Author: JJ Robinson

Human rights NGOs criticise spread of “perverse thinking and ignorant practices”

A coalition of human rights NGOs have issued a statement noting “with concern and regret” that certain preachers “have recently begun to portray Islam as a religion that demeans women and children.”

“Religious sermons that portray and speak of women as people who exist simply to gratify the sexual desires of men, on earth and in paradise, fail to take into consideration the respect and honour granted to women in Islam,” the NGOs claimed.

“We believe that the message perpetuated through sermons that the purpose of achieving paradise is to engage in sexual acts forbidden on earth, and to enjoy pleasures forbidden on earth, is the work of some people to impress upon the public that Islam is a backward religion.”

The NGOs’ statement, signed by the Maldivian Detainee Network, Transparency Maldives, Rights for All, Maldives Aid, Madulu, Democracy House and Strength of Society, claimed that “all Abrahamic religions uphold the dignity and respect of all human beings, and Islam in particular provided protection and safety for women and children who were being abused in Arab societies, [that were] entrenched in the ignorance of dark ages.

“Hence, to render commonplace the perverse thinking and ignorant practices of those days in the name of Islam would be to facilitate similar ignorance and malice.”

The NGOs criticised the Ministry of Islamic Affairs “for not working in their full capacity to regulate or halt the views and acts propagated by those who endorse extreme views,” and requested that government play its “important role” in countering these types of views “propagated in the name of Islam.”

The statement comes after President Mohamed Nasheed was heavily criticised by the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party for “trying to convey irreligious views to the beloved Muslim citizens of the Maldives” during his weekly radio address.

In his address, the President noted that “a large number of young women and young men are requesting that the government obstruct and stop these things from happening.”

“We have freedom of expression; if you are unhappy with views expressed by one group, in my mind the intelligent thing to do is for another group to express the contrary view, a second opinion, or alternative views,” he said. “People can then choose the path they believe.”

However a statement from the Adhaalath party said that the president’s remarks about giving public space to views opposed to the tenets and commandments of Islam were tantamount “to a call for allowing them.”

“In this 100 per cent Islamic country, for the president to call for views opposed to Islam is something that the Adhaalath party is extremely concerned about,” the party said.

“People should only talk about Islam with full religious knowledge. Talking about religious tenets and judgments without proper knowledge is prohibited in Islam.”

The Adhaalath party called on the president to “not be swayed by those who believe irreligious philosophies or the anti-Islamic rhetoric of those opposed to Islam, and not to give opportunity for any religion other than Islam in this country.”

In his opening address to the Maldives Donor Conference 2010, President Nasheed revealed he had “often been criticised by liberal Maldivians because I refuse to censor religious groups.”

“My point is this: the ends do not justify the means,” he told the donors. “People with broader viewpoints must become more active, to create a tolerant society.”

The president revealed that a group of 32 concerned young people had recently visited him, “furious about the rise in extremism.”

“To my mind, these are just the sort of people who need to reclaim civil society, if they want to foster a more open-minded society,” Nasheed said. “Liberally-minded Maldivians must organise and reclaim civil society if they want to win this battle of ideas.”

Sheikh Abdulla Jameel told Minivan News today that when giving a sermon, “we have to tell it as it is.”

”Whether people like it or not, we can’t add or remove anything,” he said. “Nobody can change something stated in the Qur’an, and in the Qur’an it says that no one can [challenge] the orders of God or the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).”

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs declined to comment in the absence of Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, and State Minister Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, who is in the United States.

Local Islamic NGO Jamiyathul Salaf also did not respond to Minivan News’ enquiries at time of press.

Politics and religion

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) issued a statement yesterday in support of the President, condemning the Adhaalath party for “using religion as a [political] weapon”.

“For the Adhaalath party to falsely accuse the president after remaining silent when the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) obstructed and stopped a religious sermon organised by MDP last Thursday night, 25 March 2010, causing a disturbance and spilling the blood of many Maldivian citizens, casts doubt on their intentions,” the party said.

The MDP acknowledged that Article 1 of the Religious Unity Act, stating that Maldivian citizens are followers of Islam, belonging to the same sect and sharing one nationality, was “essential for protecting Maldivian independence and sovereignty and ensuring peace and security”, and that promoting religious unity among Maldivians “is obligatory upon both the government and the people.”

Regarding the President’s comments in his radio address and speech at the donor conference, “the party believes that [the president’s] intention was to share some people’s opinions with the public and give an opportunity for religious scholars to clarify the issue.”

Instead of addressing the opinions expressed by the young people who visited the President, the MDP said, “the Adhaalath party falsely accused the President of expressing views contrary to Islam and made political rivalry their main concern.”

The statement concluded by advising the Adhaalath party “to stop casting aspersions” on the president and “cease using religion as a tool to achieve political ends.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Maldives announces US$313 million in pledges at Donor Conference

Speaking at the close of the 2010 Maldives Donor Conference, Vice President Dr Mohammed Waheed Hassan announced that the government has received pledges of support totalling US$313 million for a period of three years.

The crowded hall of donors at Bandos Island Resort and Spa included delegations from countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan and Norway, as well as international financial groups such as the International Monetary Fund, Islamic Development Bank and the sovereign wealth Abu Dhabi Fund. A breakdown of the pledges is not currently available, Minivan News was told, as several donor countries had requested time to consult their home agencies before solidifying the figure.

In the run-up to the donor conference the government identified key priority areas for investment, alongside budgetary support: macro economic reform, public sector reform, good governance, social development and climate change.

“I am grateful for the confidence you have shown in our country,” Dr Hassan told the donors. “This conference has been an opportunity for us to listen to donors’ views, and we have identified ways to up our coordination and cooperation with the donor community,” he said.

The government had been aiming for US$450 million, he said, although several senior government officials later told Minivan News that they considered “60-80 per cent of that target” a major success. Furthermore, they claimed, a great deal of ‘behind-the-scenes’ negotiations over the two day event would likely lead to further commitments.

There was, Dr Hassan said in his address, “an abundance of goodwill and more assistance will be forthcoming with more follow up from our side.”

He promised donors the government would “work with you to strengthen our management system”, and said the participation of donors was “a vote of confidence in this government and our strong democratic mandate.”

“You have heard about many of the challenges over the past two days. The fact that drug addiction is the biggest problem among our young. The fact that clean water is still a challenge on many islands. The fact that reducing the soaring budget deficit has been painful in an economy over-dependent on government expenditure,” Dr Hassan said.

Furthermore, he said, “democracy remains fragile in the Maldives. We must work to guard the civil society and protect the freedom of the press. We must work hard to consolidate our hard earned freedom. Much progress has been made. But more work needs to be carried out, and we cannot deliver this vital thing on our own.”

In his closing comments, Dr Hassan acknowledged that the Maldives was known around the world less for its social and economic challenges, “and more for our commitment to confronting the issue of climate change – our commitment to carbon neutrality is the strongest in the world.”

“Although we are a very vulnerable country to sea level rise I should make clear that we are not going anywhere. Not yet.”

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Dr Peter Hayes said he commended the Maldives “on the significant progress it has achieved as a young democracy working in a challenging economic climate.”

“In an era where international partnerships are vital, I welcome the proactive approach to international engagement the Maldives has taken,” Dr Hayes said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Olympic rower prepares for 60km crossing in early morning darkness

Silver-medal winning Olympic rower Guin Batten has begun final preparations for the first recorded solo crossing of Maldives’ zero degree channel in a row boat.

The 42 year-old British medallist, who holds the world record for a solo crossing of the 30 kilometre English Channel, now intends to row 60 kilometres across the ‘zero degree’ channel that bisects the equator between Foammulah and Huvadhoo Atoll.

Touching down in Male’ on Saturday, Batten and her support team went straight to the meteorological office and decided to commence the attempt around 2:00am early tomorrow morning.

For over seven hours she expects to struggle against the swells, tides and currents of the Indian Ocean in her 35 kilogram rowing boat.

“Seven hours if everything goes right,” Batten told Minivan News, before her trip down to Thinadhoo.

The early morning start offers the best combination of weather conditions, although Batten acknowledges that rowing in the dark will be a challenge.

“Because it’s dark you don’t see the waves coming, but you can feel them rolling under you,” she explained. “There will be a technical element involved, because you lose power if the oars catch the water in an odd way, or you ‘catch a crab’ (miss the water altogether).”

For navigation, Batten has an onboard GPS device in the boat, as well as an ordinary magnetic compass by which to steer. Altogether, “I’m aiming for a speed of 19 strokes a minute,” she said.

Even fluid consumption will be a challenge – Batten will have to consume two litres of water an hour just to replace the fluid lost through sweat. Moreover, her hands are already blistered from her endurance training in the UK in the lead up to the event.

Batten's team chart the crossing, which she will attempt at 2:00am early tomorrow morning..
Batten's team chart the crossing, which she will attempt at 2:00am early tomorrow morning.

A heritage of rowing

Batten’s attempt at the zero degree crossing is not just a personal challenge, Batten told Minivan News. She is passionate about reintroducing the lost art of rowing to the Maldives, which largely disappeared across the country in the 80s with the proliferation of electric motors.

“Rowing is very technical and different countries have unqiue styles,” Batten explained. “At the moment the people who know [the Maldivian style] are probably 60 years old, so there’s a risk that all that knowledge and understanding could disappear.”

As well as inspiring Maldivians to row, Batten’s team are working on bringing over six boats to set up a rowing club. For now, however, she is focused on what the Indian Ocean may throw at her.

With all it challenges to contend with, she acknowledges that a key goal for her support boat “will be to remind me to have fun. The glass is half full!”

Batten’s world-first attempt at the zero degree crossing is supported by UK-based NGO Friends of Maldives, with assistance from British Airways, Coco Palm Resorts (Maldives) and Crew Room.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Released MPs continue protests while Vice President claims situation “is embarrassing”

The government has claimed it had “absolutely no role” in the decision made by police on Thursday evening to take senior opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leaders into custody.

DRP Vice presidents Ali Waheed and Umar Naseer, and MPs Ahmed Ilham and Ahmed Mahlouf were among those taken to the nearby prison island, Dhoonidhoo, after being escorted from DRP headquarters at 10:30pm on Thursday night by riot police. They were released at 3am early the next morning.

An MDP gathering taking place at the artificial beach was disrupted when DRP supporters in the party’s nearby headquarters began playing loud music, with tension between the supporters of both sides turning violent when some began to throw chairs, rocks and water bottles.

“Police tried to control the area using teargas but some people would still not obey police orders, and we were forced to take 19 people into police custody,” said Sub Inspector Ahmed Shiyam with the Maldives Police Service.

“The intention was to remove them from Male’ until the city was brought under control, then release them,” he said. “Anybody who was there would understand how difficult the situation was to control. Police felt [detaining the leaders] was the easiest way to control the situation.”

Shiyam called on those organising the demonstrations to “show some responsibility” and ensure they were able to control the gathering and obey police rules and regulations.

However running protests by the various parties continued to erupt sporadically across Male’ yesterday afternoon, with supporters for various parties clashing outside the homes of Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Home Minister Mohamed Shihab, and Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Last night crowds gathered again at the artificial beach during a DRP meeting, which turned violent after a group of people crashed into the party’s gathering and took the microphone away from somebody who was speaking.

MDP and DRP supporters threw stones at one another, which led to the arrival of team of police who requested the crowd disperse as it was disturbing the peace. DRP Vice President Umar Naseer continued using the loud speaker in the party’s office to announce that the demonstrations would not stop until President Mohamed Nasheed resigned.

Police then announced they would be using tear gas, and deployed two grenades into the crowd before arresting 31 people. At 12:30am Naseer called on the remaining demonstrators to gather again at 9pm tonight.

Shiyam said there had been reports of many civilian injuries during the two nights of violent clashes, although nothing serious. Six police officers had also sustained injuries, he said.

Vice president response

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan said in a press conference this morning that the political demonstrations were regrettable while more than 90 diplomats and senior government officials from some 40 countries were visiting for the donor conference.

Waheed also said he regretted last week’s brawl in parliament, over a no-confidence motion against the Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem.

”As the vice president of the country I regret these things and as a Maldivian I am embarrassed,” he said, calling on Maldivians “not to take part in such activities” for the benefit of the country.

“Countries do not provide aid for a certain party or for a certain government, but the country as a whole,” he said.

Waheed said almost all the countries which provided aid to the country would attend the conference, which starts tomorrow at Bandos Island Resort, and appealed to the major political parties not to hold meetings and rallies in a manner that might affect the conference.

“Political issues are not solved on the streets, they should be solved through discussions,” he said.

DRP response

DRP Spokesperson and Vice President Ibrahim Shareef told Minivan News the party had no intention of disrupting the donor conference and harming the country’s national interest, and said he did not blame police “who are doing a very professional job under the circumstances.”

Instead, he accused the MDP of using “criminals and hired thugs” to attack DRP supporters, saying that the crowd that attacked DRP’s headquarters last night were armed with batons and iron bars.

“We saw some very well known MDP activists in the crowd,” he said. “Some people were very badly injured and taken to hospital with broken arms.”

“We are a very peaceful party and the leaders are very moderate, and DRP has many people experienced in political leadership,” he said. “But when people are injured and attacked they will react, and if mobs are forming it is only out of self-defence.”

He said he “did not know” why the MDP would be provoking DRP supporters ahead of the donor conference.

“The government pays lip-service to democracy while being totally dependent on hand outs,” Shareef said. “the international community has a role to play because the government must listen to it.”

He warned that unless the government “does its job properly” and ensured political stability, “the consequences will be beyond anyone’s control. The government must stop using thugs to attack our supporters,” Shareef said.

“Two of my shops have been attacked, this is very unhealthy,” he noted. “Now I hear some people are coming to Male’ from the islands. If the violence spreads to the islands it will be become uncontrollable. We are trying to calm and control things.”

He explained that it was sometimes necessary for DRP leaders to work with the sentiment of the crowd to cool the situation and stay in control.

Government’s call for calm

Spokesperson for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair accused the DRP of “just trying to oppose for the sake of opposition”, and said that if Umar Naseer’s calls for continued protests eventuated, “that will be a very undesirable message for international donors, who expect stability.”

The government was aiming for US$40 million in short-term funding to alleviate the current budget crisis, and seeking US$150 million per year over the next three years in longer term funding, he said.

Protests had “progressed from one thing to another” Zuhair claimed, beginning with efforts to oust the Auditor General, harass MDP functions and now disrupt the donor conference.

“The DRP accuses Naeem for using his corporate credit card to buy a tie and $400 on personal transportation. The DRP obviously think that if they are able to oust the AG, all his reports about the corruption of the last 30 years can be dismissed as not credible,” Zuhair said.

Police had an intelligience group monitoring the conference and were ready to make an appearance if necessary, he said.

Zuhair also noted that as an elected political representative, “there is no need for Mr Umar Naseer to jump over the president’s gate.”

“There is proper protocol and he need not go to that length if he wants to see inside Muleeage. He is welcome to see that there is no bar inside, as he has previously suggested.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Senior DRP leaders taken into police custody

Police used tear gas grenades to disperse a large crowd, after political demonstrators from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) clashed during an MDP rally at the artificial beach last night.

Sub Inspector Ahmed Shiyam reported that both protesters and police were injured in the skirmishes, although none seriously.

At around 10:30pm a large crowd of DRP supporters were still gathered outside the party’s headquarters opposite and were not responding to police instructions to disperse.

Police dressed in riot gear then entered the premises and escorted a number of the DRP’s senior leadership to a waiting pick-up truck, including Vice President Umar Naseer, Vice President Ali Waheed, and DRP spokesperson Ali Solih.

Shiyam confirmed that police had taken the DRP leaders into custody, but said police were not yet revealing the number of people arrested or the location to which they were being taken. At 11:00pm he said the situation was under control and police would be releasing further details over the weekend.

In a live interview with SunFM last night, Naseer and Waheed claimed they were on a police launch being taken to Dhoonidhoo prison.

Roads in Male’ around parliament and the president’s palace have been closed by police in an apparent effort to avoid demonstrations such as the one that took place outside Muleaage and the MNDF headquarters in late January, which could interfere with the donor conference on 28-29 March.

Speaking to Minivan News earlier today, DRP member Mohamed ‘Mundhu’ Hussain Shareef observed that “while [President] Nasheed has good PR outside the country, this time the audience is in town. He is not going to be able to fool a foreign audience – half the donor community is in town.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Gayoom and former ministers seeking legal advice over AG’s demands

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and many of his cabinet ministers are seeking legal advice after Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem sent their names to the Prosecutor General’s office for failing to declare their assets.

Naeem claimed that former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and many of his ministers, as well as several members of the current government, had refused to provide a statement of their assets as required by Article 138 of the new Constitution.

The article requires every member of the Cabinet to “annually submit to the Auditor General a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities.”

DRP member and spokesman for the former president, Mohamed ‘Mundhu’ Hussain Shareef, said the Auditor General’s request had “no legal weight under the new constitution”, and that Gayoom would be issuing a formal statement on the matter.

The Auditor General needs to update himself on the facts. He has obviously been discussing this from a comfy chair in Nasheed’s living room,” Mundhu said. “With his [alleged by the ACC] embezzelment of state funds, I think he has realised he is on borrowed time. He is clearly not fit to be in a position of responsibility and should go back to Singapore.”

Mundhu said the issue had “hijacked” parliament, and that the growing antagonism was becoming a political liability for President Mohamed Nasheed.

“Nasheed has good PR outside the country, but this time the audience is in town. He is not going to be able to fool a foreign audience – half the donor community is in town.”

“He can put up police barriers and turn Male’ into a police state, but will not get support from the people in return,” Mundhu said.

Independent MP and former Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed, also on the Auditor General’s list, said he believed there were numerous legal faults with the AG’s demands as new provisions in the Constitution did not apply to the interim ministers.

“There have been no rules or regulations regarding how assets should be declared, or cut off dates,” Nasheed said. “Article 138 of the constitution simply says that certain information relating to cabinet members must be disclosed, [a provision] that was formed under the new Constitution ratified on 7 August 2008.”

“There was no cut-off line mentioned. The former ministers were in government for three months and three days after the new constitution came into effect, and [the AG] requested submission of financial declaration in August 2009, nine months after we left office.”

Nasheed also said he had “no reason to believe” the Auditor General could demand such details from former ministers, as they had not been appointed or elected after the new consitution came into effect.

“He refers to section 20 of the audit law, which states he cannot be obstruct in the discharge of his function, but filing our financial declarations is not his function under the Constitution,” Nasheed said. “There is nothing saying he can demand compliance.”

The former ministers had also been sent forms by the AG “asking for more information required by Article 138,” Nasheed noted.

“I think he is a little unstable, and is firing any cannon at his disposal. He has crossed the line and become a politician himself.”

Nasheed said he was waiting for a decision by the Prosecutor General, but said that even if the PG decided to prosecute, he doubted the former ministers would be forthcoming with their cooperation: “No I don’t think they would. I certainly wouldn’t,” he said.

“I have been practicing as a lawyer for 15 years and I have never seen any demand so ridiculous.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Auditor General requests PG prosecute Gayoom and former ministers

The Auditor General’s office has sent a list of current and former government ministers to the Prosecutor General, requesting they be prosecuted for failure to declare their assets.

Article 138 of the Constitution requires every member of the Cabinet to “annually submit to the Auditor General a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and all assets and liabilities.”

A letter to the Prosecutor General’s office, signed by Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem, claimed that former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and many of his ministers, as well as several members of the current government, had refused to declare their assets despite being requested by his office to do so.

The Attorney General’s office advised the Auditor General that those concerned had indeed committed an offence under section 20 of the Audit laws, and were thus subject to state prosecution.

“Therefore, as advised by the Attorney General’s office, we request that you prosecute Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, of Ma. Kibigasdhosuge, as he has committed an offence under section 20 of the audit law and violated the constitution,” the Auditor General wrote.

Along with Gayoom, the list includes many Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and People’s Alliance (PA) MPs, and several members of the current government including Tourism Minister Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad, and Economic Development Minister Mohamed Rasheed.

“I submitted [the asset statement] today,” Sawad told Minivan News. “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

The deadline set by the Auditor General was Thursday, Sawad noted. Gayoom’s submission, he suggested, “would be interesting.”

Others on the list include PA president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, and former Anti-Corruption Commission member Ali Rasheed.

The ACC recently forwarded corruption allegations against Naeem to the Prosecutor General’s office. A motion in parliament for the Auditor General’s dismissal, based on the case yet to be heard by the court, has also stalled the Majlis twice and caused an all-out brawl between the major parties yesterday.

Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem said the ACC had delivered a large box file of documents regarding the Auditor General’s case “which we’re going through now”. The PG had yet to decide whether to prosecute, he said.

Regarding the Auditor General’s list, Shameem noted that “according to audit law, any person who obstructed the law as vested in the Auditor General is guilty of a crime, and I believe that is what he may be invoking.”

The PG’s office was “treating it as a normal case” he said, and had “technical issues” to consider before deciding whether to proceed with prosecution.

“We understand we’re in the limelight right now,” Shameem acknowledged. “We’re trying to keep a low profile.”

Spokesperson for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair suggested that “the number of DRP and PA MPs on the Auditor General’s list I believe gives insight into the troubles he is currently having in parliament.”

The Auditor General, he noted, “was actually appointed by Gayoom and a DRP-majority Majlis.”

“He’s a top-class accountant. I think that they believed he would foot their line, and did not expect that after he was appointed he would revert to type.”

No MDP member in senior government, Zuhair noted, had failed to declare their assets.

He called on the parliament to suspend the contentious debate over the fate of the Auditor General “until the court has ruled one way or another, otherwise they will be prejudicing the case.”

List of senior officials, past and current, yet to declare personal assets to the Auditor General as required by the Constitution:

Ali Rasheed – Former ACC member
Mohamed Ibrahim -Former EC member
Mujthaz Fahmy – JSC member
Abdul Gany Mohamed – JSC member

Ahmed Zahir -former JSC members
Abbas Shareef – former JSC member
Aishah Bisham – former JSC members
Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim – former JSC member

Ahmed Rasheed – Minister of Economic Development
Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad – Minister of Tourism

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – Former President
Mohamed Mauroof Jameel – Former Minister of Construction and Public Infrastructure
Ilyas Ibrahim – Former Minister of Health
Abdulla Shahid – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mohamed Nasheed – Former Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts
Dr Ali Haidar – Former Minister of Housing and Urban Development
Abdulla Kamaludeen – Former Minister of Home Affairs
Zahiya Zareer – Former Minister of Education
Ismail Shafyu – Former Minister of Defense and National Security
Mohamed Saeed – Former Minister of Transport and Communication
Ahmed Thasmeen Ali – Former Minister of Atolls development
Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom – Former Minister of tourism and civil aviation
Hamdhoon Hameed – Former Minister of planning and national development
Aishath Mohamed Didi – Former Minister of Gender and Family
Dr Aishath Shiham – Former Minister of Youth and aports
Aishath Azima Shukoor – Former Attorney General
Dr Abdulla Mausoom – Former Minister of Environment Energy and water
Gasim Ibrahim – Former Home Minister

Source: http://www.audit.gov.mv/dv/assetsdeclist.php

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament cancelled when only 18 members show up

Parliament was cancelled today because only 18 MPs were present inside the parliament chamber.

MDP MPs had sent a letter to the speaker of the parliament asking him to ensure them that the chamber “was safe for MDP MPs”, after a brawl broke out yesterday between the two major parties.

According to the parliament’s regulations at least 20 MPs must be present inside the chamber to hold a meeting.

MDP MP Rugiyya Mohamed said 89 per cent of MDP MPs attended the parliament ”but did not enter inside the chamber due to what happened yesterday.”

Ruhiyya said that the MDP parliamentry group had sent a letter to the speaker of the parliament to ensure that the chamber would be safe for the MDP MPs, but had not responded.

”I believe that Abdulla Shahid is influenced by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP),” she claimed. ”He cannot even control the parliament.”

DRP Vice president Umar Naseer said MDP MPs were attempting to prevent a vote regarding the corruption allegations against the Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem, as they “are afraid of democracy.”

”Shahid must stand on our side,” Naseer said. ” He was elected to the parliament by our ticket with the vote of our members.”

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said he had no idea why the MDP MPs refused to enter the chamber.

”It was a waste of one day for me.” he said. ”I went to parliament with the hope of discussing a national issue.”

He said that it was fine “even if two [MPs] came.”

MDP MP Mohamed Shifaz said the MDP MPs “are not sure that the chamber is safe for them any more.”

Spokesperson for the President Mohamed Zuhair said it was up to the speaker to hold consultations with party leaders and get the MPs back into the chamber.

“The government believes politicans should only defeat their opponents through speech,” he noted.

During a meeting yesterday, DRP MP Ali Waheed said if the vote was not taken tomorrow, the party “will make sure no more votes are taken in this country.”

“It will be the biggest political mistake President Mohamed Nasheed makes,” he warned.

In response, Zuhair accused DRP MP Ali Waheed of pretending to injure himself in video footage of yesterday’s brawl.

“He was at the back of the chamber and clearly takes a dive. But then he is a former footballer so he would know all about that,” Zuhair said.

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

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament paralysed by punch-up pandemonium

Parliament was cancelled today by Speaker Abdulla Shahid, after DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf reportedly approached MDP MP Alhan Fahmy, tapped him on the shoulder and informed him he was sitting in a DRP seat.

MPs from the major parties leapt to the defence of their respective party members, and the chamber quickly degenerated into a brawl.

Fahmy recently switched to the MDP from the DRP after being suspended from the DRP for voting against the party on the issue of a no-confidence motion against foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed. Mahlouf was particularly vocal regarding Fahmy’s decision to cross the floor, at one stage describing the MP for Seenu Feydhoo as a “political prostitute”.

After the battle, MPs were displaying their injuries to journalists outside parliament.

“They tried to attack us by force, try to create fear in the chamber. We are not afraid of them,” said DRP MP Ali Waheed, sporting a bandaged wrist. He would not say who attacked him, but said “everyone came after me because I am the tallest MP around.”

Mahlouf, he claimed, was punched in the lips.

“We are ready to fight back. As deputy leader of the party, my duty is to defend my party members,” Waheed said.

Staff at ADK hospital confirmed that MDP MP Shifaq Mufeed had been discharged after he was allegedly punched in the eye. Waheed, however, maintained that Mufeed’s injury was the product of make-up applied by MDP parliamentary group leader ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, a former movie star.

“We have a video of him without any damage before he went into the office of the MDP parliamentary group leader,” Waheed said, “and with a lot of injuries to his face afterwards. Reeko is a former movie star, and I congratulate him on the high quality of his make-up skills.”

Neither Fahmy or Mahlouf were responding to calls at time of press.

Stop the session

The chamber erupted during a debate on the report submitted by parliamentary finance committee calling for the dismissal of the Auditor General over charges of corruption.

The charges were made in a letter sent to the committee by former Anti-Corruption Commission member Hassan Luthfy.

“[MDP] disrupts parliament if there is anything not to their pleasure,” said Ahmed Nazim, deputy speaker and chairman of the finance committee.

“This will bring parliament to a total standstill, because the DRP will not back down on this one, and we cannot submit another committee report until we have concluded this one because they go in sequence.”

Mahlouf’s behaviour towards Fahmy “was probably uncalled for”, he said, “but the MDP members were protesting and not allowing anyone to talk. Mahlouf went up and told him he was talking from ‘one of our seats’.”

Nazim is himself no stranger to charges of corruption, recently pleading not guilty when charged with conspiracy to defraud the former ministry of atolls development.

At a press conference in August last year, Chief Inspector Ismail Atheef said police had uncovered evidence implicated the former Atolls Minister Abdullah Hameed, Eydhafushi MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, former director of finance at the ministry, and Nazim in fraudulent transactions worth over US$260,000 (Mf 3,446,950).

Meanwhile, Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem told the press on Sunday that the charges against him, which have now been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s office, were “made by people attempting to harm [my] office because we are trying to bring all the [stolen] money back into the country.”

However Nazim said the committee’s four members were unanimous that the Auditor General was guilty and called for his dismissal.

MDP MP Ahmed Easa said the party’s concern was not the corruption case against the Auditor General, “but a procedural issue.”

“Nazim did not get the approval of the committee,” he said, claiming that key MDP members of the committee received text messages from parliamentary staff informing them that the meeting at which the findings of the sub-committee was discussed had been cancelled.

“Staff are informed by the chairman,” he said.

At today’s sitting, Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the committee had not “completed the process” in compiling its report.

Solih said the letter from Luthfy in June last year was never officially entered in the Majlis records and parts of its annex were missing when the committee first set down to deliberate.

Moreover, said Solih, when the committee later decided to summon the Auditor General and members of the Anti-Corruption Commission, DRP MP Abdullah Abdul Raheem withdrew his motion to recommend a no-confidence vote.

Nazim however claimed that the report had been submitted according to new rules of procedure, and that MDP’s response was a cynical attempt to disrupt the chamber so no vote could be taken.

The situation is unlikely to unravel soon, and already text messages calling for rallies and protests have begun circulating. Groups of MDP activists engaged in a running protest this afternoon around parliament, pursued by police, scenes likely to continue as parliament tries to resolve its deadlock tomorrow.

“It was sad to see such pictures in parliament,” noted Ali Waheed. “But we are ready to get dirty if that is what it takes to clear this mess.”

Web of corruption: the story so far

At a DRP rally last night, MP Ahmed Nihan pledged that the Auditor General would be removed from his post and would have to “pack his belongings” before 2.30pm.

Meanwhile, at an MDP rally, ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik called on party members to protest outside independent commissions to demand action against senior officials of the former regime accused of corruption, gross misappropriation and embezzlement.

He added it would take months to summon all complicit to court as they included the former president’s family, in-laws and associates.

“It would take more than 48 hours to read the verdict against even one of them because of all their theft,” he said.

The debate over the past two sittings proceeded intermittently as MDP MPs continually raised points of order claiming procedural violations and irregularities in the compilation of the report.

However, the Speaker ruled that as the case had not yet reached court, he had to table the report in the agenda.

Maafanu West MP Abdullah Abdul Raheem, who originally proposed the motion of no-confidence, accused MDP MPs of trying to “sabotage” the sitting and prevent the vote.

Presenting the report yesterday, Nazim said a sub-committee was formed to investigate the allegations against the Auditor General in a letter sent by former ACC member Hassan Luthfy.

The committee confirmed that the allegations in the letter were based on a report compiled by the ACC in June 2009 after reviewing financial records and documents at the Auditor General’s Office, he said.

There were four main allegations against Naeem: forging receipts to show that he paid for a trip to Baa atoll Thulhaadhoo; using office credit cards for personal purchases; purchasing health insurance through the office although it was included in his salary; and creating a “slush fund” of Rf6 million from the office budget for personal expenses.

After the subcommittee submitted its findings, Nazim continued, two motions were forwarded.

While MDP MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih proposed summoning the auditor general, DRP MP Abdullah Abdul Raheem proposed a motion that the committee should recommend a vote of no-confidence.

Article 218 of the constitution states the Auditor General can be removed on the grounds of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence if “a finding to that effect by a committee of the People’s Majlis […] and upon the approval of such finding by the People’s Majlis by a majority of those present and voting.”

Although Raheem later withdrew his motion, Nazim said it was done after the committee voted to pass it.

“Therefore, Abdullah Abdul Raheem’s claim that he took it back is a definite falsehood. It is misleading. It is being done by people who don’t want this to go ahead and wants to keep the auditor general in his post,” said Nazim.

Nazim was shouted down by MDP MPs who raised points of order, left their seats and engaged in acrimonious arguments with opposition MPs.

Nazim said Naeem wrote to the Bank of Maldives himself to get a Visa Credit Card and an American Express Credit Card, both with credit limits of US$10,000.

Although Naeem himself wrote the offices’ operating manual, said Nazim, the auditor general used both cards for personal use without reimbursing the office 14 months after the expenses.

The subcommittee found that Naeem spent Rf91,000 from the Visa Card and Rf422,000 from the American Express Card.

Further, Nazim said Naeem transferred Rf6 million from the office account at the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to a BML account for personal use.

But, he added, the finance committee had ordered the account to be closed when it finalized the state budget for 2010.

Naeem’s actions were in violation of several provisions of the state’s finance and asset regulations, he said.

Further, the ACC had noted that a Sony VIAO laptop Naeem purchased in Singapore was paid for by the office and import duties were not paid.

Nazim concluded by proposing the motion approved by the committee to call a vote of no-confidence.

In the ensuing debate, MDP MPs said the report was intended to discredit Naeem and the audit reports he issued that alleged rampant corruption under the former government.

DRP MP Ahmed Nihan meanwhile observed that Naeem showed up first in Google searches for “corrupt auditor general”.

Naeem was nominated by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and approved by a DRP-dominated Majlis.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)