Author: Minivan News

Preparations underway for second round of presidential election

Preparations are underway for the second round run-off of the presidential election scheduled for September 28.

Former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed, who placed first in the first round with 45.45 percent of the vote, will be facing off against runner up Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen who took 25.35 percent of the vote.

“There is so much work to be done before the second round, which is less than three weeks away,” EC Chair Fuwad Thowfeek told Minivan News.

“We are expecting a few additions [to the voter registry list]. Twenty people reported their names were missing from the list, so their names will be added [so they can vote in the second round],” he explained. “[Additionally], people who registered for the first round but have since died will be removed from the voter list.”

“Proof is needed in either case – house registration or ID card if their name was missing from the registry list or a death certificate if the person has since passed away,” he noted.

Amid concerns raised by the Jumhoree Party (JP) that local media had reported polling figures that did not reflect those of the Elections Commission during the vote counting – a discrepancy which led to a skirmish between police and JP officials outside the Dharubaruge convention centre early Sunday morning – Thowfeek explained steps the commission will take to prevent such an occurrence during the second round.

“We are making the process as transparent as possible – by publishing the data as early as possible and making sure media and everybody has access the results and election process,” said Thowfeek. “Many [observer] passes have been issued to the media.”

He also noted that the four day voter re-registration period will be Thursday (September 12) to Sunday (September 15), so individuals registered to vote in one location can change that location according to their needs.

“After the re-registration period the list will be published, printed, signed, and sent – like during the first round,” he added.

In the lead up to the second round, the EC will be open 8am-10pm daily, except for Friday’s when it will be open 2pm-10pm.

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Presidential hopefuls differ on GMR: The Hindu

“Both the hopefuls in the Presidential race in Maldives said that they would welcome and encourage foreign direct investment, but differed on the issue of the ousted Male airport operator GMR,” writes R. K. Radhakrishnan for the Hindu newspaper.

“Former President Mohamed Nasheed and former President Maumoon Gayoom’s half-brother, Yaameen Abdulla, are pitted against each other in a second round run-off, scheduled for September 28. The first round, held on September 7, did not throw up a clear winner. To win, a candidate has to garner over 50 per cent of the votes.

Asked if he would invite GMR to come back to manage the Ibrahim Nasir International airport, Nasheed said: ‘We have always been saying that the contract has to be reinstated. Of course it has to go through procedures.’

The Nasheed Government had earlier granted the contract to GMR–MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad) to operate the airport.

After he resigned under controversial circumstances on February 7, 2012, the next government, headed by Mohamed Waheed, terminated the contract, claiming it was invalid from the beginning. GMR had slapped a $1.4-billion compensation claim against the Maldives Government in an arbitration that is now underway in Singapore. Yaameen said that the contract was not done properly.

‘Foreign investment and GMR are two different issues. We welcome foreign investment. In the case of GMR, the law was not followed,’ he said, when asked about FDI in general and GMR in particular.

President Mohamed Waheed’s secretary Masood Imad too was of the view that the airport issue should be treated as closed. ‘GMR can come into Maldives with some other project. The Male’ airport is too much an emotional issue,’ he said.

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Democracy, Take Two: Foreign Affairs

“Most of the million tourists who visit the Maldives every year leave without seeing even a hint of the political violence that has shaken the country over the past few years,” writes Eric Randolph for Foreign Affairs.

“Sipping cocktails in secluded island resorts, one would be hard-pressed to imagine that the islanders were, until five years ago, ruled by Asia’s longest-running dictatorship, that hundreds have been seriously injured in street clashes and at least one senior politician stabbed to death in the street in recent years, and that hard-line political Islamists helped to topple the country’s first-ever democratically elected president only last year.

It can also be difficult to believe that what happens here matters to the rest of the world. But stability in the Maldives — a Sunni Muslim nation of 300,000 people scattered across almost 1,200 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean — is important. The country lies on a major trade route between East Africa and China and could function either as a bulwark against piracy and smuggling or part of the problem.

It also demonstrates the danger of Saudi-funded clerics spreading Islamic militancy to once-moderate Muslim countries, potentially threatening neighboring countries such as India. Finally, as the Maldives holds its first post-coup election, it offers important lessons for other nations in transition. Indeed, the challenges it has faced since introducing its new constitution in 2008 — dealing with the legacy of past authoritarianism and managing the threats unleashed by democracy — reflect those of other countries undergoing rapid change, from Burma to Egypt and beyond.”

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Maldives’ central bank aware of speculation over counterfeit five rufiya notes

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) is aware of rumors that counterfeit five rufiya notes are in circulation, however they have received no official information or reports from the Maldives Police Service (MPS), reports local media.

The MMA – the Maldives’ central bank – is aware of “speculation” that newly-forged counterfeit currency is circulating in Addu City and other atolls, but no official police reports have been submitted, an official from MMA told local media.

“We have heard this from different sources. But we’ve not received any such information from the police,” the official said.

Police intelligence has received information that approximately 1000 fake five rufiyaa notes entered Hithadhoo ward of Addu City, Addu City police commander Station Inspector Mohamed Hassan told Sun Online last week.

Police intelligence sources obtained a counterfeit note from the group suspected to have brought the money into Addu City, said Hassan.

A layman would not be able to initially determine their (in)authenticity, he added.

Rumors of the counterfeit currency began circulating in Addu City and other atoll islands last week.

“A lot of forged five rufiyaa notes are going around in this island. There are rumors that certain stores are handing out forged five rufiyaa notes as change,” a person from Eydhafushi Island in Baa Atoll told Sun Online.

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MDP MPs alcohol possession case continues

The second hearing into Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hamed Abdul Ghafoor’s alcohol and cannabis possession case was cancelled today after the accused failed to attend.

A Criminal Court official told Sun Online today that Hamed did not appear at the 10am hearing.

Sun also reported that Hamed’s fellow MDP MP Abdulla Jabir – also accused of possession of alcohol and cannabis – had his passport held by immigration officials when trying to leave the country yesterday.

Jabir’s wife – former Attorney General Dhiyana Saeed – told Sun Online that a passport could only be withheld after announcing the charges against the accused at a first hearing.

Whilst Ghafoor was in attendance at the cases first hearing at the start of the month, Jabir did not. Dhiyana today explained that her husband had not been handed the summons requesting his attendance for this hearing, as he had been campaigning with his party in the atolls.

Both MPs are facing charges of smuggling alcohol into the country and consuming it, as well as possession of cannabis and objecting to urine testing.

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Police Commissioner violated Police Act with political tweet, determines PIC

Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz violated the Police Act by posting a letter on Twitter urging police officers not to vote for former President Mohamed Nasheed, the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has determined, recommending administrative action against the police chief.

The PIC said in a press statement today that an investigation was launched following media reports of Riyaz’s tweet on August 20. The case was already under investigation when the Elections Commission (EC) forwarded a complaint regarding the letter, the police oversight body said.

The PIC found that the police chief violated articles 7(a)(3) and 69(b) of the Police Act as Riyaz admitted to posting the letter on his official twitter account, which the commission determined to be declaring “support for the content of the letter” despite it first appearing on another twitter account.

Article 7(a)(3) of the Police Act stipulates that all police officers must act impartially and without bias in performing his or her duty while Article 69 of the Police Act states, “It shall be illegal for any police officer to commit any of the following acts even in his or her personal capacity, a) Committing any act or participating in any activity that obstructs the performance of an officer’s duty without bias or partiality b) Committing any act or participating in any activity that could create doubts among the public concerning the performance of an officer’s duty without bias or partiality.”

Based on its findings, the PIC advised the Home Minster to take “administrative action” against Riyaz under article 67(a) of the Police Act.

The types of administrative penalisation provided for in the law include counselling, requiring completion of special training, providing special counselling to improve capacity, transferring to another post, placement under close supervision, demotion and termination.

In a dissenting opinion noted in the commission’s statement, PIC member Ali Nadheem contended that in addition to recommending administrative action, the case against Riyaz should be forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for criminal prosecution.

“Overtly political”

Following media reports of Riyaz’s tweet, President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik told local journalists last month that he imagined the tweet had been posted in the commissioner’s personal capacity.

The letter posted by Riyaz called on police officers to “say no” to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate just as they had on February 7, which the anonymous author described as a “jihad.”

Former President Nasheed resigned on February 7, 2012 in the wake of a violent mutiny by police officers of the Specialist Operations (SO) command, who disobeyed orders and broke the chain of command, assaulted government supporters, ransacked the MDP Haruge, launched a protest at the Republic Square, clashed with the military and stormed the state broadcaster.

In the aftermath of the police mutiny and clashes at Republic Square, Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz – a civilian at the time – was among three senior ex-servicemen under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who went inside military headquarters to relay the protesters’ demand for President Nasheed’s “unconditional” resignation, after which they accompanied Nasheed to the President’s Office where he announced his resignation at a live press conference. Riyaz and current Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim were seen taking Nasheed’s resignation letter to parliament.

However, Nasheed’s insistence that his resignation was “under duress” in a “coup d’etat” orchestrated by the then-opposition working with elements of the security forces loyal to Gayoom was later rejected by a Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI), while also calling for action against unlawful acts committed by the security forces.

Commissioner Riyaz meanwhile posted an interview on the police website in July this year asserting that police would refuse to follow any orders deemed “unconstitutional.”

“Whichever individual becomes president tomorrow can no longer just change the constitution, the existing law. That individual, holding the presidency, can only bring such big changes with a parliamentary majority,” said Riyaz, challenging the MDP to confirm or deny the authenticity of a leaked document purporting to be the party’s policies for reforming the security services.

Following Riyaz’s tweet last month, the MDP released a statement expressing “grave concern over the overtly political actions taken by Abdulla Riyaz, appointed Commissioner of Police by Dr. Mohamed Waheed following the overthrow of the Maldives’ first democratically elected government in February 2012.”

“The MDP notes that this is unfortunately not the first instance where Mr. Riyaz, appointed in dubious circumstances, has used his position in a blatantly politically manner. The MDP would like to draw attention to Mr. Riyaz’s role in the February 7, 2012 forceful overthrow of government, subsequent police brutality, impunity and lack of accountability, politically motivated detentions, unconstitutional barring of Raajje TV from Police Service events, the refusals to accept summons by parliamentary select committees and the extensive interview he recently gave on a policy which was alleged to be the MDP’s,” the statement read.

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Maldives SAFF run halted in semis

The Maldives suffered a heartbreaking defeat against South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship holders India, losing one-nil to an 86th minute Arnab Mondal goal.

Manager Istvan Urbanyi expressed his extreme disappointment with the way his team were knocked out of the tournament.

“India just tried to kill us in the first 40 minutes… They wanted to hurt which is a provocation. Every single time after 2-3 seconds they just made a tackle. And in the end Sentey (Ali Fasir) got a yellow card for nothing,” Maldivessoccer.com quoted Urbanyi as saying.

The winning goal came after a late corner kick fell kindly to Mondal, who rifled a shot past Maldives keeper Imran Mohamed.

Chaotic scenes accompanied the final whistle, as both Ali Umar and Mohammad Rasheed were dismissed after remonstrating with the referee. Maldivian players were particularly incensed after a 73rd minute penalty appeal from captain Ali Ashfaq was dismissed by the referee, who instead booked the tournament’s top scorer for simulation.

“It’s a penalty, I don’t care about anything it’s a penalty. If you watched the game live it’s a penalty,” said Urbanyi.

“Ashfaq got the ball at the right time, he touched the ball at the right time and the goalkeeper just came and he wanted to stop him. So the contact doesn’t have to be a huge one, it doesn’t have to break Ashfaq legs, if it’s just there and he doesn’t let him go through the normal way it’s a foul. Which is called penalty.”

India will go on to face Afghanistan in the final tomorrow.

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President Waheed meets with delegation of UN election observers

President Dr Mohamed Waheed met with a delegation of election observers representing the United Nations Department of Political Affairs in Male’ yesterday (September 9).

According to the President’s Office, the delegation discussed the election held Saturday (September 7), as well as the second round of voting now scheduled for September 28 after no single candidate was able to secure 51 percent of ballots cast.

Along with commending the government for conducting what it called a free, fair and transparent elections, the UN delegation called for a peaceful run-off vote and “smooth transition” to a new administration once polling was concluded.

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Nasheed vindicated but faces tricky run-off: Times of India

Nasheed accused Gayoom of engineering the coup with help of mutinous police and military officers. He had accused tourism tycoons like Ibrahim, angry over his policies like increase of taxes, for bankrolling it, writes Sameer Arshad for the Times of India.

The international community recognised his removal as legitimate power transfer in the Maldives, where stability is crucial for India’s interests as it overlaps the Indian Ocean’s major sea lanes through which 97 percent Indian trade by volume and 75 percent by value pass.

But the first round results have made it clear the Maldivians did not agree. They have voted against the removal of the country’s first democratically-elected president, who earned Amnesty International’s Prisoner of Conscience title for his campaign against Gayoom’s rule.

The Maldivians were fed up with the instability, which followed his ouster and adversely impacted the mainstay of the country’s economy – tourism.

The anxieties over the country’s dented image as a high-end holiday paradise were reflected in Nasheed’s performance on resort islands. Workers chose to vote for him even on the islands that his opponents own.

Nasheed’s proactive approach towards issues like climate change, which poses existential threat to countries like Maldives, along with his social programmes, had earned him a lot of popularity.

These factors contributed to his emphatic comeback despite his arrest twice and questions over his candidacy.

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