Author: Hassan Mohamed

Weapons, alcohol and petrol bottles planted to disrupt peaceful protests, says MDP

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has claimed weapons, alcohol and petrol bottles found by the police during opposition protests over the weekend were planted to disrupt peaceful protests.

Speaking to Minivan News, MDP Vice President Mohamed Shifaz described the weapons find as “an attempt to instil fear among the public.”

On Friday, Specialist Operations (SO) police officers claimed to have found knives, daggers and iron rods in a gunny bag hidden among the trees at Usfasgandu, minutes before the MDP and Jumhooree Party-led (JP) demonstration started.

Later that night, on a live blog covering the mass protests, police claimed to have found a cardboard box containing four bottles of whiskey and one bottle of vodka on the pavement outside the Islamic Bank at 7pm.

Last night, the police also found six bottles containing petrol hidden in a pickup, a few blocks from an opposition protest.

“It is well known that police do these kinds of things to disperse peaceful gatherings,” Shifaz said.

A police spokesperson said they are conducting a forensic analysis of the weapons discovered at Usfasgandu, and said it was “not possible to say whether there is any link between the protesters and the weapons right now.”

Over 10,000 people attended Friday’s opposition rally. Protesters called for former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim and MDP MP Ali Azim’s release. Nasheed and Nazim are in jail until the conclusion of a terrorism trial while Azim was arrested from a protest last week.

Friday’s protest ended unexpectedly at 6pm, but hundreds continued scattered protests in Malé calling for Nasheed’s release.

Gang disruption

At 8:00pm a group of young men barged into the crowd, attacked protesters and journalists and vandalised opposition-aligned Raajje TV’s equipment, cutting off the station’s live feed for 20 minutes. Some of the young men had their faces covered.

Shifaz said the young men were “gangsters” and were working alongside the police to disrupt the protests.

“People in the crowd heard the police saying to the attackers ‘why didn’t you leave before we came.’ This is not hearsay. Both protesters and journalists who covered the event heard this,” he alleged.

Some protesters told Minivan News that police arrested the attackers while others said the police arrested the protesters who had tried to obstruct the attackers.

Speaking to the press on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Hamdhoon Rasheed said the police had observed several people attacking protesters.

“We know that some men went into the crowd and disrupted the protests. We are investigating the matter now,” Hamdhoon said.

The police arrested 28 people from the protest, and 10 have been remanded for 10 days. Former MDP President, Dr Ibrahim Didi, is among the detainees in police custody.

A police spokesperson told Minivan News today that “a number of people who tried to disrupt the protest” are among the ten who were remanded.

Dismissing the opposition’s allegations, the police said: “It does not make sense that people who are assigned to protect the people are also attacking them.”

Former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim has also accused the police of planting weapons at his apartment in order to frame him. The police have denounced the former minister’s claims.

The opposition has long accused the government of illicit connections with Malé’s gangs, especially after Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb led a march of 400 young men through the streets of Malé on February 19.

Adeeb has denied the claims, while ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) supporters insist the opposition’s allegations stem from the lack of youth support for the opposition.

MP Ahmed Mahloof, expelled from the PPM last week for speaking out against the government, said he had been receiving threats from gangsters since his dismissal from the party.

“I have been receiving threats from members of gangs for the past three nights after I spoke against President Abdulla Yameen. But I will not step back in fear,” the Galholu North MP tweeted on Friday.

JP Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim yesterday said many ruling party MPs had communicated their desire to join the opposition, but were scared due to intimidation.

“The most secure platform is that of the people. And we, MDP and JP, now hold that platform. The citizens will protect you,” he said.

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No hope for fair trial, says former defense minister’s family

Former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim’s family has urged the international community to step up pressure on President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, claiming, “there is no hope that Nazim can expect a fair trial” due to a “notoriously politicised judiciary.”

Nazim appeared in court yesterday on charges of illegal weapons possession, allegedly discovered in a bedside drawer during a midnight police raid on January 18.

The former minister was arrested on February 10 on charges of treason and terrorism and has been placed in police custody pending the outcome of a trial.

“Nazim never expected to be where he is now. But he has fallen foul of a political conspiracy, one in which powerful forces within the Maldivian government have sought to destroy him and thus prevent him from challenging for the leadership of the ruling party,” Nazim’s family explained in a letter to the international community.

The letter claimed the pistol and bullets confiscated from Nazim’s apartment had in fact been planted by the police and described charges against the former minister as baseless and politically motivated.

The Maldives Police Services have denied the allegations, insisting police had shown professionalism during the midnight raid.

“As President Yameen’s governing coalition collapses, and amid nightly protests against his rule, the president has resorted to increasingly desperate tactics to remove his political opponents and cling to power,” the statement added.

It went on to note former President Mohamed Nasheed’s sudden terrorism trial and the government’s alleged targeting of opposition Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim’s businesses as examples.

The government has maintained the arrests and charges against Nazim and Nasheed demonstrate “no one is above the law,” and say charges were initiated by an independent Prosecutor General and tried through an impartial judiciary.

Nazim’s lawyer, Maumoon Hameed, yesterday expressed concern over state prosecutors’ filing of confidential documents as evidence against Nazim.

“This is a major obstacle in ensuring a fair trial for Nazim,” he said.

Nazim’s wife, Afaaf Abdul Majeed, had been charged with the possession of illegal weapons, but state prosecutors withdrew charges claiming the documents on a confiscated pen drive brought new information to light.

According to Hameed, Afaaf had not received any indication she was under suspicion prior to the court summons sent on February 23, two days before the first hearing.

In withdrawing charges, lawyers claimed documents in a pen drive confiscated from Nazim’s home indicate he was plotting to harm senior government officials with the financial backing of Villa Group, a company owned by Gasim.

On February 24, Nazim filed civil charges against PG Muhthaz Muhsin, alleging the office had failed to protect the former minister’s constitutional rights.

Nazim’s lawyers on February 12 filed defamation charges at the Civil Court and a complaint at the Police Integrity Commission against the Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed for spreading false information.

Waheed at a press conference following Nazim’s arrest said the police had found an improvised explosive device in a bag confiscated from his apartment.

But lawyers say a police document detailing items confiscated from Nazim’s apartment right after the raid did not list an IED.

Police claim the IED was discovered on further forensic analysis of contents in the black bag. Nazim’s lawyers have requested for an independent forensic test of items on their own expense.

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Foreign Minister Dunya slams Canada, Commonwealth statements on Nasheed prosecution

Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon has slammed statements issued by the Commonwealth and Canada expressing concern over the denial of legal representation to former President Mohamed Nasheed at the first hearing of his terrorism trial yesterday.

At a press conference today, Dunya dismissed Canadian Foreign Minister Rob Nicholson’s statement as “blatantly untrue.”

Nicholson had called Nasheed’s detention and denial of constitutional rights “abhorrent.”

“[Nicholson] had described Nasheed’s arrest as unlawful or illegal. Nasheed was arrested in relation to the kidnapping or unlawful detention of the Chief Judge of Criminal Court in 2012. That act was illegal by all international laws and principles” said Dunya.

Nasheed appeared in court yesterday with his arm in a makeshift sling after police officers manhandled the former president outside the court building when he attempted to speak with journalists.

The Commonwealth meanwhile stated that Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma was “concerned to note reports that former President Nasheed was denied the right to legal representation”.

Responding to the statements, Dunya said: “To criticise us in public statements with lies or biased with having only heard the oppositions point of view is not acceptable. The government will not accept these statements and will not pay any attention to them.”

She added that the Maldives has long been an independent and sovereign country, “and we do not want to be under any foreign influences or under a colonial power. No foreign power can tell Maldives what to do under President [Abdulla] Yameen.”

“Wronged”

Dunya said the Maldives does not have a significant relationship with Canada.

“I don’t think they know what actually is happening in here,” she suggested.

“Canada is a very influential country in the Commonwealth. Big countries do influence [the Commonwealth] and especially if they are funding and assisting the Commonwealth, then the organisation will do what they want.”

Dunya also said the Maldives would not accept the Commonwealth’s offer of expert legal assistance.

“[The Commonwealth] wants to provide us with their expertise but we simply do not want it. We have other ways, countries ready to help and even our own way of consolidating democracy here,” she said.

Questioning the value of the Maldives remaining a member state of the Commonwealth, Dunya said the organisation had “wronged” the Maldives by placing the country on a watch-list in the wake of the controversial transfer of power in February 2012.

While the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had suspended the Maldives and placed the country on its formal agenda, Dunya noted that a Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) later concluded that the transfer of power was constitutional.

“So we want to say to the Commonwealth, you have wronged us in the past and you are still mistreating us,” she said.

“We don’t get much aid or development from being a Commonwealth country. In 2012, Maldivians questioned the importance of us remaining in the Commonwealth. I am sure the question will arise again.”

She added that President Yameen would make a decision on whether to remain in the Commonwealth.

“Strategic misrepresentation of basic facts”

Dunya went on to say that she did not believe Maldivians could be adversely affected as a result of the government’s stand.

“Looking at the history, even if we are to face any problems [from the international community] we have to adhere to our principles, our methods and especially our independence and sovereignty,” she said.

Dunya also issued a statement today casting doubt on the Commonwealth’s assertion that it was “closely monitoring” the situation in the Maldives, noting that the Commonwealth Secretariat had not contacted the ministry over the past few days.

“On the contrary, I initiated a phone call to the Secretary General last night in which we exchanged views about issues of mutual concern in the Commonwealth and in the Maldives. I therefore regret the strategic misrepresentation of basic facts in the Secretary General’s statement,” reads Dunya’s statement.

It added that Nasheed was arrested with a court warrant and presented before a judge within 24 hours in accordance with “normal procedure,” after which the judge granted the former president the opportunity to appoint a lawyer.

However, Nasheed was brought to court more than 24 hours after the arrest for the first hearing of a trial on terrorism charges, rather than a remand hearing.

The former president appeared at the hearing without legal representation.

Citing new regulations, the Criminal Court informed Nasheed’s legal team on Monday morning (February 23) that the lawyers had to register at the court two days in advance despite being unaware of the trial until the former president’s arrest less than 24 hours ago.

Dunya, however, insisted that that police “followed the standard procedure and due process.”

“I wish to recall that the Commonwealth Secretariat had misread the situation in the Maldives once before, in 2012 and presented it to the CMAG, which took punitive measures against the country,” Dunya noted in her statement

“The Maldives, however, emerged from the situation vindicated by the CoNI Report. The government is hopeful that the Commonwealth will not repeat the same mistakes again.”

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Young man stabbed to death in Malé

A 24-year-old man was stabbed to death around 10:00pm last night in the Henveiru ward of the capital Malé.

Eyewitnesses told Minivan News that Jailam Ahmed Shakir was stabbed numerous times by two men armed with machetes while he was sitting outside his house.

“I heard Jailam calling out for help and when I turned around I saw two men had grabbed him,” said Heera Adam, a neighbour.

“But the attackers had already stabbed him a lot of times. Jailam called out for me. He said ‘sister help me, take me away, they are trying to killing me.'”

According to witnesses, Jailam was carried to ADK Hospital in a pick-up truck shortly after the brutal attack. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

“[Jailam] had died even before he was brought to the hospital. He had a total of 12 wounds in his body including his neck, stomach, back, arms and calf’s. The most serious was the wound on his neck, which was very deep and that prevented blood circulation,” explained ADK Hospital Spokesperson Ahmed Affal.

Police are yet to make an arrest in relation to Jailam’s murder, but said the case was under investigation.

Since 2001, Maldives has seen 42 murders including Jailam’s, which comes two months after Ahmed Mafaz, 28, was killed last December.

“Full of hope”

Speaking with Minivan News today, Jailam’s mother said he was “a youth full of hope” for a brighter future.

“He was a recovering addict. I had made all the arrangements for him to be admitted in a rehab in Bangalore. I told him yesterday that that all the arrangements had been made and he said he is ready and that he doesn’t want to be in Malé anymore,” revealed Jailam’s mother, who had recently returned from India.

She recalled that Jailam woke up around 11:00am yesterday and asked his mother to make him lunch.

“He loved my cooking and he loved it when I prepare his dish. He came around six in the evening to eat. I had made him dhal curry.”

She noted that Jailam was very close to her and had often expressed it physically.

“Day before the murder Jailam had seen me on the road and came and hugged me. He told me how much he loved me and asked me what I would do without him,” she said.

Although he was an addict and had been unemployed, Jailam’s mother insisted that he did not bother anyone.

“He would just be himself and get on with what he liked. He would always be singing,” she said.

Jailam, the youngest of three siblings, was a music enthusiast and had recorded a few songs, one dedicated to his parents who live separately.

“He said he had recorded a song for me and his father because we are separated,” his mother said.

Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed condemned the violence taking place in the capital last night, assuring police’s capability of tackling crime.

“The police are fully capable and will skillfully control the mob who are trying to disrupt the peace around Male’ City,” the commissioner wrote on his official Facebook page.

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Judiciary continues futsal tournament in apparent defiance of Supreme Court

The staff of the judiciary appeared to defy a Supreme Court order on Thursday, continuing with an annual inter-court futsal tournament despite the an order requiring the apex court’s permission.

A Supreme Court circular, issued hours before the “Judiciary Cup 2015” began, said the judiciary’s staff could only form associations or clubs in accordance with a policy set by the Supreme Court and that their activities must be overseen by the Supreme Court-controlled Department of Judicial Administration (DJA).

However, participants of the tournament told Minivan News they went ahead after deciding that the circular would only apply to future activities.

A Civil Court staff who wished to remain anonymous said: “I don’t think we should get permission from the Supreme Court to hold a simple futsal tournament. They don’t hold control over our lives. “

The annual three-day tournament was last held in 2013 by the Criminal Court. The DJA was tasked with organising the 2014 tournament, but failed to do so.

The Drug Court voluntarily organised this year’s competition, the staff said.

A DJA Spokesperson declined to comment on the tournament, saying he would have to consult the Supreme Court before making any statements.

The tournament began on Thursday night without the DJA and Supreme Court’s participation. The final match between the Civil Court and the Drug Court will be played tonight.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court released a second circular ordering government and state offices to communicate directly with the Supreme Court on matters concerning the judiciary, instead of contacting the lower courts, separate judges and staff.

The circular also stated that an employee of the judiciary could only be appointed to any working committees with the explicit permission of the Supreme Court.

The apex court on February 12 also reduced the period during which an appeal could be filed at lower courts and tribunals from 90 and 60 days, respectively, to ten days.

The People’s Majlis in December dismissed Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz and Justice Muthasim Adnan after the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) pushed through an amendment to the Judicature Act reducing the seven-member bench to five judges.

Shortly thereafter, Justice Abdulla Saeed was appointed Chief Justice.

In September 2014, the Supreme Court initiated suo moto proceedings against all five members of the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) in relation to its Universal Period Review (UPR) report to the UN Human Rights Council, which suggested the apex court’s control over the judiciary was undermining powers of lower courts.

“Supreme Court issued a circular ordering all state institutions not to communicate to individual courts regarding any information relating to the judiciary except through the Supreme Court. HRCM is facing difficulties in gathering information related to judiciary due to lack of cooperation,” the report stated.

In a comprehensive report on the Maldivian judiciary released in May 2013, UN Special Rapporteur for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, wrote that centralising administrative decisions in the hands of the Supreme Court “has undoubtedly contributed to the strong impression that lower courts are excluded from the administration of justice and decision-making processes.”

The Maldives representative to the UNHRC subsequently accused the special rapporteur of undermining the sovereignty of the country.


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Nazim remains in custody as High Court rejects appeal

The High Court has upheld the Criminal Court’s decision to hold former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim in remand custody for 15 days.

Nazim was arrested on February 10 on charges of treason and terrorism after police discovered a pistol and bullets during a midnight raid at the then-defence minister’s apartment on January 18.

Following the Criminal Court’s extension of his remand detention, Nazim’s legal team appealed the decision at the High Court.

“The High Court ruled that the decision by the Criminal Court to remand Nazim in custody is justified,” Maumoon Hameed, head of the legal team, told the press after today’s hearing.

“From Nazim’s side we are now working to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court next week.”

Nazim’s defense team argued in the appeal court that there was no substantial evidence to keep the retired colonel in pre-trial detention in accordance with the constitution, contending that the Criminal Court’s arrest warrant violated precedents set by both the High Court and Supreme Court.

The lawyers also argued that the Maldives Police Services has made inconsistent statements, noting that the police had claimed that the investigation was still ongoing after previously declaring that it had been concluded.

“Framed”

Supporters of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) alliance demonstrated outside the court as the hearing proceeded.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed and JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim have repeatedly called for Nazim’s immediate release from custody, accusing the government of “framing” the former minister.

Nazim is accused of plotting a coup and planning to harm senior government officials.

Nazim’s defense team has since submitted a complaint to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and filed a defamation case against Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed in the Civil Court.

While police claimed to have found an improvised explosive device (IED) at Nazim’s apartment, the former minister’s lawyers have dismissed the allegations, insisting that police also planted the pistol and bullets.

Two days after the 3:00am raid on his residence, Nazim declared that “no citizen has security” under President Abdulla Yameen’s rule. Since his arrest and dismissal from the cabinet, Nazim has also left the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).

Nazim faces a jail term between ten and 15 years if he is found guilty of terrorism.

Meanwhile, the allied opposition parties have accused the PPM government of authoritarianism, harassing political rivals and repeatedly violating the constitution by unlawfully dismissing the Auditor General and two Supreme Court judges.

On February 11, the MDP and JP launched nightly protests “in defence of the constitution” as the judiciary moved to resume a trial against former President Nasheed.

The MDP and JP have also condemned the government’s alleged economic sanctions against JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim after the tourism ministry annulled lease agreements of three uninhibited islands and three lagoons.

The properties were reportedly given to Gasim’s Villa Group under a settlement agreement when Kaadehdhoo Airport and some uninhibited islands were taken from the company and nationalised.

However, the PPM maintains the opposition has failed to demonstrate how the government had breached the constitution and were only attempting to disrupt public order.

“This party believes these protests are aimed at obstructing President Yameen’s administration’s successful work at establishing peace and security. [The opposition] is disrupting the economic, social and political order in the country,” the PPM said in a press statement today.


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Lawyers “afraid” to represent MP Nazim in Supreme Court corruption appeal

Ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nazim today appeared without a lawyer at a Supreme Court appeal into corruption charges, claiming his former lawyers were too afraid to provide him with legal representation.

“There will come a day when every man receives justice with Allah. I do not see a day where justice will be served in this country,” Nazim said.

Nazim is accused of conspiring to defraud the former Ministry of Atolls Development. He was acquitted by the High Court in February 2013.

At today’s hearing, Nazim told the Supreme Court his former lawyers Adam Asif and Ahmed “Reynis” Saleem had said the current political environment was “too dangerous” to represent him.

“The lawyer who represented me last, Adam Asif, said representing people like myself would be a danger, a threat to his life,” Nazim said.

Nazim’s claim comes in the aftermath of the arrest of former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim on suspicion of treason and terrorism, economic sanctions on Jumhooree Party Leader Gasim Ibrahim, moves to restart a trial against former President Mohamed Nasheed, and the sacking of Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim.

The former deputy Speaker and close associate of President Abdulla Yameen also appears to have fallen out of favor with the government, with the police withholding his passport on charges of blackmail in October.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb at the time blamed Nazim for a damning report implicating the minister in a US$6million corruption scandal. Adeeb accused Nazim of attempting to defame him due to his refusal to support Nazim’s bid for the Majlis Speakership.

According to Nazim, Saleem had also declined to represent him due to the state’s alleged failure to provide paperwork confirming it had withdrawn terrorism charges against the lawyer over a case of extortion in June 2013.

Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed today gave Nazim five days to appoint a lawyer and to respond to charges despite Nazim’s request for a longer period.

Nazim took issue with the Supreme Court’s decision to accept the Prosecutor General’s appeal, pointing out the charges had been appealed in July 2014 after the 90 day appeal period had passed.

The Judicature Act does allow courts to accept appeals submitted after the appeal period in extraordinary circumstances.

Nazim’s High Court acquittal came three months after former Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizz resigned. New PG Muhthaz Muhsin was appointed to the post in July 2014.

The US$400,000 atolls ministry scam – first flagged in a 2009 audit report – involved paper companies allegedly set up by Nazim to win bids for projects worth several hundred thousands dollars, including the fraudulent purchase of harbour lights, national flags, and mosque sound systems.

Shortly after the controversial transfer of presidential power in February 2012, the Criminal Court ruled there was insufficient evidence implicating the MP in the scam.

The Prosecutor General’s Office appealed the decision later that year at the High Court on the grounds that the Criminal Court had refused to accept the state’s witnesses which included Nazim’s former employees.

However, the High Court in February 2013 refused to accept witnesses testimony referring to a Supreme Court precedent which established that accomplices to a crime could not testify for or against an alleged partner to the crime.

The court of appeal also ruled that the prosecution was unable to prove that Nazim’s employees signed bogus bid proposals on his instructions.


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Maldivian Youth “disenfranchised and excluded”, finds World Bank report

Maldivian youth feel “disenfranchised and excluded” and “disconnected from the fabric of society” suggests a World Bank report released today.

Rising globalisation, internet use, and economic expansion has “exposed young women and men to the outside world and new ideas and values, making them acutely aware of what they can aspire to,” read the report.

“Yet, both female and male youth face the shackles of the limited island economy, lack empowerment and community engagement, and contend with rigid norms of behaviour and increasingly conservative values, as well as an inadequate education and training system that ill prepares them for the labor market.”

The report argued that these issues meant that many young Maldivians are being “denied passage into adulthood”.

Titled ‘Youth in the Maldives: Shaping a new future for young women and men through engagement and empowerment’, the report was compiled using focus groups and surveys, in order to address the “dearth of data” on young people in the country.

Physical isolation, thwarted expectations, family breakdown, and gang participation were revealed as major challenges facing 15-24 year olds, while new insights were offered into the country’s large youth unemployment problem.

The World Bank recommended a concerted national youth campaign to present a new vision of youth, an increase in preventative healthcare, and further efforts to better understand the reasons for youth unemployment.

President Abdulla Yameen has maintained a pro-youth rhetoric since his election in 2013, pledging to create 94,000 jobs for the Maldivian youth – officially recognised as being aged between aged 15-35.

As well as launching a youth unemployment register and clearing the criminal records for many youth offenders, the government has recently launched the ‘GetSet’ entrepreneurship programme, in which young people between the ages 18-25 can apply for business start-up loans.

Unemployment

The Maldives has the highest percentage of youth unemployment in the South East Asia region with 22 percent of its youth unemployed, stated the World Bank report.

It found that young people lacked socio-emotional and other skills required in the job market, but that young people expect high or unrealistic wages, leading to the “national phenomenon” of “youth voluntary unemployment”.

“Added to this reality are the perceptions and expectations of parents with regard to what is an acceptable job and wage for their children, leading to limited support and encouragement for youth to be economically active,” the report continued.

Interviews and focus groups suggested that parents were actually contributing to youth unemployment by supporting them financially so as to avoid undesirable employment.

“Findings indicate that parents would rather pay their sons and daughters not to work than to let them work in a job which they consider beneath them; a notable 50% of young people surveyed in the field-based research solely stated that they rely on their parents as their main source of income,” the report read.

The reports also noted rising inter-generational tensions as the Maldives continues to undergo rapid social transformation.

“Older generations (adults) frequently see youth as ‘unambitious,’ ‘lazy’ and ‘disconnected,’ and focused on ‘me’ rather than ‘us,’ while the younger generations, especially those young men and women who have studied or worked in Malé and beyond, see themselves as part of a global village, fast-paced and modern society, where individual aspirations over take family traditions.”

The physical isolation caused by geographical distribution of the islands was also found to present difficulty in travelling, mobility, and accessing public services leading to limited opportunities -especially for women – the report found.

Changes needed

Addressing the growing issues of gang membership in the country, the World Bank noted that young people were joining gangs for reasons including inactivity and apathy, unemployment, drug use, and “the need for young men to prove their masculinity”.

Gangs were also said to fill a need for support and social structure as well as for male role models, with high rates of divorce meaning the Maldives has one of the highest rates of female-headed households in the world (35 percent).

“A further problem is that people with drug or criminal offenses experience difficulties in reintegrating into society and finding jobs; access to counseling and rehabilitation services, especially for young people, is limited and inadequate,” the report said.

In recent years gender inequality has also worsened in the Maldives, the report continued, with civil society groups reporting “significantly increasing restrictions” on how women dress, mobility, forms of employment, and the ability to make independent decisions.

Lack of reproductive health facilities were also cited as a problem in the report, with a lack of sufficient knowledge about preventative healthcare placing young people at risk.

The report concluded by calling for a long-term strategy of broad youth empowerment.

“Engaging youth to be productive and content members of society will first and foremost require a radical shift in the way that youth are perceived and valued by adults, policy makers and society-at-large,” concluded the World Bank.

Read the full report here


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Division of MIFCO “mistreatment of state resources”, says Auditor General

With additional reporting by Daniel Bosley and Ismail Humaam Hamid

Splitting the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO) into three competing companies was  a “mistreatment of state resources”, says a report from the auditor general.

MIFCO was divided into three companies in 2010, with the introduction of Kooddoo Fisheries Maldives Limited and Felivaru Fisheries Maldives, before President Abdulla Yameen reversed the decision last year.

“Even after the split the main business of these three companies [MIFCO, Felivaru and Koodoo] was the buying and selling of fish which resulted in competition amongst each other,” the audit report read.

With regards to the financial impact of the move, the report’s figures suggest that the overall profits of the state-owned fisheries business was not significantly affected.

“After the split in 2010, MIFCO’s losses amounted to 4.1 million rufiyaa [US$265,888] in 2011 and 2012 and Felivaru Fisheries Maldives operated at a loss of 19.26 million rufiyaa [US$1.2 million],” the audit report read.

“However, Koodoo Fisheries had a profit of 88.8 million rufiyaa [US$5.7 million] in this period,” it continued.

Founded by the  state in 1993 for the purposes of buying and selling fish, MIFCO had made a net accumulated loss of MVR317.4 before the split, while all three companies were seen to have a total profit of MVR65.4 million in 2011 and 2012.

The audit report said that numerous faults had occurred in the splitting of MIFCO, citing several mistakes made by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

“While not providing an alternative to conduct business [Finance Ministry demanded] MIFCO pay the entire overdraft, which amounts to 70.56 million rufiyaa. The National Planning Council had planned how to divide MIFCO’s fleets amongst the three companies, but the finance ministry did not follow,” the report stated.

The dividing of physical assets between the three companies was not carried out properly, resulting in financial losses and even the breaking down of some equipment, read the report.

Auditor General Hassan Ziyaath recommended that the transfer of physical assets between companies be done according to “accounting principles”, and that a more thorough analysis of the impact on stakeholders be made before any similar decisions in the future

Ziyath concluded by saying that the restructuring of a company’s physical assets should be accompanied by a report demonstrating the potential impact on state income.

Fish exports make up the 98 percent of the Maldives’ exports, of which MIFCO is the leading exporter.

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