Month: January 2006

Why I’m Joining the Protest – Dr Waheed

15 Minutes with Shadow Minister for Community Development and Public Infrastructure, Dr. Waheed

MN: Why are you involved in the leadership of the demonstration?

W: I am part of the leadership of the Maldivian Democratic Part and I believe that people have the right to peaceful assembly as enshrined in the Article 26 of the Constitution. True democracy cannot prevail unless we exercise the freedom to assemble and express our feelings.

MN: What situation has prompted this demonstration?

W: The security situation in Maldives is deteriorating and civil rights of the people are being violated on a daily basis. The purpose of this demonstration is to persuade the government of Maldives to stop the mounting violence against the people, especially members of the Party. Multi party democracy is not possible without minimum respect for human rights and political freedoms. The following events and continuing aggression of the regime against the democracy workers necessitate collective action because repeated appeals to the government to cease all anti democracy activities have failed.

1. Continued incarceration and intimidation of political activists. The chairman of the MDP was arrested months ago and remains under house arrest and is being charged with terrorism and sedition for having exercised his constitutional rights to freedom of assembly. Jennifer Latheef the leading human rights activist in the Party has been sentenced for 10 years in prison for having participated in a demonstration against the murder of an inmate in hands of the prison guards. Naushad Waheed, my brother and Ahmed Didi both for having written articles critical of the government are serving jail sentences for 15 years and life respectively. Despite repeated appeals by the party and the international community they have not been released.

2. There is mounting violence against political activists, especially members of the MDP. MDP meeting in Addu Atoll in the South of the country was brutally dispersed causing many injuries. A non political demonstration over the construction of the inner harbor in Fares Mathoda Island in the south by island inhabitants was suppressed by riot police causing injuries to women and children. A chairman and vice chairman of two branches of the MDP have been assaulted by thugs financed allegedly by the police chief and senior government officials. The houses of senior Party members have been attacked twice in Male.

3. Political persecution of MDP members continues to affect civil servants. Many members of MDP have been removed from their office, removed or demoted, as retribution by the government which is now controlled by the minority political party formed by the President.

MN: So, what are your specific goals?

W: We are demanding things we are confident the government can deliver. Although the sentiments of the people are to call for greater demands we have prevailed on making them more manageable. The above situation has compelled the governing body of the MDP to call for mass action against these injustices. Peaceful protests called for the 24th January are meant to address the above situation. There are three demands corresponding to the above issues. They are 1) The immediate release of all political prisoners, especially the four mentioned above, 2) Removal from office of the Commissioner of Police and 3) Reinstatement of all civil servants who have been transferred or dismissed for political reasons. We believe that these are reasonable demands.

MN: What are the risks of this action? Are you in any personal danger?

W: We called for a peaceful demonstration. We do not expect any violence from member of the Party. The situation can get complicated if the government allows drug addicts and goons to disrupt the gathering. In the past senior officials in the government have been implicated in organizing confusion and destabilizing the situation through privately financed hooligans and then used that as an excuse to crack down on the opposition. This time the government is especially concerned because it is the first time a nation wide demonstration has been organized by the opposition.

I think the senior leadership of the party is in grave danger of being persecuted for this. It is a risk we are ready to take for the sake of democracy in the country.

MN: We hear that MDP called for participation of women and children in the demonstration? Is that true?

W: One of the documents had mentioned that women and children can participate? This was a mistake. The party has corrected it by calling upon all party members to prevent the attendance of children. It is a mistake and we admit it so we have corrected it. The problem is this government has always used children for political purposes. We have documentary evidence of such activities and the people sometimes take it for granted that it is something allowable. We will not allow children to be used to achieve out political objectives. I will personally make every effort in this regard.

MN: Do you think that the international community is sufficiently tuned to what is happening in Maldives?

W: Yes I am quite sure. I have been getting letters of support from people all over the world who are following this situation. These are my ex-UN friends, former class mates in the US and other well wishers. I know for a fact that many Western governments are following the situation closely and will not let down the people’s struggle for democracy in Maldives.

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15 Minutes with Stab Victim Hameed Shiruhan

Minivan spends 15 Minutes with Hameed Shiruhan, Vice President of MDP’s Kudahenveiru Gofi, who was stabbed on 18 January in Male’.
Shiruhan was interviewed from his bed in ADK Hospital, Male’, on 19 January shortly after undergoing surgery for his knive wounds.
MR: Shiruhan, can you please tell us what you can recall of the incident?
Shiruhan: Yes, around 2pm [on the 18 January] I was having lunch at the Dynamo I heard that some people had come to my house and had begun a serious fight with one boy. So I went there along with four others. I parked my motorbike near Henveiru Cemetery and walked to the spot to see what was happening. Within no time I felt that someone was running towards me and then as I turned I was attacked. At first I thought I had received a shot with a fist, and I felt numbness in my chest. Suddenly I felt warm and discovered blood gushing out.
At once I got onto the motorbike and asked someone there to help ride the vehicle. We came straight to ADK Hospital. In the dressing room they tried to stop the bleeding. However even after an hour the bleeding was not stopped. When I was taken into the operating theatre it was still bleeding. There they tried to sew the wound, and I also remember vomiting into the oxygen mask. Thereafter I was kept in the ICU. I was unable to sleep throughout the night. And now I have been transferred to a private room.
MR: Can you tell us if the doctor revealed the seriousness of the injury?
Shiruhan: The doctor said that it is a deep cut. He said that I am very lucky that no nerves have been affected, although he mentioned an artery being damaged. Since I had bled profusely I have received about three pints of [transfused] blood. I received two pints while I was in the ICU.
MR: I can see that there is a pipe connected and blood is oozing into it…can you explain?
Shiruhan: It is the blood that had come out of the wound…and gathered outside…the pipe was connected during the time they tried to sew the wound…excess blood is seeping into the pipe even now…
MR: What I would like to ask then is…as I walked in there were some police investigators and I heard what they were saying…do you have any hope of getting an investigation conducted on this attack?
Shiruhan: I don’t even hope that this incident can be investigated. That is because these attacks are being conducted by people who are connected to the DRP. Therefore I don’t see a process within this present system that will allow any investigation.
And, he [the police investigator] said even before beginning an inquiry that they don’t have any evidence to justify the arrest of those who did this. So he says even if the case is taken to any senior judge no arrests can be made. And I am a victim…so maybe, my word will not be believed…but, there are friends who had witnessed the attacks and reported to the authorities yet he has said just now they have no evidence received to justify an arrest.
My question is the statements put forward by my friends who witnessed these attacks…is that not enough evidence? I think that there is a very strong support being given to the DRP people in order to protect them.

Minivan spends 15 Minutes with Hameed Shiruhan, Vice President of MDP’s Kudahenveiru Gofi, who was stabbed on 18 January in Male’.

Shiruhan was interviewed from his bed in ADK Hospital, Male’, on 19 January shortly after undergoing surgery for his knive wounds.

MR: Shiruhan, can you please tell us what you can recall of the incident?

Shiruhan: Yes, around 2pm [on the 18 January] I was having lunch at the Dynamo I heard that some people had come to my house and had begun a serious fight with one boy. So I went there along with four others. I parked my motorbike near Henveiru Cemetery and walked to the spot to see what was happening. Within no time I felt that someone was running towards me and then as I turned I was attacked. At first I thought I had received a shot with a fist, and I felt numbness in my chest. Suddenly I felt warm and discovered blood gushing out.

At once I got onto the motorbike and asked someone there to help ride the vehicle. We came straight to ADK Hospital. In the dressing room they tried to stop the bleeding. However even after an hour the bleeding was not stopped. When I was taken into the operating theatre it was still bleeding. There they tried to sew the wound, and I also remember vomiting into the oxygen mask. Thereafter I was kept in the ICU. I was unable to sleep throughout the night. And now I have been transferred to a private room.

MR: Can you tell us if the doctor revealed the seriousness of the injury?

Shiruhan: The doctor said that it is a deep cut. He said that I am very lucky that no nerves have been affected, although he mentioned an artery being damaged. Since I had bled profusely I have received about three pints of [transfused] blood. I received two pints while I was in the ICU.

MR: I can see that there is a pipe connected and blood is oozing into it…can you explain?

Shiruhan: It is the blood that had come out of the wound…and gathered outside…the pipe was connected during the time they tried to sew the wound…excess blood is seeping into the pipe even now…

MR: What I would like to ask then is…as I walked in there were some police investigators and I heard what they were saying…do you have any hope of getting an investigation conducted on this attack?

Shiruhan: I don’t even hope that this incident can be investigated. That is because these attacks are being conducted by people who are connected to the DRP. Therefore I don’t see a process within this present system that will allow any investigation.

And, he [the police investigator] said even before beginning an inquiry that they don’t have any evidence to justify the arrest of those who did this. So he says even if the case is taken to any senior judge no arrests can be made. And I am a victim…so maybe, my word will not be believed…but, there are friends who had witnessed the attacks and reported to the authorities yet he has said just now they have no evidence received to justify an arrest.

My question is the statements put forward by my friends who witnessed these attacks…is that not enough evidence? I think that there is a very strong support being given to the DRP people in order to protect them.

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Velezinee Defends Adduvas’ Decision to Publish Details of Government Loans

Minivan News spends 15 Minutes with Adduvas editor Aishath Velezinee about her decision to expose parliamentarians and regime officials who took soft loans from President Gayoom.
In a press release last Thursday by spokesperson Mohamed Hussein Shareef (sent only to pro-regime dailies) the government denied any wrong-doing, claiming the soft loans reduced bribery and corruption among MPs and officials.
In a thirteen-point rebuttal, Shareef claimed that loans schemes are made available to staff working in government institutions in many countries. He said Adduvas’ exposure of the soft loans scheme was “disrespectful” to the dignity of the individuals involved.
“To take a loan is not a crime. It is also not theft. Banks also give out loans. Money given out as loans is money that has to be returned. And as a private individual it is not revealed who has taken out the loan, nor are the figures of such loans revealed to the public. To protect the dignity of individuals it is a universal human right. Hence, to violate a financial right is a violation of that individual’s right,” he said.
“It is not apparent that Adduvas has given to the public the relevant information regarding the loan schemes. It is also evident that no attempt was made to inform regarding the mortgaging of properties, the conditions under which the loans were granted, not the way this scheme is operated and for what reasons.
“Enough information regarding the loans was already available so there was no need to give and further details,” Shareef stated.
Speaking to Minivan News, Velezinee defended Adduvas’ decision to publish the soft loans exposé.
“I cannot understand why, if the privacy issue did not arise when the finance minister revealed in parliament details of loans given from account 2003 [payments to pro-regime newspapers], why privacy should be an issue when information is made public with reference to account number 2060 [payments to pro-regime MPs and officials],” she said.
Velezinee said she was not worried about her wellbeing and the wellbeing of the magazine for having raised such a sensitive issue. “When we first published, I didn’t know what might happen next. After two weeks they [the government] came up with this statement, probably after pressure from heavy-weights in the government who are mentioned in the article. I didn’t feel threatened by the statement. I think it is silly at this late stage for them to come out with this statement. They should have reacted at the beginning if they had a problem, not after two weeks.”
“Getting this information was unexpected. It landed in my lap. It was being kept quiet by the government. We picked Majlis members who had received loans who were sitting in the People’s Majlis. Why were they given loans at this time? Also, presidential office staff and the Commissioner of Police [were given loans] and they have not paid back a single cent. Adam Zahir got the second loan just after the 2003 Maafushi Jail shootings. When he was being investigated, he was given Rf. 2 million. Why?
“There is a lot more information that we have. The government’s statement said that in all other countries government’s give people loans. But, if this is a public service why are loans at 6% interest it not available to the general public, who have to take bank loans out at a rate of 12% interest. Why aren’t these loans available to the rest of us?
When asked what her thoughts were on the recent announcement that military personnel are banned from reading Minivan, Fiyes and Adduvas, Velezinee said the announcement was unconstitutional.
“It is an attempt by the military to undermine the constitution by prohibiting freedom of expression. I sent a letter to the Minister of Information and copied it to the Attorney-General and the Defence Minister. The military’s letter claimed that Minivan, Fiyes and Adduvas are trying to bring down the government, which is completely false. If it was the case, this country has laws to close media down so why are we still publishing? We have heard before that detainees are banned from reading Adduvas, we took that matter up in our letter too.
Velezinee was asked if she believed the government’s claims to support press freedom.
“I would love to believe ‘New Maldives’. This young blood, they are trying to mingle with the people, in cafés and tea houses. They are talking reform but we are not seeing this in practice. New Maldives is talking about freedoms but others, such as the military and police, are acting against people enjoying these freedoms.”
“There is a big discrepancy between what one person in the cabinet is saying and what others are doing. Is it that there is a new Maldives and an old Maldives inside the cabinet? Are there splits inside the cabinet? Some Ministers are talking about this reform, while their colleagues are doing something different.”

Minivan News spends 15 Minutes with Adduvas editor Aishath Velezinee about her decision to expose parliamentarians and regime officials who took soft loans from President Gayoom.

In a press release last Thursday by spokesperson Mohamed Hussein Shareef (sent only to pro-regime dailies) the government denied any wrong-doing, claiming the soft loans reduced bribery and corruption among MPs and officials.

In a thirteen-point rebuttal, Shareef claimed that loans schemes are made available to staff working in government institutions in many countries. He said Adduvas’ exposure of the soft loans scheme was “disrespectful” to the dignity of the individuals involved.

“To take a loan is not a crime. It is also not theft. Banks also give out loans. Money given out as loans is money that has to be returned. And as a private individual it is not revealed who has taken out the loan, nor are the figures of such loans revealed to the public. To protect the dignity of individuals it is a universal human right. Hence, to violate a financial right is a violation of that individual’s right,” he said.

“It is not apparent that Adduvas has given to the public the relevant information regarding the loan schemes. It is also evident that no attempt was made to inform regarding the mortgaging of properties, the conditions under which the loans were granted, not the way this scheme is operated and for what reasons.

“Enough information regarding the loans was already available so there was no need to give and further details,” Shareef stated.

Speaking to Minivan News, Velezinee defended Adduvas’ decision to publish the soft loans exposé.

“I cannot understand why, if the privacy issue did not arise when the finance minister revealed in parliament details of loans given from account 2003 [payments to pro-regime newspapers], why privacy should be an issue when information is made public with reference to account number 2060 [payments to pro-regime MPs and officials],” she said.

Velezinee said she was not worried about her wellbeing and the wellbeing of the magazine for having raised such a sensitive issue. “When we first published, I didn’t know what might happen next. After two weeks they [the government] came up with this statement, probably after pressure from heavy-weights in the government who are mentioned in the article. I didn’t feel threatened by the statement. I think it is silly at this late stage for them to come out with this statement. They should have reacted at the beginning if they had a problem, not after two weeks.”

“Getting this information was unexpected. It landed in my lap. It was being kept quiet by the government. We picked Majlis members who had received loans who were sitting in the People’s Majlis. Why were they given loans at this time? Also, presidential office staff and the Commissioner of Police [were given loans] and they have not paid back a single cent. Adam Zahir got the second loan just after the 2003 Maafushi Jail shootings. When he was being investigated, he was given Rf. 2 million. Why?

“There is a lot more information that we have. The government’s statement said that in all other countries government’s give people loans. But, if this is a public service why are loans at 6% interest it not available to the general public, who have to take bank loans out at a rate of 12% interest. Why aren’t these loans available to the rest of us?

When asked what her thoughts were on the recent announcement that military personnel are banned from reading Minivan, Fiyes and Adduvas, Velezinee said the announcement was unconstitutional.

“It is an attempt by the military to undermine the constitution by prohibiting freedom of expression. I sent a letter to the Minister of Information and copied it to the Attorney-General and the Defence Minister. The military’s letter claimed that Minivan, Fiyes and Adduvas are trying to bring down the government, which is completely false. If it was the case, this country has laws to close media down so why are we still publishing? We have heard before that detainees are banned from reading Adduvas, we took that matter up in our letter too.

Velezinee was asked if she believed the government’s claims to support press freedom.

“I would love to believe ‘New Maldives’. This young blood, they are trying to mingle with the people, in cafés and tea houses. They are talking reform but we are not seeing this in practice. New Maldives is talking about freedoms but others, such as the military and police, are acting against people enjoying these freedoms.”

“There is a big discrepancy between what one person in the cabinet is saying and what others are doing. Is it that there is a new Maldives and an old Maldives inside the cabinet? Are there splits inside the cabinet? Some Ministers are talking about this reform, while their colleagues are doing something different.”

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