Author: Neil Merrett

Senator calls for US to back early elections in the Maldives “as soon as possible”

A US Senator serving as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee’s Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs Subcommittee has called for fresh elections in the Maldives at the earliest date possible, to ensure democracy is not at risk of being “derailed” in the tiny island nation.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted Senator Robert Casey as requesting the US “continue calls for elections to be held in the Maldives as soon as possible to ensure that the seeds of the democratic process planted in 2008 are able to flourish.”

The comments were reportedly made yesterday during the confirmation hearing in Washington DC of the US Ambassador Designate to Colombo Michele Sison.

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, has previously claimed that the earliest date elections can be held on the country will be July 2013, as detailed in the country’s constitution.  The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has continued to request that early elections be held before the end of the present year.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which contends that President Waheed’s government is illegitimate after he came to power on February 7 in a “coup d’etat”, has said early elections could be held within two months without need for constitutional amendment should the president and vice president resign, under provisions for an interim government run by the Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid.

However Waheed and the former opposition parties now in the ruling coalition and occupying senior cabinet positions, initially insisted that “conditions are not right” for early elections, and later contended that the earliest elections could be held under the constitution was July 2013.

Tweeting on June 2, Waheed posted a picture of himself with a group of children and wrote: “These young people advised me not to hold an early election.”

Amid talk of fresh elections, the US government in April pledged US$500,000 (Rf7.7 million) in technical assistance to ensure a free and fair presidential election, assistance it said would “be made available from July 2012”.

“Important” ally

Speaking during yesterday’s confirmation hearing for Ambassador Designate Michele Sison, Senator Casey claimed the Maldives remained an “important” ally to US interests.

Casey therefore raised concerns that the country’s “democratic beginning” was in danger of being “derailed” due to the political unrest leading up to and following the controversial transfer of power in February, according to media reports.

Sison responded that the country continues to push the Maldives to work within “existing democratic institutions” to ensure a resolution to its current political deadlock.

“The US government now has a window of opportunity to step up its engagement in Maldives, and USAID recently committed funding to assist Maldives in ensuring that the next round of presidential elections is free and fair,” Sison was reported to have told senators during the hearing.

The US Embassy in Colombo said it did not have a copy of the transcript of Sison’s confirmation hearing and was unable to clarify the comments attributed to Senator Casey, and would not comment on the political significance of the senator’s comments.

However, the embassy confirmed that like every US ambassador appointed to a foreign position, Sison was required to go before the senate to answer questions about her role.

During yesterday’s hearing, the embassy spokesperson said Sison would have been asked questions on Sri Lanka and the Maldives by senators to ensure she was qualified for the position, ahead of a vote to appoint her.

Responding to the reported comments in the US Senate about early elections, President’s Office spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza referred to the recent comments by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon commending agreements between President Waheed and the opposition MDP in seeking a political resolution in the country.

In his statement, Ki-moon urged all political parties “to resume immediately their political dialogue, both within and outside of Parliament, in order to find a mutually agreeable way forward on the basis of the Constitution and without jeopardising the democratic gains achieved thus far in the Maldives.”

Riza told Minivan News today that the government supported the UN’s comments that any solution to the current political upheavals must be made through local stakeholders and also not contravene the constitution.

He claimed that the government was already committed to a process of resolving political differences through a roadmap plan outlined by the president that includes All-Party Talks designed to set a six point agenda concluding with setting a date for early elections.

The last round of All-Party Talks, held at Vice President Waheed Deen’s Bandos Island Resort and Spa last weekend and monitored by UN mediator Pierre Yves Monett, collapsed after parties in the ruling coalition presented the MDP with a list of 30 demands that included “stop practicing black magic and sorcery”, “stop the use of sexual and erotic tools”, and “not walk in groups of more than 10”.

Anti-terrorism Assistance Training

Aside from assigning funds for early elections, present US Ambassador Patricia A. Butenis this week signed a Memorandum of Intent with Maldives Police Service Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz to provide Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) training in the country.

The training programmes, which will take place between June 10 – June 21 and July 1 – July 12, will focus respectively on “Police Leaders’ Role in Combating Terrorism” and “Preventing Attacks on Soft Targets”, according to the US Embassy, as well as making police aware of their human rights obligations.

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MP Rasheed committed to MDP despite support for Majlis speaker

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Rasheed said he remains committed to the party even if he is “punished” by its Parliamentary Group for not supporting a no-confidence motion forwarded against Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

Rasheed told Minivan News today that he expected to remain an elected member of the party, which he continued to support, despite standing by his position to back the parliamentary speaker against a reported three-line whip enforced by the MDP.

During a vote of no confidence taken against Shahid yesterday, 45 out of the 74 parliament members present in the sitting voted in favour of the speaker and 25 voted against him. Two members abstained. MDP MPs Hassan Adil and Ahmed Rasheed were said to have voted against their party line. MDP MPs Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed and MP Ali Riza abstained.

MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said that the MPs who voted against the no confidence motion would now be required to explain themselves to the party’s Parliamentary Group Leader, MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Hamid added that the MDP had not yet decided on what course of action may be taken to deal with the MPs who voted against the whip at a time when the party trails in parliamentary support to a coalition of government-aligned parties.  The MDP currently stands alone as an opposition party against the coalition government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, which it alleges was brought to power in a “coup d’etat”.

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say that we will do anything rash. Under these stressful circumstances we have to be disciplined as a party,” Ghafoor explained in regards to the possible measures that could be taken against MPs who had not supported the vote.

While the exact nature of action to be taken by the party against members who voted against the bill is presently unknown, MP Rasheed said he would not be looking to switch his political allegiance even when potentially facing being reprimanded or expelled.

“I believe in the MDP manifesto. There is no question to me that it is the only party that actually has a manifesto,” he claimed. “In my mind, there is also no one trying to force me out of the party.”

Last month, the MDP’s former President Dr Ibrahim Didi and former Vice President Alhan Fahmy switched allegiances to the Jumhoree Party (JP). The decision was taken after the MDP’s National Congress passed a majority vote to remove both men from their respective leadership posts after they stood accused of making statements contradictory to the party’s official line.

Despite pledging his allegiance to the party today, Rasheed maintained his support for Shahid in the no confidence motion, claiming that the present speaker, out of 77 parliamentary members, was the “only person right now” who should have the Majlis chair.

Despite Shahid representing the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Rasheed contend that the speaker – due to a perceived lack of power in the position of his party – would not directly support former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).  The PPM was formed last year after an increasingly bitter war of words between current DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Gayoom, who had originally founded the party. The war of words saw the party split between supporters loyal to Gayoom and those in favour of Thasmeen’s tenure.

“Discipline”

Questioned as to whether the MDP, through its Parliamentary Group, would be looking to discipline the MPs who failed to back the party line, Ghafoor would not be drawn into the possible repercussions until an internal review was complete.

“The issue is that these MPs went against the whipline. This has been noted by the Parliamentary group Leader.  He now wants to find out why,” he said. “If they go against the party line they must have a good explanation for doing so.”

Ghafoor claimed that as a party, the MDP had generally been “disciplined” in ensuring solidarity among its members during parliamentary voting – a decision he said had afforded it the best record among fellow parties.

“There have of course been mishaps from time to time where people have gone against the party line,” he said.

Ghafoor took the example of former Party President Dr Ibrahim Didi and Vice President Alhan Fahmy as a notable example of where its members had been reprimanded.

“At this delicate time, [voting against the party line] does serve to reduce confidence in the party,” he said.

“Major principles” were at stake in yesterday’s high-profile no-confidence motion, Ghafoor said, adding that there was particular pressure from grassroots supporters to ensure the no-confidence vote succeeded.

“This is nothing personal, but the party supporters are in no mood to tolerate such actions from their MPs,” he said.

Ghafoor claimed that whatever action the party may decide to take against MPs voting against the official MDP line, it would not act in a “rash” manner.

The MDP Parliamentary Group has maintained that it has held “serious reservations” for some time about the Parliamentary Speaker’s ability to pass policies into legislation – despite his capabilities and understanding of national politics.

Speaker support

Speaking during yesterday’s debate, DRP Leader Thasmeen stated that the no-confidence motion had been forwarded amid baseless accusations.  He defended his fellow party member, saying that he had been executing the responsibilities of the speaker in accordance with the parliament rules and procedures.

Thasmeen further claimed that the motion was an attempt by MDP to “break” the coalition after the party leadership’s recent “political failures.”

“Such a motion will not impact the ‘unity’ between the parties in the coalition supporting the government of President Waheed. So therefore I must say, yet again this is another wrong step taken by the MDP leadership,” Thasmeen added.

PPM spokesperson MP Ahmed Mahloof stated that despite his being an outspoken critic of Shahid who made several statements in the media and the parliament floor, he would stand by the speaker’s side today.

“Yesterday, the PPM Parliamentary Group (PG) came to a conclusion that this motion is a ‘trap’ set up by the MDP to ‘finish off’ the people and the ruling coalition,” he said.

“Today at a time where Abdulha Shahid is facing a grave matter at hand, I will stand by him. Abdulla Shahid will get all the votes from PPM. What we ask is that he act justly and equally,” he added.

MDP MP Ali Waheed during the debate alleged that the motion would reveal those MPs who spoke “in two mouths”, referring to the PPM MPs allegations of that Shahid and Thasmeen had cut deals with GMR and the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed to support the privatisation of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

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High Court ruling on Usfasgandu ruling not “setback” for government: Home Minister

Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said that a High Court ruling to uphold a Civil Court order preventing the dismantling of a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest camp at Male’s Usfasgandu area is not a “setback” to efforts to reclaim the land.

The camp was raided last Tuesday (May 29) by police after they obtained a Criminal Court search warrant to search the area under suspicion that criminal practices were performed on the site, including the practice of “black magic”. Under evidence, the warrant alleged that people in the Usfasgandu area had on May 25 thrown a “cursed rooster” at MNDF officers.

Shortly after the raid, the Civil Court ordered a halt to the ongoing removal of the camp with a temporary court injunction, after the MDP challenged the legality of the operation.  The Civil Court decision was later appealed by the state.

The temporary injunction was upheld today though by the High Court, which said there had been no grounds to amend the Civil Court’s order, according to local media.

However, Dr Jameel maintained that the Usfasgandu site, which was leased to the MDP by Male’ City Council (MCC), was in fact the property of the government, a position he claimed would ultimately be supported by the law.

“I am confident that a claim to [Usfasgandu’s] vacant possession will be granted by the courts as it has a clear position in law,” he told Minivan News.

Jameel added that it would not be his responsibility or decision to appeal against the High Court verdict.

“The decision to appeal is a matter for the attorney general to make,” he added.

Black magic

During the police raid of Usfasgandu last week, police collected evidence reported to include pieces of paper with Arabic inscriptions,  incense, a box of unused condoms, a discarded ‘Tiger’ beer can, and a laminated sheet containing photos of police officers marked with ‘ticks’ and ‘crosses’.

Questioned on whether the evidence gathered by police from Usfasgandu – including the alleged black magic paraphernalia – was sufficient to support the legal case to ultimately dismantle the camp in its entirety, Dr Jameel said it was a matter for the police to decide.

“We will have to wait and see for their conclusion on the matter,” he said, also addressing the concern of authorities about black magic being practiced by anti-government protesters: “I do not know whether anybody is more concerned about black magic than those who indulge in such outdated activities.”

MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and MP Imthiyaz Fahmy were not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

Stalemate

The fate of Usfasgandu represents an ongoing stalemate between the Home Ministry and Male’ City Council.

The Housing Ministry initially sought to repossess the area from the Council, which refused to cooperate. The Home Ministry then instructed police to retake the area, who approached the Criminal Court for a warrant. The court initially denied this warrant, stating that the repossession was a civil matter and not within its jurisdiction.

The Home Ministry has argued that leasing the area to a group for political purposes contravenes the deregulation act under which the land was granted to the MCC.

In a precursor to this issue, the previous area at Lonuziyaaraiy Kolhu used for the staging of the MDP’s operations, dubbed ‘Justice Square’, was dismantled by police and the MNDF on March 19. The subsequent court case was dismissed on a technicality and, after being re-submitted, has recently been delayed once again following for a similar reason.

The MCC has remained defiant, last month writing to the Police, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and the Housing Ministry, arguing that the area was fulfilling a pressing need for large numbers of people to conduct political activities without inconveniencing residents of Male’ City. It also dismissed the legal right of the government to claim the area.

The Housing Ministry has recently removed Sultan Park and the artificial beach area from the municipal council’s jurisdiction.

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Government to unveil “new environmental strategy”

The government will “not completely” reverse the former government’s carbon neutral policies outlined by President Mohamed Nasheed during his three years in office, the President’s Office has said.

President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza told Minivan News the government was this week expecting to unveil details of a new environmental strategy for the nation.  Riza claimed this strategy would seek to play up  national debate about sustainable practices at both an island and national level.

Riza’s comments were made as the government this month launches a number of environment-themed events to coincide with the Rio+20 sustainable development summit that is taking place in Brazil between June 20 and June 22.

Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Nasheed, who maintains he was removed from office in February under a “coup d’etat”, claimed it would be “impossible” for the present government to outline sustainable development strategies unless it had the stability of a democratic mandate.

Abbas however maintained that President Waheed would “not totally reverse” Nasheed’s environmental commitments towards carbon neutral policies.

“In the next 24 hours or so we will hope to be unveil more details of our new strategy. We will not be enacting a 180 degree change in direction to the previous government’s zero carbon strategy,” he claimed. “What we are aiming to do is to elaborate more on individual sustainable issues and subject them to national debate. Previously, these discussions on sustainability were not subjected to a national debate, such as through parliament.”

The former government conducted a number of high-profile exercises in a bid to raise the profile of its efforts to secure funding and assistance to make the country carbon neutral by 2020, such as the now internationally famous underwater cabinet meeting.

Riza added that the government was looking to establish new laws and regulations to safeguard nationwide sustainable commitments. There had been “very little” debate on environmental policy in parliament during Nasheed’s presidency, Riza said.

Destination: Rio

The Rio +20 Conference taking place later this month aims to bring together world leaders, NGOs and private sector representatives to outline new directions for political commitments on overcoming the challenges setting back sustainable development.

According to the Maldives government, the conference will focus on bolstering green economies to relieve poverty, as well as improving coordination between various international bodies and national authorities.

In the lead up to the event, the Maldives has launched a new social media service on Facebook, the Future of Maldives Sustainable Development, which details work presently being conducted by authorities towards eco-friendly commitments.

In the next few weeks, a number of sustainability themed events will be held around the country. These include a no-vehicle day in Male’, which will see non-emergency traffic banned from the capital’s roads for several hours next Tuesday (June 12), a renewable energy exchange at schools, and the launch of a Climate Change Trust Fund.

Presidential promotion

During his inaugural address in March, President Waheed claimed that like former President Nasheed, he would remain an internationally outspoken proponent on the plight of small nations facing the destructive impacts of climate change.

“The government will encourage the voice of small island nations to be heard in the global arena with regard to climate change,” stated the president. “The Maldives will always participate in voicing the concerns of small island nations.”

The president was heckled on multiple occasions whilst trying to give his constitutionally mandated address to parliament by MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which continues challenge the legitimacy of Dr Waheed’s government and demand early elections.

Waheed eventually delivered a truncated speech in April during a rescheduled Majlis session, amid loud protests in the parliament chamber and violent clashes between civilians and police in the capital.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has meanwhile remained an outspoken advocate for the Maldives’ efforts to adopt wide-scale carbon neutral practices.

In an interview prior to the screening of the Island President at the Hay Festival in the UK, the former president said the lack of a stable government in the Maldives would set back efforts to promote its sustainable policies and interests internationally.

“It is going to be very difficult for us to adapt to climate change if we do not have a solid and secure democratic government,” Nasheed told the UK Daily Telegraph newspaper.

In the months following his controversial resignation, Nasheed visited the US to raise awareness on the current political upheaval in the country, as well the documentary film, “The Island President” in a tour that saw him appearing on prime time TV and at talks across the country.

The documentary film chronicles his government’s ambitious pledge to become a carbon neutral nation by 2020, and has received increased global coverage since Nasheed was removed from office.

Speaking to Conde Nast Traveler to promote the film at the time, Nasheed expressed hope that the country would continue to work towards becoming carbon neutral, even as he challenged the legitimacy of Dr Waheed’s government.

“We were making real progress. I hope the government will continue our policies. But you can’t have good policies without democracy. And you won’t address the climate change crisis without good policies,” Nasheed told journalist Dorinda Elliott. “All democratic movements must talk about both climate change and human rights.”

In March, local environmental NGO Bluepeace claimed that ongoing political uncertainty in the country and questions over the legitimacy of the current government had set back the country’s commitments to sustainable development.

Bluepeace Director Ahmed Ikram said discussions on domestic environmental commitments were being sidelined by increasingly partisan political thinking throughout the country.

Ikram claimed that the national media was also not providing much coverage or promotion to climate change adoption in the Maldives. He alleged this was in part due to sections of the media favouring the former president’s political opponents, reflecting the politicisation of environmental commitments.

“We support [former] President Nasheed. Yes there are times when we may have disagreed with his policies, but we still supported him as our president,” said Ikram. “What we are experiencing today – with Maldivian businesses making use of solar panels – are the benefits of Nasheed’s work on the environment.”

Despite his personal criticisms of the current government and the long-term prospects for democracy in the country, Ikram said Bluepeace fully supported the present government’s role in supporting projects such as the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Earth Hour initiative.

Asked if he felt that Maldivians were committed to long-term conservation beyond one-off annual events such as Earth Hour, Ikram said the Maldivian public were generally committed in adapting to climate change.

“I believe that the Maldivian people are the ones who will serve as climate change champions in the end,” he said.

International perspective

Despite Nasheed’s high-profile climate activism, Greenpeace in 2010 told Minivan News that the Maldives acted more “as a symbol than a practical demonstration” of how national development and fighting climate change can be mutually exclusive.

“The Maldives can become a strong proponent of a paradigm shift in the World Bank and in developing countries whereby it is recognised that fighting climate change and promoting development go hand in hand,” said Wendel Trio, Climate Policy and Global Deal Coordinator for Greenpeace International.

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Bodu Beru and balladeering: Kurumba holds charity music festival for orphanage

Kurumba Maldives held a charity music festival on Friday, featuring 11 music acts ranging from solo Australian balladeers to local rock bands and traditional Bodu Beru drumming.

The Kurumba Maldives Music Festival, launched to coincide with the resort’s 40 year anniversary celebrations, was devised to raise US$5000 to purchase furniture, washing machines and other equipment for the state orphanage “Kudakudhinge Hiyaa”, based on the nearby island of Villigili.

Following three weeks of planning, event organisers said that yesterday’s event exceeded their fund-raising expectations, despite being the first such festival to be held at the resort.

The event’s organisers said that they had been particularly encouraged by the assistance received from sponsors and other local business. They also welcomed the Ministry of Finance in getting a temporary exemption from the country’s General Service Tax (GST) on food, drink and tickets sold to visitors attending the event.

“We were granted exemptions from paying GST for fund-raising, we were very lucky that the Ministry of Finance helped with this,” a resort spokesperson said, adding that the event had marked the first time it had been involved with fund-raising with local people.

“This was the first fund-raising of its kind to be held at a resort. We invited a lots of friends and suppliers of the resorts, so we didn’t know how much we would be receiving or how many bands would be arriving to perform. However, it was a really good day. We also had the children from the orphanage coming over to take part in activities like water sports as well.”

Orphanage focus

With about 53 children currently residing at the Villingili orphanage – eight of whom are said to be under one year of age – the site remains dependent on donations to feed, cloth and look after the children, according to the spokesperson for Kurumba’s fund raising team.

“You can see that they are well looked after, but the orphanage itself clearly lacks basic facilities. For instance, there are not enough high chairs for toddlers. Many of the property’s beds are also broken and there was just one washing machine for all the children,” said the spokesperson. “It’s therefore very hard for the orphanage to survive like this. Right now they are working on maintaining hygiene standards and providing food to the children. We hope to help where we can.”

All money raised through the festival will be used to purchase furniture and other items like washing machines through the resort’s own suppliers, to get the equipment as soon as possible.

“We are not going to give cash, instead we will directly be supplying items and goods as needed. This will allow us to get these things at our supplier rates and ensure the orphanage gets the benefit directly,” the resort spokesperson said.

“Some of the resorts here work in collaboration with more worldwide charities through their corporate social responsibility obligations,” said the spokesperson “With our 40th anniversary this year, and the resort being Maldivian-owned, we wanted to raise money for local causes and people.”

Performers

Split over two different sites on the resort, local groups and artists including Mcrew, DJ Paide, and Rock Paper Scissors were joined by international performers such as Australian singer/songwriter Ewan Procter. The line up was an eclectic mix of original compositions, cover versions and dance sets. A liberal sprinkling of stadium anthems were also provided – albeit in the more sedate backdrop of an wooden-decked Indian ocean resort property.

Despite praising the event’s outcome, Kurumba’s fund-raising team said the resort had to overcome some logistical issues in holding the small scale festival at the resort.

“We needed to be careful throughout the day to ensure we did not disturb guests. This is why we held the event at two different areas. In the evening we were required to move the performances from the beach area to our bar area so guests were not forced to participate if they did not want to. We are still a five-star resort after all.”

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Transparency Maldives to open advocacy centre for local and foreign victims of corruption

Transparency Maldives is pursuing collaborations with various government and independent institutions in attempts to legally assist both local and foreign victims of corruption in the country.

Transparency Maldives Project Director Aiman Rasheed said a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed this week with the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to provide technical advice through the establishment of an Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) was also being sought with a number of other local institutions and bodies.

According to the NGO, the centre will seek to offer assistance and legal advice for both local people and expatriates – especially in the case of workers from countries like Bangladesh – to help them address incidences of corrupt practices in the country.

With consultations taking place with various national bodies and organisations like the Police Integrity Commission (PIC), the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office, Transparency Maldives claims it expects to announce additional partners for the project over the next month.

Rasheed told Minivan News that by June 10 he hoped to have additional support from a number of these bodies alongside the commitments of the ACC.

“We have so far received very positive responses from the PG’s Office and the HRCM,” he claimed. “In all honesty, we’ve been quite surprised at how open many of the institutions have been. We hope to have more big stakeholders on board.”

Under the terms of the MOU signed this week with the ACC, Rasheed claimed Transparency Maldives aimed to provide technical advice to the commission to try and help it make its systems for dealing with corruption “better”.

“The ALAC is designed to try and make things easier for victims of corruption. There is no protection right now for most people and it can be hard to get access to existing protective mechanisms,” he said. “We will provide complainants with proper legal advice on where they stand. Also, we currently have very little data in regards to current complaints. The MOU will let us better understand what gaps there are in the system and what exactly people are complaining about.”

International scope

Rasheed claimed that the ALAC project, which has been adopted by other national bodies aligned with Transparency International, had so far provided legal and technical assistance to some 48,000 corruption cases worldwide.

He added negotiations were presently taking place with customs and judicial authorities in an attempt to come to an agreement for similar collaborations.

However, Rasheed stressed that each institution had its own distinct set of rules and regulations in relation to its work.

“Our plan is that we would like to have a toll free number that would allow a person who has been a victim of corruption to call or message us anonymously with a complaint,” he said.

When questioned on what sort of remit and powers the ALAC would have to address allegations of corruption concerning public and independent institutions, Rasheed claimed that Transparency had already been addressing certain “concerns” levelled at the project.

He said that some of these concerns were related to fears that the work of the ALAC would simply just be duplicating existing state-mechanisms currently in place. Rasheed denied this was the case.

“Our intentions are to give people an easier way to complain and get legal advice over corruption concerns,” he said. “However, this does not mean that we will be interfering with the international mechanisms of these groups.”

Rasheed claimed that the MOU would instead be designed to go directly to a body such as the Maldives Customs Service and share the numbers of potential complaints raised against it, whilst also providing advice on how to address such concerns.

In working to address more specific local concerns, Rasheed claimed that Transparency Maldives aimed to make use of the ALAC programme to address issues related to labour authorities and human trafficking – one of the NGOs “biggest concerns” at present.

“Right now we found the whole system just so corrupt. So we have an agreement to bring a member of staff from Transparency Bangladesh here over the next year to help us deal with complaints from Bangladeshi workers,” he said.

Expatriate concerns

Earlier this month, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in the Maldives, Rear Admiral Abu Saeed Mohamed Abdul Awal, said he believed workers from the country were regularly being brought to the Maldives to perform unskilled work, usually in the construction industry.

Awal alleged that upon arriving, expatriates from Bangladesh were suffering from the practices of “bad employers”.

“This is a real problem that is happening here, there have been many raids over the last year on unskilled [expatriate] workers who are suffering because of the companies employing them. They are not being given proper salaries and are paying the price for some of these employers,” he said.

The comments were echoed earlier this week by the First Secretary of the Indian High Commission in the Maldives S. C. Agarwal.

Agarwal told Minivan News that both skilled and unskilled Indian workers employed currently in the Maldives continued to be “penalised” due to certain government and private sector employers failing to fulfil their legal obligations.

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HRCM completes investigations into February 8 “human rights abuses”, “terrorism”

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has completed investigations into alleged police brutality and retaliatory “acts of terrorism” alleged to have been conducted by anti-government protesters on February 8, 2012.

Two separate investigations related to the conduct of both police and anti-government protesters on February 8 were today sent to authorities including the Prosecutor General’s office and parliament.  The completion of the investigations comes just 24 hours after the HRCM sent its findings concerning the controversial detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed to the same bodies.

HRCM member Jeehan Mahmoud said all but one of its investigations into the government changeover in February and the events that led up to it had now been completed.  One more report into the alleged human rights abuses conducted by police on the day of February 7 was left to be completed, she added.

Despite not having yet seen the findings, representatives of the government-aligned Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) today welcomed investigations from national independent institutions such as HRCM.  The now opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) meanwhile said it too would wait on the outcome of the investigations, but claimed that it remained sceptical about the independence of the investigation and the HRCM.

Nasheed investigation

The HRCM investigations, which saw former President Mohamed Nasheed become the first leader of the Maldives to be brought before the commission over the detention of Judge Abdulla Mohamed, also looked into acts perpetrated against the deposed former leader and his supporters following his controversial resignation. Nasheed claimed he was forced to resign from office on February 7 in a “coup d’etat.”

Jeehan Mahmoud said that aside from the investigation into Judge Abdulla Mohamed’s detention, additional reports had today been dispatched to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the government and the People’s Majlis for official responses as required under HRCM protocols.

“As well as the judge case, we today forwarded investigations into cases of alleged police brutality and also a separate review of the so-called “terrorism activities” carried out in Addu Atoll that saw police stations and other buildings attacked,” she said. “We have one more investigation to be completed on the alleged human rights abuses of February 7.”

Mahmoud claimed that no date had yet been set for the investigation to be concluded – due in part to ongoing difficulties in conducting interviews with various parties believed to be involved.

“So far this has been the most difficult investigation as not many people that we have requested to come to give testimonies have arrived. There are many high-profile political actors involved [in the investigation]. They have obviously prioritised what issues they need to address right now,” she said.

Mahmoud claimed that certain people that the HRCM wished to interview about the events of February 7 were not appearing after being requested to attend on numerous occasions.

“We are looking at human rights abuses right now. If someone in a uniform has committed acts of abuse, or whoever’s rights have been violated, we want to know. There has never been an investigation as complicated as this for us.”

Majlis response

PPM MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News that he welcomed any findings by independent institutions such as the HRCM that could shed light on the political unrest that had occurred both leading up to and after February 7.

In relation to both the investigations into former President Mohamed Nasheed’s alleged conduct in detaining Chief Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed, as well as human rights abuses claimed to have been carried out by police, Nihan said anyone found to have committed crimes should be brought to justice.

“Though I cannot speak for my party as a whole, it is my personal opinion that I welcome any independent investigations that can be viewed by all political parties here. Any investigations that are submitted to authorities should be fully probed,” he said.

With independent institutions having been appointed by parliament, Nihan added that it was right for groups like HRCM and their work to be accountable to the Majlis’ Independent Institutions Oversight Committee.

“Of all of these reports , it is the Majlis which has the authority to take proper action against anyone found of wrong doing,” he said.

Depending on the reports’ findings, Nihan claimed that if there was evidence to support such an action, former President Nasheed, police officers and any other party found to have acted illegally must face prosecution.

“Every person has the right to be innocent until proven guilty of a crime. However, whether a former president or a representative of the courts, no one is above the law,” he said.

MDP MP Hamid Adul Ghafoor told Minivan News that he had also not seen the HRCM reports that had been dispatched during the last few days and would wait to review any findings before commenting on them directly.

However, Ghafoor, who also serves on the Independent Institutions Oversight Committee, said that from his previous experiences of the HRCM’s conduct, he would take their findings “with a pinch of salt”.

“I wonder what these reports are going to say regarding the police brutality allegations. I have personally lost confidence in the institutions such as the HRCM,” he claimed. “Take for instance the time they summoned [former] President Nasheed. He was happy to be interviewed but they did not have a strategy in terms of their questioning. Let us see what they conclude, but I do not think it bodes well on their ability to conduct these investigations.”

Ghafoor alleged that the members presently sitting on the country’s independent institutions such as the HRCM, the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) had all been appointed at a time when now government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) had a majority within parliament.

“I do have to question the independence of a lot of these institutions, which have several outstanding motions against them relating to the Independent Institutions Oversight Committee,” he added. “Ultimately, the whole system is just so corrupt right now.”

According to Ghafoor, the HRCM had shown itself as a body in the past that had failed to be proactive in terms of investigating alleged abuses, particularly those claimed to have been commited under the tenure of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

“The HRCM has not to date looked into the cases of abuse, torture and missing persons that occurred under Gayoom,” he claimed. “They have constantly failed in my eyes and have shown themselves to be very selective in the cases they have pursued. They have actively said they would not be investigating cases linked to the Gayoom government.”

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Maldives eyes underwater festivals and bio-reserves among dive innovation efforts

This story was originally published on Minivan News’ spin-off travel review site, Dhonisaurus.

Diving has been a long-standing part of the Maldives’ attempts to appeal to tourists as a tropical island holiday paradise over the last 30 years. With almost every Maldives-based resort island now providing a certified dive centre to guests, the local tourism industry has begun looking at means to bring further innovation to underwater exploration.

Beyond the establishment of high-profile sub-aquatic spas and restaurants in the country, some resorts are opting to play up the emergence of nearby protected marine parks and reserves. Other properties have even moved to hold underwater festivals in attempts bolster interest in exploring life beneath the Maldivian waters.

With an estimated 95 percent of the Maldives landmass underwater, Dolores Semeraro, PR Manager at the LUX* Maldives resort in South Ari Atoll, believes snorkelling and diving are a must-try experience for guests visiting the country.

Underwater festival

In order to try and better play up the appeal of diving to guests of all experience levels, the LUX* Maldives resort this month hosted what is claimed to be the country’s first ever underwater festival. The event had a central focus on underwater photography, as well as the chance to spy some of the Maldives’ most exotic – not to mention attention grabbing – wildlife in the form of whale sharks and manta rays.

Experts including photographer Junji Takasago and free diver Jean-Jacques Mayol joined the resort’s Resident Marine Biologist Chiara Fumagalli during the week to oversee the festivities and provide special programmes and presentations on diving and photography.

To Semeraro at least, while Maldives tourism is often associated with resorts offering high-end, beach-side indulgence and relaxation, the country’s reefs and dive spots are a hugely important contributor to the destination’s overall mystique.

“Events like the underwater festival highlight positively the destination from this point of view and it is incredible to see how interested our guests are in subjects such as whale sharks, snorkelling, coral reefs and so on,” she said.

The festival, which ran during a seven day period this month, concluded on May 20 with a prize giving ceremony for underwater images captured by guests during the week that were judged to be the best.

The resort said the festival was designed to cater for a wide variety of guests; ranging from accomplished underwater explorers, to holidaymakers looking for a more sedate spot of high-brow after-dinner entertainment.

LUX* Maldives therefore promised guests in attendance during the festival a number of special programmes such as free diving courses, the chance to learn special free diving breathing techniques, and illuminated outings for night time reef exploration. Presentations and screenings by marine experts in attendance during the festival were also conducted.

According to Semeraro, after six months of planning, the festival passed with favourable reactions from both media and attendees. She claimed that on average, two full boats of divers were heading out daily with underwater photographers, or to take part in the free-diving and apnea (special breathing) programmes.

When addressing some of South Ari Atoll’s more unique dive sites available to the festival’s attendees, Semeraro claimed that the Kudarah Thila and Digurah Thila sites were among the area’s most notable and popular destinations for underwater exploration.

“It’s hard to choose the key dive sites, they are all amazing,” she claimed. “South Ari Atoll showcases a few dive sites of world-wide renown.”

Semeraro stressed that the resort had committed itself to try and make the festival inclusive even to guests unaccustomed to underwater photography or diving.

“Divers are always keen photographers while underwater. However, it can be disappointing to check your pictures and find out that they were out of focus or not properly set once back on the surface,” she said. “That is when our underwater photographers stepped in to coach divers of all levels on how to have a more confident approach to photography while diving. For the non-divers, we opened several snorkelling sessions guided by our resident marine biologist for guests who are keen on trying snorkelling/underwater photography.“

Semeraro said that all guests who stayed at the resort were invited to participate in the festivities with a complimentary discovery scuba diving session being made available for newcomers to acquaint themselves with the Maldives’ underwater environment.

Semeraro claimed that diving and reef-based events were being monitored “at all times” by its diving instructors and marine biologists.

Sustainable promotion

Amidst the outspoken attempts of former President Mohamed Nasheed to try and put the Maldives on the global map during his tenure with an ambitious carbon neutral plan, Maldives tourism authorities had previously sought to promote the destination under the banner of “Always Natural”. After receiving a mixed reception, the branding was dropped earlier this year by the new government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Alongside claims by resort operators of their commitments to bring their operations in line with international sustainability standards, the country has begun to see the formation of marine parks and other underwater reserves that may have implications for their properties in the future.

Over in Baa Atoll for example, which has recently been awarded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve status, properties like the Reethi Beach Resort are uncertain as to the direct impact protected marine areas may have on their operations.

Resort General Manager Peter Gremes told Dhonisaurus that while obtaining the UNESCO reserve status last year was a “prestigious” accolade for properties in the atoll, it was unlikely to impact visitor numbers on a significant basis.

With the UNESCO reserve area situated on the other side of Baa Atoll, Gremes claimed that he expected a negligible impact on the number of divers already coming to his resort to explore local underwater sites.

“We have a very high occupancy rate here at the resort, so we don’t really need to use the reserve in terms of a marketing tool,” he said. “At present, discussions are still taking place on how the atoll will aim to make use of its status as well as the costs involved. A lot of unanswered questions remain on this.”

The resort manager said he did welcome increased regulation and protection measures to the waters of the atolls that would – in theory – mean much tighter restrictions on the amount of divers coming to the area at any given time.

Gremes pointed to developments in the country’s renowned Hanifaru Bay area that previously led some tour operators and local people to raise concerns about the huge traffic of visitors coming to an area deemed to be of significant natural interest.

In 2010, amidst a 260 percent increase in tourist arrivals to the area, local island authorities raised concerns about the number of safari and dive boats that were attempting to cram themselves into the bay – a small enclosed reef the size of a football field.

Increased government regulation in terms of diving and other activities conducted in the area were likely to be beneficial in the long-run for local resorts, at least according to Reethi Beach General Manager Peter Gremes.

“After some of the issues we have had with the number of safari boats coming to dive sites, this will be beneficial for us at the resort,” he claimed.

Local NGOs have welcomed the previous government’s commitments to establish and extend several protected ecological preserves in areas like Baa Atoll, despite calling for amendments to the efficiency of collaboration between different ministerial branches in ensuring eco-protection.

Environmental NGO Bluepeace said last June that government action to protect marine areas was an “encouraging development”, despite wider concerns about the efficiency of collaboration between different ministerial branches over eco-protection.

Ali Rilwan of Local environmental NGO Bluepeace said at the time that he supported government in regard to environmental protection across the southerly atoll, yet insisted the measures were more of a “first step” towards a comprehensive national preservation system rather than a finalised commitment to conservation.

Yet Baa Atoll is not the only stretch of the country’s waters to be afforded greater enforcement in protecting its reefs.

Within the seclusion of the country’s northerly Noonu Atoll, the Hilton Iru Fushi resort has began working with the country’s first Marine National Park (MNP) at Edu Faru in a bid to play up the surrounding natural appeal of the area for guests.

According to the MNP’s management, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the previous government in August 2011, guests staying at certain nearby properties like the Iru Fushi resort are cautiously being welcomed to explore the protected underwater habitats.

“The project is still in its early development stages and we are working towards having an official opening ceremony at the end of 2013,” said a representative for the MNP.  “The level of protection is yet to be determined in collaboration with the government and experts in the field.”

As a marine reserve, the MNP’s management team have said they continue to work on outlining exact policies for resort guests coming to the area.  A representative for the MNP told Dhonisaurus that balancing tourist interest in the area with the need to preserve coral and other inhabitants would always create “ecological challenges” for its operations, but it was working to overcome them nonetheless.

“The MNP will rely on marine-based tourism such as scuba diving and snorkelling,” the MNP spokesperson said.  “We strive to achieve a balance between recreational use and preservation of ecological values that form the MNP and the biological carrying capacity and prevent overuse of the site.”

In bringing guests to the site, the Hilton Iru Fushi resort has presently been set strict guidelines by the MNP on how guests can visit the site.

At present, guests are able to enter the house reef of the reserve for snorkelling and diving expeditions on the basis of private, non scheduled tours consisting of a small number of people.

Additionally, boats used to transport guests are also not permitted to anchor with the MNP area over concerns about the potential damage to the coral.

“At this stage, we prevent guests going ashore the islands within the MNP until we adequate knowledge about the specific biological values and vulnerable species and habitats and how they can best be protected,” said the MNP spokesperson.  “Therefore, we will have to seek more advice to develop appropriate management strategies for the marine-based tourism industry.”

In terms of costing, the MNP’s management said that as a non-profit organisation, the scheme would be run on grants and donations.  A sum of US$10 will be donated to the MNP project by guests who visit the site, the project’s management added.

Master plan

Marine parks and bioreserves are currently said to be among the “wide number” of options being considered by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ahmed Adheeb to try and diversify the appeal of the country’s tourist properties.

Adheeb claimed that the exact nature of there diversification plans was as yet undecided.  Authorities are now trying to devise a fourth Tourism Master Plan outlining developments in the country’s travel industry.  The third master plan was concluded last year.

“My predecessor, [Dr Mariyam Zulfa] explored a number a number avenues in terms of diversifying tourism here,” the tourism minister said.  “We have been provided with a large number of options.”

Adheeb claimed that with a fourth Tourism Master Plan expected to be completed later this year, discussions were currently taking place with industry stakeholders and bodies like the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on what direction future developments in the country should take.

“Before making decisions we need to know what is the current situation with the tourism industry here.  We need to see what the industry feedback is as well,” he said.  “What I can say right now is that we are already seeing bio-reserves and marine parks being set up here in the country.  Some of these have already by endorsed by the UNESCO.  A lot of value can be added to the market from these programmes.”

Adheeb stressed that it was also important to account for shifts like the growing interest in the Maldives from Asian markets like China when devising future plans to develop the industry.

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MNDF “symbol of holiness of our nation”: President Waheed

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has pledged to improve the welfare of Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) personnel and their families as part of commitments to strengthen the nation’s security forces.

Sections of the country’s police and defence forces have come under criticism during the last few months from opposition politicians and their supporters over the alleged role both institutions played in bringing the new government to power.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) claims that Mohamed Nasheed, the country’s first democratically elected president, was removed under “duress” on February 7 by mutinous elements within the police and MNDF following weeks of protests across the capital of Male’ over the detention of a chief judge accused of corruption.

Despite the allegations, local media reported yesterday that President Waheed praised the ongoing role of the military in protecting the nation by land, sea and air.  His government was also said to have committed to “strengthen and develop” the role of security forces across the nation, claiming that a “large majority” of the public supported the military’s work on the transfer of power on February 7.

“MNDF is our country’s protective shield. They are the symbol of holiness of our nation. So every child who loves God and this country should be proud of the valuable services of MNDF,” Sun Online reported President Waheed as saying.

Aside from national defence, the MNDF is also charged with overseeing the nation’s fire-fighters and coastguard.

Last week, Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodig said the MNDF’s southern command had been “very supportive” during the last few years in helping to maintain water supplies to the region amidst concerns over shortages.

“Ongoing process”

The President’s Office told Minivan News today that government commitments to strengthen the MNDF were actually an ongoing process put in place in 2008 to decentralise the military into four regional command structures.

The government also claimed that scrutiny of the role played by the military during February’s controversial transfer of power represented a “minority view” of the public at large.

President Waheed’s latest commitments to bolster the military were made during a speech delivered to graduates of the MNDF’s 57th basic training course.

The speech discussed the expansion of the military throughout the country with the establishment of four area commands designed to try and bring its services “closer to the people.”

Dr Waheed also talked of the three major principles he believed were the foundation of a “true soldier”: staying firm to Islamic principles, providing selfless national service and maintaining the rule of law, according to the President’s Office.  To this end, the president urged soldiers during the graduation ceremony to stand by their oaths, “loyally and unwaveringly”.

President’s Office spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza said that the president’s comments were made in relation to an “ongoing process” of reforming the military started back in 2008.

“Under the constitution we have been implementing a process of decentralisation with these four commands, such as with the northern command and southern command. The president’s comments were based on these same commitments,” he said.

Last month however, former President Mohamed Nasheed criticised the present government of having “squandered” funds assigned for development and healthcare on direct payments to police and military officers.

“More than Rf 150 million (US$10 million) has been spent on police promotions. Another Rf 150 million (US$10 million) has been spent giving MNDF [Maldives National Defense Force] officers two years of allowances in a lump sum,” he said at the time.

“Another Rf 50 million (US$3.3 million) has been spent repairing the damage to police headquarters. It was the police officers who staged the coup who vandalised the place and threw chairs and computers from the building’s windows. When this money has been wasted, we cannot accept it when they say there is no money for [the Aasandha health scheme].”

Constitutional role

However, Abbas rejected accusations that sections of the MNDF had helped overthrow the Nasheed government, claiming that soldiers acted as was required of them under the constitution.

“A minority may hold a particular view about the security forces, but the majority of the pubic maintain the belief that the MNDF are the defenders of our nation. There is not division within the public concerning the military’s role” he claimed. “President Waheed has yesterday continued to state that he will not be asking the MNDF to follow an unconstitutional orders.”

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