President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik is visiting Addu City and Fuvammulah, reports Haveeru.
Residents of Addu and Hulhumeedhoo “warmly welcomed” President Waheed on arrival, said Haveeru’s correspondent Ahmed Adhshan. “Around 70 opposition members” were also called for his immediate resignation.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed visited Addu City last week.
Minivan News recently reported that Addu, the second-largest population centre in the Maldives after Male and – electorally – a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) stronghold – was facing a violent social divide driven by political uncertainty.
Police, court buildings, vehicles and a police training centre were destroyed on February 8 in the aftermath of a brutal police crackdown on protesters in Male’. Many supporters of the MDP were subsequently taken into custody, prompting a delegation from the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).
Dr Waheed will address residents of the atoll this evening, reports Haveeru.
Hundreds of women marched across the Maldives’ capital Male’ in support of deposed President Mohamed Nasheed, before joining the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally near the tsunami monument in its call for early elections.
Meanwhile just several hundred metres up the road at the artificial beach, thousands more pro-government supporters showed up to demonstrate their support for President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.
Artificial Beach and Tsunami monument – both key venues for political gatherings – are situated on Boduthakurufaanu Magu [eastern coast of Male’].
Both rallies began at 4:00pm on Male’s and proceeded peacefully with speeches from key members, while the MDP women’s march, “Women’s rally for justice” kicked off from the Social Centre of the other side of the city at 4.30pm.
Minivan News observed many people walking between both rallies and taking pictures, as the sounds of both crowds overlapped. Only a few policemen were seen maintaining the traffic and security.
Though specific numbers on each side were difficult to ascertain, at its beginning the pro-government crowd waving national flags and banners seemed larger with around 5000 supporters – while the MDP rally slowly grew and eventually dominated as more marchers in yellow joined the rally, raising the numbers to perhaps 8,000 at the peak of the demonstrations.
At the time of press, both rallies continued.
“Maldivian women will bring down Tyrant Waheed”
Women's ready for march at Social Center
Maldivian women of all ages, dressed mostly in yellow and waved yellow flags and banners bearing slogans including – “Where is my vote?”, “We demand Justice”, “Say no to Waheed”, “We demand a date for election” and “Let Democracy rule” – marched from main road, Majeedhee Magu and took couple of careful turns to reach the MDP rally without a confrontation with pro-government supporters near Artificial Beach.
In the front row, former MDP Chairperson Mariya Ahmed Didi, former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed and former Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa led the female Marchers that stretched nearly 20 meters.
Dozens of men also joined the march, while several others followed the march on motor bikes and cars, as eager onlookers watched and took pictures from the buildings.
Throughout the walk, the women chanted: “Tyrant Waheed, Resign” – a reference to the accusations that Waheed, then- Vice President was complicit in what MDP calls a bloodless coup to force his predecessor, Nasheed out of office.
Speaking to Minivan News, a 34 year old mother of three who came to Male’ from Addu to join the march said that “I did not vote for Waheed, I voted for Anni [Nasheed].”
“We, the women, will show Waheed that he can’t play with our country. Tyrant Waheed has no right to depose the president we voted for,” the woman added, holding a banner that said “We want an elected leader”.
As the female marchers arrived at the tsunami monument they were welcomed fervently by Nasheed and his supporters.
MDP rally near Tsunami monument
Addressing the crowd on the mounted podium, Mariya called out emphatically that “Maldivian women will bring down Tyrant Waheed”.
“The only woman who will stand with Waheed is Ilham [Waheed’s wife and first lady],” she further claimed.
Referring to the brutal crackdown of MDP’s peaceful March on February 8, where women and old were seen beaten by the police, Mariya warned : “Now come with your shields to beat us. But, remember, if you hit even one woman, that is represents a strike on all Maldivian women.”
Nasheed also made a brief speech in which he praised the strength of the women who joined the rally and called out, “Congratulations, Maldivian Women!”
Nasheed further stressed, “Maldivian people want an elected leader, people want early elections”.
“Allah’s will”
Aerial shot of the pro government rally
At the protest at the artificial beach up the road, men and women were segregated and gathered to hear Dr Waheed give his first open air speech at a political demonstration as President.
Dr Waheed made an emphatic speech in which he claimed the “people inflicting chaos are real traitors and enemies of the nation”.
“We will not let anyone inflict unrest and violence. Anyone who loves this nation will not torch public property. We will defend this nation with the last drop of our blood. We are not scared to die for this cause,” Waheed said. “Be strong. We will not back down an inch.”
Reiterating that the change of power was not a coup, Waheed claimed, “Today this change has happened because it is the will of Allah to protect Islam and peace of this nation”.
He added that it was every government’s responsibility to provide education and housing for its people, and said he would fulfill those responsibilities.
Surprised observers noted that Dr Waheed, normally of a calm and softly spoken demeanor, spoke loudly and emphatically with a touch of anger.
Meanwhile,in an audio recording broadcast at the rally, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom pledged that the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) would cooperate with Waheed, and congratulated the MDP for joining the all party talks.
“The day the Maldives embraced Islam is the most important day in the history of our country. History proves the introduction of any other religion in this nation could endanger our sovereignty,” Gayoom added.
Further, several speakers from various religious and political parties in Dr Waheed’s national unity government exhibited their support for coalition government and refusal to hold early elections. The crowds waving national flags and banners bearing slogans including “Maldivians in defense of Islam”, “Maldivians united against corruption”, “Support Dr Waheed for peace and Islam” and “No early elections” hailed “Long live Waheed”.
Head of the Virgin empire, multi-billionaire Sir Richard Branson, has called on President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan to “do the right thing” and hold free and fair elections before the end of the year.
In an open letter to Dr Waheed, addressed to the “interim” President, Branson recollected his recent meeting with the former Vice President, who he said had told him about about the need for a truth and reconcilliation commission “to examine past misdeeds and the people who perpetuated them”.
It was, Branson wrote to Dr Waheed, “completely astounding that you have been part of an overthrow of a democratically elected government that has effectively let the old regime back into power.”
“Knowing you, I would assume that you were given no choice and that it was through threats that you have ended up in this position,” Branson said. “I do very much hope that was the case rather than you doing it of your own free will.”
The three day event brought together big names in business, climate science, film and renewable energy to come up with ways to address climate change.
Other attendees included actress Daryl Hannah, star of films including ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘Splash’; Ed Norton, star of films including ‘Fight Club’ and ‘American History X’; Tim Smit, founder of the Eden Project; then President Mohamed Nasheed; and an array of climate experts and scientists including Mark Lynas and Mike Mason.
Branson’s letter follows the Commonwealth’s temporary suspension of the Maldives from its democracy and human rights arm – the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) – and its call for President Waheed and former President Nasheed “to commence an immediate dialogue, without preconditions, to agree on a date for early elections, which should take place within this calendar year.”
Sir Richard Branson’s open letter to Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, “interim President of the Maldives”:
Dear Mr Waheed
It was a real pleasure meeting you and your delightful wife when I was last in the Maldives. At that time there was a democratically elected government in the Maldives, after many years where that certainly wasn’t the case and where opposition members languished in prison and were even subjected to torture.
You personally said to me that the Maldives needed a truth and reconciliation commission to examine the past misdeeds and the people who perpetuated them, and asked if I would speak with The Elders to see whether they would set one up.
Therefore, forgive me for finding it completely astounding that you have been part of an overthrow of a democratically elected government that has effectively let the old regime back into power. From knowing you, I would assume that you were given no choice and that it was through threats that you have ended up in this position.
Anyway, I do very much hope that was the case rather than you doing it of your own free will. With the world moving towards democracies, how dreadful it is to see the beautiful Maldives moving in the opposite direction.
As interim President, you are in a position to do the right thing. We beg you to make sure that there are fair and free elections held this year, as the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group have called for. I look forward to renewing our friendship after those elections.
President Dr Mohamed Waheed has appointed a new member to the Committee of National Inquiry, replacing Ahmed Mujthaba.
The commission, created to investigate the events that unfolded in the Maldives during the period from 14 January to 8 February, now includes former minister of defence and national security during President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration, Ismail Shafeeu, Dr Ibrahim Yasir, and new member Dr Ali Fawaz Shareef.
Mujthaba stepped down as he was also the convener of the all-party consultative meetings, and, according to a statement from the President’s Office, “the President believes a conflict of interest could arise in fulfilling the two functions.”
Ahmed Mujthaba was Gayoom’s former minister of tourism and the first president of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).
Shafeeu will head the commission, the President’s Office stated.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has challenged the questioned the impartiality of the commission, particularly given the involvement of former ministers under Gayoom.
“How can [the government] carry out an impartial investigation, when they themselves were involved in the actions during that time period?” said MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor earlier this week.
“This is exactly the same type of commission that was formed during Gayoom’s regime to look into the events that unfolded in Maafushi Jail in 2003, including the custodial death of Evan Naseem,” Ghafoor said.
“Look what happened to the report they published then – people questioned it, and part of it was censored. We are calling for a third party consisting of international experts to come and into look into the matter. We absolutely do not believe that this commission will be impartial in investigating the matter.”
The Commonwealth concurred with the need for international involvement, stating that it “strongly felt that there should be international participation in any investigative mechanism, as may be mutually agreed by political parties in Maldives.”
President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan told an audience at the Islamic Centre’s function room on Thursday night that peace and harmony in the Maldives “has disintegrated, while at the same time the country’s Islamic fabric has tattered over the years.”
Speaking at the function to mark the anniversary of the country’s adherence to Islam, Dr Waheed said that the Maldivian people should “give thanks and praise to the Almighty Allah for blessing the country with the eternal light of Islam.”
According to a statement on the President’s Office website, President Waheed noted the great contributions Islam has made to scientific and technological advancement.
Maldivian people are “peace loving, steadfast in their Islamic faith and of good moral conduct,” he said.
The recent change of government, which former President Mohamed Nasheed contends was a police and opposition-led coup d’état, “was not pre-planned by anyone”, the statement read.
It was, Dr Waheed said in the statement, “the religious and national duty of all citizens to strive to protect the peace and security of the country as well as work for the future.”
President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s political advisor, Dr Hassan Saeed, on Wednesday met UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alistair Burt.
According to a statement on the President’s Office website, Burt “recognised the work being done in the Maldives to resolve its internal issues, encouraging the government of Maldives to continue dialogues with all parties. Mr Burt also welcomed the establishment of the National Enquiry Commission, decreed by President Dr Mohamed Waheed.”
“Further, the Under Secretary of State reassured Dr Saeed of the UK government’s non-partisan approach to the current political situation in the Maldives, and stated their only interest was to establish facts regarding the recent transfer of power, and to ensure a stable Maldives.”
The Maldives Elections Commission (EC) has announced that the by-election for Thimarafushi constituency will be held on April 14, following the Supreme Court’s decision to remove the Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Musthafa from the post this week over a decreed debt.
According to the EC, interested candidates must submit their applications by the end of March 11 with 50 signatures from the constituency and other legal documentation.
Musthafa, from former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), lost his seat in the parliament after the apex court ruled that he was constitutionally ineligible to remain in the seat seat due to a decreed debt, which was not paid by him according to the court order.
Musthafa has vowed to contest in the by-elections saying that “only former President Mohamed Nasheed can beat me”.
Meanwhile, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s PPM party has also announced that it will contest in the by-elections.
Musthafa won the seat in 2009 elections against Gayoom’s son, Gassan Maumoon.
The Tourism Ministry has begun discussing whether to change the recently branded ‘Maldives-Always Natural‘ slogan back to the previously slogan, ‘The sunny side of life’.
The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) re-branded the 11 year-old slogan with a US$100,000 design by Thailand-based global tourism consultancy QUO Keen in October 2011, which was met with mixed reviews from the industry and the public.
Toursim Minister Ahmed Adheeb has commenced discussions with industry representatives to decide on the change, according to local news paper Haveeru.
“Even yesterday we had discussions with various persons in the industry. Most were of the view to change it (the slogan and logo). That is why we are going to discuss this further today,” Adheeb was quoted as saying.
The idea of moving back to the old brand has been put forward as it had been used for a long time and had become familiar: “It would be easier to promote a slogan and logo familiar to a lot of people. That is the why we are determining the view of relevant people from the industry,” Adheeb said.
The new branding, including the slogan and a fingerprint logo consisting of islands, corals, turtles, sharks and herons that transitions from blue to green, was met with criticisms with some people drawing comparisons to the logo of Washington-based environmental advocacy group, Ocean Conservancy.
Speaking to Minivan News, Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) Maleeh Jamal welcomed the talks on the reinstatement of old logo.
“We believe it is best for the destination to reinstate the sunny side of life logo,” Jamal observed.
He said that while the organisation was never against the rebranding, they had concerns over whether it was the right time to rebrand, whether enough research was done, or whether the ample budget required for a worldwide rebranding campaign was available. “These basic questions were not answered,” Jamal claimed.
“We noticed that the whole process was not carried out very well. Then we found out that the tourism marketing budget for this year was extremely small for running a new rebranding campaign worldwide,” he continued,“so I hope the change will happen because we need to restore the demand and maintain the occupancy and existing level of arrivals.”
Meanwhile, Simon Hawkins, who headed the 16 month rebranding process as the former Managing Director at the MMPRC, dismissed the move as “a rejection that spits on a democratic, multi-party decision” by committee compromising high stakeholders, including MATATO and Maldives Association of Tourism Industries (MATI).
“We followed a 16 month inclusive process with a cross section of all stake holders, including MATATO and MATI, and we also took the general public view also taken into consideration,” Hawkins observed.
“The reason it took over a year and half to rebrand was because the [former] President want the process to be democratic,” Hawkins added. “But today we are seeing the decisions changed.”
When asked whether the reinstatement of the old logo affect the toursim industry, Hawkins responded: “Slogans do not break or make an industry. This is a highly image sensitive business. Imagine a hotel where the room has not been changed for 12 years. I agree, ‘sunny side of life’ did well in its day. But we needed to change it for today’s market.”
President Dr Mohamed Waheed has abolished the Maldives Volunteers Corps (MVC) and its work has been reassigned to the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports.
“The Maldives Volunteers Corps was abolished because a number of its functions are performed by the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports,” the President’s Office said in a statement.
The Ministry is now overseen by Mohamed ‘Mundhu’ Shareef, spokesperson for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
The Maldives Volunteer Corps was established in 2009 under the Ministry of Human Resources, to increase the participation of youth volunteers in various national and regional level social and economic programs.
Its international branch, the International Volunteers Programme (IVP), places international volunteers in positions within the health and education sectors in the country and was established in partnership with the Salisbury-based Friends of Maldives (FOM) NGO, and coordinated by the Maldives High Commission in London.
FOM recently announced a travel advisory concerning four resorts whose owners it alleged were involved in the ousting of the Maldives’ first democratically-elected President.
“Since the first free and fair presidential elections in the Maldives in October 2008, FOM has worked on promoting social issues and other development programs, primarily in Health and Education Sectors, with the International Volunteer Programme (IVP), the Maldives Volunteer Corps (MVC) and the Maldives High Commission (London),’ FOM said in a statement on its website.
“This activity has been jeopardised due to the violent removal of the democratically-elected government on February 7, 2012. Where health workers and teachers are able to stay, without danger to their safety, they will continue to work to benefit the Maldivian people.
“Unfortunately, this situation is becoming increasingly fragile as Maldivian people have been beaten, hospitalised and imprisoned across the country, and FOM’s focus is required to revert to protecting human rights and promoting social justice until safety and democracy is restored.”
There are 28 volunteers with the IVP program based across the Maldives for the current academic year.
MVC was the program’s local counterpart with the role of taking care of the volunteers, provide their induction and orientation, and liaise with the Ministry of Education throughout the academic cycle, explained former head of MVC, Mariyam Seena.
“The IVP was designed to meet the shortfall of skilled personnel in the academic sector and if the program is shut down, then it will be the children and the schools that will suffer,” she said.
“The schools that have IVP volunteers rely on them a lot – not only with teaching the students but running English programs for the local teachers as well.
“In late 2010 MVC received close to 100 requests for volunteers from schools all over the country which shows the urgent need for British volunteers.The program is into the third year and beginning to make a huge impact on the education system, so shutting it down would be a huge injustice for Maldivian students from the islands,” she concluded.
In an email to the IVP volunteers currently working in the Maldives, FOM founder David Hardingham advised them to register with the British High Commission in Colombo, “and please leave the country if you feel you are in any danger at all.”
“Friends of Maldives are now no longer official stakeholders in the program and following the events in Male and now in Addu, we are now resorting back to our former role as a human rights NGO,” he said.
Volunteers choosing to stay were advised to “follow their instincts”, “steer clear of gatherings”, and “don’t express an interest in one side or the other.”
“Things are unlikely to improve, at least in the short term,” Hardingham wrote. “The military coup and the subsequent crackdown on the huge Male demonstration has caused a lot of concern amongst progressive Maldivians who remember the heavy-handed former dictatorship. There is a lot of pain and anger out there and if demands are not met for elections then things could spiral for the worse.”
The Maldives Volunteer Corps was inaugurated in 2009 by Dr Waheed and then-President Mohamed Nasheed.
In a statement following the inauguration, Dr Waheed “noted the importance given by the President in establishing the Volunteers Corps.”
“Further, he said that Maldivians, in all walks of life, have been known for their helpfulness and kindness to each other. Speaking in this regard, the Vice President said that purpose of the Maldives Volunteers Corps included strengthening the spirit of cooperation and solidarity among the people and to increase interest in voluntary services.”
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