Twelve police have completed their second course in basic judo techniques, organised by Maldives Police Services (MPS).
The judo course was conducted by Yukata Kakinooma from the Japan International Corporation Agency, running throughout March. The first course was conducted in January.
Judo, meaning “gentle way”, is a popular Japanese martial art that emphasises immobilisation of the opponent through joint locks, holds and grappling.
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(0)Aid commitments following the recent Maldives Donor Conference have reached US$487 million, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and State Minister Ahmed Naseem took to the stage this morning to dismiss claims made by the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) that the donor conference had raised less US$20 million in pledges.
“That is their own number,” Dr Shaheed said.
“If you add up the money from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the UN system, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) it’s almost US$200 million. That is 80 per cent of pledges coming from these big donors.”
Shaheed spoke about monitoring and implementation mechanisms, which would ensure the funds are used according to the donor’s wishes and the government’s pledges.
Coordinator for the UN in the Maldives Mansoor Ali said the donor conference had been very successful and it was “not the time to be negative” about the results.
Dr Shaheed also spoke of the recent climate change meeting held this week by the Progressive Group in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, where delegates from 23 countries met to advance negotiations before the next international climate change summit scheduled to take place in Cancun, Mexico in November this year.
The Progressive Group brings together the countries with a “forward-looking and constructive attitude to international climate change negotiations,” and played a key role in last year’s international climate change summit in Copenhagen.
Delegates from over twenty countries came together in Colombia to “exchange opinions and promote active participation towards the next climate change summit.”
The meeting focused mostly on creating ministerial-level communication between countries, in hopes to ease dialogue between nations and to advance on key issues such as fast-start financing, adaptation, low-carbon development and verification of emission cuts.
Maldives proposed a second ministerial-level meeting to take place in Malé in July this year.
Dr Shaheed also spoke of President Mohamed Nasheed’s recent visit to Europe, and confirmed that German Police officers will be arriving in Malé “very soon” to begin training Maldives Police Service (MPS) officers to work in a democracy.
“They are the ones who retrained the Stasi in East Germany after German reunification, as well as the police force in Kosovo,” Shaheed said. “They are the best in the world at what they do.”
He said the German team will stay in the Maldives from one year to eighteen months, depending on when they believe the MPS is ready, “all at the German government’s expense.”
Dr Shaheed added that Icelandic President, Ólafur Grímsson, will be visiting the Maldives soon to promote sustainable green energy alongside President Nasheed.
Dr Shaheed spoke of the recently signed agreement with the Rothschild banking dynasty, which has agreed to help the Maldives in the bid to become carbon neutral by 2020.
“There needs to be a study on where we have most carbon emissions,” Dr Shaheed said, adding that “they will also try to carbon-proof our current systems.”
The Rothschild group will secure international financing to fund a carbon audit of the Maldives. Dr Shaheed said the surveying will take approximately nine months.
Dr Shaheed ended the press conference with news of the UN Human Rights Council’s decision to draft a new international human rights treaty as an additional optional protocol to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC), which was proposed by the Maldives.
Maldives was chosen to chair the core group discussing the CRC in Geneva, joined by Slovenia, Slovakia, Egypt, Kenya, France, Finland, Thailand, Uruguay and Chile.
The CRC, which is the most ratified treaty in the world, was lacking in allowing cases regarding abuse of the rights of children to be submitted to international UN mechanisms.
The new treaty proposes to allow cases to be sent to international protection mechanisms to intervene when domestic institutions fail to offer protection.
Correction: In an earlier version of this story Dr Shaheed was quoted as saying the visiting German police trainers were responsible for retraining the Gestapo after the Second World War. This has been clarified as the Stasi, the East German secret police, who were retrained after the reunification of Germany post-1990.
(0)Dislikes(0)Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Vice President and spokesperson Ibahim Shareef has claimed that Maldivian Democratic Party senior activists are sending death threats and damaging the property of DRP senior leaders.
Shareef claimed MDP senior activists had broke the glasses of his shop near Ahmadiyya by throwing pavement bricks at it.
”I have been receiving many death threats via SMS,” Shareef said. ”They are saying things like they would kill me and cut me into pieces.”
Shareef said all the attacks were “due to the hatred MDP activists have towards the DRP leaders.”
”They have been throwing stones at my house for a week now,” he said. ”If these acts are continuing we might have to become strict.”
The MDP “has a responsibility for them to stop these violent acts of their activists” Shareef said.
DRP MP and Vice President Ali Waheed said he had been receiving threats for more than a year, and was “quite used to them by now. I don’t care about it much.”
Waheed said he received threats via SMS and in person.
”One day a group of people entered my house when I was not at home,” he said. ”They took a knife and threatened my Mum.”
Spokesperson for Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Ahmed Haleem said the claims from the DRP leaders “are lies”, and an attempt to attack the dignity of the MDP.
”I am sure than none of us would attack or threaten the DRP,” he said. ”They are just trying to gain political support bhy spreading rumours.”
Haleem said he had seen people “burn their own house and rebuild them just for political purposes.”
Sub Inspector Ahmed Shiyam from the Maldives Police Service (MPS) meanwhile confirmed that police had received “many reports from politicians saying they are being threatened.”
He added that police were currently collecting more information on the cases.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation to the Maldives has organised a photography exhibition showcasing Muslims in Russia, in partnership with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The exhibition, ‘Muslims of Russia’, opened last night at the Islamic Centre and will close on 3 April. It is open to the public from 10am-12pm, 2.30-6pm and 8-10pm.
The photographs give a glimpse into the culture of Russia’s 22 million Muslims and give colour and life to the white exhibition room under the Mosque at the Islamic Centre.
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Vladimir Mikhalov, gave a speech at the opening ceremony held yesterday.
The ambassador asked for a minute of silence in the memory of those killed in the terror attacks in Moscow on Monday morning.
Mikhalov said Russian police had confirmed the attack was carried out by two female suicide bombers from the northern Caucasus Mountains.
“This region is populated mostly by Muslims and unfortunately about twenty years ago…some selfish local leaders decided to take advantage of the weakness of the central government…and declared “jihad” to Russia and started their fighting.”
Mikhalov said most people, including Islamic spiritual leaders of the region, condemned their actions.
“That’s why they were defeated and peace in general was restored,” he said, but noted that the remnants of the group had been financed from overseas in order to destabilise the situation in Russia.
He assured guests that Russians had never associated terrorism with Islam and believe “terrorists have neither religion nor nationality.”
He said Islam is currently the second most widely professed religion in Russia, and Russians wanted to show “Muslim men, women, their children and elders in every day life.”
He also wished “the friendly Maldivian people…all the success in their development, as well as peace and prosperity.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed also spoke before guests explored the exhibition room.
The exhibition
The photographs are set out around the room, printed on canvases, depicting Muslim festivities, gatherings during Ramadan, Qur’an reciting competitions, Islamic architecture and Russian mosques, Muslim schools, prayer, sermons, Russian pilgrims in Mecca, and even an Islamic fashion show in Moscow.
A beautiful blue-lit photograph shows one of Russia’s oldest mosques, Khan’s Mosque, in the town of Kasimov in Ryazan district. Next to it sits one of the most captivating photographs, named ‘Symbols of Faith’ which shows a crescent-shaped light display on a mosque’s dome.
Another photograph shows a conference named ‘Russia-Islamic World: Partnership in the Name of Stability” held in Moscow and the 2009 International Contest of Qur’an Reciters.
The photographs depict everything from geese seemingly flying towards a mosque, to Russian dancers in a National Dance, History and Modernity Festival.
Russian Muslims
The first Russian Muslims were the Dagestani people in the current region of Derbent, after the Arabs arrived in the 8th century. The modern Tartars inherited the religion from them. European and Caucasian Turks also became followers of Islam.
Many churches and mosques were closed down during Soviet rule of the country, but started reopening in the 1990s.
In 2005, the Kul Shariff Mosque in Tatarstan was rebuilt in celebration of the 1000 year jubilee of Kazan. It is now one of the biggest mosques in Europe.
Kazan has the second largest Muslim population in Russia after Moscow, and is the location of the Russian Islamic University at Tatarstan.
The St Petersburg Mosque will be celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2013. It was the biggest mosque in Europe when it was built in 1913 and is still one of the largest in Europe.
(0)Dislikes(0)A bill banning threats, use of sharp objects and weapons was been presented by the government to the parliament yesterday, in a bid to reduce violent crime on the streets of Male’.
If the bill is passed, threatening a person will become a crime and will result in a 2-12 months sentence. If someone uses a sharp object or dangerous weapon in a threatening manner, there would be an additional 1-6 months sentence.
The bill says that using or storing a sharp object or dangerous weapon in public is also a crime, which will receive a 2-12 months sentence. Furthermore, importing butterfly knives and flick knives without the permission from the Home Ministry would also become a crime, and receive a 1-3 month sentence.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed introduced the bill to the MPs, which was forwarded to debate through the support of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ali Waheed.
Spokesperson for MDP parliamentary group MP Ahmed Shifaz said that the bill was mainly focused on reducing gang fighting to make the society “a peaceful and safe place.”
”Right now police cannot arrest somebody walking around with a knife in their hand,” Shifaz said. ”But after this bill is passed, people will not be allowed to use sharp objects and weapons in public.”
He said anything that could be used to injure a person would be designated as a weapon, including logs and batons.
‘Threatening a person with weapons or words would also be a crime under the bill,” he said, ”and even if a police officer threatens a person, that officer can be charged.”
He said the bill would help to reduce crime rate in the country.
DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said it was very difficult to comment on the bill as it was still in the debate stage.
”Everyone wants to stop crime in the country,” Mausoom said. ”The crime rate has risen in the capital Male’ and big islands of the country.”
Mausoom said anybody who used ‘weapons’ should not be arrested, as they were used for many purposes.
”For instance, people living in the islands – in the early morning they are out working with their axes, knives and other sharp objects,” he said.
He said the most effective solution for rising crime was to have community participation.
Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said the bill would help to avoid crimes in many ways.
”The bill will provide a wide range of powers to police to remove the offender,” Zuhair said.
Zuhair said everyone with a knife would not be deemed a criminal, but ”all criminals are now armed with a knife.”
He said the bill was rather an effective ban on threatening a person’s well being.
(0)Dislikes(0)Olympic rower Guin Batten has completed her solo crossing of the Zero Degree Channel in 7 hours 16 minutes, setting a world first for the 60 kilometre passage between Huvadhoo Atoll and the island of Fuahmulah.
The 42 year-old silver medallist, who also holds the world record for her solo row across the English Channel, said she was awed by the excitement, enthusiasm and knowledge of her local supporters, 200 of whom were waiting on the beach at Fuahmulah when she arrived.
“It was a bit tricky getting through the rocks, but when I arrived I was given flowers, a coconut to drink, and many, many handshakes,” Batten says.
“I got back in the boat and went round to the harbour where the entire primary school was waiting – there was probably 500 people there too.”
The crossing itself was “picture perfect” – although surrounded by “terrific thunderstorms”, an “amazing show of light and sound”, none came close and for most of the journey the water was “calm and silky clear.”
“The weather was perfect, with very long, rolling three metre waves. It was pleasant and calm – you wouldn’t have known you were in the middle of the Indian Ocean with three kilometres of water under you,” Batten says.
Setting off in the early morning darkness on Tuesday, Batten rowed at a constant speed of about 8.5-8.7 kilometres an hour, a “jogging pace” that meant she only needed to drink three litres of water “and half the food I thought I would need” during the crossing.
Rowing in the darkness was “surreal”, she says. “We spend our days sitting in front of screens and machines, but out here you feel alive. It was something you don’t do everyday.”
Batten was accompanied by her support vessel, the coastguard and a fishing dhoni – “about 40 people who looked like they were having such a good time” – together with dolphins and a pod of pilot whales.
The Maldivians on the fishing dhoni came to her rescue at one point, five to six hours in, “when I started feeling low. It was a real bad patch,” Batten says.
“I had to think really hard on different things every 2-3 minutes to take my mind off the pain in my hands and body – you don’t make good decisions like that. But the locals on the dhoni got the music and the drums going and started dancing, then threw a bucket of water over me.”
She is full of admiration for the local fishermen who helped the vessels navigate the reefs and currents out of Huvadhoo Atoll, one of the most technically difficult parts of the crossing.
“Their local knowledge and experience was so impressive,” she says.
“After two hours I couldn’t navigate using the island and had to steer off the support boat, which was stressful. The skipper had a really hard job working to keep the course.”
With Batten exhausted by her journey and being draped with garlands, some of the locals took the opportunity to have a row in her boat.
“One of the girls [who had a go] was a natural – she looked like she would’ve picked it up in an hour,” Batten says. “One thing I really felt while I was doing this challenge, was that rowing is a common language.”
With her hands shredded by blisters (“here in the humidity the skin becomes soft”) caused by over seven hours at the oars and wearied by thousands of handshakes, Batten now intends to enjoy some of the Maldives’ more traditional tourist pasttimes.
“I know I said previously that I wanted to do some exercise before lying on the beach – well now I’m quite happy to do just that.”
President Mohamed Nasheed said last week he was “delighted” that Batten had become the first person to row solo across the Zero Degree Channel.
“I hope her efforts will be a catalyst for the revival of rowing in the Maldives,” he said.
Batten’s world-first attempt at the zero degree crossing was supported by UK-based NGO Friends of Maldives, with assistance from British Airways, Coco Palm Resorts (Maldives) and Crew Room.
Images provided by Umair Badeeu.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives has secured the decision to draft a new international human rights treaty as an additional optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, reports Miadhu.
The CRC, which is the most ratified treaty in the world, entered into force in 1990. Until now, it was the only major human rights treaty that did not have procedures to allow violations of children’s rights to be reported to UN human rights mechanisms.
The unanimous decision reached in Geneva ends the 20 year deadlock between UN Member States, now allowing international protection mechanisms to intervene when domestic institutions fail to offer protection.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed said the fact that the Maldives was asked to chair and lead the negotiations to secure the agreement on the CRC showed the high regard which the international community has for the Maldives.
He added that the fact that the 20 year deadlock had been broken showed the Maldives’ growing international influence.
(0)Dislikes(0)A fishing boat which went out on 26 Friday evening and became lost was found yesterday, reports Miadhu.
The news paper identified the fishing boat as ‘Mofa 258”.
Miadhu reported that all the men aboard the fishing boat were fine, according to the Coast Guard.
The fishing boat was found 55 kilometres away from Hirilandhu of Thaa Atoll.
(0)Dislikes(0)Extract from a speech given by His Excellency Vladimir P Mikhalov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Maldives, to mark the opening of the ‘Muslims of Russia’ exhibition in Malé.
Unfortunately I have to change my proposed speech. Just two days ago in Moscow terrorists planted two explosives killing 38 people and injuring dozens of innocents.
The law enforcement agencies of Russia have already established that the terrorist attack was conducted by two female suicide bombers from the northern Caucasus Mountains.
This region is populated mostly by Muslims and unfortunately around 20 years ago, just after disintegration of the Soviet Union, some selfish local leaders decided to take advantage of the weakness of the central government and create their own small kingdoms.
By calling on terrorist and anti-Russian circles from abroad, they declared ‘jihad’ on Russia and started their fighting.
But they were not supported by the majority of people were condemned by the Islamic spiritual leaders of the region. That’s why they were defeated and peace in general was restored.
Nevertheless up to now their remnants continue to be financed from abroad by interests attempting to destabilise the situation in Russia through terrorist attacks.
I should tell you that neither Russia’s government nor its people have ever associated terrorism with Islam and we have strongly stood against [this assumption] in all international foreign affairs.
We believe that terrorists have neither religion nor nationality – they are just bandits. Throughout the whole history of our country Christians and Muslims have lived side-by-side in peace a thousand years, which proves that peace is a natural thing among those who truly believe in one all-mighty and love their brothers and sisters regardless of their nationality and confession.
Islam is currently the second most widely professed religion in the Russian Federation with more than 20 million out of Russia’s 145 million being Muslim. There are Muslims in the Russian government, in the Parliament, in all ministries and for example, the Director of the Russian Cultural Centre in Colombo is also Muslim as is his wife.
But as we say in Russia: “better to see once than to hear hundred times”.
That’s why we decided to bring these photographs to Male’ and show you the beautiful mosques in various parts of Russia; modern Madrassas where thousands of people freely study Islam and the Holy Qur’an – Muslim men, women, children and elders in everyday life.
I wish the friendly people of the Republic of Maldives all the success in their development, as well as peace and prosperity.
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