August 2011.

Jihad yesterday explained that it was the failure of these taxes to cover lost import duties that prompted a revision of these policies.

“There hasn’t been an increase in State revenue by increasing GST after reducing duties. The GST had been increased from this year to cover the cut down on duty rates. But GST revenue does not even come close to covering it,” Jihad told Haveeru.

Amendments to the Export-Import Act were passed in the Majlis in November last year. The amendments eliminated import duties for items such as construction material, foodstuffs, agricultural equipment, medical devices, passenger vessels and goods used for tourism services.

Duties were raises for tobacco, whilst the motion to increase pork and alcohol duties – items considered haraam under Islam and therefore consumed only on the resort islands – was defeated.

T-GST, as well as GST, was raised to 6 percent in January this year. The IMF has more recently urged that T-GST be raised to 12 percent in order to expedite the government’s deficit reduction efforts.

Jihad is reported as having told Haveeru that the government will also look to increase T-GST as it works to reduce a budget deficit that is anticipated to reach 27 percent of GDP this year – Rf9.1billion (US$590million).

Last month Jihad told Minivan News that the government was seeking to reduce all non-wage expenditure by 15 percent. He also explained that a pay review board was to be convened in order to “harmonise” the pay of all government employees, although he was keen to add that wage cuts would only be considered as a last resort.

“It doesn’t make sense”

Haveeru yesterday reported that around Rf1 billion (US$64.9 million) had been lost after the reduction in import duties.

Former Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz, who presided over the previous government’s economic reforms, said that this figure was inaccurate. He argued that the import duties lost amounted to a figure closer to Rf500million (US$32.5million).

Inaz also pointed out that Jihad’s proposed policy revision went against the Maldives’ previous commitments to free trade.

“We are founding members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and members of the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). We should be increasing trade – tariffs are not the best way to do this,” said Inaz.

“GST is a more transparent system [than import duties] which also enhances opportunities for the business sector,” he added.

GST benefits companies with less initial capital as products are taxed at the point of sale rather than up front upon entry to the country.

Jihad’s assertions that the previous government’s economic reforms are failing appear not to be borne out by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) figures, the most recent of which show that the state has received Rf 418 million (US$27.1million)  and Rf 789 million (US$51.2million) in GST and TGST respectively, over the first five months of this year.

Should this revenue stream continue on a similar path, the government can be expected to receive around Rf 2.9 billion (US$188.3million) from GST and TGST. The government income from import duties over the past five years has been just over Rf 2 billion (US$129.8million).

Jihad was not responding at time of press.

Former Minister for Economic Development Mahmood Razee believed that the government was “trying to confuse the issue”.

“They are trying to create the illusion that this is the case but the calculations were confirmed and passed through the Majlis,” he said.

Failing a large reduction in the amount of goods coming into the country, Razee continued, these calculations should  still be valid. He added that he had been unable to get specific details on such figures from customs.

Both Razee and Inaz were confused as to the merit of the seemingly contradictory measures of increasing import duties whilst reducing GST.

Speaking to Minivan News separately, both said: “It doesn’t make sense.”

Inaz last night Tweeted: “Rationalising state expenditure and increasing revenue from tax is the only way forward”.

“We need political agreement to reduce expenditure in order to achieve maintainable economic stability,” he told Minivan News today.

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President launches Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan on Wednesday officially launched the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Baa Atoll Conservation Fund at a special ceremony held in Eydhafushi.

The President, in his speech, appealed for support from everyone in protecting the environment.

“Discussions about the biosphere came in August 2009 when I was still the Vice President. I advised that this should be done with suggestions from the people of Baa Atoll,” said the President.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Environment and Energy Dr Mariyam Shakeela remarked that Baa Atoll obtaining the status of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was a source of national pride to Maldivians. She said that the Biosphere Reserve is a Maldivian contribution to the global effort to conserve the environment.

In the ceremony, Azusa Kubota from UNDP handed over a cheque for US$250,000 as a contribution to the fund, on behalf of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Treasur,y Ismail Shafeeq, also handed over a cheque for US$50,000 dollars to the fund.

The Baa Atoll Conservation fund will be used to finance projects to conserve the environment in Baa Atoll as well support livelihood activities. The fund is a collaborative effort between the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

In her speech, Azusha Kubota said the Conservation fund is the first of its kind in the country and marked an important milestone for the people of the Maldives.

Tourist resorts in Baa Atoll, including Soneva Fushi, Coco Palm, Four Seasons and Anantara and several other resorts have pledged to donate to the fund.

On his trip to Baa Atoll, the President also officially opened the Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve Office, which will manage and develop the reserve. The office will function under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

One person from Eydhafushi was arrested following clashes between police and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters who had tried to cross into the police cordoned area. The President received a warmer welcome from supporters who lined up near the jetty further away from the MDP protesters.

Baa Atoll, which includes Hanifaru Bay, an area world-renowned for sighting whale sharks and manta rays, was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in June 2011, after more than five years of lobbying by the government.

The process which led to the declaration was supported by the Atoll Ecosystem-based Conservation (AEC) Project, led by the government with support from the UNDP and funding from the GEF. The AEC works to establish protected areas and promote economically and environmentally sustainable livelihood practices for ecosystem conservation in Baa Atoll.

The project received US$2.7 million dollars from the UNDP and US$1.3 million dollars from GEF.

World Biosphere Reserves are places where conservation, research and development successfully interconnect. They integrate biological and cultural diversity, combining core protected areas with zones where sustainable development – and innovative approaches to it – are fostered, tested and developed by locals and enterprises alike.

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Fifth suspect arrested in connection with the murder of Arham

Police have arrested a fifth person involved in the murder of 16 year-old Mohamed Arham, who was killed in ‘Lorenzo Park’ last month.

Police today said that an 18 year-old man was arrested this afternoon in connection with the case, at about 2:15pm.

No details of the man were disclosed to the media.

Recently, police arrested four men allegedly involved in the murder and said the death was related to a gang war and not political.

Deputy Head of Police Serious and Organised Crime, Dhaudh Mohamed, previously said that 16 year-old Mohamed Arham was killed in a revenge attack in an argument that night between two gangs.

Dhaudh said that the police investigation had found out that Arham had a close relationship with the gang, who were based in the park in which he was found dead. The victim had no previous criminal record, although he used to visit the park frequently, police stated.

The hearing into the murder of Abdul Mueeth ‘Bobby’, 21, was also scheduled for today at the Criminal Court but was later cancelled as the accused three men, Muhujath Ahmed Naseeh, Mohamed Maimoon and Ali Mushaf had not appointed lawyers.

According to local newspapers, at today’s hearing the judge told the state attorney that in cases of this type the accused can only respond to the charges with a lawyer.

Ali Mushaf today complained to the judge that he was restricted from basic rights such as the opportunity to make phone calls while under pre-trial detention.

On February 19, Abdul Muheeth of G. Veyru, was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after he was stabbed at 1:45am near the Finance Ministry building. He later died during treatment.

The family of Muheeth have said that he was waiting outside his house for a friend after finishing a family dinner.

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Police deny “witch-hunt” of officers who contributed to MDP ‘coup report’

Police have denied arresting or investigating any police officers who provided information to the former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for use in its recently released report, entitled “Military and Police coup”.

The report claims to cite primary sources, including police officers, who reported the “unlawful and criminal activity” of mutinying police officers in the events leading up to former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation on February 7 afternoon, in what the party alleges was a opposition-backed military coup. The report named those oficers it alleged were the key conspirators.

“We have not arrested anyone or any officers regarding the MDP’s report,” Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News, following reports that a police officer was arrested this morning.

He added, “I am not aware of any such investigation. But we have numerous ongoing internal investigation relating to several officers.”

Nasheed’s party has however claimed police are on a “witch-hunt”  against key police witnesses who provided crucial information to the investigative report, co-authored by former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam and National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal (also former Defence Minister).

According to the MDP’s Facebook page Yellow Force, an officer identified as Staff Sergeant Ahmed Naseer was arrested this morning on suspicion of aiding MDP’s investigation.

Pictures circulating over social media show Sergeant Naseer being taken to a police vehicle by two plain-clothed police officers.

Meanwhile, a copy of a court warrant dated June 13 was posted on the same page indicating that police are investigating another officer, Mohamed Hameed, for “violating police duty” and “abusing authority to provide information to help specific people gain political benefit”.

He is suspected of “assisting the compilation” of MDP’s report, which the police alleged “is misleading and has tarnished public confidence in the institution.”

According to the warrant, an email containing MDP’s draft report with amendments was sent to Hameed’s gmail account, and further messages were found suggesting that he had discussions about the report prior to its release.

Asked about the warrant and the apparent arrest, Sub-Inspector Haneef repeated that no one was arrested: “That’s all we can confirm at the moment,” he said.

Sub-Inspector Haneef however stopped short from denouncing the authenticity of the court warrant.

Evidence of  police brutality on February 7

As violence escalated in capital Male’ on the early morning of February 7, the country witnessed police and military officers siding with opposition protesters who had been calling for Nasheed’s resignation and release of Criminal court Judge Abudulla Mohamed – who was at the time detained by the military on the grounds that he was a threat to national security.

MDP’s report alleges that military intelligence had learned of Nasheed’s opponents consipiracy to topple his three-year old government by soliciting “about 500 police officers to protest at the Republic Square” and had also gathered backing from high rank military officers.

Identity of some of the leading rogue officers were revealed in the report- prompting the government to call denounce the report as an act of terrorism, alleging that the information had endangered lives of those officers and their families.

The report recounts the confrontations and provides evidence of police brutality against MDP members, with authorities arming opposition protesters with police shields, gas masks and pepper-spray canisters. It highlights recording showing police protesting in the Republican Square and attacking the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Headquarters, while President Nasheed was still inside.

Pictures included in the MDP report show former Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Hassan Mahir being kicked in the back and forced to the ground during the unrest while surrounded by police and protesters.

Senior MDP member Ahmed Shahid (husband of MDP MP Eva Abdulla) was pictured being similarly kicked by a man identified as Corporal Mohamed Niyaz (now promoted to Sergeant). His shirt was ripped off and he was beaten up by police.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Mohamed Jinah, head of police drug unit, was pictured handcuffed on a launch. He was reported to have been beaten up by rogue police officers before being taken to Dhoonidhoo Detention Centre along with several other senior officers.

A picture showing an attack on Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Manik was also included. He was struck on the head using an extendable steel baton, by a man identified as Corporal Waseem from Police Special Operations (SO).

However, to date no action has been taken against any of the officers, while both police and MNDF have refused to comment on the subject until the CNI concludes its investigation.

Neither have any independent institutions including the Human Rights Commission, Prosecutor General Office, Police Integrity Commission announced of an investigation into the criminal activities of the police during the events of February 7.

They all say, “a coup investigation is not within our mandate.”

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Finance Minister announces plans to revise import duties, GST

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has announced the government intends to revise changes made to import duties and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), reports Haveeru.

Jihad is said to have explained that the revisions to import duties, initiated by the previous administration, have “not even come close” to covering the cost of income lost after reductions to import duties.

Haveeru reports that the Rf2 billion the state had previously earned from import duties had been halved whilst the GST earnings had not made up the shortfall as anticipated.

Jihad told Haveeru that the government was continuing to engage in deficit reduction measures which will include reducing state expenditure by 15 percent whilst raising Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST).

The current budget deficit has been estimated by the Majlis Financial Committee to be 27 percent of GDP this year – Rf9.1 billion (US$590 million).

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Cabinet to merge thalassaemia services

At yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the decision was made to combine the services provided by the National Thalassaemia Centre and the Blood Transfusion Centre in a new body entitled the Maldivian Blood Services.

The government has yet to disclose further details about the proposed organisation.

Maldivians suffer the world’s highest rate of the blood disorder, with 18 percent of the population registered as carriers. The illness causes severe anaemia in sufferers and requires regular blood transfusions.

On World Thalassaemia Day, May 8, the Maldivian Thalassaemia Society (MTS) released a statement criticising the unequal treatments available to Thalassaemia sufferers who live outside of the capital, Male’, where the National Thalassaemia Centre currently provides transfusions.

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Amnesty “deeply concerned” over continued police repression of protesters

Amnesty International has called on the Maldives government to halt the use of excessive force against demonstrators, and urged the international community to continue closely monitoring the situation.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Amnesty said it “condemns the excessive use of force by police personnel and urges the Maldives government to ensure a full and impartial investigation is conducted into such attacks. “

Amnesty urged the Commonwealth and UN “to monitor the situation very closely and press the government to ensure people can fully realise their right to protest freely.”

Amnesty’s statement follows its investigation of the police crackdown on a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest against the extrajudicial dismantling of the MDP’s Usfasgandu protest site on May 29 – a crackdown which included “beatings, pepper-spraying, and arrests. Those attacked include peaceful demonstrators, members of parliament, journalists and bystanders.”

Amnesty said that despite police claims to have used “the minimum required force to dismantle the area and arrest unruly demonstrators”, “it is clear that by far the majority of demonstrators were not using violence, and any such incidents cannot be used by police as an attempt to justify the ill-treatment of bystanders and those rallying peacefully.”

“Amnesty International believes that the police response to the demonstrations on 29 May was a clear example of excessive use of force.”

Amnesty’s statement included testimony from a number of protesters, noting that the latest reports “are consistent with many other testimonies Amnesty International has gathered previously. “

“One woman protesting peacefully in Majeedee Magu Street told Amnesty International that police officers suddenly pushed into them, and hit her and other peaceful demonstrators with their riot shields. Police hit them repeatedly on their back, and then pepper-sprayed them, aiming at their face and eyes. She said that police grabbed one demonstrator by the neck, shouted at him to open his mouth, and sprayed directly into his mouth,” the human rights organisation reported.

“Police also beat bystanders who showed no signs of violence. An eyewitness saw a man sitting on a stationary motorbike taking no active part in the demonstrations. Police went for him and hit him on his head with their batons. He lost consciousness. His friends took him to a nearby house where they arranged private medical treatment for him – they did not take him to hospital straight away as they were afraid he would be arrested.”

Mana Haleem, the wife of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem, was among those detained.

“She was walking home with her female friend in Majeedee Magu Street when police stopped them and began beating them repeatedly with their batons on their arms, back and hips before taking them in a van to the police station,” Amnesty stated.

“In her testimony Mana Haleem says: ‘I asked why we were being held, but received no answer. Later, they [police] told us it was because we had not obeyed their orders. We asked them how we could have disobeyed their orders if they had not given any, but they were not interested. I have bruises on my shoulder, my back and my hip.’”

MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy was also arrested: “he said police in Dhoonidhoo told him he was arrested for ‘disrupting peace’. The next day, in court, police stated that he had been detained for ‘physically attacking a woman police officer,’” Amnesty stated.

The organisation called on countries supplying police and military equipment to the Maldives, particularly pepper-spray, to ensure that the substance was not being used to commit human rights violations.

“Any country that knowingly supplies police or military equipment to a force that uses them to commit human rights violations is itself partly responsible for those violations,” Amnesty warned.

“Amnesty International is calling on the government of Maldives to halt attacks on peaceful demonstrators including beating and pepper-spraying; bring to justice any police personnel who have used excessive force; ensure that security forces in the Maldives receive comprehensive training on what constitutes human rights violations, which they should not commit.”

In response to Amnesty International’s statement, President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza observed that “there has always been a problem with police brutality in the Maldives, during the past three years as well.”

“We recognise the need to improve, but for this we need political stability and the MDP is not providing that,” he said, noting that the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) existed to hear such complaints.

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Quran teacher stopped teaching my daughter after MDP Coup Report, says Police Asst Commissioner

A female Quran teacher has refused to teach the 10 year-old daughter of Police Assistant Commissioner Hassan Habeeb, following the publication of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s report into controversial transfer of power on February 7.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Assistant Commissioner Habeeb said that when his wife went to fetch their daughter from the Quran class, the teacher told her: ‘’We are not supporters of the coalition.’’

‘’My wife at first did not quite get what she said and asked her what she meant by that. The Quran teacher replied that she had stopped teaching the Quran to the children of police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers, as she had seen and read what they had done on February 7,’’ Habeeb said.

He said when he and his wife talked to their daughter about it, they learned that the Quran teacher had not been teaching her daughter since the release of the MDP’s report.

‘’We knew from our daughter that the Quran teacher has been talking politics in the class,’’ he added.

Habeeb said he was “very saddened” by the incident and appealed to every one not to put politics in the way of such services.

‘’I have information that some doctors have also being differentiating among people of different political views, and it is very concerning,’’ he said. ‘’If this continues, this citizens will be split into groups.’’

He said this was a serious issue and it must be attended to immediately.

‘’Police and MNDF officers do not have any political views and we treat everyone equally, so people should not take us politically,’’ he added.

Minivan News was unable to contact the Quran teacher.

However she told newspaper Haveeru that the matter was her own personal business, and that she had stopped teaching Quran to not just one child.

According to the MDP’s report, then-Chief Superintendent Hassan Habeeb (now Assistant Commissioner), Assistant Commissioner Hussein Waheed, Chief Superintendent Abdulla Fairoosh, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Saudhy, Chief Inspector Abdul Mannan Yousuf, Inspector Mohamed Dhaudh, Superintendent Ahmed ‘two four’ Mohamed, Superintendent Mohamed Jamsheed, Sub-Inspector Azeem Waheed and SO Inspector Shameem were among the senior police officers who  pledged alliance to the then-opposition and facilitated the police mutiny.

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