Month: October 2010

Salaf to take youth on ‘Hijra’ to distance them from sin

Religious NGO Jamiyyathulsalaf is offering youth the opportunity of a two day ‘Hijra’ to distance themselves from sin and form closer relations with religion.

‘Hijra’, a religious camping retreat on the island of Thinadhoo in Vaavu Atoll from November 18-20 where, for the price of Rf300 (US$32), participants can ‘move away from sin’.

Salaf said priority will be given to those who are at ‘beginner’s level’ in their religious education and, or, are experiencing doubts about their belief.

Successful applicants will be instructed in religious teachings by scholar Skeikh Adam Shameem Ibrahim and will also be encouraged to form close friendships and foster a spirit of brotherhood.

‘’As the camp will be held for two days, having fun and playing different games will also be a part of it”. The fun and games will be organised according to religious teachings, Salaf said.

Participants will also have the opportunity to take part in some serious religious education through lessons and sermons.

“Moving away from sin”, is the slogan of the camp. Hijra refers to the migration of Prophet Mohamed from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE to escape persecution and found the first Islamic state.

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Arrests for child abuse reach nearly 200 this year alone

Close to two hundred arrests have been made by police this year alone on allegations of child abuse.

The latest such arrest was on Wednesday, when a father was charged with sexually abusing his own daughter.

A total of 198 arrests were made for child abuse cases from the beginning of the year to the end of September 2010.

Though the charges are all of crimes against children, the type of abuse varied greatly. Children had been kidnapped, falsely imprisoned, sexually abused, abandoned and assaulted. One had been killed.

The most common among all types of crimes against children is that of sexual abuse. 131 of the 198 arrests made by police this year for crimes against children were for sexual offences.

A Gender Ministry report on women’s health and well-being, an academically rigorous and groundbreaking countrywide survey of Maldivian women produced in 2007, revealed that over 12 percent of Maldivian women between the age of 15 and 49 are sexually abused as a child.

Almost ten percent of women’s first sexual experience is either forced or coerced, the report shows. The younger the woman is, according to the report, the more likely that her first sexual experience is forced on her or that she is coerced into it.

The crime of child abuse is most common in Male’. More than 16 percent of girls in Male’ under the age of fifteen are sexually abused, four percent higher than the national average.

The national average stands at 12 percent – of every 100 Maldivian girls under the age of fifteen, twelve are sexually abused.

For almost two-thirds of these girls, 60 percent, the experience is not a one off, but repetitive and prolonged. Most perpetrators of the crime, according to the report, are male family members of the children.

The second most common perpetrators are male acquaintances of the family, neighbours, teachers or religious leaders.

In August this year, renowned Qary Hussein Thaufeeq, a leader of Friday prayers and a teacher of Qur’an to children on national television, was arrested on multiple charges of child sex abuse. He has since been transferred to house arrest.

24 percent of girls under the age of 15 who were sexually abused were victims of strangers while for eight percent of the girls, the perpetrators were their fathers or stepfathers.

The Gender Ministry report also shows that a quarter of Maldivian women become sexually active between the ages of 15 and 17, before the legal adult age.

Six percent of female Maldivians are under the age of 15 when they have their first sexual experience. For many of them, the experience is forced or coerced.

From comparisons with similar research done by the WHO on 11 other countries, the Gender Ministry report also reveals that only two other countries – Namibia and Peru – have areas with higher rates of child sexual abuse than Male’.

The density of the island’s population, which forces girls into sharing sleeping space with a large number of people, especially older males, is one of the main factors the report identifies as contributing to the frequency of the crime in Male’, the report says.

Girls who are forced to travel to Male’ to study and have to board with relatives, friends and strangers are also identified in the report as being particularly vulnerable.

The fact that the most common type of child sex offender is a male family member may contribute to its high rates in Male’, the report says.

“Perhaps in Male’, where extended families live together, often in crowded conditions, young women and girls are more at risk from their male family members that they live with”, it says.

International research into the impact of child sexual abuse has shown that victims of child sex abuse are likely to become afflicted by a large number of behavioural and psychological problems including negative impact on reproductive health, relationship problems, sexual dysfunction, depression, thoughts of suicide, deliberate self-harm as well as substance abuse and sexual risk taking.

The penalty for child sex abuse, according to the Child Sex Abuse (Special Provisions) Act, is 10-14 years but can be extended to 15-18 years if the accused was in a position of trust with the children he allegedly abused. The new Act is not retroactive, and its sentencing does not apply to child abuse crimes committed before it was implemented.

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Canadian Muslims build Arctic’s first minaret

Canadian Muslims have built the Arctic’s first minaret in Inuvik last month, traveling 4,000 kilometers over land and water to erect the structure which will serve a growing Muslim population in Canada’s far north.

AFP reported that the locally-built minaret has four levels and stands 10 metre off the ground.

“It’s really beautiful when we turn on the lights in the dark,” Amier Suliman, a mosque committee member, told AFP on Wednesday.

Only finishing touches, including applying a second coat of paint inside, and hooking up bathroom plumbing, remain before the mosque’s grand opening next week.

“Some will say it’s a new frontier for Islam,” Suliman told AFP. “But for me what is significant is that Muslims here who once prayed on Fridays at a local Catholic church or in a trailer now have a proper place to worship, with a proper minaret. Now we have a home to worship in our own hometown. That’s the most important for me.”

The facility will also double as a Muslim community center.

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Three day MDP congress begins with formation of women and youth wings

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party [MDP] will commence its congress tonight at Dharubaaruge in Hakura Maalam.

Spokesperson for the party Ibrahim Haleem told Minivan News that the congress was scheduled to commence at 9:00pm with a speech by the party’s chairperson and MP Mariya Didi.

After the speech by Mariya, Haleem said the party’s parliamentary group leader MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik will also address to the delegates.

“After that there will be a special reception, and the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed will also take part in the congress tonight,’’ said Haleem. ‘’It will be biggest and sophisticated congress ever held in the country.’’

Haleem said that Friday afternoon discussion meetings will be held t establish the party’s “woman’s spirit” wing and “youth wing”, mirroring two institutions of the opposition DRP.

“During the meeting we will amend our party’s charter, and delegates will also discuss when to hold the party elections to appoint two new deputy chairpersons,’’ Haleem said. “After the discussion they will announce a date for the elections.”

He said the Chairperson would not change because “the term is five years and it has not expired yet.”

‘’We are expecting more than 1000 representatives, delegates and supporters to take part in the event,’’ he added.

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) held its annual congress in February this year.

During the congress the party elected its leader as MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Umar Naseer, MP Ahmed Ilham, MP Ali Waheed and Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef as Deputy leaders.

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Home ministry to build home for NGOs

The Home Ministry will build a 10 storey building for NGOs in Male’ north of Viyafaariveringe Mosque, as a way of reducing office expenses for civil society organisations in the congested capital.

Deputy Director General Mohamed Waheed said the government expected to begin construction next year.

The cabinet suggested in October that the government construct a building for NGOs with state funds.

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Minivan News responds to MNJA allegations of ‘irresponsible journalism’

The following is an English-language translation of a press release press release issued by the Maldives National Journalists Association (MNJA) on October 28 2010, in response to our coverage of the Vilu Reef ‘wedding’ video.

The verbatim translation of the filthy language used by a ‘celebrant’ in a symbolic wedding ceremony conducted on a Maldivian resort published by Minivan News is not the type of journalism that should be practised by a responsible newspaper. The publication of filthy language by anyone, in whatever language, falls outside the standards of professional journalism.

This organisation condemns the use of unacceptable language of low standards in any newspaper or website that can be read or accessed by children, adults and families. We would also like to take this opportunity to note that the translation published in Minivan News will damage Maldivian tourism and business.

SIM Ibrahim Mohamed
President of the Maldives National Journalist Association

Minivan News responds:

Minivan News heartily agrees that the Maldives National Journalists Association (MNJA) should be concerned about the filthy language used by a Vilu Reef staff member in the leaked video, in which paying tourists seeking to renew their wedding vows are mocked and degraded by up to 15 complicit resort staff.

However Minivan News feels such concern would be better voiced by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), easily done as the two organisations are headed by the same individual, Sim Mohamed Ibrahim.

Minivan News is in fact surprised that MATI has yet to comment on an incident which has sparked worldwide concern about the humiliating and degrading treatment of guests on a resort, and hopes it has not adopted a head-in-the-sand approach to an issue of such national importance.

Furthermore, Minivan News believes that the duty of a ‘responsible’ news publication is to bring such sensitive issues to light, without fear or prejudice, holding big business to account when its behavior damages the Maldives’ cherished reputation for tourism excellence.

We sincerely hope that MNJA/MATI stops ‘shooting the messenger’ and uses its respect and political clout to ensure that such shameful behaviour does not happen again in the future.

Minivan News

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Corruption Index ranks Maldives below Zimbabwe

The Maldives has been ranked 143 in Transparency International’s 2010 Corruption Perception Index, equal with Pakistan and below Zimbabwe.

The ranking represents a fall of 15 places since the 2009 Index, which itself fell 15 places from the 2008 Index.

The Maldives is now ranked well below regional neighbours, including India (87), Sri Lanka (91) and Bangladesh (134). Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore ranked first, while Somalia ranked last at 178, below Burma and Afghanistan.

The Maldivian index was calculated using three different sources, explained Executive Director of Transparency Maldives, Ilham Mohamed. These were the Asian Development Bank’s Country Performance Index 2009, Global Insight’s Country Risk Report 2010, and the World Bank’s Country Policy and Institutional Assessment 2009.

“I think [the decline] reflects changes we are going through as a democracy – political instability is also considered when calculating the index,” Ilham said. “But this reflects the fact that the international community considers us more corrupt since 2008.”

Despite having a new constitution the Maldives does not have “the enabling legislation” in place to combat corruption, Ilham said. “We don’t even have a criminal code.”

She hesitated to say whether corruption was “a cultural problem”, because this was “a common justification in many Asian countries.”

“Nepotism is nepotism no matter where it happens,” Ilham said. “Howver it could be that the index reflects that practices such as patronage and gift-giving – which weren’t perceived as corrupt – are now beginning to be recognised as such.”

Corruption has maintained a high profile in the Maldives throughout 2010, most dramatically in July when recordings of phone conversations between MPs were leaked to the press. MPs were heard discussing plans to derail the taxation bill, implement no-confidence motions against ministers, buy someone called “Rose”, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the exchange of “millions”.

People’s Alliances party (PA) leader Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom told Minivan News at the time that while a voice in the sound clips might have been his, the conversations were ”not to borrow money to bribe MPs… [rather] as friends, we might help each other,” he said.

Meanwhile, “I need cash”, a recorded comment from Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed to an individual believed to be Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, quickly became something of a meme in the Maldives, with islanders in his constituency of Kulhudhufushi setting up a collections box on the beach.

However the debate quickly turned one of telecommunications legalities, with the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) issuing a statement condemning the recording of private phone calls.

Shortly afterwards parliament levelled a no-confidence motion at Education Minister Dr Mustafa Luthfy, the entire cabinet resigned in protest against the “scorched earth” tactics of the opposition majority parliament. The former ministers accused parliament of outright corruption and police arrested MPs Yameen and Gasim and charged them with treason and vote buying, for “attempting to topple the government illegally.”

Both were released when the Supreme Court overruled a decision by the High Court to hold the pair under house arrest for 15 days.

Police later that month arrested Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, also of the PA, and ruling Maldivian Democratic Party MP Mohamed Musthafa on suspicion of bribing MPs and a civil court judge.

The Criminal Court ordered their release and several senior police lawyers giving evidence were suspended from court “on ethical grounds”.

Senior officers at the time expressed concern that investigations into “high-profile corruption cases” were compromised at “a very preliminary stage”, noting that the court had refused to even issue arrest warrants for a case involving more than a kilogram of heroin.

Police lodged that complaint with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), which has yet to review any of the nearly 120 complaints it has received this year.

Earlier in the year Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem was also dismissed in a no-confidence motion by parliament shortly after demanding a financial audit of all ministers, past and present, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found Naeem guilty of buying a tie and boat transport with government money, and he was summarily dismissed.

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Criminal Court stops accepting new cases, Civil Court returns to normal

The Criminal Court has told the Prosecutor General not to send any new cases to the court until further notice as it is busy implementing administrative changes required by the Judicature Act.

The Civil Court, which had suspended “all matters of justice” for seven days from Sunday to make administrative changes necessitated by the Judicature Act, will be returning to normal tomorrow, Chief Judge Ali Sameer told Minivan News.

“Four days” in which justice was suspended so the court can focus on administrative jobs, Chief Judge Sameer said, was “not bad”.

Chief Judge Sameer denied that President Nasheed’s ratification of the Act on Thursday 21 October had taken the court by surprise. Rather, he said, the Court was unsure as to whether President Nasheed would ratify the Act or not.

“Had he not ratified the Act as passed by the Majlis, pre-emptive action on our part would have meant that we would have made changes that were unnecessary, and also incurred a huge amount of expenses unnecessarily”, he said.

The Judicature Act was enacted to bring the nation’s judiciary in line with the standards set by  the 2008 Constitution to establish an independent judiciary replacing the administrative system of justice that was in place prior to the passing of the Constitution.

It creates the country’s courts, establishes their system of hierarchy and forms regulations according to which they should function.

The Act, which the President ratified within the specified 15-day period, changed the name of the Madhanee Court to Civil Court and the name of the Jinaaee Court to Criminal Court. ‘Madhanee’ means ‘civil’ in Arabic and ‘jinaaee’ means ‘criminal’.

Changes in the Act also affect the operation of courts in various islands. Attempts by Minivan News to contact the Chief Judicial Administrator Ibrahim Adam Manik to clarify the full range of administrative changes that has necessitated the interruptions to justice proved unsuccessful.

When Minivan News was able to get Manik on the phone after a two hour period in which his secretary repeatedly said he was “on his break” he requested that the question be sent to him by email.

Manik ignored the email when it was sent as requested.

The Criminal Court announcement states the difficulties have arisen because “relevant authorities of the judiciary have not taken the required decisions” on the procedures to be followed in the cases that are now brought to the court.

Nor have the said authorities taken a decision on how island courts should be addressed when the Criminal Court is sending out summons or messages to people involved in the cases being brought to the court.

The Court does not specify a date when it will resume accepting cases from the Prosecutor General. It says, however, “even though the Court is encountering administrative difficulties in implementing the many changes required by the new Act”, it will resume normal business “as soon as the work is completed”

Mohamed Nasheed, Independent MP for Kulhudhuffushi, who was a member of the Parliamentary Committee in charge of the Bill said the courts should have been in a position to meet the changes required by the Judicature Act head on.

The Bill had been in the Parliament since the beginning of the year, and the Parliamentary Committee had worked closely with the Courts during the re-drafting stages, asking for their opinion, comments and feedback all along the way, Nasheed said.

“The Judicature Act does not bring about a change so fundamental or so radical that the process of dispensing justice has to be interrupted. There should have been a smooth transition in which the courts seamlessly integrated the changes as the Act was ratified,” Nasheed said.

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Celebrity couple Katy Perry and Russell Brand honeymooning in the Maldives

British comedian Russell Brand and pop star wife Katy Perry were last night rumoured to be hopping around resorts in the Maldives trying to evade paparazzi disguised as hotel guests.

The celebrity couple arrived at Male’ International Airport late Monday night on a private jet, according to Minivan News sources. Senior Airport staff are reported to have met the couple on their arrival.

Minivan News understands the couple first transferred to Four Seasons Kuda Hura in North Male’ Atoll, before surreptitiously transferring to Four Seasons Landagiraavaru after supposed media intrusion. The couple have now reportedly departed for yet another resort.

An Indian entertainment website meanwhile reported today that the Brands’ honeymoon might soon be over as the prospect of a major lawsuit arising from their wedding looms on the horizon.

An Indian activist, Akhshay Sharma, according to OneIndia, has filed a criminal complaint against the couple and two others for allegedly violating the green laws during their Hindu wedding ceremony on October 23 in India’s Ranthambore National Park, which involved a man-eating tiger.

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