Author: Minivan News

Maldives – A Return to Religious Conservatism: The Diplomat

“As Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen completed three months in office on February 17, one could not help but notice the Indian Ocean archipelago’s return to religious conservatism and its growing engagement with China,” writes Vishal Arora for the diplomat.

“The Maldives, a string of 1,192 islands, has made several moves to cement the supremacy of Sunni Islam since Yameen was sworn in as president in November 2013.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has set its top priorities for 2014, which include blocking all religions except Islam in the nation, ensuring that all laws and regulations adhere to Islamic principles and developing and strengthening the Islamic Fiqh Academy to issue fatwas.

The ministry has also signed an agreement with the Saudi Arabian Muslim Scholars Association to receive a grant of MVR1.6 million, or $104,166, for the “mutual goal” of developing and improving the study of the Quran and religion.”

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Supreme Court invalidates Thasmeen’s Majlis membership challenge

The Supreme Court has invalidated a challenge against Ahmed Thasmeen Ali’s People’s Majlis seat.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) council member, Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim (Wadde), asked the Supreme Court to revoke Thasmeen’s seat claiming he had not paid back an MVR1.9 million (US$124,513) loan to Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim as per a Civil Court ruling.

Local newspaper CNM reported that the case was invalidated after the Supreme Court was unable to summon Wadde to court.

Article 73(c) of the constitution states: “A person shall be disqualified from election as, a member of the People’s Majlis, or a member of the People’s Majlis immediately becomes disqualified, if he has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgment.”

Wadde said that, although Thasmeen had repaid the loan, he did not pay within the time period delineated in the Civil Court ruling, which required the repayment of MVR320,000 (US$20,779) each month for six consecutive months to clear the debt by April 2012. Thasmeen only settled the debt in July 2012 after the High Court upheld the Civil Court’s ruling.

The Supreme Court in October stripped opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ali Azim and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party MP Mohamed Nashiz of their seats over decreed debt. The pair were guarantors for five credit facilities worth MVR117 million (US$9 million) issued to Funadoo Tuna Products by the Bank of Maldives.

Thasmeen, Nashiz, and Azim are contesting the March People’s Majlis elections on the opposition MDP ticket.

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Registration for People’s Majlis vote to open on February 18

The Elections Commission (EC) will open up voter registration for the People’s Majlis elections this Tuesday (February 18).

All eligible voters who wish to vote in a location other than their permanent address must register to vote – regardless of whether they had already changed voting location for the January 18 local council election.

Registration deadline is February 28. Parliamentary polls are scheduled for March 22.

Voters will be required to put their fingerprints on registration forms as per the Supreme Court’s electoral guideline.

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Tourism faculty and naval craft to be handed over during Indian minister’s visit

The Indian High Commission in the Maldives has revealed that the country’s External Affair’s Minister Salman Khurshid will hand over a naval landing craft to the Maldives National Defence Force this week.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Maldives said on Thursday that Minister Khurshid will be visiting the Maldives this week on invitation of Foreign Minister Dhunya Maumoon.

The India Maldives Friendship Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism – constructed by the Indian Government – will also be officially handed to the Maldives during the visit.

The US$11 million facility – begun in 2002 – will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment for training Maldivians in tourism and hospitality sector.

“The project envisages India’s continued engagement with the institution through deputation of experts, curriculum support, and exchange of faculty from reputed hotel management institutes of India,” the Indian High Commission has stated.

Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Rajeev Shahare stated that the visit would present an opportunity to discuss the implementation of projects agreed upon during President Abdulla Yameen’s initial official visit to India.

In addition to the handing over of these facilities to the Maldivian governement at an event planned to be held on Wednesday [February 19], External Affairs Minister Khurshid will also be participating in the SAARC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled to be held in the Maldives on February 20.

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Criminal Court staff file complaint over ‘unlawful suspension’

Criminal Court staff suspended following a refusal to work overtime without pay have asked the Department of Judicial Administration to review the court’s ‘unlawful’ decision.

Eleven staff members at the Criminal Court refused to work overtime on February 10 and were suspended on February 13.

The Criminal Court has subsequently decided to close offices after official work hours due to budget restrictions.

The court at the time told the press that it had no funds to pay overtime allowances for employees, and that the Ministry of Finance had not responded regarding the matter. The Civil Court has taken the same measures owing to lack of funds.

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Two arrested for stealing safe from health centre

The police have arrested two suspects in a case where the safe of Alifu Dhaalu Atoll Dhangethi Island Health Centre’s safe was stolen.

According to the police, the incident occurred last Thursday night (13 February).

Police said that patrolling officers that night noticed the windows of the island health post were opened and checked to see if everything was alright before found out that the safe was stolen.

The safe was found one and a half hours later, and police was able to recover the money inside the safe as well.

Dhangethi police station is investigating the case.

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Criminal Court concludes hearings in to Jadhulla Jameel’s case

The Criminal Court has concluded the hearings in to the manager of J Alidhoo resort Jadhulla Jameel in a case where he was charged with refusing to provide a urine sample to police.

On November 16, Jadhulla was arrested while he was in Hondaidhoo island, an uninhabited island owned by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdulla Jabir.

Along with Jadhulla, MDP MPs Jabir, Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and senior figures of MDP were arrested that day. Police officers discovered alcohol and hash oil during the raid.

Newspaper Sun Online reported that the last hearing of the case was held at the Criminal Court today, where the Prosecutor General’s Office and Jadhulla’s defense was given the opportunity to provide concluding statements.

According to Sun, the PG’s lawyers today told the court that the witnesses and evidence produced by the state show that Jadhulla refused to provide his urine sample for testing.

The state lawyers also responded to claims made by Jadhulla that the police did not show him the official document required when requesting such a sample, arguing that when police tried to show him the document he had responded by telling officers he did not want to look at anything they had to show him.

Jadhulla’s defense lawyers told the court that there were contradictions in the witness statements.

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Police ask for public assistance in locating three men

The police have asked the public for assistance in locating three men whose whereabouts are unknown.

In a statement, the police said the Criminal Court had ordered the police to arrest and summon them to the court after they had failed to show up to court hearings.

Police identified the three men as Ibrahim Samiu, 44 of Maajehige in Maradhoo, Seenu Atoll, Ahmed Riyah, 28 of Hulhudhoo in Seenu Atoll and Ahmed Nasir, 27 of Sinama Villa in Miladhoo Island, Noonu Atoll.

Police said they were charged with three separate cases.

Ibrahim Samiu was charged for possessing and using illegal drugs, Ahmed Riyah was charged for trafficking diamorphine and Ahmed Nasir was charged for possessing illegal drugs for the purpose of trading it, police said.

Police have appealed to the public to contact police hotline 3322111 or police custodial department at 9991442 if they have any information regarding the mens’ whereabouts.

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Man arrested for stealing mobile phones from boats docked in Malé

Yesterday (15 February) police have arrested a man who allegedly stole six mobile phones from three boats docked at Malé Fisherman’s Harbor.

Police said that he was caught by Maafannu Police Station officers who were patrolling Maafannu ward on Saturday night.

The man was stopped by police officers when they noticed his odd behavior and while police officers were taking him to Maafannu station to search his body he threw a bag which had the stolen phones inside.

Police said when officers asked him about the phones he confessed that he had stolen them from different boats in the area. Police subsequently went and handed the stolen phones to their owners.

Criminal Investigation Department is further investigating the case, police said.

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