Author: Ahmed Nazeer

Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be unable to enter parliament if Hashim cannot, claims Reeko

Parliamentary Leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, has threatened to bar the speaker of the Majlis and his deputy from entering parliament if Finance Minister Ali Hashim is prevented from performing his duties.

Manik has warned that if Finance Minister Ali Hashim is disallowed to enter the parliament chamber to present the annual budget for next year, Speaker Abdulla Shahid and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim would be prevented entry by the MDP.

Ali Hashim was one of the five ministers parliament yesterday voted to dismiss from the cabinet.

After three weeks of stalemate, parliament voted to approve five out of a dozen cabinet ministers reappointed by President Mohamed Nasheed in July, while MPs of the ruling MDP boycotted the sitting before voting began.

Seven ministers – Finance Minister Ali Hashim, Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfy, Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, Fisheries Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi and Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad – did not receive a majority of votes from the 42 MPs in attendance.

Moosa said that it was not for the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party [DRP] to decide whether Hashim can or cannot enter the parliament in cases related to finance ministry.

”There is not even a slight difficulty for Hashim to enter the parliament as long as he remains as an appointed minister by the executive power,” said Moosa. ”The vote parliament took yesterday was also illegitimate.”

Moosa said yesterday that MDP MPs left the parliament chamber to loosen the deadlock in parliament over cabinet endorsement, so that the parliament could proceed with other necessary works such as a Witnesses Bill and approving next year’s budget.

Moosa’s remarks suggested it was a response to what DRP leader and MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and People’s Alliance party [PA] deputy leader and deputy speaker of the parliament MP Ahmed Nazim said following the parliament’s decision.

Thasmeen told the media that if the dismissed ministers remain in office to proceed with their work, ”it would be a really serious issue and the matter would be taken to the Supreme Court.”

Meanwhile, Nazim have told the media that ”there is no way Hashim could present the budget as he did not get the consent of the parliament to be in the position.”

Nazim also argued that any minister that did not get the consent of the parliament should not remain in the position.

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Defence Ministry staff member banished for theft

The Criminal Court of the Maldives has sentenced a Defence Ministry staff member Ibrahim Ahmed to three years and six months banishment, after he admitted to stealing money from a safe at the ministry.

Criminal Court said that Ibrahim was in a position in the Ministry where his duty was to look after the Ministry’s safe.

He was sentenced for stealing Rf 5821.09 ($US450) from the Defence Ministry’s safe, the Criminal Court said.

”Because he admitted that he committed the crime the Criminal Court found him guilty of the crime, and the court sentenced him to three years and six month banishment,” the court said.

Ibrahim was sentenced under article 131 [a], 143 and 146 of the penal code.

The Prosecutor General filed the lawsuit against him.

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Sheikh Fareed denies second marriage was conducted in secrecy

Prominent religious scholar Sheik Ibrahim Fareed has denied rumors that his second marriage, which was conducted in Sri Lanka, was conducted in secrecy.

Sheikh Freed’s lawyer Shaheem Ahmed told Minivan News that police officers yesterday went to Fareed’s house and questioned him about the marriage.

‘’Police officers told Sheikh Fareed that the case was reported to police by the Islamic ministry,’’ claimed the lawyer, ‘’and said that the Islamic Ministry had reported that the marriage was held in secrecy.’’

A marriage cannot be held in secrecy, continued Shaheem, adding that it was furthermore not the position of the police to investigate such matters.

‘’This is just a personal attack on Sheikh Fareed, it is very clear,’’ he said.

He also said the Islamic Ministry had denied it reported the case to police.

Police Sub-inspector Ahmed Shiyam denied that police told Sheikh Fareed that his marriage was held in secrecy.

‘’Police officers questioned Sheikh Fareed because he had not submitted to register his second marriage in the court and the given duration had passed,’’ he said. ”But he has now submitted to register the marriage.’’

Police declined to reveal who reported the case and more information on the matter, ”as the case was personally related to Sheikh Fareed.’’

Fareed alerted Minivan News to the allegations, sending attached copies of documents from the Family Court in Sri Lanka to prove he had attempted to register the marriage.

”The documents will reveal my second marriage was registered, and the Maldives Police Service was misinformed about the case,’’ he claimed in the mail.

Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Salaf organising ‘Creed’ workshop to strengthen Maldivians’ faith

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf has announced it will hold a two-day workshop called ‘Creed’ to strengthen the faith of Maldivians and to brief the participants about the ‘true methodology of religion’.

Salaf said that President of the NGO Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Ibrahim, Sheikh Ali Zahir Bin Saeed Gasim, Sheikh Adam Shameem Bin Ibrahim, Sheikh Hassan Moosa Fikry and Sheikh Ahmed Sameer Ibrahim will brief the participants of the workshop.

Spokesperson of Salaf Ibrahim Mohamed said that the participants will be instructed on five main topics.

‘’Creed, rights of Allah, comparative religion, how to act on controversial issues and the Sunnah of prophet,’’ said Ibrahim. “We will brief the students at a basic level.’’

The NGO said that the workshop was aimed at people of all ages, male and female.

The workshop is due to be held on 26th of November, certificates will be awarded to those who take part in the workshop, said Salaf.

Recently Salaf organised a religious camp named ‘Hijra’.

“The camp was very very successful, there were nearly 70 participants,” said Ibrahim.

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Football star caught with local girl escapes family fury

Football star Ahmed ‘Ammaday’ Mohamed, captain of the New Radiant Football Club, was caught with a girl inside his room on Maalhos in North Ari Atoll leading to a disturbance involving family members of the girl and other islanders.

An islander who witnessed the incident said that the girl was 18 years-old.

“A group of young boys on the island noticed the girl’s behaviour was odd and followed her secretly to find out what she was about,’’ he said. “They discovered the girl went inside the room of visiting football star Ahmed Mohamed, and so they phoned the girl’s family.’’

A short while later, members of the alerted family went to the house and peeped through an opening in the wall.

“Her brother knocked on the door and tried to kick down the door, but it was locked. They were both stuck inside the room,’’ the witness said. “In the meantime, Ahmed called a group in the island and a second group of  men armed with sticks and knives arrived at the place to stop the girl’s family members.’’

After the girl’s family demanded that she come out, he continued, a person with a key to the room opened it and the girl came out leaving Ahmed inside.

“The girl’s brother then assaulted her, leaving her with bruises,’’ the islander said. “The man left that same night.”

According to the islander, Ahmed Mohamed was staying on the island to play for a football tournament held during the Eid holidays.

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Maldives military to show off weapon skills with live ammunition

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) is hosting a special event to show demonstrations using armored vehicles and weapons with live bullets.

‘’We will use many weapons such as armored vehicles, RPGs and smalls arms such as rifles,’’ said Major Abdul Raheem. ‘’We will fire into the air and sea.”

Abdul said there would be targets in the sea and the military officers will fire at the targets.

“This event will be held at the end of Lonuziyarai Magu, the whole area including the park near it have been taken by the MNDF,’’ Abdul said. “MNDF officers practiced seven days for this event and at the same time MNDF has decorated the area for the event.”

Abdul said there would be safe areas marked for people who visit to see the event.

‘’It won’t be dangerous, we have taken safety measures and we have taken a large space for the event.’’

The event is schedule to be held from 4:00pm to 6:00pm this afternoon.

This is the first time the MNDF has held a public event using live bullets.

The area has been modified with camouflage paintings that match the combat uniform of MNDF to make the area appear as a military ground.

Male’ International Airport has delayed all its flight due to the event.

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Police launch operation to reduce crime during Eid holidays

The Maldives Police Service have said it has launched series of special operations to prevent crimes occurring during the Eid holidays.

Police said the operations commenced on November 4.

During the operation, police said they had been searching people whom they suspected were planning to commit crimes.

‘’Police have searched different places they gather such as guest houses,’’ the police said, in a statement. ‘’So far police have discovered weapons used for assault and battery, and four men have been arrested in connection with the case.’’

The Police said they had arrested one man with suspected illegal narcotics, and another on the street who was supposed be serving life imprisonment.

The prison escapee has been handed over to the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS), according to police.

Police said during these operations police will question children and other persons “roaming around the streets for no reason.”

So far, the police said it has arrested and released 71 persons, 18 of them underage, “after giving advice.”

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Quran teacher arrested inside room with 13 year old girl

A Quran teacher on Filladhoo in Haa Alifu Atoll has been arrested after he was discovered inside a room with a 13 year old girl.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that the teacher was arrested on Monday night and was in police custody.

A Filladhoo islander told Minivan News that the teacher was a temporary Islam and Quran teacher who had been working at Filladhoo school for two months.

‘’He is 19 years old and the 13 year-old girl was his girlfriend,’’ the islander alleged. “They were inside a room in the girl’s grandmother’s house when the police arrested him.’’

The islander claimed the girl’s parents were aware of their relationship and noted that such things were “quite common on the island.’’

The teacher had been reported to police by some boys on the island who had a grudge against him, the islander claimed.

A total of 198 arrests were made for child abuse cases from the beginning of the year to the end of September 2010.

The crime of child abuse is most common in Male’. More than 16 percent of girls in Male’ under the age of fifteen are sexually abused, four percent higher than the national average.

The national average stands at 12 percent – of every 100 Maldivian girls under the age of fifteen, twelve are sexually abused. Most perpetrators of the crime, according to a 2007 Gender Ministry report on women’s health and well-being, are male family members of the children.

The second most common perpetrators are male acquaintances of the family, neighbours, teachers or religious leaders.

Three men from Filladhoo were arrested recently for allegedly using spy cameras to filming videos young girls showering.

According to the islander, the three men admitted they committed the crime but have since been released by the court.

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Public losing confidence in democracy because of parliament’s delays, says HRCM

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has said the delay caused by the deadlock in parliament is obstructing citizens obtaining the human rights promised them under the constitution.

HRCM said laws and rules are necessary elements for people to obtain their basic human rights, and other services the state should deliver the citizens.

“As it is the constitutional duty of the parliament to legislate, [this delay] causes the citizens to lack their rights and also causes a loss of confidence in democracy, and obstructs the establishment of the rule of law in the country,’’ HRCM said. “When the necessary laws are not passed, it becomes an obstacle for the state to fulfill tis the constitutional duty as stated under article 18, to protect and promote human rights.’’

HRCM noted that the Witnesses bill, Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Bill , Law on Taxation and National University Law were yet to be passed, as parliament entered its third week of inaction following clashes over the cabinet endorsement issue. Today’s parliament sitting was also canceled after the MPs clashed over the cabinet endorsement issue. The 10 day public holiday begins on Thursday.

HRCM called on parliamentarians and political parties to work in the best interest of the nation and its citizens.

The opposition and the ruling party have blamed each other for the cancellation of the parliament sittings, and each session is derailed on points of order.

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