Month: March 2010

DRP to take no-confidence motion on Home Minister

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ali Waheed has said the party will put forward a no-confidence motion against Home Minister Mohamed Shihab, after police detained Waheed and several other senior party figures in an effort to defuse violent clashes between the supporters of both parties on Thursday night.

”We decided to take the no-confidence motion against Shihab because he used his powers and influence against the law,” Waheed said, adding that details would be provided tomorrow.

Waheed alleged that when the situation in Male’ broke the peace of the country on Thursday night, “Shihab was relaxing in a nearby resort.”

He said the party had received information “from a trusted source” that President Mohamed Nasheed gave the order to police that night to arrest the senior party leaders.

”The police have no powers, they only have to take orders from their leader,” he said.

However the President’s Office said yesterday that the government had full confidence in police and “absolutely no involvement” in the decision to remove the DRP leaders from the protest.

But Waheed claimed that the police “cannot arrest MPs while a no-confidence motion is ongoing inside parliament.”

”The police lied to us, saying that they were taking us to police head quarters to calm down the situation,” he said. ”Instead they took us to Dhoonidhu and took our mobile phones, and treated us just like the other criminals there.”

Vice president of DRP Umar Naseer said that there were “many things” the Home Minister had done, including “attacking peaceful protesters with tear gas.”

”He arrested MPs while there was a ongoing no-confidence motion in the parliament which is against the law, did not stopped MDP thugs attacking us, and did not enforce the law,” Naseer said.

He also claimed that President Mohamed Nasheed was “giving the orders to police that night”, claiming the party had obtained the information “because 90 per cent of the police and Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) support the DRP.”

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair confirmed that President Mohamed Nasheed went  to the police headquarters on Thursday night, “but not to give orders.”

”He went there because he is the owner of all the powers – police and MNDF,” Zuhair said, ”but the Commissioner of Police was the one giving the orders.”

Zuhair claimed that the opposition was trying to take no-confidence motion against ministers “one by one” to delay more productive bills sent to the parliament by the government.

”Countries with civil wars pass more bills in parliament than the Maldives does,” Zuhair said.

He said the opposition “is  jealous and cannot accept their failure.”

”They are trying to show the people that they still have powers,” he suggested.

MDP’s parliamentary group spokesperson Mohamed Shifaz said the party would stand against the no-confidence motion on the home minister as ”we have not noticed home minister doing anything against the law.”

He said the party’s parliamentary group would continue to discuss the issue.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) released a statement appealing to the police to respect laws and to treat everyone equally when they work to disperse crowds.

HRCM said that ”political parties meetings are interrupted due to differences among people on political issues.”

The commission said it had noticed that regulations governing the  dispersal of protests “are not being applied equally among everyone”, and that Article 32 of the Constitution guaranteed ”freedom to gather peacefully without prior permission  from the government.”

Home Minister Mohamed Shihab and State Minister for Home Affairs Ahmed Adil did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Letter from DRP to donor conference delegates

Dear Participant [of the donor conference],

I welcome you to the Maldives and extend good wishes for a pleasant stay in our country. Your visit to the Maldives to take part in the Maldives Donor Conference 2010 is testimony that you wish our country and its people well. I thank you for your kind interest in the Maldives and its well being.

Maldives has experienced some challenging milestones in the recent few years. A new constitution was enacted in August 2008. A new government was formed in November 2008. A new parliament was elected in May 2009.

All of these are fruits of an ambitious and extensive agenda for democratic reform that was put into motion by the government that preceded the current administration. All of these provided faith for the Maldivian people that the country would usher in a modern and liberal multiparty democracy that was inclusive, participatory, open and transparent.

However, with sixteen months into the current administration, we have been confronted with some sharp realities which are of concern to a people who are anxious to embrace a modern and liberal democracy based on human rights, rule of law and good governance.

The country is consumed in destructive politics. The political opposition continues to be intimidated and harassed. The political actors in the opposition are being subjected to undue restraint and control in the exercise of their conscience.

The parliament continues to be disrupted and prevented from the conduct of its constitutionally empowered mandate of holding public officials and government responsible. Every act to ensure accountability is being viewed as an obstruction to government and an attempt to oust it from power.

The private media is at the receiving end of sharp criticism and unequivocal objection from government officials and politicians associated with the government. Officials and owners of certain private media are being subjected to unnecessary harassment and public ridicule.

The judiciary continues to meet with harsh political rhetoric from politicians associated with the government and certain public officials. Independence of the judiciary, although guaranteed by the constitution, is increasingly becoming an untenable reality in the current climate.

The independent institutions of the state are also being controlled through restrictions put on their expenditure and budget. Additionally, those institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission and the Civil Service Commission are being subject to unnecessary and harsh rhetoric from politicians associated with the government.

The shift in the economic policy has seen the creation of some twenty over government companies within the last one year where activists and sympathizers of the current government and the political parties associated with it, are being rewarded with directorial and other positions even though they are far from being competent for those positions.

The economic policy of the government is also seen as a roller coaster ride of privatization of various government undertakings including sale of profit making state assets and enterprises, without any transparent public bidding or credible policy or process.

The reduction of the civil service by a third is being achieved not through proper laws on redundancy or lay off, but through a backdoor approach of converting civil service outfits into government corporations and taking those outfits outside the ambit of civil service thereby throwing the security of tenure otherwise available to a civil servant into oblivion.

Citing economic difficulty, the government has unilaterally withheld percentages of salary for public officials and civil servants even though there are laws guaranteeing their pay and benefits. The situation is exacerbated with the creation of hosts of political posts totally unnecessary to discharge the functions of the president, but seen beneficial to reward associates and activists of the president and his party.

Although the current president came to power on a platform of democracy, good governance, human rights and rule of law, there has not been a single policy or project or program that has been unveiled in the past one and half years of his administration that could spell out the vision and strategies of the president to consolidate a democratic culture in the Maldives.

Quite conversely, we are seeing the country sliding into political chaos and resultant instability.

The president has often remained a president for the men and women of his party, and has failed miserably to reach out to the rest of the people of this country by becoming a leader of the nation.

He has failed to institute any mechanisms for participation and inclusion of the political opposition in matters of national importance, or develop a framework for consultation and dialogue with the opposition in the conduct of the affairs of the nation.

That is brief and incomplete overview of the state of affairs in the Maldives under the leadership of the current administration.

Therefore, it is my humble request that you may please exercise the powers of your good offices to address the issues of democratic deficit in the current administration – counsel against the efforts of the government to consolidate absolute power in their hands, and advocate for the discontinuation of their endeavors to eliminate an effective political opposition.

It is also my appeal to you that you may please consider linking of aid or assistance or investment to clear cut standards or processes of democratic consolidation, fair play, good governance, and rule of law in the Maldives.

While thanking you, I remain,

Yours faithfully

Ahmed Thasmeen Ali

Leader Elect, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)

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Earth Hour 2010 a global call to action

Earth Hour 2010 took place last night at 8.30pm (local time) and was a global call to action to every individual, every business and every community throughout the world.

It was a call to stand up, to take responsibility, to get involved and lead the way towards a sustainable future.

Iconic buildings and landmarks stood in darkness from the Indo-Pacific to Australasia, to Asia and Europe to the Americas. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and joined together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. Only a year later Earth Hour become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating.

MDNF walking through Male in support of Earth Hour 2010
MDNF walking through Male in support of Earth Hour 2010

Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The CN Tower in Toronto, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Coliseum all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.

In one of Earth Hour’s most visually powerful displays of climate action, the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khailfa, flicked the switch from top to bottom – all 828 metres – along with other landmarks and icons including the Bujr Al Arab, Abu Dhabi Mosque and Emirates Palace.

The Maldives carried Earth Hour across the Indian Ocean last night. Rather than just turning the lights off for an hour at 8:30, as with much of the rest of the world, the Maldives went several steps further to spread the message on climate change: an enforced road closure took place Male’ wide at 4pm, remaining so until midnight.

This year “the road closure was better enforced” as “the Ministry of Transport called for an Rf750 (US$58) fine for any unapproved vehicles, in addition to a deduction of 15 points for any vehicles in violation,” says Zaha Waheed of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Awareness spread to local schools and environmental groups too.

“The Minister and deputy Minister of Environment, the Minister of Tourism, the Maldives National Defence Force, state dignitaries and staff of the Environmental Protection Agency attended a walk with around 500 students from four schools in Male’,” says Environmental Protection and Research Director, Ibrahim Naeem.

This walk was to “spread awareness for the environmental issues of the world, particularly climate change and energy consumption” he said.

Maldives resorts and hotels also played their part in raising awareness for climate change, with Male’s Holiday Inn stopping the generator and hosting a candle lit gathering with music from a local acoustic musician in the city’s highest venue, ‘Azure’.

People filled the rooftop terrace to witness the spectacle of Male’ carrying the momentum of Earth Hour across the Indian Ocean.

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, offered guests an organic moonlit massage using virgin coconut oil produced by a local community, Bandos Island Resort and Spa “sent awareness information to all guests and cut the whole island’s electricity for an hour,” says Zaina from the resort’s marketing department, along with many other sisland resorts which joined forces to spread the Earth Hour message across the atolls.

Kate Wilson is a marine biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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Comment: We need help to make the medicine go down

Extract from a speech given by President Mohamed Nasheed to the Maldives Donors Conference 2010.

We have come here today from many different parts of the world. Some of you are based in the Maldives. Some of you have visited many times. For others, it may be your first visit to our country. We are a diverse collection of people.

Some of you are from government, some from multilateral institutions, some from grant giving organisations. Although we are many different people, we are brought together by a common goal: We all want to see a peaceful Maldives, and we all want to see a prosperous Maldives.

And so, I welcome you here as friends. And I hope we can work together towards our common vision. The Maldives has made considerable progress over the past eighteen months. This administration was voted in because people wanted political change. There is much work to do.

Politics

The separation of powers enshrined under the new constitution has been respected. Last year, we held this country’s first democratic parliamentary elections, which were judged free and fair by international observers.
We now have a Majlis that is democratically elected, doing away with the old system where 20 per cent of MPs were appointed by the President.

The judiciary is independent of the executive and legislature. I have made no secret of my concerns over the capacity of the judiciary to dispense justice. Nevertheless, we respect its independence and I hope that with training and capacity support, the judiciary will grow into a respected institution.

This administration respects fundamental rights and liberties. People are now free to join political parties, and participation in politics is very high. Over 80 per cent of the voting public took part in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Almost 10 per cent of the population has joined the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party; and a further 10 per cent of people have signed up for the main opposition [Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party]. Free, open and competitive politics is now part and parcel of people’s daily lives.

Media

Press freedom also goes from strength to strength. We have dozens of newspapers, TV and radio stations, websites and blogs all free to report and comment as they see fit. Newspapers frequently criticise the government; in fact many newspapers lean heavily towards opposition parties.

We don’t mind criticism; indeed we welcome it. I would, however, call on certain sections of the media to be more responsible. Journalists should be mindful of the consequences of their actions. It is not OK to spread rumours or unsubstantiated allegations against anyone, whether they are in government or opposition.

To be honest, I don’t really care what people say about me. But in a small society, false allegations can be very hurtful. So I appeal to the media to act responsibly. And I ask journalists to try, to the best of their abilities, to report the truth. Of course, humans will always make mistakes. When the media makes a mistake, people who have been wronged should be allowed redress.

At the same time, we don’t want defamation laws to create a chilling effect on press freedom. For these reasons, this administration has decriminalised defamation, so journalists no longer have to fear jail for anything they write.

And with the help of the press freedom watchdog, Article 19, we have submitted a new broadcasting bill to the Majlis. The broadcasting bill will improve the integrity and independence of the broadcast media, and I urge all MPs to support it.

Last year the Maldives climbed 53 places in Reporters Without Borders’ global press freedom index. We are now ranked six places behind France for freedom of the press. This is a remarkable improvement.

But I do not want to sound complacent. Earlier this month, a gang of youths threatened and attacked journalists from DhiTV and Haveeru newspaper. This was a disgraceful attack on the press. The police swiftly arrested the suspects.

But let me be absolutely explicit about this; let me make this crystal clear: I don’t care whether you are a gangster, or whether you are a senior politician controlling the gangsters. If you attack, or orchestrate attacks on the media, this government will take appropriate legal action to protect the media.

Despite some setbacks, freedoms are improving. We still have much work to do. But I can say with conviction, that Maldivians enjoy more freedom today than at any other point in history. That, I believe, is something in which we can be proud.

Economic liberation

Through political change, we have managed to emancipate people, so they can play a full and active role in society. And just as people need liberty to progress, we believe business also needs freedom to prosper. We are therefore implementing reforms to liberate the economy.

Our economic reforms involve three crucial parts:

Firstly, we are committed to financial prudence and long-term stability. We have scrapped the reckless policies of the past, which saw money printed to finance a growing budget deficit. Instead, we are working with international multilateral organisations, to ensure we do not spend more than we can afford. And we are reducing our budget deficit to sensible and sustainable levels.

The second plank of our economic reforms is a far-reaching policy of privatisation and public-private partnerships. We do not believe that the state can, or should, play the role of business. Privately run firms tend to be more efficient, more profitable and provide better customer service and job satisfaction. We are therefore offering private parties the chance to invest in a wide range of state run enterprises.

The third part of our economic reforms involves cutting red tape and reducing government bureaucracy. In the past, the government offered people jobs not because there was work that needed doing. The government offered people jobs as bribes; to get their allegiance to a repressive regime. Almost 10 per cent of the population works for the government – a staggering amount.

And there are more civil servants than there is work to be done. Many government employees are under worked; chained to demoralising jobs. Our administration will therefore dramatically reduce the number of civil servants. But we must provide loans for outgoing civil servants, to help them set up businesses or acquire new skills.

We make these changes because we believe in the rights of the individual, over the regulation of government. We implement these reforms because we believe in the dynamism of the market, over the indecision of the state. We make this shift because we believe in business over bureaucracy. I believe that a free economy is the path to success in the Maldives.

Economic Crisis

Of course, we face many challenges. When we came into office, we inherited an economy in crisis. In the years leading up to the 2008 presidential elections, the former regime went on a spending spree that almost bankrupted the country. Our administration inherited a huge national debt from the former regime.

We took over a budget where 70 per cent of government revenue is spent on civil servant’s salaries. We were bequeathed millions of dollars of unpaid bills. And we inherited this situation, just as the global economy faltered.

According to World Bank statistics, the Maldives faced the worst economic situation of any country undergoing democratic transition, since records began in 1956. It has not been an easy 18 months, and we continue to face serious budgetary shortfalls.

As I mentioned earlier, we are embarking on major fiscal and economic reforms, overseen by the IMF. These reforms will see the size of government radically reduced. And reforms will enhance the government’s tax revenues. When fully implemented, the changes will ensure fiscal responsibility and macro economic stability.

Some reforms will be painful and costly. And the economy is still vulnerable. We are not out of the woods yet. We still require significant budgetary and developmental help, to see us through this transitional phase.

We must not falter. We must swallow the bitter economic medicine, to ensure our long-term health. But we need your help. We need your spoonful of sugar, to help the medicine go down. We need the assistance to foster people’s confidence in the changes we are bringing during this turbulent transitional stage of our budding democracy.

Violent opposition

Already, we see the warning signs. There are elements in the opposition determined to block progress in the Majlis. And some opposition figures are flirting with violence in the streets.

This weekend, some members of the main opposition party, the DRP, have been doing their best to get arrested. They are starting fistfights and goading the police to arrest them. Why do they behave in this fashion? Well, it may have something to do with this conference.

I must stress that most members of the opposition are sensible and respectable politicians. But the DRP, I fear, is in danger of being hijacked by radical elements, that the new party president appears incapable of controlling. These radicals call for revolution – disregarding the democratic mandate the electorate gave our administration.

DRP radicals are trying to obstruct this conference from being a success. They are hurting the Maldivian people, just to score a cheap political point.

I understand that the Maldives is in the infant stages of democracy. But it’s time that certain politicians left the nursery, and learnt to grow up.

There are also vested interests in the country trying to prevent economic reform. Many people made huge profits from the closed and corrupt economy of the past. They are trying to prevent a clean, open and transparent economy from being created.

The Auditor-General has compiled evidence implicating senior members of the former regime in corruption and embezzlement of state funds. The opposition is now trying to remove the Auditor-General – even though it was Former President Gayoom who appointed him.

I am under tremendous pressure to act against members of the former regime, who stand accused of corruption and human rights abuses. But I am loath to take this action. If we took action against everyone implicated in corruption and torture, we would end up arresting most of the opposition.

I do not believe that arresting the opposition, is the best way to build a healthy democracy. But you can understand the pressure I am under, during this period of democratic consolidation.

There are also religious extremists attempting to undermine the core values of our democracy.

On the issue of extremism, allow me to go back four or five years ago. Back then, the ruling regime did not allow political parties, and opposing voices were brutally crushed. The only avenue for dissent was underground religious groups.

When the MDP was formed, first in exile and then in the Maldives, a lot of people left these underground groups and joined the opposition. Organised political activity helped to keep fundamentalism in check. As society has opened up, the remnants of the underground, extremist movement have legitimately come into the open. These groups have moved quickly to fill a large space in civil society.

Dealing with fundamentalism

I am often criticised by liberal Maldivians because I refuse to censor religious groups. I am criticised because I won’t crack down on the fundamentalists.

But my point is this: the ends do not justify the means. You cannot arrest and imprison people just because you disagree with their views. Moreover, the battle between liberalism and fundamentalism is a battle of ideas.

Liberally-minded Maldivians must organise, and reclaim civil society if they want to win this battle of ideas. People with broader viewpoints must become more active, to create a tolerant society.

A few nights back, 32 young people came to see me. They were furious about the rise in extremism. To my mind, these are just the sort of people who need to reclaim civil society, if they want to foster a more open-minded society.

We must defeat the rejectionists, who hanker for a return to authoritarian rule. We must overcome the vested interests that want to stymie economic progress. And we must win the battle of ideas against extremists who want to replace democracy with theocracy.

I believe we will not win by going for a crack-down, or a witch-hunt or mass arrests. To my mind, violence only begets violence. Instead, for democracy to flourish, the government must show that people’s lives are improving. We must be able to say, that things will get a little better. We must be able to highlight a brighter future. We must use hope, to overcome fear.

Helping Maldivians

I believe the Maldives is becoming a better and fairer place. Aside from political and economic reforms, we have been able to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable people in society.

We’ve introduced an old age pension for over 65s, to free elderly citizens from the bondage of begging for basic needs.

We’ve started universal health insurance, so every Maldivian can work freely without having to fear the cost of falling sick.

And we’re developing a national ferry network, so people, goods and services can move around the country cheaply and quickly.

But we need help to ensure our economic reforms are successful. We ask for assistance to help the government fulfil its modest election pledges. And we need you to support our vibrant democracy, to safeguard hard-won freedoms.

Climate change

Climate change is real, it is happening and it is getting worse. I know many people are bitterly disappointed with the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord, in its current format, falls well short of a planet saving deal. But it does provide a foundation on which we can build.

Time is of the essence. Sadly, we are falling behind. Climate deniers seem to have gained the upper hand, and vested interests are using leaked emails, and minor errors in the IPCCC reports, to undermine the case for action.

The talk now is of waiting another two years, for Cancun and then South Africa, and perhaps then we’ll have a deal. But we cannot wait for ever.

The scale of our challenge is immense. To solve the climate crisis, the world needs to go carbon neutral by mid-century. This is why the Maldives is pushing ahead with its carbon neutral goal.

We want to break the link between carbon and development. We want to show that carbon neutral development is not just possible; it is profitable.

Energy

In the Maldives, we know how costly fossil fuels can be. Fossil fuels damage the environment and the economy. On some islands, people pay over 80 US cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity. This is obscenely expensive. High prices dampen demand for energy, which in turn hinders economic growth.

The Maldives cannot develop, unless we have a plentiful supply of cheap energy. And the Maldives cannot survive, unless we persuade the world to abandon carbon.

For both these reasons, renewable energy and carbon neutral development makes sense. There is so much at stake for the Maldives. The threats to our democracy, our economy and our environment are real and deadly.

We are walking on a razor’s edge. But I remain optimistic. With your help, we can consolidate democracy. With your support, we can maintain economic stability. With your assistance, we can help ensure the long-term survival of this country and this planet.

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Comment: Social fabric on verge of being ripped apart

Extract from a 22-page dossier published by the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), entitled “Abuse of Power and Assault on Democracy: A Dossier on the First 500 Days of the Nasheed Administration”

At the onset, the DRP wishes to welcome all the distinguished delegates attending this year’s donor conference. We are pleased to note that the concept of hosting a donor conference in the Maldives annually was developed during the previous administration, and that the Nasheed administration has decided to adhere to this policy.

This donor conference takes place at a time when the Maldivian public feels deceived and let down by the government. Lawlessness has become the norm, people have lost hope, government controls the state media, stabbing and beating of private reporters and journalists has become commonplace, brute force including teargas is used to suppress peaceful dissent, and members of parliament and key opposition leaders are facing arrest and detention.

Democracy in the Maldives, in short, is in peril, and the country’s social fabric is on the verge of being ripped apart.

We need every help we can get to implement meaningful development, restore normalcy, hope, security and the rule of law, and to protect democracy. However such assistance needs to be tied to measurable targets in promoting democracy.

The DRP acknowledges the so called ‘five key pledges’ of the MDP government, and the many additionally promises made by President Nasheed during the 2008 election campaign. We call on President Nasheed to honour the large number of pledges!

We are, nevertheless, deeply concerned by his callous disregard for the sensitivities and wellbeing of the public. We are also concerned by the flawed policies used to implement the ‘five key pledges’.

Civil servants

The government’s rush to downsize the civil service within the year by over 9000 civil servants, who account for almost one tenth of the country’s labour force and breadwinners, is a very serious concern.

The fear of redundancy has created psychological anguish among the whole civil service and their families who account for about one third of the country’s population. The policy is bound to be counterproductive especially in the Maldives, where low and declining labour force participation rate has been identified as one of the most serious problems encouraging drug abuse and other social evils. It is outrageous that the government is going ahead with this flawed policy even after the majority in Parliament has given a clear message that the policy is unacceptable.

Reducing the public sector wage bill is important, but it has to be done gradually to ensure social stability. Government’s proposed saving of US$ 24.8 million a year compared to 2008, through forced redundancy of one tenth of the county’s breadwinners, sounds absurd in a democracy.

The government’s justification for the redundancies has no merit at all when we consider that the proposed saving of US$24.8 million is accompanied by a government’s proposal to increase other allowances to employees by over US$71.9 million a year compared to 2008. Most of these allowances will inevitably end up lining the pockets of political appointees.

Furthermore, the continuing appointment of political appointees, with average salaries eight times higher than civil servants, clearly shows that the government’s intention is not the reduction of the wage bill but a reallocation of it from civil servants to MDP supporters and activists.

At the moment the average salary of a civil servant is approximately Rf2,800 while the average salary of a political appointee is Rf24,793 according to information given to Parliament by the Finance Minister. Nasheed’s government which came to power promising a leaner public service has today more political appointees than the previous government and most democracies like UK, Norway and Denmark.

Foreign assistance needs to be conditional on a freeze on appointment of political appointees until parliament can set a ceiling for political appointees. DRP strongly feels that any reduction in civil servants needs to be accompanied by an equivalent reduction in political appointees based on salary if the process is to have acceptance of the public.

Lack of conviction

The donor community must also exert due pressure on the government to implement an immediate freeze on the release of drug dealers and serious offenders from jail before they complete their sentence. The current practice is leading to rising crime and violence, and it surely does not send out the right signals to the donor community.

I call on President Nasheed to stop the lying and to make good on all the pledges including the pledge for a mid-term election. There is a serious need for his administration to regain public confidence. I note that present popularity ratings of the MDP government are at a pitiful 15%.

President Nasheed needs to implement urgent measures to free the state media and to protect journalists in the country. Also, the stranglehold on the civilian police force, through his Home Minister, must be loosened with immediate effect. I call on all participating delegates to urge the government to stop its current practice of arbitrarily arresting opposition activists and leaders. In two nights this week alone, no less than 40 such arrests were made.

I believe it is time for the international community to closely scrutinise the Nasheed administration’s democracy and human rights record, as, far from his cosmetic image of being a staunch supporter of human rights, he has become the biggest perpetrator in living memory.

As the largest political party in the country, the DRP is committed to ensuring that the rights of the Maldivian people are upheld and that the government is held to account for its failure to deliver on its pledges.

President Nasheed resorting to desperate, unconstitutional and heavy-handed tactics to cling on to power and crush the rising opposition movement is likely to lead to violence, unrest and even civil war in the country!

President Nasheed’s failure to deliver on his promises of upholding democratic principles and the widening gulf between his actions domestically and words overseas has resulted in an overall loss in public faith in the democratic reform agenda.

Also, the opposition, now a majority in numbers in the country, have very little avenue to voice their concerns, as the MDP government continues to keep a tight grip on the media, with full control of the state media.

The opposition DRP is currently dispatching envoys to meet with key diplomatic stakeholders to seek assistance in exerting pressure on President Nasheed to put an end to these Soviet-style ‘show trials’. We believe that the international community, who worked hand-in-hand with us in implementing the democratic reform agenda, has a moral obligation to ensure that the opposition movement can continue to fulfil its parliamentary and institutional duties to the people, without intimidation, harassment and bullying.

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US State Department congratulates Maldives on democratic progress

The US State Department has expressed confidence in the Maldives government, congratulating the country on “the progress it has made in its democratic transition.”

“The United States congratulates the Maldives on the progress and commends the substantial reforms undertaken by the government to strengthen democratic institutions and promote economic growth and social development,” the State Department said in a press release today.

“The United States looks forward to the opportunity to continue to partner with Maldives to address crucial challenges, such as the social, environmental and economic impact of climate change, customs and border security, and strengthening democratic institutions,” it added.

The US will be represented at the donor conference by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, Michael Owen.

The US assistance package on the table currently totals $4.6 million, “with a particular focus on climate change adaptation assistance,” the State Department noted.

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President establishes Office of Programmes and Projects

President Mohamed Nasheed has established the Office of Programmes and Projects (OPP), which is intended to prevent poor planning and project management.

The OPP will also be used to convince donors and international financial institutions that funded projects will be subject to fewer delays, quality issues and cost overruns.

The office will also centralise the administration of projects and programmes in a single department.

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President voices concern over violence in Majlis

The President has said in his weekly radio address that he government will take “all possible measures” to prevent disruption to the peace and development of the country.

Referring to the weekend protests sparked by violent disagreements in parliament last week, President Mohamed Nasheed said “disrespect” of parliaments code of conduct, fights and offensive language would lower the institution in the eyes of the public.

“As much disagreement as there may be, it is my request that the People’s Majlis carry out its functions without one member assaulting another,” he said.

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Released MPs continue protests while Vice President claims situation “is embarrassing”

The government has claimed it had “absolutely no role” in the decision made by police on Thursday evening to take senior opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leaders into custody.

DRP Vice presidents Ali Waheed and Umar Naseer, and MPs Ahmed Ilham and Ahmed Mahlouf were among those taken to the nearby prison island, Dhoonidhoo, after being escorted from DRP headquarters at 10:30pm on Thursday night by riot police. They were released at 3am early the next morning.

An MDP gathering taking place at the artificial beach was disrupted when DRP supporters in the party’s nearby headquarters began playing loud music, with tension between the supporters of both sides turning violent when some began to throw chairs, rocks and water bottles.

“Police tried to control the area using teargas but some people would still not obey police orders, and we were forced to take 19 people into police custody,” said Sub Inspector Ahmed Shiyam with the Maldives Police Service.

“The intention was to remove them from Male’ until the city was brought under control, then release them,” he said. “Anybody who was there would understand how difficult the situation was to control. Police felt [detaining the leaders] was the easiest way to control the situation.”

Shiyam called on those organising the demonstrations to “show some responsibility” and ensure they were able to control the gathering and obey police rules and regulations.

However running protests by the various parties continued to erupt sporadically across Male’ yesterday afternoon, with supporters for various parties clashing outside the homes of Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Home Minister Mohamed Shihab, and Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Last night crowds gathered again at the artificial beach during a DRP meeting, which turned violent after a group of people crashed into the party’s gathering and took the microphone away from somebody who was speaking.

MDP and DRP supporters threw stones at one another, which led to the arrival of team of police who requested the crowd disperse as it was disturbing the peace. DRP Vice President Umar Naseer continued using the loud speaker in the party’s office to announce that the demonstrations would not stop until President Mohamed Nasheed resigned.

Police then announced they would be using tear gas, and deployed two grenades into the crowd before arresting 31 people. At 12:30am Naseer called on the remaining demonstrators to gather again at 9pm tonight.

Shiyam said there had been reports of many civilian injuries during the two nights of violent clashes, although nothing serious. Six police officers had also sustained injuries, he said.

Vice president response

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan said in a press conference this morning that the political demonstrations were regrettable while more than 90 diplomats and senior government officials from some 40 countries were visiting for the donor conference.

Waheed also said he regretted last week’s brawl in parliament, over a no-confidence motion against the Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem.

”As the vice president of the country I regret these things and as a Maldivian I am embarrassed,” he said, calling on Maldivians “not to take part in such activities” for the benefit of the country.

“Countries do not provide aid for a certain party or for a certain government, but the country as a whole,” he said.

Waheed said almost all the countries which provided aid to the country would attend the conference, which starts tomorrow at Bandos Island Resort, and appealed to the major political parties not to hold meetings and rallies in a manner that might affect the conference.

“Political issues are not solved on the streets, they should be solved through discussions,” he said.

DRP response

DRP Spokesperson and Vice President Ibrahim Shareef told Minivan News the party had no intention of disrupting the donor conference and harming the country’s national interest, and said he did not blame police “who are doing a very professional job under the circumstances.”

Instead, he accused the MDP of using “criminals and hired thugs” to attack DRP supporters, saying that the crowd that attacked DRP’s headquarters last night were armed with batons and iron bars.

“We saw some very well known MDP activists in the crowd,” he said. “Some people were very badly injured and taken to hospital with broken arms.”

“We are a very peaceful party and the leaders are very moderate, and DRP has many people experienced in political leadership,” he said. “But when people are injured and attacked they will react, and if mobs are forming it is only out of self-defence.”

He said he “did not know” why the MDP would be provoking DRP supporters ahead of the donor conference.

“The government pays lip-service to democracy while being totally dependent on hand outs,” Shareef said. “the international community has a role to play because the government must listen to it.”

He warned that unless the government “does its job properly” and ensured political stability, “the consequences will be beyond anyone’s control. The government must stop using thugs to attack our supporters,” Shareef said.

“Two of my shops have been attacked, this is very unhealthy,” he noted. “Now I hear some people are coming to Male’ from the islands. If the violence spreads to the islands it will be become uncontrollable. We are trying to calm and control things.”

He explained that it was sometimes necessary for DRP leaders to work with the sentiment of the crowd to cool the situation and stay in control.

Government’s call for calm

Spokesperson for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair accused the DRP of “just trying to oppose for the sake of opposition”, and said that if Umar Naseer’s calls for continued protests eventuated, “that will be a very undesirable message for international donors, who expect stability.”

The government was aiming for US$40 million in short-term funding to alleviate the current budget crisis, and seeking US$150 million per year over the next three years in longer term funding, he said.

Protests had “progressed from one thing to another” Zuhair claimed, beginning with efforts to oust the Auditor General, harass MDP functions and now disrupt the donor conference.

“The DRP accuses Naeem for using his corporate credit card to buy a tie and $400 on personal transportation. The DRP obviously think that if they are able to oust the AG, all his reports about the corruption of the last 30 years can be dismissed as not credible,” Zuhair said.

Police had an intelligience group monitoring the conference and were ready to make an appearance if necessary, he said.

Zuhair also noted that as an elected political representative, “there is no need for Mr Umar Naseer to jump over the president’s gate.”

“There is proper protocol and he need not go to that length if he wants to see inside Muleeage. He is welcome to see that there is no bar inside, as he has previously suggested.”

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