Author: Minivan News

Oligarchies, rising fundamentalism, undermining media in the Maldives: Eurasia Review

In 2004, Maldives embarked on the path toward adopting a democratic status when then President Gayoom, under mounting pressure for reforms, announced plans for significant political reforms which included the drafting of a new constitution, writes Annapoorna Karthika for the Eurasia Review.

Between 2005 and 2007, the authoritarian regime relaxed policies for registering newspapers, ended years of state monopoly over media and announced major media-related reform bills.

Even so, this liberty of journalists in the post-authoritarian Maldives to practice media impartiality and editorial independence is being increasingly undermined by diminishing religious tolerance, and escalating violent clashes between pro-democracy groups and the government.

The anti-government protestors are demanding an early election – a claim that has reportedly been supported by the Commonwealth and the European Union, but rebuffed by the government. This commentary attempts to understand the mounting inimical descent in freedom of expression and independent journalism in Maldives.

The ‘oligarchy’ typified section of Maldivian society has possibly inherited a trait from the legacy of the country’s autocratic past – the inability to acknowledge voices of dissent. The informal network of clientele controls some of the media enterprises which lack the financial mobility to initiate independence in media objectivity.

This lamentable trend has a distressing impact on the fledgling democracy of Maldives. The process of democratization is deeply entwined in the development of a transparent, impartial and responsible media. Unfortunately, the rhetoric of political rivalry is redefining the practice of journalism in Maldives today.

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Police form new cyber policing department

The Maldives Police Service has announced they have formed a special Cyber Policing Department to look into cyber crime.

Police stated that three units will be operating under the new department, including the  cyber crime investigation unit, cyber forensics unit and cyber security unit.

Police media official Sub-inspector Hassan Haneef stated that the formation of new department would help ease the current difficulties in investigating cyber crimes and will allow police to file more cases at the Prosecutor General’s office.

Cyber crimes were previously investigated by a small unit operating under fraud and financial department.

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Only two MMC members returned illegal allowances, after ACC investigation

The Maldives Media Council’s (MCC) annual audit report has revealed that only two of its members, Ahmed Abdulla and Ahmed Fazeel, have returned the MVR7,500 (US$478) living allowance adjudged to have been given illegally, reports local media.

The council’s other 13 member, despite being asked to do so, had not returned the allowance the report is said to have detailed.

In April 2011, council members decided not to receive the allowance any longer, after they were asked by Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to discontinue a second time.

The MMC then sent letters to council members asking them to return the amounts they had received as living allowances – by now a total of almost a million rufiya, in addition to their salaries.

Following the ACC’s decision to sue the MCC over these allowance, the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) urged the council’s members to resign.

“This raise questions about the integrity of MMC which was established by the Parliament to regulate media,” read an MJA statement at the time.

“The MMC Act which was passed by the parliament clearly stipulates that no additional money other than wages shall be given to the council members for their work, unless it is approved by the Parliament,” it continued.

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PPM opens opportunity to register delegates for party’s congress

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) this Thursday announced its decision to open the opportunity to register delegates for first congress in the coming month of November.

PPM Secretary General Yumna Maumoon, who is also the daughter of the party’s interim leader former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom told the press that the party intends to allow two types of delegates.

The two types Yumna Maumoon said were elected delegates from all the party branches and invited delegates. Invited delegates would include its members who are currently filling top government positions and party’s parliamentarians.

The party also stated that it will hold its presidential primaries after the party congress.

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MCC decides to cooperate with government

Male’ City Council (MCC) yesterday announced its decision to cooperate with the government in light of the findings of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI), reports Haveeru.

“The CNI report signifies that the transfer of power was legal, hence the city council has decided to extend it cooperation to the government in fulfilling the constitutionally obligated duties stipulated under the Decentralization Act,” an MCC statement was said to have read.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) dominated council had opted not to cooperate with the government after February’s contested transfer of power.

Friction between the MCC and the government has resulted in a series of jurisdictional feuds over the past seven months, most notably over the alleged violations relating to the leasing of land to the MDP for political activities.

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Half-sister of slain ‘Bobby’ calls for death sentence

The half-sister of 21 year-old Abdul Muheeth ‘Bobby’, who was stabbed to death outside the Finance Ministry on February 19, has asked told the court to implement the death penalty, local media has reported.

The state is currently pursuing charges against six individuals for the murder, including three minors.

Bobby’s murder provoked an outpouring of public grief. The ‘Justice for Bobby’ Facebook page has since been ‘liked’ by nearly 15,000 people while hundreds turned out to hold a ten 10 minute silence in June.

Under Islamic Sharia, if none of  a murder victim’s heirs agree to accept blood money, the court will hand down the death sentence.

Traditionally in Maldives death penalties are commuted to life imprisonment.

More than 10 people have been sentenced to death in the past decade, of which none have been executed by the authorities tasked with the role.

For the past 60 years, the state has been commuting these death sentences to life imprisonment (25 years).

Due to increasing criminal related deaths in the country, public sentiment for implementing capital punishment appears to have grown stronger this year.

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MP Hassan Adil sex abuse case continues in High Court

The High Court appeal concerning the sexual abuse case of Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Hassan Adil has begun today, reports Haveeru.

Today’s session was held behind closed doors, the paper reported, which is constitutionally allowed for in order to protect the family involved.

Adil was acquitted in March of this year after the judge said the state had failed to present sufficient evidence as per the requirement of Article 47 of the Use of Special Procedures in Dealing with Child Abusers Act.

Police originally arrested Adil on 4th April 2011 with a court warrant.

On June 12 2011 the court granted the Prosecutor General (PG)’s permission to hold Adil in house arrest until the trial reached a conclusion.

If the court finds Adil guilty, he will face imprisonment for a period of between 10 to 14 years and would lose his seat in parliament.

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It is not the government that is prosecuting Nasheed: President’s Advisor

Political Advisor to the President, Ahmed ‘Topi’ Thaufeeg, has today said that the government does not have the authority to prosecute former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Thaufeeq told Sun Online that, owing to the separation of powers enshrined in the constitution, only the Prosecutor General (PG) could pursue charges against Nasheed.

However, Thaufeeg told Sun Online that it was the responsibility of the PG to pursue anyone guilty of a crime.

“The government has no influence over this. When the relevant institutions complete their investigations and submit cases to the PG, the PG will file those cases to Court. It does not matter whether it is Nasheed or anyone else,” Thaufeeg is reported to have said.

The response follows the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) resolution to protest the government over its move to prosecute Nasheed.

After Nasheed yesterday claimed the judiciary was heavily politicised, Thaufeeg told Sun that the institution was strong and was constitutionally protected from political influence.

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Director General of Elections Commission sacked “without warning”

Director general of the Elections Commission (EC), Mohamed Tholal, has been dismissed without warning, reports Sun Online.

It has been reported that Tholal was informed his association with the Athletics Association, for which he receives no salary, was cited as the reason for his dismissal.

Secretary General of Elections Commission, Asim Abdul Sattar, told Sun that Tholal’s dismissal had been in line with EC regulations.

Tholal himself is reported to have Tweeted on the subject: “The reason for my dismissal is to retaliate because we protested, and also because votes cannot be rigged at 2013 Elections if we are there.”

Tholal’s dismissal comes as the country’s independent institutions come under increasing scrutiny as additional pressure is placed upon them following the fallout from the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI).

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