Category: News in Brief

IPCC report to give Maldives date of extinction: Guardian

On Friday 27 September, the low-lying island nation of the Maldives will be given the date of its extinction; notice of a death by drowning, writes Damian Carrington for the Guardian.

It will come in the form of a prediction for future sea-level rise in a landmark report on global warming by the world’s climate scientists. On current trends, anything more than three generations will feel like a reprieve.

On the packed streets of Male’, the mini-Manhattan that serves as the Maldives’ island capital, there is a political clamour. But, perhaps surprisingly, the cause is not worry about the existential threat posed by the rising seas but over accusations of corruption and vote-buying in the presidential election.

Friday’s landmark report on global warming from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – which is currently being finalised by a meeting of the world’s top climate scientists along with political observers in Stockholm – will set out the extreme precariousness of this position.

For coral reefs, the 800 climate scientists behind the report will be forced to add a new colour – purple – to the top of their range of risk levels to signify how much the dangers have worsened since the last IPCC assessment in 2007.

A significantly higher estimate for future sea-level rise is expected, up to 97cm by 2100, and this poses the most obvious threat to an archipelago where most land is no taller than an 11-year-old child. But rising sea temperatures will also increase coral bleaching and crumbling – where the reef gradually dies because the coloured algae that live within and help to feed the corals are expelled as the water warms.

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Jamiyyathul Salaf ask PPM and JP not to use its religious sermon except for religious purposes

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf has today said that the NGO had received information that Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Jumhoory Party (JP) coalition was using the recent lecture delivered by Salaf’s lecturer Sheikh Adam Shameem, against the purpose of the lecture.

The NGO said that the lecture and the name of the NGO was not to be used for anything other than its actual purpose, which was to remind the people to be careful of those trying to destroy the independence and Islam in the country, and to remind the people not to let those people achieve their goal.

Salaf said the NGO appeals to the members and leadership of PPM and Jumhoory Party and the coalition of parties aligned with JP not to use the NGO’s sermons and name for any other purpose.

Jamiyyathul Salaf also stated that the NGO is not affiliated with any political party and that the NGO is an independent civil NGO.

The NGO said that it could not stop the way people feel about a sermon delivered and also that sermons being an advantage or disadvantage for political parties was not an excuse to stop the NGO from fulfilling its responsibilities.

Salaf said that the NGO does not consider the timing when holding their religious events.

Meanwhile, yesterday Salaf issued a statement accusing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of misleading the public over the purpose of the sermon ‘Andalus’, as the sermon was “receiving huge support from the public”.

On September 18, The Maldives Broadcasting Corporation chairman along with members of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission were summoned before the Independent Institutions Committee’s sub-committee  following complaints by MDP MPs that the sermon by religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf preacher Sheikh Adam Shameem Ibrahim infringed the rights of the party’s presidential candidate.

Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Chairman Ibrahim Umar Manik told the Independent Commmission’s sub-committee that the live feed of the sermon was cut off around 11:35pm that night after the editorial team noticed that the sermon was heading to a direction which was not its original objective.

The sub-committee decided to forward the issue to the Independent Institutions Committee.

In December 2010, Salaf called on the then-government to “provide military training to all Muslim Maldivians and familiarise citizens with the use of modern weaponry” before “Jews take over the country”, days before a controversial visit by a team of Isreali surgeons to offer free-of-charge eye camps in Male’, Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo and Addu Atoll Hithadhoo.

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Police appeal for public assistance in locating man wanted by Civil Court

Police have asked for public assistance in locating a person identified as Mohamed Abdul Latheef of Madhadhu house in Villimale’, to present him before the Civil Court.

In a statement police said Latheef had ignored several summon chits sent to him by the Civil Court and that the court has ordered police to bring him to court under police charge.

Police asked anyone who knows Latheef’s whereabouts contact police custodial at 9991442 or police headquarters at 3322111.

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Man arrested for molesting a minor

Police have arrested a man on the island of Feydhoo in Shaviyani Atoll on charges of molesting a male minor.

The arrest was confirmed to media by the police but no further information was provided.

A council member of the island told local newspapers that the man arrested was a duty officer at the island’s power house.

According to the council member the parents first complained about the abuse to the council, who reported it to police.

The council member said the incident occurred last Sunday [23 September].

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Indian naval ships to arrive in Male for training

Indian Naval Ship, INS Sharda and Coast Guard Ship, ICGS Varuna, will arrive in Male’ harbour tomorrow for training purposes, according to a statement from the Indian High Commission in Male’.

“INS Sharda is the sixth of the Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) acquired by the Indian Navy and the third to be indigenously built. INS Sharda is a versatile platform capable of undertaking a wide variety of missions such as coastal and offshore patrolling, protection of off shore installation/ EEZ, Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) Monitoring and providing Logistics Support to the littoral territories of India in the Arabian Sea,” read a statement from the High Commission.

“ICGS Varuna is a multi-role vessel capable of operating under all weather conditions. Equipped with state of the art Navigation and Communication aids, armed with 2A42 30mm Medak Gun and empowered by an integral flight of Chetak helicopter, she is capable of meeting all the challenges while enforcing maritime regulations in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” the statement continued.

During the visit, the ships will also be carrying spares and equipment for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF)’s Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv’, renamed “Kurangi”, which is stationed in Addu.

“The helicopter was gifted by the Indian Government to the MNDF in 2010 and is operated by an Indian Coast Guard contingent, denotes the robust military cooperation between the two nations,” the statement concluded.

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Maldives democratic transition in “limbo”: Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

“With the Maldivian Supreme Court postponing second round of elections, the democratic transition in the Maldives has gone into limbo,” writes Anand Kumar in a comment piece for the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).

“The confusion prevailing in the country after the first round of elections has also made it clear that whosoever emerges victorious after the second round if it is held at all, he may find opposition quite difficult to handle in the aftermath of elections,” added Kumar.

“The much awaited multi-party elections in Maldives took place on September 7, 2013. As expected the first round failed to throw up a clear winner. This has now necessitated a second round which was earlier scheduled for September 28, 2013, and has now been postponed.

In the run-off election top two candidates from the earlier round would contest. They are Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate, Mohamed Nasheed and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen. However, the third candidate, Qasim Ibrahim from Jumhooree Party who lost by a whisker does not seem satisfied with the results and has gone to the court. In response to his petition the Supreme Court of Maldives has suspended presidential elections sparking protests and fears of instability in the archipelago country.

The polls in Maldives generated lot of enthusiasm among the people. They turned out in large numbers and nearly 88 percent of eligible voters used their franchise. In Maldives, the total number of voters is 2,39,593 out of which 2,11,890 cast their ballot. Former president Mohamed Nasheed managed 95,224 (45.45 per cent). Yameen, half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom came second with 53,099 votes (25.35 per cent) and business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim came a close third with 50,422 votes (24.07 per cent). President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik finished last with 10,750 votes (5.13 per cent).

The interesting part of first round of polling is that business tycoon, Qasim Ibrahim who is also supported by the fundamentalist Adhaalath Party lost by a whisker. This has made swallowing defeat little difficult for him. Similarly, incumbent President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik polled just five percent of the votes and probably is the first sitting president anywhere in the world to get such low percentage in a re-election.

This clearly shows that his was not a popular government though earlier a Commonwealth-led probe had stated that the transfer of power was done according to the constitution. The Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) set up by the Maldivian government last year had also found no evidence of a coup.

Qasim Ibrahim who came third with less than 3000 votes has alleged irregularity in polling. He alleged that there are several flaws in the voter list. He has claimed that he could have easily got between 10,000 to 30,000 more votes. He has disputed the result in the High Court, Supreme Court, at rallies, and on his television station – Villa TV – declaring that he should have been placed first. Interestingly, PPM has also extended support to Qasim Ibrahim and has accepted the Supreme Court’s decision to delay the elections.

There is nothing wrong with Qasim Ibrahim going to the courts. But Maldives judiciary has its own problem. Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed has been implicated in a series of widely circulated obscene videos, but the judicial oversight body Judicial Services Commission (JSC) decided not to suspend the judge against the recommendation of a subcommittee it set up to investigate the matter. This happened because Qasim Ibrahim was a member of the JSC at the time and he stopped all action against the judge.

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Retired South African judge to host public lecture on elections

The UNDP will host a public lecture – ‘Elections: Beauty or Beast?’ – by prominent retired South African Judge, Johann Kriegler, on Thursday September 26 at 4:00pm in the SHE Building (3rd floor) in Male’.

Judge Kriegler headed the South African Independent Electoral Commission and chaired the first permanent Elections Agency in South Africa for a number of years.

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Air Asia X to commence flights between Maldives and Malaysia

Air Asia X, marketed as a “low cost, long-haul carrier”, is to begin operating flights between Kuala Lumpur, Male’ and Colombo later this month.

Starting from September 28, Air Asia X will offer four weekly flights to Male’ and Colombo from the Malaysian capital.

Ahead of the service being launched, the airline has also announced a special introductory rate of MYR219 (US$65) for one-way economy class travel to the Maldives. A premium service between Kuala Lumpur and Male’ is also available from MYR959 (US$296).

“Male’ is interesting to visit mainly for a taste of Maldivian life more than for its inherent wealth of things to see and do. Guests will find that this is a place for the -pleasant and pleasingly quirky – its bars and restaurants jostle with its incredible array of shops and lively markets with the general hubbub of a capital,” stated the company.

“This is a chance to get a real feel for the Maldives, what makes its people tick and to meet Maldivians on an equal footing.”

In July, Cathay Pacific Airways announced it would be launching services between the Maldives and Hong Kong from October 2013.

The airline said at the time that its flight services to and from the Maldives on its Airbus A330-300 aircraft were expected to begin from October 27, 2013 – pending government approval.

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Five MDP protestors arrested yesterday

Five individuals were arrested during yesterday’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protests against the Supreme Court, reports local media.

Police arrested four people from the demonstration held near the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon and one individual was arrested last night during the MDP’s protest against the court’s injunction to indefinitely delay the presidential election’s runoff.

A police media official would not disclose to CNM whether the five arrested individuals remain in police custody.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) told CNM that “major changes” regarding the “disclosure of information” have been enacted – on the advice of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

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