Day: August 15, 2010

Decomposed body found on beach in Lhaviyani Atoll

Police are trying to identify a decomposed body that washed ashore the island of Olhuvelifushi in Lhaviyani Atoll on Sunday morning, reports Haveeru.

Island Councillor Abdul Aziz told the newspaper that the body was “decomposed beyond recognition”, but had been identified as male and possibly a foreigner.

A Chinese couple disappeared last week from the Hilton Irufushi Beach and Spa Resort in Noonu Atoll while swimming. They were staying at the resort with their 13 year-old daughter.

The Maldives National Defence Force launched a search but has yet to find the pair.

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ICJ and former UN Special Rapporteurs to help Maldives strengthen judiciary

A delegation from the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ), led by two former UN Special Rapporteurs, will visit the Maldives September 13-18 to discuss a long-term engagement aimed at strengthening the country’s judiciary.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ICJ had agreed to work with the government on “a sustainable basis” to strengthen the judiciary and incorporate international standards into national law and practice, and build public trust in the legal institution.

The ICJ mission will be led by Dr Param Cumaraswamy and Dr Leandro Despouy. Dr Cumaraswamy was UN Special Rapporteur from 1994 to 2003 and has held roles including President of the Law Association of Asia and Chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the International Bar Association.

Dr Despouy was the UN Special Rapporteur from 2003-2009 and was previously the President of the UN Human Rights Commission.

The Foreign Ministry described the pair “as two of the world’s foremost experts on matters pertaining to the judicial sector and the separation and balance of powers between the judiciary and the other branches of government.”

During their visit in September the pair will decide the terms of reference for the ICJ’s engagement, and “gather information about the challenges to judicial independence and integrity, and report back with findings and recommendations.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed said that while the country had taken “important steps” to increase independence and trust in the judiciary through parliament’s appointment of a Supreme Court last week, “Rome wasn’t built in a day and it is important that we, as a country and as a government, think long-term.”

Speaking to Minivan News earlier this month, the President’s member on the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), Aishath Velezinee, called for international arbitration of the judiciary, particularly disputes regarding the reappointment of judges under standards she argued were unconstitutional “and would deprive the nation of an honest judiciary.”

“We need an impartial investigation of what is going on. And I believe the Maldives does not have anyone able to conduct an impartial investigation. We need assistance,” she said.

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Indian pediatrician attacked by masked intruders

An Indian pediatrician working at Kudahuvadhoo Hospital in Dhaal Atoll was stabbed in his home by a group of masked men, according to a report in Haveeru.

According to Hospital Manager Ahmed Nashid, the attack occurred on Saturday night 10 minutes after the doctor arrived home from the hospital, when the group forced in his door. The doctor was stabbed in the arm and leg when he was unable to give the men any money.

“The doctor said his money was deposited in the bank,” Nashid told Haveeru.

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the matter, Sub Inspector of Police Ahmed Shiyam told the newspaper.

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Opposition coalition drafting bill on airport management

The opposition coalition against airport privatisation has announced the four opposition parties – including the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhoree Party (JP), People’s Alliance (PA) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) – will draft a bill governing “operations and rules” at  Male’ International Airport.

A statement issued by the coalition said the draft bill would be presented to parliament this week.

“We will not hesitate to take action against those who violated the law in leasing Male’ International Airport, a state asset, to [Indian infrastructure firm] GMR for 25 years,” said the statement.

“We assure the people of the Maldives that we stand steady and go forward on this issue.’’

The opposition parties – which strongly oppose the government’s decision to upgrade the airport under a 25 year management contract to the GMR-Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium – have not yet revealed whether the bill will oppose the deal outright, or restrict its operations in some way.

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said the contents of the bill would be disclosed on conclusion of the drafting process, but said he believed the bill’s object “is not to utterly obstruct the leasing of the international airport.”

Leader of the DQP Dr Hassan Saeed refused to comment to Minivan News on the issue.

According to a report in Haveeru, the DQP’s Deputy Leader Dr Mohamed Jameel told the newspaper in a statement that the bill’s objective was to ensure the airport was “managed by the government or a [Maldivian] company assigned by the government. The aim is to prevent [the government] from giving the airport to a foreign party. The bill will specify everything very clearly,” he said.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said opposition coalition had proved they had vested interests concerned concerning the lease of the airport, and “have shown they are not working not in the interests of the nation, but rather their own self-interest.”

”When the first announced the proposal and published it locally and internationally, no person expressed concern or protested against it,” said Zuhair. ”Because the government did not receive [acceptable bids], the government requested proposals a second time, this time with the assistance of the World Bank.”

Opposition parties were silent throughout, he said, and expressed disapproval “only when the transaction had reached its final stages.”

Zuhair queried the coalition’s claims that leasing the airport compromised the country’s nationalism: “It is only the management of the Airport that we are handing over to GMR – the water company is operated the same way, and so far no one has complained about that. It just shows how insincere the opposition are being.”

The GMR-MAHB consortium will spend US$373 million upgrading the international airport after winning the controversial bid. Last week it held workshops with airport staff and stakeholders to determine what would be required.

Speaking at the opening of the cavernous Delhi Terminal 3, GMR Manager P Sri Pathi told Maldivian journalists that physical work would begin on the airport towards the end of this year.

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President’s nomination for Auditor General refused by finance committee

Former President of the Anti-Corruption-Commission (ACC) Ali Rasheed Umar,who was proposed by President Mohamed Nasheed as the new Auditor General following a vote of no-confidence in Ibrahim Naeem, has been refused by parliament’s finance committee.

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan said Umar was failed “due to integrity issues.”

“Some questions were raised at the committee regarding issues of integrity,” said Nihan. “There were some claims made against  him when he was the President of ACC, and some other issues.’’

Former Auditor General Ahmed Naeem was dismissed by a no-confidence motion in parliament.

Parliament voted to dismiss Auditor General Naeem with 43 in favour and 28 against, after the ACC accused him  of corruption for using the government’s money to buy a tie and visit Thulhaidhu in Baa Atoll.

Naeem claimed the charges were an attempt to discredit his office and prevent him from reclaiming the government’s money stored in overseas bank accounts.

“A lot of the government’s money was taken through corrupt [means] and saved in the banks of England, Switzerland, Singapore and Malaysia,” Naeem claimed, demanding a financial audit of current and former government ministers. He was dismissed by the opposition majority parliament several weeks later.

Press secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair was unavailable at time of press.

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Parliament’s CSC and HRCM appointments “capable and willing”: Zuhair

Parliament selected three of the eight names proposed by President Mohamed Nasheed for members of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

The three members appointed for HRCM were Maryam Azra Ahmed of Maafannu Hukuradhige, Jeehaan Mahmood of Dheyliyage in Hinnavaru of Lhaviyani Atoll and Ahmed Thalal of Henveiru Adduge. Former President of HRCM Ahmed Saleem was not approved by the parliament.

In the same session on Thursday, Parliament appointed five members for the CSC: Dr Mohamed Latheef of Mahchangolhi Kimbi, Mohamed Fahmy Hassan of Galolhu Kohgiri, Ahmed Hassan Didi of Galolhu New Waves, Abdulla Jinah and Khadheeja Adam of Galolhu Alafaruge.

Press Secretary for the President, Mohamed Zuhair, said that the government believed “all persons appointed are capable and willing persons.”

“The President proposed names to the parliament including the people who are already members of the commission,’’ said Zuhair. “Parliament researched the names and appointed names for the CSC and HRCM.’’

Both the CSC and HRCM were left in constitutional limbo last week after parliament failed to conduct the reappointments in time for the interim period deadline of August 7.

Prior to the appointment of commission members on Thursday, a source at HRCM said the legal legitimacy of the institution’s activities were questionable until the new commission was approved: “we don’t even know if we are supposed to be going to work.”

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