Category: News in Brief

MP Abdulla Jabir files complaint against Prosecutor General for not taking action against police

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdulla Jabir filed a complaint in parliament against the Prosecutor General (PG) for not taking action against the Maldives Police Service  after he was assaulted by arresting officers last year.

Jabir requested on Wednesday (October 2) that parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee investigate the matter and take action against the PG as necessary.

Jabir and fellow MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor are among several senior party figures charged with drug and alcohol offences, after being arrested on on Hondaidhoo Island in November 2012 whilst allegedly under the influence of illegal substances.

Jabir was presented to the Criminal Court by police September 12, after being kept in custody for two days ahead of his trial for alleged possession of alcohol and cannabis.

Earlier this year the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) said that no charges could be pressed against police in relation to the alleged attack against Jabir.

Despite a complaint filed by Jabir’s brother, Ibrahim Shiham, which claimed that there is sufficient evidence proving that police beat Jabir during the arrest, the PIC decided that the case could not be sent to the PG office for criminal prosecution, local media reported.

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Supreme Court hearing delayed to 5:00pm

The Supreme Court hearing to give the verdict in the Jumhooree Party’s bid to annul the first round of elections has been delayed to 5:00pm today.

The hearing was initially due to be held today at 2:30pm.

Despite widespread local and international election praise of the credibility of the polls, the third-placed JP alleged the vote was flawed due to electoral discrepancies and irregularities amounting to a “systematic failures”.

The delay in polls prompted global and domestic outcry, and has led to unrest in Male’.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters have taken to the streets in protest, officers in the military have been suspended for allegedly “sowing discord” and air traffic controllers, customs officials, ground handling services and port workers have staged strikes.

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15 year-old boy arrested for having sex with 14 year-old girl

Police have arrested a 15 year-old boy from the island of Alifushi in Raa Atoll on allegations that he had sex with a 14 year-old girl on the island.

Police said that the boy was arrested yesterday (5 October 2013) at about 1pm while he was on the island.

According to police the case was brought to their attention by a third individual.

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SC verdict in JP’s vote annulment case scheduled for Monday

The Supreme Court has scheduled a verdict in Jumhooree Party’s complaint seeking to annul the first round of the presidential election held on September 7 for Moday at 2:30 pm.

Despite widespread local and international election praise of the credibility of the polls, the third-placed JP had alleged the vote was flawed due to electoral discrepancies and irregularities amounting to a “systematic failures”.

After hearing witness statement, the Supreme Court ordered the Elections Commission (EC) to halt preparations for the run off scheduled for September 28. However, on September 26, Elections Commissioner Fuad Thaufeeq announced the run off would proceed as planned. The Supreme Court then issued a second injunction ordering the security forces to ensure compliance with its first order.

The police then surrounded the EC secretariat and brought elections preparations to a halt.

The delay in polls prompted a global and domestic outcry, and has led to unrest in Male’. Several Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters have taken to the streets in protest. Further, several officers in the military have been suspended for allegedly “sowing discord” in the army.

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Government releases MDP MP “Gadhoo” Zahir’s passport

The Department of Immigration has released Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Zahir Adam’s passport today.

The passport was withheld on Friday night at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) as Zahir attempted to leave the country to get medical treatment.

Immigration Controller Dr Mohamed Ali said Kaafu Atoll Guraidhoo Island had issued an order to withhold the passport, but had ordered its release today.

“We follow the court’s orders. When Guraidhoo court asked us to withhold the passort we did that. When they told us to release the passport, we did that also,” Ali told Minivan News.

In a statement on Saturday, Zahir said he had not been informed of charges against him in any court.

“This is an act to cause trouble for MDP MPs, and to threaten and obstruct MDP’s reform programs,” Zahir said.

Minivan News was unable to reach the Guraidhoo Court at the time of press.

MDP MPs Eva Abdulla and Ali Azim were arrested last week as the party continues demonstrations for elections to expedited after the Supreme Court ordered the police to forcibly halt the second round of presidential elections. The run off had been scheduled for September 28.

Eva was arrested at a protest on Tuesday evening and released after a few hours of detention. Ali Azim was arrested on Sunday last week, and has now been transferred to house arrest.

Meanwhile, the police have said it is investigating MDP MPs Alhan Fahmy, Imthiyaz Fahmy, Mohamed Rasheed (Bonda) and ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik for contempt of court and threatening the police, judges and their families.

MDP MPs Abdulla Jabir and Hamid Abdul Gafoor are currently standing trial on suspicion of possessing drugs and alcohol.

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President Waheed calls on educators to instill “good conduct” in Maldives youth

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has today said it is imperative teachers and school management are teaching students “good conduct” like respecting their elders, while expressing the importance of education to national development.

Speaking to mark the occasion of Teachers’ Day, the president said instilling good values in children was hugely important to a country that is “undergoing transformation” like the Maldives, with schools playing a key role in strengthening the social fabric of the nation.

According to the President’s Office website, Dr Waheed also highlighted a need nationally for skilled and informed teachers, as well as providing them with professional development activities.

Relevant institutions were therefore asked to help assist with producing quality, skilled teachers, with the most important consideration being that young people are taught “good discipline based on Islam”.

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STO signs agreement with Allied Insurance to develop 10 story shopping building

The State Trading Organization (STO) has today signed an agreement with Allied Insurance to develop a 10 story shopping building to be named ‘Umar Shopping Arcade.”

In a statement issued today the STO said that the project of building the building had been awarded to Amin Construction Pvt Ltd.

STO said that that building was designed by Arcade Pvt Ltd and the building would have to be completed in 12 months according to the project.

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Fire outbreak in workshop next to EC president’s house

Local media has reported that last night there was a fire outbreak in a workshop next to Elections Commission (EC) president Fuwad Thowfeek’s house.

According to the media the incident occurred last night at about 10:30pm.

Owner of the workshop has told newspaper Sun Online that the incident occurred when someone threw ashes down on the workshop roof causing a tire to catch fire.

According to the newspapers the fire was controlled quickly before it could spread.

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Coup silenced the Maldives’ voice on climate change, says Voice of Women founder

Thilmeeza Hussain, founder of the Maldivian NGO Voice of Women – an organization addressing the issues of women and climate change, spoke with Between The Lines at the International Women’s Earth and Climate Summit held last month in New York.

Thilmeeza discussed the role of democracy in asserting leadership on the critical issues of climate change.

“From what has happened in the past five years, it is very clear to us, because when President Nasheed came to office in 2008 and we had a democratic election, our country was able to talk in the international platforms with a voice much louder and stronger than ever before, and though we were such a small country we were able to fight on issues, bring international attention to the plight of the Maldivians and other small island states on the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation and what our people had been suffering,” she said.

“And we were able to do that because we had a democracy, so we are able to speak with moral authority because we had that platform. We were a country representing people’s voice. But once we had the coup, the voice of the Maldivian people in the international platform were just silent, dead.

For the past two years, in none of the environmental negotiations, or even anywhere else, you haven’t heard Maldivians talking about environmental issues or issues that are important, issues that are necessary for our survival because the government that is in place, which is led by the leader who led the coup, is not able to go and speak with that moral authority in international platforms any more.”

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