Month: November 2010

State requests extension to respond to Yameen civil suit

The state has requested an extension in the civil suit brought by MP Abdulla Yameen against the Maldives Police Service for unlawful arrest, claiming that it is awaiting a report from the Supreme Court of its verdict on a related case, reports Haveeru.

The Supreme Court ruled on June 29 that Yameen’s arrest on charges of alleged bribery and attempting to overthrow the government was unlawful.

At the second hearing of the case on Sunday, Yameen’s lawyer Azima Shukoor, a former Attorney General, argued that the absence of the Supreme Court report was not justifiable grounds for failing to answer to a civil suit.

Judge Aisha Shujune adjourned the hearing after scheduling the case for November 29 and told the state attorney that it would be the final opportunity to respond.

While the lawsuit did not specify an amount for compensation or damages, Azima argued at the last hearing that the arrest was in violation of articles 47(b), 45, 46 and 48(a) and that the claimant had to spend Rf61,005 on strengthening security at his residence and Rf668,950 on lawyer’s fees. In addition, the claimant also claimed to have suffered emotional and psychological distress during the arrest, which took place while an angry crowd was protesting outside his house.

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Bangladeshi killed in street mugging

A 30 year-old Bangladeshi man was killed this morning in Maafanu Carnation Magu in Male’ after being stabbed in the chest during what is thought to have been an attempted mugging.

According to police, the incident took place at about 7am and the man died shortly afterward while undergoing treatment at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

No arrests have been in connection to the case yet, a police media official said.

Residents of the area told Minivan News that two men attempted to the rob the Bangladeshi of his backpack and Nokia mobile phone and he was stabbed when he fought back.

“People from the neighbourhood came out when they heard him screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’,” a woman who wished to remain anonymous recounted. “There was blood on the middle of the road and his insides had spilled out.”

She claimed that while police arrived on the scene promptly, it was only 30 minutes later that the victim was taken to the hospital.

But, a police media official denied the accusation, claiming that “police went to the scene and did the necessary checks and he was taken to the hospital as quickly as possible; it can’t have been 30 minutes.”

None of the residents who witnessed the aftermath saw the assailants.

A Bangladeshi in the area claimed that the victim was on his way to work after having breakfast when he was attacked by ‘parteys’ (drug addicts).

“A few days ago, two of them stole my phone when I was in front of the house,” he said. “It is not safe for us here anymore.”

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Participants take part in Salaf ‘Hijra’ camp

A ‘Hijra’ camp set up by religious NGO, Jamiyyath-al-Salaf, took place last week on Thinadhoo in Vaavu atoll in order to try and keep young people from ‘sin’ as well as extending Islamic knowledge through a combination of workshops and activities.

Costing Rf300 per person, Haveeru reported that the camp, which ran between November 18 to November 20, took in 60 participants for a combination of prayer and workshops overseen by Sheikh Adam Shameem Ibrahim. Ibrahim also delivered a sermon at the event.

Participants between 17 and 25 years of age that stayed at the camp were also invited to engage in water sports, fitness regimes and leadership training, according to Salaf, which told Haveeru that it aims to hold similar camps in the country soon.

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Parliament resumes with cabinet endorsement on the agenda

Parliament continues to debate endorsing the reappointment of cabinet this morning as some opposition groups pledge to block any and all appointments, an issue that has immobilised the legislature with forced cancellations over the past month.

Voting on the cabinet issue is due to take place at the end of today’s sitting. The outcome will be covered by Minivan News as it happens.

During the 20-minute debate, opposition People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla declared that the party would not vote to approve any ministers.

“We have decided not to approve any of the ministers that resigned,” he said. “Whether [the issue] is sent to committee and brought back or any other way it is done.”

PA’s coalition partner, main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), meanwhile has an undisclosed list of ministers it intends not to approve.

MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) continue to insist that the issue should be sent back to committee or removed from the agenda until parliamentary rules of procedure can be amended. These amendments relate to a Supreme Court ruling invalidating a provision allowing presidential nominees to the cabinet to be interviewed by committee.

MDP MP for Madaveli, Mohamed Nazim, said today that the Speaker cancelled previous sittings to seek a compromise between the two main parties, but “to this day I am not aware that any solution has been found. My parliamentary group leader has definitely not informed me that a particular solution has been found after discussions.”

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DRP Leader, Parliament Speaker dismiss bribery allegations

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid – also a DRP MP – have dismissed allegations republished in local media that they each accepted bribes of US$1 million from Indian infrastructure giant GMR to stall parliament sittings until the GMR-Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium took over management of Male’ International Airport.

Parliament Majority Leader Thasmeen dismissed the rumours as “a total fabrication” linked to opposing political agendas while Speaker Shahid said he had “never met [GMR officials] and never been offered anything.”

“These allegations originated in an internet site called the Dhivehi Post,” Thasmeen told Minivan News today. “If you go through it you can make a reasonable guess as to who they support.”

He added that the party’s opposition to the GMR airport deal had not changed as DRP signed an agreement with four opposition parties in parliament to oppose the leasing of the international airport.

Managing Director of GMR Male International Airport Limited P Sripathy described the claims as “totally false and baseless, and very disappointing and damaging to our reputation. We have never met any members of the opposition to date.”

“The GMR Group is in Male’ on serious business – to build a world class, benchmark airport that people of Male’ and the Group will be very proud of,” he added.

The rumours of the senior DRP officias  accepting bribes from GMR surfaced in the Dhivehi Post blog earlier this month, a website that routinely refers to President Mohamed Nasheed as “bipolar” and “ganjabo” (marijuana smoker).

The DRP, DQP, JP and PA formed an opposition coalition in June to protest against the airport deal, on nationalistic grounds. Deputy Leader of the DRP Umar Naseer told Minivan News on June 28 that ” if [the operators] allowed it, an Israel flight can come and stop over after bombing Arab countries.”

The government has alleged that opposition to the airport deal stems from the “vested interests” of certain MPs, several of whom it arrested following the resignation of cabinet on June 29 in protest against the “scorched earth politics” of the opposition-majority parliament.

The fuel trade is the most immediately lucrative part of the airport deal, Minivan News understands, and is a key reason behind both GMR’s interest and the government’s decision to award the contract to the Indian infrastructure giant. GMR has told Minivan News it will amalgamate the trade under one umbrella, a decision that will likely affect current third party suppliers.

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MDP campaign office ransacked

The campaign office of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in Male’ was robbed on Friday night.

According to MNBC One, a number of documents, including a voter list of Male’ constituencies and an office laptop were stolen.

MDP Male’ Primaries Coordinator Sofwan Ibrahim said the thieves rifled through desks and drawers but the office was not seriously damaged.

He added that police arrived to inspect the scene when the robbery was reported on Saturday morning.

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Development and climate change adaption “go hand-in-hand”, says Greenpeace

Rather than establishing a one size fits all-style blueprint for more sustainable economies, the Maldives’ well publicised carbon neutral commitments demonstrate how national development and fighting climate change can be mutually exclusive, environmental organisation Greenpeace has said.

Wendel Trio, Climate Policy and Global Deal Coordinator for Greenpeace International, believes that the Maldives can play an iconic role in promoting the potential benefits of adopting alternate energy programmes, rather than detailing how to practically adopt a lower carbon economy.

“The Maldives can become a strong proponent of a paradigm shift in the World Bank and in developing countries whereby it is recognized that fighting climate change and promoting development go hand in hand,” Trio explained.

The claims come as the country has this month found itself elected as a Co-Chair of the World Bank Strategic Climate Fund Governing Committee (SCF), a development the Maldives Environment Ministry believes grants it a much louder voice in outlining international green policy on sustainable energy sources.

The SCF is part of the governing body of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), which are used in attempts to finance pilot projects in developing countries that focus on generating cleaner and renewable energy sources as well as other sustainable agricultural policies.

Trio claimed that with the Maldives’ elevated status in the World Bank’s CIF programme, the country can act more as an example of the “bold commitments” that a nation can make on environmental issues rather than existing as a model that can be adopted by other nations looking to go carbon neutral.

In looking specifically at the Maldives being elected as Co-Chair of the SCF, the Greenpeace spokesperson accepted that the country is somewhat limited by its size in the role it can have as an advocate for more sustainable business and lifestyles.

“By coupling both strong words and the need for the big emitting countries in the developed and the developing world to reduce their emissions sharply, with a strong commitment at home, the Maldives has also gained respect,” Trio explained to Minivan News. “However, obviously none of the big emitting countries are looking at the Maldives as an example, as they all claim that their social and economic development cannot be compared to that of a small island state.”

Ultimately, Deputy Environment Minister Minister Mohamed Shareef says the appointment of the Maldives to a co-chair role in the Climate Fund Committee will not directly impact existing carbon neutral aims across the nation.

However, he expects the position to allow the country to have a more active role in outlining global sustainable policy that might better favour national developments.

In terms of national interests, the Maldives is expected to retain its high profile commitments to carbon neutrality, which the Deputy Environment Minister says will be the key to pursuing additional ecological overhauls in relation to waste and conservation.

Aside from the global status afforded by the Maldives’ carbon neutral ambitions, the practical success of energy security and more cost effective fuels afforded by the Maldives’ green ambitions will be essential to fund wider ministry focuses on recycling, conservation and waste management, at least according to the Deputy Environment Minister Mohamed Shareef.

Shareef told Minivan News that although authorities are trying to focus on providing a wide range of programmes relating to conservation and waste management, budgetary restrictions are ensuring sustainable energy is the key environmental focus for the nation.

Despite opening itself up to possible criticism that the Maldivian government is not as committed to commitments like having recycling facilities and even public bins across the country, Shareef believes greener energy is vital to helping bankroll additional environmental commitments.

“At present, about 25 percent of the Maldives revenue is spent on energy due to higher fuel costs,” he says.

In considering the “very high” costs of energy being faced in the country, focusing on more cost efficient supplies of power and fuel is hoped by the Deputy Environment Minister to offset current budget limitations that are claimed to be hindering focusing on recycling and littering that directly impact everyday Maldivians.

Shareef claims that the Environment Ministry is nonetheless working to act on wider sustainability commitments beyond looking to overhaul the nation’s energy supplies.

“We haven’t forgotten [recycling and waste management commitments] and we are working on projects in a number of areas,” he says. “You will increasingly hear more mentions about our energy commitments due to the short deadline – carbon neutrality by 2020 – that has been set.”

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Visiting Danish Ministers announce climate mitigation assistance

Denmark will fund climate mitigation programs in Kenya, Indonesia and the Maldives as part of its US$40 million ‘fast-track’ climate change initiative.

Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Søren Pind and Minister for Climate Change and Energy Dr Lykke Friis held a joint press conference with President Mohamed Nasheed this morning in the President’s Office, and announced assistance for infrastructure and capacity-building projects in the Maldives.

“In global climate talks there is sometimes the tendency to say ‘If we don’t agree now, we’ll just agree next year.’ But if anyone suffers from that illusion they should come to the Maldives, because here you get an education that action is needed now,” said Dr Friis.

“There has been so much debate about [assistance] being just around the corner – what we wanted to do with this visit was get around that corner. We did not come empty handed – we came with some very concrete initiatives with which we will continue to deepen the cooperation between our two countries,” she added.

While the Maldives is graduating from UN Less-Developed Country (LDC) status to middle income in January, something that may lead many donors to perceive the country as less needy’, Dr Friis explained that the Maldives had the ability to “make the case” for climate change action.

“Sometimes climate change is abstract and theoretical – you need concrete case studies like the Maldives,” she said. “Anybody following climate change has been inspired by the President Nasheed’s underwater cabinet meeting.”

“What we take back home is that it is not enough just to talk about climate change, but you have to walk the walk.”

Pind added that travelling to the Maldives and seeing the impact of environment erosion first hand “makes an impression.”

“It is one thing to hear about it, but very different to see it in reality,’ he said.

Pind also added that the Danish delegation had held talks with President Nasheed on other challenges facing the country, such as growing radicalisation.

“I had the opportunity to discuss this with the President,” he said. “I have recently travelled to, Kenya, Somaliland and Ethiopia, and I can tell you that [radicalisation] is not only a challenge faced in the Maldives. We discussed the importance of open societies to be able to combat these challenges.”

During the press conference, President Nasheed also revealed the government’s intention to leave the G77, a coalition of 131 developing nations formed in 1964 to promote their collective economic interests in the United Nations.

“The G77 was formed during the Cold War – now it’s obsolete and unnecessary. I pointed this out in Copenhagen as a well. They do not work on our behalf, and they do not understand our present issues,” Nasheed said. “We do not intend to remain in G77, we do not think this is an organisation that is relevant or necessary anymore. We also think there are many countries within the G77 group that will go along with us.”

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Salaf organising ‘Creed’ workshop to strengthen Maldivians’ faith

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf has announced it will hold a two-day workshop called ‘Creed’ to strengthen the faith of Maldivians and to brief the participants about the ‘true methodology of religion’.

Salaf said that President of the NGO Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Ibrahim, Sheikh Ali Zahir Bin Saeed Gasim, Sheikh Adam Shameem Bin Ibrahim, Sheikh Hassan Moosa Fikry and Sheikh Ahmed Sameer Ibrahim will brief the participants of the workshop.

Spokesperson of Salaf Ibrahim Mohamed said that the participants will be instructed on five main topics.

‘’Creed, rights of Allah, comparative religion, how to act on controversial issues and the Sunnah of prophet,’’ said Ibrahim. “We will brief the students at a basic level.’’

The NGO said that the workshop was aimed at people of all ages, male and female.

The workshop is due to be held on 26th of November, certificates will be awarded to those who take part in the workshop, said Salaf.

Recently Salaf organised a religious camp named ‘Hijra’.

“The camp was very very successful, there were nearly 70 participants,” said Ibrahim.

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