Category: Politics

Police on defense over DhiFM coverage of Muleeage mob

Police have denied asking DhiFM to cease broadcasting live coverage of a protest that took place outside the president’s official residence on Thursday night, instead claiming officers requested the station stop airing interviews featuring people calling for the government to be toppled.

A large mob of protesters marched on Muleeage just before midnight, after rumours of a police death in custody circulated around a DRP rally being held at the artificial beach.

“People were already angry about the civil servant salary issue,” said DRP MP Ali Waheed, who joined the protest outside the president’s gate and was later hospitalised after he was hit in the head by a stone.

“This was not a planned protest,” he emphasised. “DRP MPs (including Ahmed Nihan and Ahmed Mahlouf) joined the protest on the way to the president’s residence because we feel very strongly about the issue.”

Police eventually dispersed the crowd using tear gas. Three people were arrested but were later released.

“We don’t care who was leading it or what the point was,” said Inspector Ahmed Shiyam, adding that despite the large number of people clamouring at the gates of Muleeage “at no time was security threatened. Police were backed up by the MNDF and very senior police [were in command].”

Several police were injured, he added, including one who was hit in the face by an object thrown from the crowd.

Shiyam explained that during the incident officers approached DhiFM and asked them to stop airing live interviews with people calling for others to join the protest and overthrow the government through violence.

“We sent officers to tell them, ‘please don’t do that’,” Shiyam said. “They misunderstood, and I called a senior member of DhiFM and managed to convince him.”

DhiFM CEO Maassoodh Hilmy said plain clothes police arrived at the studio at 1:51 on Friday morning, showed their idenification and demanded the station cease broadcasting.

“I said we were not stopping,” he said. “We had two reporters at Muleeage and they were calling out [what they were seeing].”

Shiyam said today that police had sent a letter of complaint alleging that DhiFM had overstepped its status as an observer by broadcasting “calls for violence”.

“That statement from police is not good. They are lying, which is very wrong,” said Hilmy.

The Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) today issued a statement strongly condemning the police attempt to “shut down [DhiFM’s] transmission while it was carrying out the live coverage of the protest,” calling it “a flagrant violation of the independence of the media and the freedoms ascribed in the Constitution.”

“We note that police also forced other media personnel to stop covering the incident and leave the scene, which can only mean that this is a deliberate attempt by the government to influence media content and subsequently, public perception,” the MJA said, expressing further concern about the police comments regarding DhiFM’s conduct, “which seem to imply that DhiFM’s live coverage could amount to inciting more people to violence and that DhiFM carrying out its duty as a media could pose a national security risk.”

“We condemn such attacks on democracy and Constitutional freedoms and call on all authorities not to engage in such appalling action in the future.”

Legality

Independent MP and former Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed said neither police nor defence personnel were allowed to walk into a station and ask it to stop broadcasting.

“They were asked to either put the request in writing or say it live on radio. They refused and returned to the police station,” Nasheed said.

“The next day they sent a document with a police letterhead that was not signed [by the relevant authority], claiming that DhiFM took part in an unlawful gathering calling for the removal of the existing government – this is very strong language from the police.”

Nasheed said Maldives’ broadcasting legislation contained details for disciplinary action but was intentionally designed to include hurdles to make it difficult for the government to close a station.

“Broadcast licences are issued for a year and come with 100 points for every six months, much like a driving licence,” he explained.

“[In the event of a complaint] an independent content committee appointed by the information ministry will act like jury – if the majority agree a maximum of 10 points can be deducated for an offence, and to terminate a broadcast licence the committee must be unanimous.

“Only then can the information ministry ask police or defence to enforce the order on behalf of the committee.”

Nasheed noted that police appeared to be “now varying their story” by stating that their request was regarding certain interviews rather than the live broadcast itself.

Investigation

Police “strong denied” the rumour of a death in custody that triggered the protest, Shiyam said, identifying the subject as 32 year-old Mohamed Nooz of Gdh Thinadhoo.

Nooz was taken into police custody on Jan 15, Shiyam said, but was sent to hospital after he complained of “medical problems”.

“His family was informed and on the 26 Jan police heard his condition had become serious and that he had died that evening.”

Shiyam noted that no family members had filed a complaint about Nooz’s treatment by police, and that one family member had expressed concern that his death would “be used for political gain.”

Waheed said today that the DRP would be supporting an investigation into the matter after “the person who cleaned the body said he smelled something fishy about the case,” and expressed concern about what he claimed was police unwillingness to conduct an official autopsy. That person had gone to HRCM to make a complaint, he said. Waheed also noted the victim’s age as 24, differing from the police account.

He stressed he “was not saying people were killed in custody”, and added that the DRP “will never try to overthrow a legal government.”

“DRP MPs will only join reasonable protests,” he said, adding that he was not sure if similar incidents would occur.

“I wouldn’t know, that’s for the public to decide,” he said. “People are suffering from the reduced civil servant salaries and increased electricity prices, while President Nasheed is trying to take the tension out of these issues by focusing on global warming and the economic crisis.”

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Life changing, world changing

“Why do you even need political parties for democracy?” I asked the sea of black, brown, white and every-shade-in-between students.

We were discussing the rise of far-right political parties in Europe.

“In the Maldives we have a democracy, but we do not have political parties,” I had said. Two years later, in 2006, I sued the government of Maldives for unfair dismissal, and won the country’s first civil rights case.

Attending Mahindra United World College of India (MUWCI) changed my life. Fresh out of Aminiya School at sixteen I longed for adventure and MUWCI, located in the hills of Pune, Maharashtra, turned out to be the biggest adventure of my life.

MUWCI is one of the thirteen United World Colleges (UWC) which makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. Students from over 120 countries are selected purely on merit through UWC national committees.

At MUWCI, I shared my room with girls from India, Russia, Canada and Swaziland. I volunteered at an HIV positive children’s home on Wednesdays, did yoga on Mondays and painted schools in the Mulshi valley. One Saturday, my friends and I built a raft from plastic bottles and sailed down the Mulshi River.

I spent ten days in Tamil Nadu clearing fields and cleaning fishermen’s nets after the Tsunami. In 2005, ten of us went to Kashmir in Pakistan for earth quake relief at a medical camp for a month.

And of course cramming for the two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma; one of the most well regarded and widely known secondary school qualifications in the world.

Maurifa Hassan remembers studying for the IB from the castle-roof of UWC-USA located in the state of New Mexico: “If New Mexico and Maldives have anything in common, it’s the dramatic sunsets. We would attempt to study, but get distracted by the breathtaking scenery and our endless stories that start with the phrase ‘iin my culture’.”

UWC Scholarships are unprecedented and unparalleled in the Maldives. The Ali Fulhu Thuttu Foundation (AFTF) has provided scholarships to 26 Maldivian students to India, America, Canada, Italy, England, Norway and Bosnia. Founded in 2001, the AFTF provides 2-5 scholarships per year for students who have completed GCSE O’Levels.

Theema Mohamed, the first Maldivian student to attend UWC in Norway said, “Many of my community members were shocked that my parents were letting me go to a country that was very far away and of which they knew little about especially since I was a girl and quite young at the time.”

UWC “really felt like home,” Theema says. “I felt free to express my opinions and be who I wanted to be. I found my voice in UWC and I am thankful for the space that UWC provided for me to grow into the person that I am today.”

She currently works for the AFTF to provide grants to support various youth development projects in rural Maldives.

For Ali Shareef, his UWC experience taught him to deconstruct racial and cultural barriers and prejudices.

“People became much more interesting and relatable once I learnt to look beyond the label of Muslim, Christian, Hindu, black, white, female, male, rich or poor,” he says.

Twenty-three Maldivian UWC graduates have now gone onto to pursue higher education in respected universities in America, Canada and Australia and continue to contribute to the country at different levels of society.

Aminath Shauna graduated from Canada’s Lester B. Pearson UWC and went onto do her bachelor’s degree in politics, environment and economics. When she returned to Maldives in 2008, she worked as a journalist during the Maldives’ first multi-party elections and now works for President Mohamed Nasheed.

“UWC has given me a completely different worldview; to expand my horizons beyond that of the island and the atoll,” Shauna says. “I learnt the value of democracy and dialogue and I learnt that in order to change the world, you have to start with your own backyard.”

Fathimath Musthaq currently works in NGO Transparency Maldives and wants to establish a university in the country after her finishing her post-graduate studies.

“I believe liberal education is essential for a progressive and liberal society. Attending UWC in England taught me the values of tolerance and diversity and I want to inculcate those values in Maldivian society, especially given its homogenous nature.”

Zaheena Rasheed attended the Mahindra United World College of India on a Ali Fulhu Thuttu Foundation scholarship. Scholarships are now open in 2010 for students who have completed their IGCSE, GCSE and SSC exams in 2009. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to represent Maldives at one of the following United World Colleges (UWC): India, Norway, Italy, Canada and USA. Applications forms can be obtained at the AFTF office and at www.mv.uwc.org. Deadline for application is 2:30 pm on 15 February 2010.

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Maldives hosts secret Taliban talks

A group of Afghan MPs, “a government official” and seven people linked to the Taliban met in the Maldives last weekend for secret talks, according to a report by Al Jazeera in Afghanistan.

According to the report, the talks were part of an ambitious plan to bring peace to the war-torn country by offering cash, jobs and incentives to Taliban fighters in exchange for laying down their arms.

Afghan parliament member Ubaid Ullah Achackzat, one of the MPs who reportedly visited the Maldives last week, told Al Jazeera the meeting was an effort “to find a third way, a way for the foreigners to leave [Afghanistan], with the possibility of merging the Taliban with the government and the possibility of a cease fire – there are lots of issues.”

Seven of the men were reportedly part of an armed opposition group linked to the Taliban and held in high respect by the Taliban’s leadership, Achackzat said.

The Al Jazeera report claimed the Taliban selected the Maldives as the venue for the meeting “because it was the only place the fighters felt safe.”

“I believe that is a compliment to the Maldivian government and our pluralist policies,” said the president’s press secretary, Mohamed Zuhair, adding that he did not feel the comment would negatively affect international perception of the Maldives.

“Our government has a policy to include followers of all sects of Islam,” he said.

“For years other versions of Islam have been stifled [in the Maldives]. The president has said democracy is the best answer to keep fundamentalists at check.”

Assistant controller of Immigration Ibrahim Ashraf expressed a different opinion.

“If this so-called group of Afghans had a link to the Taliban, that is in no way safe for the Maldives,” he said.

“If people from internationally recognised groups such as the Taliban or other institutions keep coming to the Maldives, that is quite dangerous.”

Zuhair acknowledged that the government had received reports of sightings of “a group of people who look like the Taliban wandering around the streets of Male’.”

“Our stance is that the fact people happen to look like the Taliban doesn’t mean they should be labelled that way,” he said.

He admitted the government had noted the arrival of “a group of 20 people from Afghanistan” who were “quite quite closely monitored by the concerned authorities.”

“They apparently conducted a meeting amongst themselves,” he said, emphasising that the group had not associated with any group in the Maldives.

Ashraf confirmed the government had received some information about the group, but would not say whether this came from inside or outside the country.

“We do have a watch list and a very good system in place,” he said. “Those who are flagged would not be allowed into the country.”

He would not say whether the visitors were flagged.

“A lot of people come to Maldives and nobody needs a visa, whether they are Afghan or Israeli,” he said. “To my knowledge, they have now left [the country].”

State Minister for Defence Mohamed Muiz Adnan said he was not aware of the group’s arrival until he “saw it in the newspaper” and had no knowledge of the meeting that apparently took place.

Regarding the Taliban fighters considering the Maldives to be ‘safe’, Muiz commented that “irrespective of who says it, anywhere in the world a safe environment is good for everybody.”

An international conference on the Afghanisatan’s future is currently being held in London. Al Jazeera reports that Japan, the United States and Britain are rumoured to be spearheading a proposal to ‘bribe’ Taliban fighters to disarm and turn over to the government’s side.

Japan is said to be providing most of the money, thought to be between US$500 million and US$1 billion over the next five years, a far cheaper option than the annual $30 billion currently being spent by the US on its military ‘push’.

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Five hundred homes is short of 10,000 promised, claims DQP

Minister for Housing and Transport Mohamed Aslam has announced the government will sign for the construction of 500 homes next month, after early agreements with an Indian contractor.

However the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) claimed the government had promised to build 10,000 housing units across the Maldives before the end of 2009, including 900 flats in Hulhumale, and called for Aslam’s resignation over the delay.

Housing was one of the five key elements in the Maldivian Democratic Party’s election manifesto.

Secretary general of the DQP Abdulla Ameen accused the government of promising “wonderful dreams” it was unable to fulfil.

”It felt like he was going to build the [10,000] flats on spot,” Ameen said. “President Nasheed may build [a few] flats, but he is ignoring his pledge to build many more housing units.”

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing and Transport Ali Waheed said that the construction projects had slowed because the country’s financial condition.

“We cannot complete such big projects as soon as we close our eyes and open them,” he said, and noted that the minister “does not have to resign when [DQP president] Hassan Saeed says so.”

He reiterated that the government would fulfil its pledges within its term of power.

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Maldives can learn from India, says Nasheed

President Mohamed Nasheed has claimed the Maldives can learn from India’s economic success and the way the country has brought large segments of its population out of poverty.

Speaking at a dinner last night in honour of India’s Republic Day, the 60th anniversary of its freedom from British rule, Nasheed described India as “the world’s largest and most vibrant democracy, shining a beacon of freedom and hope around the world.”

The country was rising “peacefully” to take its place “as one of the 21st Century’s superpowers,” he said.

The founding of India’s news constitution had many parallels with the Maldives, Nasheed said.

“India took the bold decision to found a republic based on the principles of democracy and freedom. The new constitution enshrined democratic rights and fundamental freedoms, vesting power in the people.”

But he added that it would be “foolish to pretend that India’s transition was all plain sailing,” and suggested that the Maldives could learn from India’s experiences.

“I believe that the Maldives has much to learn from India. Just as India faced growing pains after Independence, so the Maldives has teething problems of its own.

“The new administration has inherited crippling levels of debt, stacked up in the last years of the former regime, our youth have been plagued by rampant drug abuse, and many in our society remain scarred by the torture and cruelty of the past thirty years.

“India overcame its growing pains by embracing its new democracy and respecting fundamental liberties,” he said. “Despite its faults, history shows us that democracy is the best guarantor of freedom, peace and prosperity.”

In particular, Nasheed said, “the Maldives can learn from India’s economic transformation.

“For too long, the Maldives’ economy has been centrally planned, heavily regulated and micro-managed by the government. This has prevented growth, repelled investment and thwarted people’s aspirations. By opening up our economy to the world, the Maldives can also enjoy economic success. ”

Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Dnyaneshwar Mulay said India was “fortunate” to have a friend in the Maldives, “and I happy this partnership is now going into an economic, clultural and academic phase with the strengthening of health and education services.”

Mulay added that he saw “a huge large number of new things happening between India and Maldvies in next few years.

“We do feel India has a stake in the success and prosperity of the Maldives,” he said.

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Thasmeen to run for DRP’s leadership

Vice president of the Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP) Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has announced that he will be running for the DRP’s leadership, to be decided during the party’s congress in February.

“From the advice I got from many people to serve the DRP, I decided to take part in the election,” he said.

He thanked former president Gayoom for encouraging him to run for the leadership, and said that even though Gayoom had resigned, “the DRP still will be the same.”

He said he expected to face many challenges, “and it will be very difficult to be the leader of the largest opposition party.”

He condemned a statement released yesterday by the president’s office noting the “stories of cruelty”, “allegations of corruption” and “nepotism” of Gayoom’s administration, and said “it is very sad that such a statement was released by the president following the resignation of a respected person like Gayoom.”

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Comment: A New Era of Maldivian Politics

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, for good or ill, will probably be remembered as one of the most dominant figures of our modern history. With his withdrawal from active political involvement, he has given rise to new fractions, new political players, and a completely new dynamic. Yesterday we entered a new era of Maldivian Politics.

Nation and parties divided

Whether it happens in days or months, President Gayoom rescinding his candidature for DRP leadership will exacerbate the latent divisions within the party. Over time we have seen these divisions take form.

Mohamed “Kutti” Nasheed’s conflict with elements of DRP showed us our first glimpse of their division. After DRP lost the 2008 election Presidential election, Kutti Nasheed called for Gayoom to resign from politics. Because of this he was ostracised, excluded, and eventually driven away from the party. President Gayoom, even today, has a group of supporters who would give their last breath for the will of the man they see as having developed our country, and who they see as being the father of a modern Maldives. In those couple of weeks, this division was clear.

Since then we have seen Abdullah Yameen return to DRP as the leader of the People’s Alliance with a strong, well financed and capable group of people supporting him. Yameen along with Abdullah Shahid and Ahmed Thasmeen Ali are among the most active, respected and credible people within the older generation of DRP leaders. They are both the stronghold and the powerhouse of the party today, though with clear divisions between Yameen and the other two.

There is also the new, more dynamic, group of young leaders who are emerging within the party. While careful not to make the same mistake Kutti Nasheed made in alienating the hardcore Gayoomists, they have been rising in popularity and influence, and have shown a clear desire to break away from the previous era of political policy.

A clear example of this could be seen in Mohamed Hussain ‘Mundhu’ Shareef’s comments on Gayoom’s role in the ruling party’s philosophies. He stated that the only reason MDP is able to hold support is because of them vilifying President Gayoom. This emphasis on how Gayoom’s continued involvement in DRP may be detrimental to the party’s appeal, growth, and support was – in retrospect – clearly easing the idea of Gayoom withdrawing from politics into the consciousness of his most adamant supporters.

While the young and old group of DRP leaders are likely to work together for the good of the party, if Thasmeen wins the party’s leadership – as he is expected to – PA may withdraw from the coalition and become the deciding middle party. Though while division may be rife, Mundhu’s comments are based in a very real problem for the MDP leadership.

The wicked witch is dead

At least when it comes to politics, Gayoom is no longer the driving force of the opposition DRP. The one issue upon which the ruling coalition was built no longer exists. And while the coalition may no longer be important, this one philosophy has always been one of the driving forces behind MDP’s policies and youth appeal.

President Gayoom’s administration’s abuses and mistakes have provided the ruling party with momentum and a drive which has kept them united and very public. It galvanised a traditionally apathetic people into action and is a fundamental basis for the legitimacy of this government. Because MDP made the issue about President Gayoom, DRP made the issue about President Nasheed. Our politics has been based on the dynamics between these two personalities and as a result we rarely care about issues which affect our daily lives. Yesterday, the nation took the first step towards shifting this dynamic.

A moderate party overnight

This dynamic, which we are going to watch emerge, will be decided by the direction DRP takes.

But even without concrete policy shifts, it seems as though DRP has overnight gone from being a radical and confrontational party to one that is almost moderate.

Speculation is abound that Thasmeen will take leadership of the party. With both the explicit support of President Gayoom and Abdullah Shahid, as well as the majority of DRP’s members of parliament, it looks likely that the older generation will be the first to guide policy in the post-Gayoom era. Unlike the younger group who are confrontational and quick to providing harsh words against the ruling party, Thasmeen is seen as a calm and tempered businessman who gained influence within the party through consistent and ready support. Some of the older members would even say that he has deserved his turn to attempt leadership.

Shahid, while also mild mannered, is one of the most capable, organised and conciliatory leaders within the opposition. With these two at the helm, one can only hope that a more moderate stance will be taken towards implementing polices that will actually provide fruits for the Maldivian people – instead of the constant stonewalling which has been so prevalent.

Moving forward

Though I am a member of GIP (Gaumee Ihthihaad Party), I fully acknowledge that we are operating in a two party system. Losing President Gayoom’s direct influence will not change that (at least not overnight). With over a year under our belts, the government has not been able to produce the kind of results needed to bring our nation out of its current economic recession. And government does not mean just MDP – it is DRP as well.
DRP holds the majority in the Majlis (parliament), and as a result the Majlis’ failures are DRP’s as well.

In ancient Greece, the Titans fought for control of the heavens, nearly to the point of utter destruction. Without compromise between these two Titans, the people of our nation will continue to suffer. Our nation will continue to become more illiberal, and democracy’s very existence may come into question. We have entered a new era of Maldivian politics. Whether it will see the prosperity of our people or our social, economic and political degradation is yet to be decided. You Titans – decide well.

www.jswaheed.com

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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Gayoom bows out of politics ahead of DRP congress

Leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and former president of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, today announced his resignation from politics ahead of the party’s national congress in February.

Gayoom apologised to the DRP and its members but said it was time for the “younger generation” to take over the party’s helm.

“The Maldives is a young country, and only will progress if youth become involved in politics and leadership,” the 72 year-old said at a live press conference held in TVM studios.

“I am not young any more. I have spent many years in office, and I want to spend time with my family. I need to give the younger generation the opportunity [to lead the party] – they are capable.”

Gayoom said he had been urged to remain as the DRP’s leader because people felt if he left many members would follow, and the party might even disband.

“They felt that if I’m not there the DRP will not win the presidential election. [But] the party is more important than the individual; everyone must focus on the party, not on one person.

“I have thought long and hard, and I believe the DRP needs a new generation [of leadership] to progress and strength. Many apologies to DRP members, but I would like to say I will not be running for the DRP presidency.”

The former president said he would remain a member of the DRP “and do what I can for the party”, but would not no longer take part in politics.

“I won’t comment on any political issues, but I will support whoever runs for the presidency. It’s important for the DRP to win the next election, and God willing DRP will win.”

There were many reasons for the DRP’s loss of the last election, he said, “but I don’t have proof of why the outcome was the way it was.”

He pleaded with the party’s members to remain in the DRP, “and join together to make the DRP a party that serves the public.”

Gayoom endorsed DRP vice-president Ahmed Thasmeen Ali as his replacement ahead of his brother, Abdullah Yameen.

“Thasmeen was my running mate for the last presidential election and in my opinion, he is the best [candidate] for the job,” Gayoom said. “But this is just my opinion. The leader will be decided in the DRP national congress.”

Reaction

Speaking at a dinner organised by the Indian High Commission this evening, President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed praised his predecessor for his decision.

“Today, as we celebrate the eve of India’s Republic Day, I also would like to congratulate our former president, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who, after ruling this country for 30 long years, serving to the best of his ability and doing so much good for this country, decided to retire. I wish him all the best, and I wish his party all the best,” Nasheed said.

Senior members of the DRP reacted with shock at Gayoom’s decision to resign.

DRP spokesman Ibrahim Shareef said “many hardcore supporters were shocked and I’ve seen a lot of people crying over his sudden departure.”

There had been a lot of petitions within the party for Gayoom to remain as leader, “but despite all this, from what I can see, Gayoom is quite sincere. For the past 30 years I’ve watched him both at a distance and at close range, and he always does what he says.

“I think there was tremendous pressure applied on Gayoom to remain leader, but in the end the decision to hand over the reins to the younger generation was only ever going to be his own.”

Shareef said Gayoom’s departure “would have a very small impact” on the party, despite there being at present “no political leader of Gayoom’s stature in the country.”

“A lot of people feel very loyal to Gayoom. I think he will remain as the spiritual leader [of the DRP],” Shareef said.

“There will be a new leader when the dust settles – there’s lot of young people who are highly educated and very capable.”

The defection of key DRP supporters such as Dr Hassan Saeed prior to the presidential election was a blow the party, Shareef admitted, “and that helped the MDP candiate [Mohamed Nasheed] into the presidency.”

“A year on, many of those who left the DRP have found their decision was not a wise one. Many people now see that [Nasheed] is not a leader they thought he was.”

Shareef acknowledged that emerging factions within the DRP in the wake of Gayoom’s departure might “certainly create some problems somewhere.”

“But Thasmeen is a candidate who has the ability to hold the party together,” Shareef said. “He is not someone who will apply the letter of the law and not go witch-hunting. He will not take revenge on the opposition.

“Yameen is a very able man with great vision, but different political leaders have different strengths. Thasmeen’s strength is that he is able to work with the opposition, which is very important. The social fabric of the Maldives has been ripped apart by the party system and everyone is out trying to get revenge.”

Rumours of a deal

Gayoom denied rumours that he had met with president Nasheed last night and agreed to step down from the party leadership in exchange for the government ceasing to pursue him for alleged human rights abuses committed during his administration.

“There is no truth to the story. I have not met the president, nor do I have plans to meet him,” Gayoom said.

Shareef also said the reports were unlikely: “I don’t think so. No one pressured him, it was his decision alone.”

A return to politics?

MDP MP Mohamed Mustafa said he did not trust that Gayoom’s decision was final.

“I would like to believe he’s resigned but I dont trust him. I know he has a hidden agenda,” Mustafa said. “He has been sucking blood for 30 years and now he thinks he can wear white cloth.”

“If he has good intentions, that’s OK. But he knew the government would not provide financial assistance [due to former presidents] and let him open an office [while leader of the DRP]. He’ll just build his resources and come back to politics in three years.”

Mustafa described today’s news as “a victory for MDP – I can say that. The DRP are quarrelling internally and won’t be strong enough for the [forseeable] future. Thasmeen is not on good terms with Yaamyn, and Yaamyn not on good terms with his brother Gayoom. I think they are splitting to pieces inside and in many ways this is good for us. They had billions, but now they are beggars.”

However a highly-placed source inside the government said “there is no jubilation here. It was very hard on some people when Gayoom publicly denied he ever harmed anyone, and emotionally [Gayoom’s departure from public life] will be good for them. We can finally put this chapter behind us.”

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CSC and finance ministry hold talks to resolve salary dispute

After months of trading blows in the media, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the finance ministry met this morning to discuss the restoration of civil servants’ salaries.

However neither party would reveal what was discussed in the meeting, saying only that the issue remained undecided and another meeting would be held.

”We do not want to comment on this yet,” said Mohamed Fahmy Hassan, a CSC member who has advocated discussions between the CSC and the ministry.

State Minister for Finance Ahmed Assad also refused to reveal what was raised in the meeting, but said was expecting the discussions to lead to a solution.

Both Assad and the finance controller from the finance ministry were present at the meeting.

In response to the silence, spokesman for the Maldivian Civil Servants Association (MCSA) Abdulla Waheed said he was convinced the discussions would not lead to a “beneficial” solution and that the finance ministry was simply seeking to extend the period of reduced salaries.

”The CSC might agree to keep the salary lowered till the parliament re-opens,” Waheed predicted, threatening a law suit against the CSC if the outcome of the discussions was deemed “an injustice”.

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