Category: Politics

Dozens of sharp weapons were confiscated from a shop in Male’ on Thursday evening for fear gangs may use them, the Police said.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Police revealed they had impounded 37 swords and 267 daggers found in the storeroom of Radium Hardware in H. Radiumkokaa.

According to the Police, the blades of the daggers measured 14 inches, while the the swords measured 26 inches.

The owner of Radium Hardware, Mubarik Moosa, said on Saturday the daggers that had been found in his shop had been cleared by Customs and had been on sale to the public for “a long time”.

“The daggers are ornamental and a lot of people who like to display such things buy them,” said Moosa. “Recently, a lot of ‘paateys’ (drug users) have bought the daggers. We don’t know what they use them for.”

The police are still investigating, and have released little other information.

But they have said the blades were seized during a “special operation” being conducted in response to recent gang violence in the capital. So far, police say nine people have been arrested in connection with the disturbances across Male’.

The most recent trouble is believed to have been sparked by two incidents: the beating of a thirteen-year-old boy, hospitalised in early December, and an attack on a man at Trends restaurant on 17 December.

The attacks sparked retribution and violent acts throughout the night of the 17 December. Armed gangs were seen roaming the streets with swords, knives, bats and other weapons.

The police have been heavily criticised by the local press and public for not taking action sooner but authorities insist they did everything in their power to stop the violence. They have since increased police patrols.

Police Spokesman, Corporal Shiyam, says the violence is the result of long standing gang rivalries.

During the recent violence, many gang members, who are thought mostly to be under 18, have been seen carrying weapons such as swords and knives.

Although the Police have started confiscating such weapons from retailers, there are several souvenir shops in Male which still have such items for sale.

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More than a hundred drug rehabilitation workers may lose their jobs or be transferred to another department as the government privatises its services.

Until now the state has been in charge of trying to get drug addicts clean, but under new plans, a joint American-Maldivian company will take over. Currently 180 workers are employed at the Himmafushi rehabilitation centre in North Male’ Atoll, but an inside source who wants to remain anonymous in order to avoid being sacked, claims the American company involved has said it will only employ 60 people. The company made the claim in its proposal to the government on the takeover of rehab services.

That means 120 people’s jobs now hang in the balance. What happens depends on a meeting between the government’s National Narcotics Control Board (NNCB) and the directors of the new company, due to be held in the next two weeks. Employees may either be sacked or transferred to other posts.

The new private scheme for rehabilitating drug addicts at Himmafushi was launched on Tuesday morning at a press conference at the NNCB headquaters in Male’, which was attended by two bosses of the private company and the head of the NNCB, Dr. Abdullah Waheed.

The private company assuming control of drug rehabilitation services in the Maldives is called DiameriCENAPS®. It is a joint American – Maldivian venture and works for profit.

Another source close to the company, who also wished to remain anonymous to avoid government recrimination, told Minivan several cabinet ministers have a stake in the business. But Dr. Mohamed Shafiu, a Director of the company, denies the claims. He says it is owned and run by three men; himself, local businessman and tourism mogul Mohamed Fahmi and American health guru, Terence T. Gorski.

Mr. Gorski is President and owner of the CENAPS® Corporation. He is also part-time Professor of Humanics – the study of human nature – at Springfield College in America and has written dozens of self-help books offering advice on subjects ranging from love to drug addiction.

He describes himself on his website as an “internationally recognised expert on substance abuse, mental health, violence, & crime.” His company is described as “a consultation and training firm that specialises in alcoholism, drug dependence, and mental-health services”.

The Drug Rehabilitation Centre on Himmafushi Island in North Male’ Atoll will now become home to all rehab services outside Male’. Its work will initially involve retraining staff to work under a new “science –based addiction treatment,” known as the CENAPS® Model, which offers a new approach to help drug addicts recover.

Under the new scheme, “enforcement programmes” will be used “to mandate treatment under the special presidential decree”, according to the company. That will mean some convicted drug users will be forced to undergo 90 days of treatment, possibly against their will. The government insists the 90 days will simply give drug users “time to think”.

Previously, the state had used a different system which established something called a “therapeutic community” to get addicts clean. It now acknowledges that the scheme has not worked. The number of former addicts who go back to taking drugs, known as the ‘relapse rate’ remains very high in the Maldives. Mr. Gorski describes drug addiction in the country as “an epidemic” and says 75% of the current prison population is in jail for a drug-related offence.

The government and the NNCB will continue to work closely with organisations such as Journey, a group founded by former addicts which helps people to recover from drug problems and runs an after-care centre in Male’.

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Ibrahim Shareef, the MP for Addu, has been expelled from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for not cooperating over allegations of sexual harassment.

The MDP’s disciplinary committee took the decision to expel Shareef on Monday, after he refused to appear before them to face questioning and explain his actions. The party had received allegations that he “forcefully fondled” a female staff member at the party’s Parliamentary Group office last month.

The woman who claims she was harassed told Minivan News: “I am very happy with what they have done. It was what I was expecting.”

The decision made by the committee was unanimous, and came after they had taken statements from five people about the allegations. The MDP says Shareef’s alleged sexual misconduct and subsequent lack of cooperation, “contradicted the spirit of the party.”

Shareef, in reply, has said the disciplinary committee is not a court of law and has criticised the MDP, saying it is run by a “family dynasty.” Although it has not been proven that he harassed the woman, one committee member who wanted to remain anonymous said: “I personally feel there was enough evidence to prove he did it.”

The boyfriend of the woman involved says Ibrahim Shareef called him on a number of occasions to plead with him to drop the issue.

Shareef, who was also the Vice-President of the MDP’s Parliamentary Group, fell out with many MDP members late last year after the Group issued a statement distancing itself from the planned November 10 demonstration. He had been one of a group of MPs who were concerned the demonstration would be counter productive. As a result of the letter, he claimed to have received death threats from MDP supporters.

Since then, the split between the Parliamentary Group of the party and the more radical shadow cabinet has widened, with the leader of the Group, Mohamed Shihab, being labelled a “traitor” by some MDP supporters after voting for the government’s budget.

The Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Group, Ali Faiz, has criticised the MDP’s actions over Shareef’s expulsion, saying the decision to expel Shareef was made “too late.” When asked if he thought the MDP had done the right thing in expelling their MP, he said he would rather not comment.

The MDP now has 26 MPs out of a total of 113 across both parliaments, the People’s Majlis and the Special Majlis. Most other seats are occupied by the government’s Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), with a handful of independent MPs occupying the rest.

Shareef has been unavailable for comment.

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Six Maldivian police officers have been sent abroad for training according to the Maldives Police Service.

On Monday, a Police Official said that the officers had been sent to Singapore under an agreement that was being carried out between the Singaporean and Maldivian forces.

Two of the officers sent abroad, Corporal Izmiyyah Zahir and Constable Hassan Saeed, will be enrolled in a senior officer’s basic course.

The four remaining officers, including Chief State Inspector Mohamed Hameed and Sergeant Fareed Ismail, will take part in a community police course.

The Singapore Police Force has a heritage almost as old as modern Singapore itself and it is hoped that some of its experience and professionalism will be brought back to the Maldives.

Recently, both the Police Service and Government have been using international training programmes in an effort to help modernise their practices.

Just last week, eighteen Maldivian trainees returned from a programme based in Australia, which was aimed at improving the administration at Maafushi Prison.

The trainees were the final group to receive training under the Home Affairs Ministry’s current programme to improve prison conditions, however, Deputy Minister Azim Shukoor has confirmed that the government plans to send more people abroad for training in 2007.

“Even if the plan doesn’t work out,” said Shukoor, “we will bring international experts home and conduct the training in the Maldives. We will soon start discussions on obtaining the opportunity to send people abroad for training”.

The most recent training in Singapore was not part of the Home Ministry’s current programme. It was also not the first instance where the Singapore police have agreed to provide training to their Maldivian counterparts.

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The Ministry of Information and Arts has said that it is unable to predict when private broadcasters will be allowed to begin transmitting in the Maldives.

Recently, the Ministry retracted its promise to grant permits to private broadcasters, which were scheduled to be issue at the end of last October.

In an explanation of its action, the government said that before transmission could begin an act of parliament governing private broadcasting would be needed. They said this was due to the “negative effects of unconditional press freedom”.

The government made this decision despite telling Haveeru Daily two weeks prior that privately owned broadcast media would be able to obtain licences “quickly”.

The decision to prohibit private broadcasting also followed a meeting with members of the International Mission for Press Freedom (which is comprised of several press freedom organisations including Article 19, Reporters Without Borders and the International Federation of Journalists) in May. At the meeting, the Information Ministry reportedly promised a “rapid authorisation of private broadcasters and the creation of a Media Advisory Board consisting of leading figures”.

Speaking of the Maldivian Government’s decision, the International Mission said: “[We] understand that a legal framework is needed for the licensing of private broadcasters in line with the practice around the world. We do not believe, however, that there is any reason why such a legal framework should not have been developed by now.”

The statement continued: “the official ‘Roadmap for the Reform Agenda’ said legislation of privately-owned broadcast media (putting an end to the State monopoly on radio and television) would be completed by 31 October. However, on 1 November 2006 it was announced that this legislation has been delayed.”

In its latest statement, given earlier this week, the Information Ministry still had no idea when the press freedom section of the President’s Roadmap would be implemented. Speaking to Hamma Daily on the situation, Mohamed Arif, a senior official at the Ministry said: “Now there is a draft Bill in the Majlis (General Assembly). I don’t know when the Bill will be passed by the Majlis to allow us issue permits to private broadcasters to start their businesses in the country”.

When asked why the government has failed to deliver its promise Arif replied: “We changed the plan as there was no law to regulate the activity”.

Several parties have reportedly invested millions in broadcasting technology when the government initially announced a date for allowing private broadcasters to do business. These parties claim that due to the delays in awarding permits they are presently handling unnecessary costs.

Reports say that more than 30 parties applied for broadcasting licenses before October.

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Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued a statement asking all Maldivians to assist them in destroying mosquito breeding grounds throughout the country.

The DPH’s request is a vital component of its new programme initiated to combat several mosquito-borne diseases, which have recently attacked the county. These include fever, Dengue fever and Chikungunya.

In order to combat the diseases effectively, the department says wider participation is needed from the general public. Dr Mohamed Jamsheed, Director of DPH, has urged everyone to take part in the endeavour.

In an interview with Hamma Daily Jamsheed said: “The present outbreak has reached dangerous proportions in Raa, Meem and Kaaf Atolls. Therefore we are giving priority to controlling the mosquitoes in these atolls.”

Jamsheed said that many Maldivians mistakenly believe that the only way to control mosquitoes is by spraying disinfectants. But this, he said, is the last thing required for destroying breeding grounds.

The most important action, as DPH previously advocated, is to drain every possible entity that harbours stating water, as they are favourable for mosquito breeding.

The Chikungunya outbreak became politicised when the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) published a report on the outbreak, which blamed the government for not taking the disease seriously.

MDP published its report after many islanders in the atolls claimed that the authorities had done little to address the outbreak initially.

Some analysts began expressing fears that DPH and the Health Ministry were “playing down” the incident so that it would not have negative consequences for the country’s tourism industry.

But soon the effects of Chikungunya and the other mosquito-borne diseases were too serious for anyone not to notice.

In the days before the New Year, Hospitals and health post were reportedly packed across the country with patients who had been diagnosed with Chikungunya. One such hospital, IGMH, in Male’, was so full that it could not admit further patients.

An official from DPH said that as of December 19, 135 Maldivians had been suspected of being infected with Chikungunya, which had been blamed for deaths in both Male’ and some Atolls.

Even Finance Minister, Gasim Ibrahim, was admitted to ADK Hospital with the virus.

Chikungunya is generally not fatal. However, last year, 200 deaths were associated with the disease on Reunion Island and India (especially in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh). The European Network for Diagnostics of “Imported” Viral Diseases (ENIVD) claims that new phylogenetic variants of virus, which are fatal, have also been identified on Reunion.

According to recent reports, the numbers of Maldivians in Meem Atoll who have caught the fever are highest in Dhiggaru, Maduvvari and Naalaafushi. The highest number of people who have caught Chikungunya and dengue are presently found in Raa Atoll.

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President Gayoom has recently stated that 2007 should be the time when all political parties in the Maldives unite to form a new pluralist consensus on the future of the country.

Gayoom expressed his wish in an end-of-the-year letter to world leaders and influential stakeholders in post-tsunami recovery and democratic reform.

He also said he was confident that the legal framework and mechanisms of the first liberal democracy in the Maldives would be completed sometime during 2007.

Speaking to the government, Gayoom went on to say that it should “redouble its efforts to ensure a peaceful transition to a modern, liberal democracy”.

But the President’s critics say they have heard Gayoom deliver unfulfilled promises to the international community many times in the past and fear that his latest message is no different.

Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it would be difficult to disagree that the Maldives is currently more democratic than at any other time in its recent history.

Many may also agree with the President that 2006 has been “a year of change, progress and recovery for the Maldives”, but some believe not nearly enough has been done.

In his letter, Gayoom noted his “Roadmap” for reform agenda, which he regarded as a success. He pointed out that the People’s Majlis has concluded all debates on all chapters of the new constitution and said the country remained well on track to conclude its work within the timelines set out in the Roadmap and meet its ultimate goal of multi-party elections in 2008.

But where Gayoom sees success many others, especially those belonging to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) see failure.

Speaking of the government’s Roadmap, MDP Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) said his party was not accepting it because the goals that it listed were not being accomplished on time.

“President Gayoom has failed to implement the goals set in is own Roadmap,” said Anni. “Governments in other countries also draw roadmaps, however, the difference is that they implement the goals set in the roadmaps on time.”

Anni also said: “on 15 May, after Gayoom’s freedom of assembly decree, we saw the Roadmap fail in the first instance. More people were arrested a that time than at any other point in his repressive rule.”

He continued: “Gayoom has lost his façade. He’s been exposed. He never had any intention of reforming. He tried to spin, through glossy brochures and sneaky boys (those ‘New Maldives’ ministers), that reform was going on. Events have deviated too far from the Roadmap.”

Spin or not, 2006 has seen the Maldives enter numerous international organisations that promote human rights and democracy. Last year, the country joined the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), the ICESCR (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) and became the 12th country to ratify OPCAT (Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture).

Gayoom assures that the Maldives’ enrolment in these groups will play a meaningful role in creating a credible international mechanism to promote human rights.

In the conclusion of his letter, the President said that much more remains to be done to repair and reconstruct properties damaged by the tsunami. He noted, however, that a great deal had already been achieved in getting lives and livelihoods back to normal and that the country continues to be on course to attaining the Millennium Development Goals.

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Acting President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Ibrahim Hussein Zaki, has publicly blamed the government for the increase in crime that is currently spreading throughout the country.

Zaki said that the security situation in the Maldives is getting worse because the government has failed to maintain peace and harmony. He said this was especially true in the capital Male’, where gang violence has increased over the past several weeks.

“The problem is that the government is not capable of maintaining peace and harmony,” said Zaki. “ The government is doing nothing to control the gang violence. If the government works towards controlling violence there would be positive results.”

Zaki continued by saying: “the other reason why gang violence increases is because in a real transition period like this, there should be a national unity government in the country.”

But some analysts have not been convinced by Zaki’s assertion. They say they do not believe it is the government’s lack of harmony that is promoting violence, but that it is rather drug addiction and lack of police enforcement.

Even Police Spokesman, Corporal Shiyam admitted that the recent violence was not political, but rather the result of long standing gang warfare. While Shiyam would not give his opinion on weather he believed the violence was a result of the widespread heroin addiction among Maldivian youths, most analysts are convinced of a link. They also believe the Maldives Police Service is to blame.

On Friday, the Police issued a statement saying that they had arrested nine people in Male’ who were suspected of being involved with local gangs.

Those arrested were between the ages of 16 and 24 and were reportedly bearing weapons near Taise Yard when they were apprehended. The weapons included wooden sticks, steel bars and cricket bats.

Police, however are still searching for gang members who have taken part in this and other fights and are in hiding. This has led many to heavily criticise the force- especially the local press.

The Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) have also said that the disturbances caused by gangs in Male’ have not been effectively controlled by the police.

It said that on three consecutive nights gangs had used “sharp weapons” to attack civilians, houses, offices and properties, causing huge losses and damages.

HRCM also said that it had received reports from civilians that said the police had failed to control the disturbances.

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Eighteen Maldivian trainees returned from Australia last week for the purpose of improving the administration at Maafushi Prison.

Instructed according to recommendations given by the Australian Consultant, the reinforcements reportedly received practical experience in Perth, Western Australia.

The 18 trainees were the final group to receive training under the Home Affairs Ministry’s current programme to improve prison conditions, however, Deputy Minister Azim Shukoor has confirmed that the government plans to send more people abroad for training in 2007.

“Even if the plan doesn’t work out,” said Shukoor, “we will bring international experts home and conduct the training in the Maldives. We will soon start discussions on obtaining the opportunity to send people abroad for training”.

Some critics have recently expressed criticism towards the Ministry’s programme. They say that despite the fact that last year’s trainees are currently working in Maafushi, the prison continues to be unorganised and hectic.

Just this week, Haveeru Daily reported that nearly two hundred prisoners broke out of their cells and began fighting on the grounds.

An official at the Maldives Police Service confirmed that the fight occured on the evening of 31 December, but assured that the incident was immediately brought under control.

While the police refused to give any further details on the situation, the Home Affairs Ministry said that the fight broke out in Unit 2 of the prison after some prisoners attempted to escape. Apparently the security guards needed support form the Police Force to get the prisoners back to the unit.

Despite some minimal damages occurring in the cells, all inhabitants and police officers were unharmed.

In a similar incident that took place earlier in December, 154 prisoners started a rebellion and took Maafushi prison guards hostage after stealing a set of keys.

The prisoners were demanding greater rights, including more time out of their cells. Speaking to Minivan News, one of the prisoners said that he was kept in a cell with just one additional person and only let out from one until four.

He said: “We have been doing what they say but now we are standing up for our rights.”

The Home Affairs Ministry hopes that under its new training programme both the rights of prisoners and prison staff will be more respected and enforced.

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