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Red Snappers snatch victory 1-0 in Kathmandu

The Maldives’ national football team’s victory over host nation Nepal in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup prompted a congralutory call from President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan last night.

Coach Istvan Urbanyi’s side’s 1-0 win over an opponent ranked twenty-one places above them in the FIFA world rankings prompted the President to call the team praising their “courageous performance”.

In response to charges that the team had been fortunate to escape with the win, the Hungarian coach said, “I don’t even want to mention luck”.

“This was a very competitive match between two very good sides and we saw a very good game. Both teams worked hard and the crowd, although they were against us, was fantastic” said Urbanyi.

Mohamed Rashid’s second half goal came against the run of play after intense pressure from the home side. Maldives’ goalkeeper Imran Mohammed produced an impressive double save as well as being spared when Nepal struck the crossbar.

Some shaky defending was compensated for by good counter-attacking play, producing the single goal that proved to be the difference between the sides.

In his phone call, President Waheed urged the players to redouble their efforts in the upcoming match with Palestine, ranked fourteen places above the Maldives, on Wednesday March 12.

The victory over Nepal revives hopes of qualification from Group A after the team’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of Turkmenistan last week. A win against the Palestinians would see the Maldives qualify for the semi-finals, to be played on March 16.

At the semi-final stage, however, the Maldives would likely be faced with India or North Korea, arguably the two strongest teams in the tournament. The North Koreans qualified for the last FIFA World Cup, putting up a particularly impressive display in a narrow defeat against Brazil. They are also the current holders of the AFC Challenge Cup.

The winners of the tournament automatically qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup to be held in Australia.

Some fans of the Red Snappers celebrated the victory via Twitter. “There is no[thing] better [than] to beat your opponent in their home ground”, said one proud supporter. Another described the victory as “stupendous”.

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Police officer and family attacked in Gemanafushi

A group of two men have attacked a police officer and his two brothers on the island of Gemanafushi in Gaafu Alifu Atoll.

According to police, last night at about 7:00pm two men attacked the police officer after he tried to stop the motorbike they were riding, allegedly because he was riding too fast and the islanders had complained about it.

Police said the two men assaulted the police officer and fled, and an hour later stabbed the officer’s younger brother in the head and another of his brothers in the stomach.

The victim stabbed in the head was 19 years-old and the other was 24 years-old, according to police.

Police said three persons have been arrested in connection with the case.

Gemanafushi Island Council President Asim Mohamed told Minivan News that the police officer tried to stop two persons that were speeding on a motorbike.

‘’They attacked the police officer when he stopped them and islanders gathered to the area and controlled the fight,’’ Asim said. ‘’Later the police officer’s brothers went to confront the persons that attacked the police officer, that’s when they were injured.’’

He said he did not know whether the attack on police officer was politically motivated.

‘’But they both are Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters,’’ he claimed.

Asim said the victim stabbed in the stomach was in a serious condition and that his appendix had to be removed.

There has been a growing animosity between security forces and MDP supporters, following the role of the police in the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7. Tensions escalated last week after a raid on the MDP protest camp near the tsunami monument memorial, in which several MDP supporters were injured. One supporter was taken to hospital after he was discovered injured amid the rocks that make up Male’s eastern sea wall.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam claimed the attack on Gemanafushi occurred due to “continued support and encouragement from political figures to attack police.”

Police are investigating the incident.

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Country is sailing back towards democracy, claims President Waheed

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan yesterday afternoon stated that the country had changed for the better after having “deviated” from the road to democracy in the past three years.

A press release on the President’s Office website quoted the President as having told the people of Maaun’goodhoo, an island in Shaviyani Atoll, that his government aimed to respect the values of Islam and uphold the rule of law as envisioned in the country’s 2008 constitution.

The statement continued to promise that the President was “chartering a right course to sail our nation’s ship to a safe harbour.”

In a more conciliatory tone, he pleaded with all parties to work together to achieve these ideals.

The visit to Maaun’goodhoo is part of the President’s tour of North Miladhummadulu Atoll during which he will visit eight islands in total.

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Shaviyani Milandhoo MP alleges Dr Waheed carried PPM’s agenda to islands

MP for Shaviyani atoll Milandhoo constituency, Ali Riza, has alleged that President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s recent trip to eight islands of Shaviyani Atoll was a trip not to meet the people but merely carried the “agenda” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s party Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) for the next presidential elections.

“Waheed, knowingly or unknowingly, is carrying out PPM’s mandate for the next presidential elections,” alleged Riza.

Riza stated that around 200 to 300 hundred police had been deployed in the islands during Waheed’s tour.

“For instance, Feevah in Shaviyani Atoll has a population of around 960 people and were 200 police officers deployed there. Some of them came with Waheed while others had been already sent prior to the visit,” Riza said.

Riza said that police had blocked the protesters while the president was on the islands, claiming they had “caged the protesters” during Waheed’s visit.

Riza also claimed that police had entered one of the houses in Feevah without a court warrant where the protesters had been protesting, and tried to “tape” a protester.

He also said that one of the protesters was hand cuffed when the protests began to heat up, however Dr Waheed’s Press Secretary Massood Imad denied the allegation.

MP Riza questioned why the president during his visit to the atoll did not visit the island of Milandhoo, which is the island with the highest population in the atoll and a stronghold support base of former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

“Waheed roamed throughout the atoll but why didn’t he visit Milandhoo, the largest populated island?” questioned Riza.

“It is clear that because he did not visited Milandhoo that this was a political trip to see how much support he has. I think this trip is to get better pictures of him. The pictures that went out to the media during his visit to Addu were not very pleasant so this might be an attempt to show off his popularity,” suggested Riza.

Riza also alleged that Waheed was not actually running the government, and was acting “like a puppet” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.

“Waheed is just the face of this government. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is running the government the way he wishes,” Riza alleged.

Riza also denied Waheed’s claims that former president Nasheed had done little to fulfil his presidential pledges in the atoll.

“Nasheed during his tenure provided the island of Funadhoo with a 250 KW generator to resolve the electricity failures that the island was facing. The renovation of Funadhoo harbour was started during his term. The sewerage system had been completed.”

“Harbour developments in Noomaraa, Narudhoo and Komandoo have been initiated and some of them were handed over to Works Corporation while the others have been contracted,” Riza said

However, Press Secretary Imad brushed off the allegations saying that President Waheed’s visit was solely to observe the development projects going on in the islands.

Imad admitted there were protesters but said the government welcomed their protests.

“There were protesters, and we do welcome peaceful protests. There was no issue about it,” he said.

“I think they were the same people going to all the islands to protests. I saw the similar faces in different islands,” he claimed.

Imad also gave the justification for not visiting the island of Milandhoo, stating that the government had time constraints. “We were on a very busy and tight schedule. We couldn’t visit Milandhoo because of that and not for a political reason.”

However, Imad reiterated that president Waheed would visit Milandhoo “very soo”n.

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President Waheed concludes trip to eight islands of Shavyani Atoll

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has concluded a trip to visit the islands of Shavyani Atoll today. Waheed visited eight islands of the atoll, including Feevah, Foakaidoo, Funadhoo, Narudhoo, Maroshi, Lhaimagu, Maa’ungoodhoo and the island of Kommandoo.

Minivan News understands that groups of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesters met Dr Waheed at all islands apart Foakaidhoo.

During his visits to the islands, the new president checked on the ongoing development projects in the islands and met with the people. President Waheed began his tour from the island Feevah, last Thursday.

During his visit to Feevah, Waheed reaffirmed to the islanders his commitment to take all necessary measures “to protect and safeguard the people”.

Speaking to the people of Foakaidoo, Waheed said that he would work to restore calm and peace in the country. Waheed also said that he assumed office to bring the much needed political stability and progress to the country.

He also announced that his government would establish a new ministry addressing issues related to women, children and human rights, and acknowledged that a number of women were unpaid for their work in cleaning or the general upkeep of their islands. He promised his government would pay all the wages owed to such women.

Waheed in during his visit to the island of Funadhoo inaugurated the Funadhoo Powerhouse Development Project by laying the foundation for the extension of the powerhouse.

On Narudhoo, he urged school principals, supervisors and teachers to refrain from politicising the education system, and appealed to them stay away from getting caught up in politics.

In his address to the people of Maroshi, Waheed called on the people of the Maldives,to have faith and respect for the state institutions, in order for the country to maintain its nationhood.

He also claimed that there was “a small minority” who did not accept the judiciary, the armed forces, the police, or the leaders of the country, and that they were “only trying to create division and disorder among the people.”

Waheed in his meetings with the islanders on Lhaimagu, assured that his administration would treat all citizens equally, as opposed to the policy of the previous government.

He said that his government includes all major political parties and that this government was a national unity government. He also expressed regret that former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chose not to be part of the unity government which had the backing of majority of the people. Instead of joining the government, he said, former President Nasheed was trying to “come back to power through force”

While addressing the people of Kommandoo, Waheed said that he would “remain steadfast in fulfilling the responsibilities under the Constitution and under the mandate given by people’s votes”.

President Waheed concluded his trip after visiting the island of Maaun’goodhoo. Speaking to the people of Maaun’goodhoo, he said that today we are all under the shade of our dignified red, green and white flag, putting forth a front of unity for the future of our country, regardless of the political parties we belong to.

During this visits, supporters of former president Mohamed Nasheed had protested against Waheed and claimed that his government came to power and called for an early elections. However, speaking to Minivan News, Press Secretary of the President’s Office, Masood Imad said that there were “very few” protesters, who were “not an issue” for President Waheed.

President Mohamed Waheen Hassan arrives on Komandoo:

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Chinese arrivals to Maldives drop but rates hold: TTG Asia

The political shake-up in the Maldives has affected Chinese arrivals – now its biggest source – and triggered concerns in its traditional Europe and Japan markets, but rates appear to be holding, reports Mimi Hudoyo for TTG Asia, from ITB Berlin.

Let’s Go Maldives managing director, Mohamed Riyaz, said his company had seen 12 per cent of its Chinese bookings wiped out: “The Maldives gets between three and five charter flights from China every day, so if we lose one or two flights that means we lose quite a large volume.”

Maldives Marketing & PR Corp deputy director, Ibrahim Asim, said the China market was “quite sensitive about political issues”.

“Buyers (from other markets) at the show have also shown concern, but we have not seen a significant impact from the other markets so far,” he said. “Having said that, we are putting together plans to minimise the impact, and we expect to launch these by the end of this month.”

China is the Maldives largest market in terms of tourist arrivals, at nearly 23 percent.

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Democracy imperilled in the Maldives: OpenDemocracy

The United States and much of the international community has understandably been focused on increasingly violent conflict in Syria. However, attention also needs to be given to the Muslim people of this Asian nation and their commitment to the power of nonviolent action, writes Stephen Zunes for OpenDemocracy.

Well before the launch of the Arab Spring, the people of the Maldives, a Muslim nation located on a tropical archipelago in the Indian Ocean, were engaged in widespread nonviolent resistance against the 30-year reign of the corrupt and autocratic president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The growing civil insurrection forced the dictator to finally allow for free elections in October 2008, which he lost.

This triumph for democracy is now threatened as a result of a coup last month led by allies of the former dictator and hardline Islamists.

When the democratic opposition leader and former political prisoner Mohamed Nasheed assumed the presidency slightly over three years ago, he was faced with the difficult task of repairing the country’s damaged social fabric from decades of misrule. While luxury resorts had mushroomed on many of the Maldives’ remote islands, most of the population suffered in poverty. Indeed, Gayoom’s legacy is one of shattered communities, destitution, crime, and widespread drug abuse.

Despite their best efforts, Nasheed and his democratic allies were hampered by a court system still dominated by corrupt judges handpicked by the former dictator as well as violent protests by Islamists angered at the democratic government’s moderate social policies. Meanwhile, despite struggles at home, Nasheed took global leadership in pushing for concrete international action on climate change, through which rising sea levels threaten his nation’s very existence.

Nasheed’s increasingly bold and popular efforts against the vestiges of the Gayoom dictatorship, however, threatened powerful interests. On February 7, police and other security forces with links to the old regime, in alliance with Vice-President Mohammed Waheed, forced President Nasheed to sign a letter of resignation. Subsequent evidence leaves little doubt that Nasheed was accurate in describing it as a coup d’etat.

Much to the dismay of the pro-democracy forces, the US State Department initially recognized the sworn-in vice president as representing the legitimate government, though the Obama administration soon backed away from its recognition in the wake of a public outcry, particularly as evidence of the actual circumstances of Nasheed’s departure became apparent.

Over the past month, pro-democracy demonstrators have once again taken to the streets as they had under Gayoom’s rule. Once again, they are being met with brutal repression. In the face of growing protests, the junta has invited Nasheed and his party to join the new government as a junior partner in a coalition dominated by Waheed and supporters of the former dictatorship.

The United States has been pressuring the ousted president to accept the junta’s offer. However, Nasheed – confident that the majority of Maldivians support democracy and will return him to office – has instead called for early elections as the only means of stabilising the country.

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Protest boats blocked by coastguard

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesters were blocked by coastguard vessels on Friday from disembarking from six vessels that had circled Male’.

The boats, bedecked in yellow flags, attempted to dock at the President’s jetty near Republic Square but were blocked by the coastguard.

The protesters were calling for the resignation of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

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Women’s Day march ends in confrontation

A march to celebrate International Women’s Day ended in confrontations with police on Thursday night in Male.

After the march’s intended route past the Presidential Palace and the People’s Majlis was blocked by police barricades, a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) contingent refused to disperse.

Around 200 women staged a sit down protest outside the Majeediyya School until well into the evening, with a further 100 outside the nearby Bank of Maldives (BML) main branch.

Banners calling for the resignation of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, and banners in support of former President Mohamed Nasheed were held aloft. Over loudspeakers, the voices of protesters denounced the police for blocking what they insisted was a legal right of way.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam stated that the area around the Police Headquarters, the Presidential Palace, and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Headquarters were protected against such demonstrations.

Regulations dating from previous administrations prohibit the entry of large groups of people into the area in question, reported Shiyam. An opposition protest outside MNDF headquarters, assisted by elements of the police, led to the resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed, allegedly “under duress”.

People were able to move freely into and out of the area, from multiple locations, past solitary watchmen on the eastern sides of the security zone.

Noorban Fahmy of the MDP Women’s Wing assisted in organising the sit-down protest on the outskirts of the security zone: “We were marching in protest of violence against women and in celebration of International Women’s Day,” she said.

Fahmy insisted that this was the predominant aim of the initial march which was attended by women of all political affiliations.

Gender issues in the Maldives

Domestic violence is a well-documented issue in the Maldives. In 2010, a ground-breaking study conducted by the Ministry of Gender and Family reported that 1 in 3 women between the ages of 15-49 had suffered some form of physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.

Whilst acknowledging that these levels are relatively low by global standards, the report drew strong associations between such violence and mental, and physical (including reproductive) ill-health.

The issue of violence against women and the recent political unrest were combined earlier in the week as security forces turned high powered hoses on women who had gathered outside the President’s Palace on March 6.

The drenched women, who demonstrated within the prohibited security zone, were then forcibly removed by security personnel. No such incidents were reported on Thursday.

Thursday’s protesters were accompanied by some men “for the women’s security”, Fahmy told Minivan News. The area immediately in front of the police cordon outside of the People’s Majlis was reserved for women exclusively during the sit-down.

In order to maintain the spirit of the Women’s Day march, men were politely requested to stand back. After this part of the protest ended and the women headed back to the Raalhugandu area, some men remained to talk to the security representatives manning the cordon.

It has been reported that at this stage, around nine in the evening, students from Majeediyya School emerged to complain about the noise, arguing their right to an undisrupted education.

The disapproval of the students has been disputed by an eye witness, as has the likelihood of their presence in the building at such a late hour.

The women’s MDP supporters eventually relented, returning to the MDP camp in the Raalhugandu area at around 8:30pm after a brief demonstration outside the headquarters of Villa Television (VTV) where they chanted ‘traitor TV’ to staff members.

The VTV station is part of the Villa Group, the Maldives’ largest private company, owned by Jumhooree Party MP Gasim Ibrahim. The Jumhooree Party formed a prominent component of the December 23 coalition which lobbied for the removal of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

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