Day: March 4, 2010

Umar Naseer accuses government of interfering in Adam Naseer trial

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has accused the government of interfering in the trial of Adam Naseer, labelled by the President Mohamed Nasheed as one of the country’s ‘top six’ drug lords.

Naseer was aquitted by the Criminal Court last Sunday following a year-long police investigation, after the judge cited a lack of evidence.

DRP’s Vice President Umar Naseer claimed Adam Naseer was freed because police withheld evidence from the court, notably fingerprint and video evidence, and accused the government of trying to influence the judicial process.

“Police failed to produce video and fingerprint evidence. There is no reason why police should fail in this, it’s very basic. I suspect interference by senior government officials,” he said.

He furthermore said he would seek the dismissal of Attorney General Husnu Suood through parliament’s internal affairs committee, accusing him of working with Adam Naseer during the 2008 trial of Abdul Hameed Abdul Samad. Suood worked in a private law practice before accepting the post of attorney general.

“Adam Naseer is a friend of Husnu Suood,” Umar claimed, alleging to journalists that Naseer offered police witnesses in the Samad case bribes of Rf30,000 and a motorcycle each to alter their testimony.

Asked how he came by such information, Umar, a former police officer himself, said he was approached by several serving police “who knew I was advocating harsher punishment for drug offenders.”

Asked why the government would seek to acquit someone they themselves had labelled a drug lord, Umar said “if the government not included Adam Naseer in the list, the public would have been surprised.”

Spokesman for the President Mohamed Zuhair said Umar Naseer’s allegations were “a load of rubbish.”

“The attorney general has no links to Adam Naseer. If Umar Naseer has legal evidence to back these claims he should act like a respectable political leader and take it to the police rather than the media. Otherwise he looks in danger of trying to [slander] to gain political fame.”

Adam Naseer was acquitted not so much by a lack of evidence as by “intrinsic problems with the judiciary. It is was the only part of the state did not go through reform and many of the judges are the same as they were under the former government,” Zuhair said.

Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu said the PG’s office would prefer not to discuss the Adam Naseer case as it had not yet exhausted all levels of the judicial system and intended to appeal to the high court. He said he expected it would take two weeks for the appeal to be lodged at the high court.

Sergeant Abdul Muhsin from the Maldives Police Service also declined to comment, claiming that “we will respect the decision of the court whatever it decides.”

The “usual proceedure” is to submit all evidence at hand to the court, he explained.

Husnu Suood had not responded to Minivan News at time of press.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Government shuts down Arabiyya School after cracked wall topples

The government has decided to shut down Arabiyya School in Male’ after cracks in the building caused a wall to collapse yesterday.

Nobody was physically injured in the collapse but the principal, Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim Rasheed, said two students suffered shock.

He said that the school had been aware of the condition of the school’s walls six years ago.

”The school was built out of granite 20 years ago,” Rasheed said. ”We knew this six years ago and we had been informing the education ministry about the problem ever since.”

Rasheed said the education ministry promised to reconstruct the school but ”have no budget.”

”Senior officials from the education ministry came here yesterday and met with the school board,” he said.

He said the school would be closed temporarily and the students will have to wait until the ministry decides what to do with them.

He said he had recently told the education ministry that the walls of the school were very weak, “and that I would not be taking responsibility if a student got injured.”

Deputy Minister for Education ministry Adam Nazeer said the ministry had decided to demolish and reconstruct Arabiyya.

”We had finished drawing the chart of the building,” he said, ”and will be publishing in the gazette for submission of proposals by those who are interested in doing the job.”

He said the ministry would meet the school board to discuss what to do with the students in the meantime.

”We will arrange it in such a way that they can study with their classmates and their teachers,” he said.

State Ministry for Islamic Affairs Ahmed Shaheem said the ministry was very concerned about the issue and “regretted” that the students would be kept waiting without studying.

”The Islamic Ministry will help them in any way we can,” Shaheem said.

He noted that students who graduated from Arabiyya School “have never taken part in violence or crime.”

”I’m very confident that the education ministry will decide the best way ahead for them,” he said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Manager of Habib Bank stabbed and robbed

The country manager of Habib Bank was stabbed and robbed in his home yesterday evening by a gang of four masked men.

Mohamed Anjul Jameel suffered injuries to his nose, forehead and right arm but was not seriously hurt, said Police Sergeant Abdul Muhsin.

Jameel was taken to ADK Hospital for treatment following the attack, which occurred around 5:30pm yesterday.

The bank’s Manager for Foreign Exchange Saudhulla Saeed told Minivan News the incident occurred inside Jameel’s house.

”When he went home after work a group of four young men were in front of his apartment covering their faces,” Saeed said. ”[Jameel] did not notice that these guys were there.”

Saeed said as the man opened his apartment the men came up from behind and pushed him inside his room.

”They covered his mouth and started beating him,” Saeed said, ”and then he told the group to take whatever they liked.”

He said the group only took the money from inside Jameel’s wallet.

”They packed a laptop, five watches and some cosmetics but they forgot to take it with them,” he said.

He said Jameel’s face was badly beaten in the attack.  He was discharged from ADK Hospital this afternoon.

Saeed noted that Jameel’s five year contract was coming to an end and he would be leaving the country very soon.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

The Maldives will run for the UN Human Rights Council: Shaheed

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed, has lauded the progress of the Maldives towards human rights, in front of an audience of world leaders at the 13th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Speaking to the UN Council on 1 March, Dr Shaheed said although the situation of human rights in the country was moving in the right direction, it is “still very much a work in progress.”

Dr Shaheed added that the Council had played a very important part in the transformation of the Maldives, and this change could not have been possible without the “strong, mutually respectful and cooperative relationship with the Human Rights Council.”

In 2006, the first year the Human Rights Council met in Geneva, the Maldives was under constant criticism from international human rights NGOs.

“I have frequently addressed the Council since 2006,” said Shaheed, adding that, since then, the human rights situation in the country has become “unrecognisable” as so much progress has been made.

Dr Shaheed said it is “self-evident that much had been achieved” since 2006, thanks to the work the Council has provided for human rights in the country, the change in government and the ratification of the new constitution.

Dr Shaheed also announced the Maldives’ candidature for a seat in the Human Rights Council in the upcoming May elections to be held at UN Headquarters in New York.

“I am here lobbying for candidature,” said Shaheed. “We have very strong support and are very confident of winning [a seat in the Council].”

Besides the Maldives, Malaysia, Thailand, Qatar and Iran are also running in the elections for one of the four available seats in the Human Rights Council.

“The Maldives’ own positive experience with the international human rights system lies behind our decision to run for election” said Dr Shaheed. “We believe in the Council and the work that it does. We understand, through first-hand experience, its value and its capacity to bring about change”.

The minister also mentioned the new bills that are waiting for approval at the People’s Majlis, which he said will “enact a wide-array of crucial legislation in the field of human rights.”

These bills are: a bill on persons with disabilities, an evidence bill, a drugs and rehabilitation bill, a bill on the right to information, a prison bill, a bill on violence against women, and a new penal code.

Minister Shaheed acknowledged that “adopting new laws is not an end in itself” in making positive changes in society. He said the laws need to be enforced, perceptions need to be changed in the government, and the people need to be educated on what human rights mean in practise.

Dr Shaheed also informed the delegates of the Council of the government’s recent decision to withdraw the reservation on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which states that women can run for senior political office.

Dr Shaheed said today was the last day of the high-level address from dignitaries to the Council, and he will be joining the president’s delegation in Germany this Sunday for the rest of his European tour.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

HRCM health survey concluded

In preparation for the Universal Periodic Review, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has concluded a survey which explores the status of health services in Haa Alifu and Haa Dhaal Atolls, reports Miadhu.

The information was collected in Dhidhdhoo, Kelaa and Muraidhoo in Haa Alif Atoll, and Kulhudhuffushi and Hanimaadhoo of Haa Dhaal Atoll.

The HRCM has gathered NGOs, health facility chiefs and members of the public to produce a report to assess the status of the government’s medical insurance programme and the availability of services in health facilities.

The report is being prepared for the Universal Periodic Review of the Maldives which will be held in September 2010 at the UN Human Rights Council.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President Nasheed speaks of development and politics in Noonu Atoll

President Mohamed Nasheed has said political rivalry in the islands should not impede their development.

Speaking at Noonu Manadhoo, in the final leg of his visit of the northern atolls, President Nasheed urged all parties to communicate in situations of disputes and disagreements.

He said the government would consider public opinion before implementing all its policies.

He spoke on the measures to be taken in improving the education system. He said school boards were formed in most of the schools and they were given considerable authority in the management of the schools.

The president noted the connection between educating the youth and the future development of the country.

President Nasheed also mentioned the transportation and housing projects being set up for Noonu Atoll.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President submits decentralisation bill

President Mohamed Nasheed has submitted the revised Decentralisation Bill to the People’s Majlis.

The bill states that each of the administrative divisions stated in Schedule 2 of the Constitution—except Malé—will be administered by an atoll council elected in accordance with the Constitution.

It also provides representation to both men and women in the elected island and city councils.

The bill gives the president the authority to establish province offices to provide the services of ministries and coordinate government projects in different regions.

The president also proposed the 2nd amendment bill to Act 2/99 (Tourism Act), to make the industry more sustainable and increase the government’s revenue from tourism.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)