Day: September 13, 2010

Opposition “a little over enthusiastic” to return to power, says Nasheed

President Mohamed Nasheed has criticised the opposition for “being a little eager” to topple the government.

“They want a quick transfer of powers back to them,” Nasheed said, in an interview with the Asian Tribune.

“In that process they have become a little over enthusiastic. But I think they will come to their senses. We are here to stay here till the end of our term. There is absolutely no way that they could dislodge us.”

In the interview, Nasheed claimed that while leader of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party Ahmed Thasmeen Ali understood democracy, others in his party did not.

“I think it will take some more time for Thasmeen to get a good grip on his own party – in a sense to wash the DRP off and make it a clean party,” the AT reported Nasheed as saying.

DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf said Nasheed was “trying to create problems” in his comments regarding Thasmeen’s grip on the party.

“It’s a stunt – he does a lot of stunts. It’s supposed to make supporters of the opposition uncomfortable by implying he is making deals with Thasmeen,” Mahlouf observed.

As for Nasheed’s suggestion that the opposition needed development, “I think we’re [already] a very responsible opposition. So far we haven’t done anything MDP didn’t do while they were in opposition. I don’t think we need support from the government: we have the capability and the educated people.”

Responding to the allegations of attempted overthrow, DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf observed that “the only way we could change the government before the election would be a no confidence motion in parliament, and we would need 52 votes for that. I’m surprised to hear him accusing the opposition of trying to topple the government.”

The government has previously accused several opposition MPs of corruption and bribery, notably attempting to buy the votes of ruling Maldivian Democratic Party supporters.

Nasheed, in response to question from AT regarding the government’s recent controversial detention of minority opposition party leader Abdulla Yameen, leader of the People’s Alliance (PA), acknowledged that “the charges were not clear. It was cloudy at that moment.”

“When we see the whole thing is being derailed through corruption or bribery I will have to flex my muscles, and I will do it again,” he said. “But I will make sure we have our focus, that democracy is the goal.”

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Jumhoree Party demands action against those who planned to burn Quran

The minority opposition Jumhoree Party (JP), led by MP Gasim ‘Buruma’ Ibrahim, has issued a statement urging the government of the Maldives to demand the US government take action against those who planned to burn the Quran on September 11.

Pastor Terry Jones, from the 50 member Dove World Outreach Centre in Gainesville, Florida, drew headlines worldwide after he announced plans to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The Pastor abandoned the plan on urging from the US government, including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, telling US television network NBC that “even though we have not burned one Quran, we have gotten over 100 death threats.”

The pastor told NBC his goal was “to expose that there is an element of Islam that is very dangerous and very radical [and] we have definitely accomplished that mission.”

The US president meanwhile condemned the proposed burning as “un-American” and “a recruitment bonanza for al-Qaeda”.

Locally, the Adaalath Party and the JP strongly condemned the planned burning, describing it as an affront to 1.5 billion Muslims across the world.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said the Maldivian government had already taken action, noting that Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed had sent a letter to US authorities “explaining that the plan was against the spirit of Muslims and was not encouraged.”

Zuhair said he respected the call of the Jumhoree Party and all the others who protested against the burning.

Meanwhile, two protesters were killed and five were seriously in Afghanistan after security forces opened fire on the crowd, who were attempting to storm government buildings in Puli-Alam, the capital of the Logar province.

A plan to build an Islamic cultural centre and mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center in New York has also caused controversy.

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Eid ul-Fitr prayer largest ever in Maldives: Islamic Ministry

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has claimed that the the Eid ul-Fitr prayer congregation on Friday was the largest ever prayer congregation in Maldives.

Haveeru reported that more than 17,000 people attended the congregation at the Islamic Centre, including 2,500 women,.

The Ministry’s Assistant Director Ahmedullah Jameel told Haveeru that the upper floor dedicated to women and with a capacity of 1700 was completely full.

“The mosque alone has a capacity of 8,000 people,” Jameel said, adding that some people prayed outside in Jumhoory Maidhaan..

The prayer was led by State Minister for Islamic Affairs Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, urging during his sermon for Muslims not to respond with extremism to the actions of Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who proposed a ‘Burn a Quran Day’ on September 11 but later publicly withdrew the threat.

President Mohamed Nasheed and senior government officials also attended the Eid prayer, Haveeru reported.

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Maldives-India Friendship Festival finale to be held Sept 17

The Grand Finale of the India-Maldives Friendship Festival will be held this Friday September 17 at Dharubaaruge from 8:00pm.

A 14-member Bollywood Variety Dance and Music Troupe will perform, sponsored by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR). The High Commission stated that a “reputed Maldivian cultural group” will also perform.

Chief Guest President Mohamed Nasheed will also make an address.

Tickets (includes refreshments) are priced at Rf 50 and are available at Indian High Commission on Athireege Aage in Male’.

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President appoints two HRCM members

President Mohamed Nasheed has appointed Ahmed Abdul Kareem and Dr Ali Shameem as members of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM).

Nasheed has previously appointed three members approved by Parliament to the five member commission out of the eight names proposed.

Speaking after the event, Nasheed reiterated that past human rights abuses must be investigated “for the socio-political harmony of the country.”

The pair were sworn in by Supreme Court Judge Abdulla Areef at a function held in the President’s Office.

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Maldivian schoolgirl wins second place in Egypt’s 18th International Quran Competition

A 12 year-old Maldivian girl has come second in the 18th International Quran Competition, held in Egypt, after successfully memorising six books of the Quran.

Haveeru reported that Rifdha Mohamed Rasheed, competed against adults in the two round non-Arab section, placing first in the first round and second in the second round.

The youngest of 100 participants from 68 countries, Rifdha was presented with 20,000 Egyptian pounds (US$3500) in prize money by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for her accomplishment.

The fifth grade student at Arabiyya School told Haveeru she would like to compete again to gain first place.

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Mobile phone subscriptions surpass population: Telecoms Authority

The number of mobile phone subscribers in the Maldives has reached 475,192, according to figures released by the Telecommunications Authority of Maldives.

Given the country’s population (2009) of 396,334, this figure many indicate that almost a quarter of the population have more than one mobile phone.

Prepaid was the most popular, with 403,184 such subscriptions, while 72,008 were postpaid mobile users.

Fixed lines totaleed 48,112 at the end of August, with most lines (35,075) in Male, Villingili, Aarah, Hulhule and Hulhumale. Resort islands total 980 lines, while there are 224 on uninhabited islands.

The country has 12,248 ADSL internet users and 1087 connecting over ISDN.

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