Month: March 2010

Total shark ban to imposed on 1 July decides cabinet

The long-expected ban on shark trade and export of shark products will come into effect on 1 July 2010.

The decision to impose the ban, which was meant to come into effect on 1 March 2010, was made yesterday in a cabinet meeting chaired by Vice President Mohamed Waheed.

At the meeting yesterday, the cabinet also decided the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture would assist shark fishermen to find alternative livelihoods.

The cabinet also decided to ratify the Agreement on the Establishment of South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO).

One of the main objectives of this agreement is to develop standards for the region, and to facilitate intra-regional trade.

Cabinet members noted that with the ratification of this agreement, ‘consumer confidence on Maldivian local products will improve’.

The Maldives will also benefit from SARSO assistance in formulating national standards for products.

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President talks climate with German Minister for Environment

President Mohamed Nasheed met yesterday with German Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Dr Norbert Röttgen, at the Federal Ministry for Environment.

President Nasheed thanked Minister Röttgen and Germany’s constructive role at COP15 last year. He asked the EU for support in implementing the Copenhagen Accord.

President Nasheed also sought German assistance for adaptation and mitigation projects. He also discussed the importance of reaching a legally binding treaty in COP16, the next international climate summit to be held in Mexico later this year.

Dr Röttgen praised the president for his role in the Copenhagen Summit and said Germany would continue to support the Maldives in its efforts to tackle climate change.

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President Nasheed meets with financial sector experts in Germany

President Mohamed Nasheed met with officials from the development banking sector in Germany yesterday.

President Nasheed discussed investment and assistance for the Maldives at a meeting with representatives from KfW Entwicklungsbank (German Development Bank), German Investment and Development Company (DEG), and Senior Expert Services (SES).

They focused on the areas of investment in renewable energy, tourism and the fisheries industry.

The president sought assistance from the SES in restructuring state-owned enterprises.

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Pakistani High Commissioner visits Vice President Waheed

Pakistani High Commissioner to the Maldives, Akhtar Ali Sulehri, has made a courtesy visit to Vice President Mohamed Waheed.

They met at the President’s Office yesterday morning.

Dr Waheed and Ali Sulehri spoke of ways to enhance the close bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in combating terrorism and religious fundamentalism.

Mr Sulehri was appointed High Commissioner for the Maldives August 2009.

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Gayoom concerned over “false information” on women’s rights

Former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has expressed concern at an increasing amount of  “false information” being spread by Islamic scholars in the country concerning women’s rights.

Quoting from the Qur’an to prove his point during a DRP special event yesterday held on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Gayoom said there was “no religious justification” for the inequality of women and that Islam “does not limit a woman’s equal rights in society.”

He further called on all women to join the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), saying “You will get equal rights and equal opportunity when you are in DRP. You can reach your destination and achieve your goals when you are in DRP.”

Mohamed Hussain ‘Mundhu’ Shareef, spokesman for the former president and DRP member, said Gayoom was “quite emotional” when speaking of women’s rights at the meeting.

Women’s rights in politics

Gayoom explained that everyone had worked very hard in his government to bring the country to its current position and to find a place for women in society, especially in politics.

Aneesa Ahmed, DRP member and co-founder of women’s rights NGO Hope for Women, said she agreed with Gayoom and added that under his rulership, the number of women in politics “was better than the current numbers in the political arena.”

Ahmed said she so far “haven’t seen improvements” for women’s rights in the country under the new presidency.

“I have heard of the gender policy but nothing is being done for it to be effective,” she said, noting that “it is still too early to talk about it.”

Ahmed said under Gayoom’s government four out of twenty-one cabinet members were women, while currently there was only one woman in the cabinet.

“I have heard a lot of rhetoric on gender equality but no action,” she said.

On 24 February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the government’s intention to withdraw the Maldives’ reservation to the UN Woman’s Rights Treaty on Article 7(a) of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Article 7(a) states that there must be political equality and equal rights for women, and includes running for public office.

Under the 1998 Constitution of the Maldives, women were banned from running for president, as it explicitly stated that the candidate must be a man.

Article 109 of the new Constitution of 2008 does not include any restrictions based on gender under “qualifications for election as President”.

The reservation was withdrawn because it was deemed contradictory to the new Constitution.

Change and improvement

The Judiciary’s website cites an alarming figure: not one rape case has been taken to criminal court in the last four years.

However numerous cases have been reported to the police and several arrests made during this period of time.

Minivan News alone has reported at least nine abuse cases against women and girls since January 2009, most of them involving multiple perpetrators and/or victims. Most of the victims are under the age of 18.

The fact that none of these cases have made it to court could potentially make many women afraid to report such cases to the authorities.

The Ministry of Health and Family held a panel today including members of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Gender, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Prosecutor General’s office, among others.

Deputy Minister of Health and Family Mariya Ali said it was a “varied” panel offering an “alternative dialogue” to find solutions to issues on women’s rights, such as the prosecution of rape cases.

Ali said the ministry, working with the Prosecutor General, is “following up a lot of abuse cases that were put on hold.”

When asked about Gayoom’s statement on the misuse of Islam to spread inequality for women in society, she said “some of the things [the Islamic scholars] are saying can be misinterpreted by the public” but confirmed that the Ministry of Health is “working closely with the Islamic Ministry” to deal with these issues.

International Women’s Day celebrations and events

International Women’s Day was celebrated around the world on 8 March. This year marks the 99th anniversary of the first Women’s Day celebrated in 1911.

The celebrations, which mark the economic, political and social achievements of women, took many different forms around the world.

There were rallies to stop violence against women in the Middle East; a silent protest in Taipei; a protest of thousands in Iran; a breakfast in Iraq; a rally of hundreds in Bangladesh; a discussion panel in China; and education bus tour in South Africa; a march for equality in Brazil and thousands of other events around the world, all commemorating the rights of women.

The Ministry of Health and Family will be celebrating this year’s Woman’s Day this week, with the theme of “Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all.”

Most of the public events being organised by the ministry and Department of Gender will be held over the weekend, including a children’s evening and stage show at Villingili stage area on 12 March.

There will also be a Friday sermon based on the theme of the celebrations.

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Tax administration bill passed

Parliament yesterday passed legislation on the administration of taxation, the first of two bills proposed by the government to introduce corporate profit taxes.

Of the 70 MPs present and voting, 67 voted in favour, two voted against and one abstained. The bill was passed with 15 amendments proposed by MPs.

The legislation specifies taxpayers, exemptions and penalties for tax evasion. Presenting the bill in July last year, Finance Minister Ali Hashim said taxes will be levied on all profit-making businesses, including income from rent and government enterprises will not be excluded.

The legislation was formulated after extensive discussions with the Asian Development Bank, local businesses and other stakeholders, Hashim said.

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Alhan elected because of DRP campaign, claims Feydhoo branch

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) branch on Feydhoo in Seenu Atoll has claimed the island’s MP, Alhan Fahmy, would not have been elected to parliament had he run as an Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate.

Alhan crossed the floor to the ruling MDP after he was suspended from the DRP for voting against the party line over a no-confidence motion against Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed.

DRP Feydhoo branch president Hussein Rasheed claimed that of the 14 candidates, “Alhan was elected due to the campaign DRP ran for him.”

”It is without doubt that Alhan would not be a parliament member if he had run as an independent or a candidate of another party,” Rasheed said, adding that the MP’s decision to jump had “saddened him” and that the party’s branch “would still accept him back.”

DRP senior member of the branch Mohamed Moomin said only a few DRP supporters had resigned over Alhan’s jump, but otherwise he ”had not noticed anybody shifting parties.”

He said that while many people on the island supported Alhan, ”people voted for DRP and not for Alhan.”

Alhan agreed that 85 per cent of his votes were from DRP supporters but claimed ”I would have been elected even if I was an MDP candidate.”

”There are DRP candidates who failed in the parliamentary election,” he said, adding that he “does not like to argue about the issue.”

Spokesman for MDP Ibrahim Haleem said Alhan’s conduct was professional and he could have won the parliamentary election without DRP’s help.

”During his short term in the parliament he has proved to the people just how professional he is,” Haleem said.

He claimed DRP supporters were claiming otherwise “because of personal issues they have with him.”

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Cameraman and journalist forced out of MDP rally, claims DhiTV

A journalist and cameraman from DhiTV attending an MDP rally last night were threatened and forced outside last night, the station claims.

Editor of DhiTV Midhath Adam said it was not the first time MDP supporters had threatened DhiTV’s journalists and cameramen.

”They sometimes used to say they would destroy our property,” he added.

Adam said “a well known MDP activist” ordered them to leave last night.

”Alhan Fahmy and some other senior members of the party were also there,” he said, noting that ”they did not seem to care about it.”

Adam said although the party “treats journalists this way”, the station would continue to attend MDP’s rallies.

”They used to attack our journalists verbally and threaten us but we would still go to cover their meetings.” he said.

MDP MP Alhan Fahmy said he was not present when the incident occurred.

”If I was there I would not had let it happen.” Alhan said. ”As soon as I knew about it I went to stop them from leaving but they were gone.”

Alhan agreed such actions brought the party a bad name.

”It is not MDP’s policy to stop the media doing its duty,” he said.

DRP Vice President Umar Naseer said he was “not surprised” by the incident as “they hate DhiTV.”

“DhiTV is the best political media in the country,” Naseer said.

He claimed MDP hated DhiTV mostly because it showed old footage of President Mohamed Nasheed and reminded people about the government’s unfulfilled pledges.

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