Month: March 2011

Government moves to outlaw tinted windows in commercial vehicles

The government has reportedly moved to ban the use of materials such as Sun-X and other solar window film products that obscure viewing the inside of taxis and other commercial vessels and vehicles in the Maldives.

Haveeru has reported that the national transport authority has acted under article 45 of the constitution and now expects all vehicles that are being used for commercial reasons to be in compliance with the new regulation by April 1 2011.

Although not directly connected to any specific case, news of the announcement follows an alleged attempt by a taxi driver in Male’ this month to sexually assault a 20-year old woman in a vehicle with darkly tinted windows.

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UK High Commission auctioning painting to help Japanese tsunami victims

Bids for a painting by Deputy High Commissioner of the Maldives to the UK, Naushad Waheed, have reached £5000.00 (US$8000).

Waheed auctioned the painting, entitled ‘Kyotsu – Hachi’, in an effort to raise money for victims of the March 11 tsunami in Japan. The painting was unveiled at a lunch in London attended by members of the All Party Maldives Group, including Lord Naseby, Lord Dholakia, Karen Lumley and David Amess.

Waheed explained that the painting depicts “several common elements from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 that devastated my country, and the recent tsunami that devastated the east coast of Japan.”

The title of the painting, he noted, represented the total sum of the numeric dates of the two tsunamis: “Interestingly both dates equal eight (26-12-2004 and 11-3-2011).” ‘Hachi’ is Japanese for the number eight.

Waheed, who is the brother of Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, was detained by the former administration in 1999 following the publication of a cartoon in a magazine called Hukuru. Two years later he was arrested for criticism of the then-government and tried for treason, and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

He became Deputy High Commissioner to the UK in 2008.

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Celebrities join MDP during Monday night’s rally

Eleven local celebrities have joined the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) during a special rally of the party held last night at the artificial beach.

They included actor Yousuf Shafeeu ‘Youppe’, his wife, actress Fathimath Fareela, and actors Ziya, Faisal, Muaz ‘Mua’, ‘Dhara Rasheed as well as artists Mohamed Sobah, Ahmed Sameeu, famous musician Ayyuman Shareef and famous directors Ahmed Nimal and Ali Shifau.

‘’I decided to join MDP because it is a kind party and I wanted to serve the people of this nation with those already working for the benefit of the citizens,’’ said Yousuf Shafeeu, addressing the people at the rally and explaining why he decided to join MDP.

President Mohamed Nasheed also addressed people at the rally.

Nasheed said would establish regulations to regulate the dollar market of the Maldives and said ‘’there are dollars in the Maldives and there should be no reason for a dollar shortage.’’

He also noted that the only pledge ‘untouched’ out of the five pledges Maldivian Democratic Party [MDP] made during the presidential elections was the pledge to lower living expenses.

‘’Work has been conducted to reduce the living expense, therefore, the increasing percentage of living expense which was 12 percent has been reduced to five percent,’’ he said.

MDP Parliamentary Group leader MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, MP Ahmed Sameer, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, as well as MP Mohamed Shifaz, MP Ahmed Easa and Tourism Minister Dr Mariyam Zulfa addressed the attendants of the rally last night.

Moosa in his speech claimed he was “ready to prove” the corruption charges on People’s Alliance Party (PA) leader and Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s half-brother Abdulla Yameen, referring to the allegations that he sold oil in the blackmarket when he was the head of State Trading Organization (STO).

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Interpol denies media reports of Maldivians’ involvement in World Cup terror plot

Interpol has criticised media reports in the Maldives following claims that it was hunting two Maldivian nationals over alleged plans to attack the 2011 Cricket World Cup event, adding that it had no such information.

In a statement released today, Interpol said a report in local newspaper Haveeru inaccurately cited it as stating that it was searching for two Maldivians suspected of involvement in a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LET) terror plot.

Interpol also reiterated claims made earlier today by the Maldives’ National Security Advisor denying any knowledge of Maldivian involvement in any reported terrorist plots targeting the Cricket World Cup.

“An article entitled ‘Interpol on the hunt for two Maldivians involved in planning Cricket World Cup attack’ and published in the newspaper Haveeru on 26 March 2011 in the Maldives contains serious inaccuracies which require a correction by the newspaper and an express denial from Interpol,” the organisation stated.

“The article states that ‘Two Maldivian nationals, who are believed to be connected to a Pakistani terrorist group, are now wanted by the International Criminal Police Organisation – INTERPOL – for conspiring to  attack international cricketers during the ongoing  2011 Cricket World Cup.’  In fact, there are currently no Maldivians wanted for arrest by Interpol for conspiring to attack any of the 2011 Cricket World Cup events.”

Interpol claimed that a reported confirmation from ” officials” cited in the article, alleging the involvement of “four Pakistanis, two Maldivians and an Afghan” in an alleged terror plot had not been made as the organisation had not received any such information.

Interpol’s statement followed similar claims by Ameen Faisal, the Maldives’ National Security Advisor, who denied that the country’s security forces had been involved in any investigations concerning Maldivian involvement in alleged terror attacks targeting the ICC tournament.

Faisal today issued a statement claiming that Iqbal Mohamed, a suspect taken into custody earlier this month and identified in press reports as being involved in alleged plans to strike the tournament, had been arrested solely in connection to an earlier attack that occurred in Male’ in 2007.  After being taken into police custody on March 10, Iqbal was released by the Criminal Court this week after police reportedly did not supply required information to detain him further.

The statement from Faisal was released to media just twenty four hours after Maldivian police told Minivan News that they had not been supplied with any information relating to an Interpol hunt for two Maldivians accused of being part of a wider terrorist group targeting the high profile cricket tournament being held in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.

Attempting to clarify the arrest of a terrorist suspect made at Male’ International Airport earlier this month, Faisal stated that he had no knowledge of any involvement of Iqbal in plans to attack the Cricket World Cup as alleged by international media, including the Times of India.

“Iqbal Mohamed is a Maldivian citizen who had an Interpol Red Notice issued against him in connection to an improvised explosive device which was detonated in Sultan Park, Male’ on Saturday, 29 September 2007,” said Faisal in a statement.

“Iqbal Mohamed was travelling back to the Maldives from Pakistan, via Colombo, when the Interpol’s Major Events’ Support Team, who was in operation due to the ICC Cricket World Cup, identified him and informed the Maldivian authorities in coordination with the security agencies of our friendly neighbouring countries.”

Faisal added that the Maldives had been grateful for the assistance provided by Interpol and regional police services.

Iqbal’s arrest was related to questioning over a homemade bomb attack in Male’ in 2007, where a device built from components such as a gas cylinder, a washing machine motor and a mobile phone exploded injuring 12 tourists – several seriously.

Although police sources have previously claimed that the suspect was believed to have been in Pakistan at the time of the bombing, Iqbal had still been wanted by authorities as part of their ongoing investigations into the 2007 attack over an alleged role in the plan.

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“Translation errors” slow Evidence Bill

Some articles of the pending Evidence Bill “made no sense at all”, Chair of Parliament’s Independent Commissions Committee Mohamed Mujitaz said today, at a press conference in parliament.

He said the bill was sent to the committee in 2009 and that MPs in the committee had noted that there were many issues with the bill.

MPs had tried to determine what sources were cited in drafting the bill, discovering that the Malaysian Evidence Act was the original source.

”But the translation of the Act was not accurate and in a Maldivian court where they speak the Dhivehi Language, judges would not be able to reach the expected verdicts with that translation,” he said.

The bill had had been sent back to the Attorney General’s office in January, he said.

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Parliament confirms ongoing “confidential” investigation of JSC

Parliament’s Committee for Independent Commissions has confirmed it is conducting a closed-door investigation of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), the body responsible for the appointment of judges and oversight of the judiciary.

The JSC has been both the subject of a damning report by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into the JSC’s awarding of extraneous committee allowances.

Several judges – including Chief Judge of the Family Court Hassan Saeed – who were passed over for appointment to the High Court by the JSC have come forward to complain about issues relating to the JSC’s procedures after his appeal was dropped by the Supreme Court.

During a press conference held in parliament today, Committee Chair Mohamed Mujitaz confirmed that a sub-committee was conducting an ongoing investigation into the JSC, but said the members of the sub-committee had decided to keep the proceedings confidential.

According to Parliament’s regulations, closed door meetings can be held on issues relating to national security, law enforcement, or where a person is at risk of being defamed or perceived “as having committed a wrong.”

Minivan News understands that the three members of the Sub-Committee include Chair Ahmed Hanza, Mohamed Mujitaz and Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed. Hamza and Nasheed had not responded to Minivan News’ request for comment on the matter at time of press.

The President’s Member of the JSC, Aishath Velezinee, an outspoken whistleblower and critic of the JSC who has previously accused it of not just compromised independence but collusion with members of parliament to oust the executive, said the sub-committee had shown no interest in answering the letter of no-confidence she had sent in February 2010.

“On August 4 I sent a letter requesting an injunction order on the reappointment of judges until parliament had completed its investigation [of the JSC],” she said, adding that this too had gone unanswered.

Velezinee confirmed that JSC members had been summoned by the sub-committee, but had been informed that the questioning had related to her own conduct.

“The focus of the investigation appears to be taking action against me,” she claimed. “They’ve also asked for attendance sheets. Why is this being conducted in secret?”

“I’ve named five people – including two members on the sub-committee – as involved in this ‘silent coup’,” she said.

“The judiciary has not transformed [since the introduction of separation of powers], just transferred. The old boys [of the former administration] are trying the legitimise their return to power with a court order. Judging from the recent behaviour of the Supreme Court, it is in on it now which is utterly irresponsible and a tragedy.”

Professor Murray Kellam, a former Australian Supreme Court Justice who recently spent several weeks observing the JSC on the invitation of UNDP, pressed for transparency stating that “sunlight is the best antiseptic”.

“The process in your Constitution is that [in the event of] gross misconduct and gross incompetence, the Majlis (parliament) has the job of dismissing [the JSC], and that’s consistent with other places in the world,” he said.

“But the problem here is that the body making the recommendation is also the membership.”

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Kaafu Atoll budget frozen by Mid-North National Office, claim Councilors

The Kaafu Atoll council has been obstructed from functioning and conducting its work after the Mid-North National Office froze the budget expected by the council, reports Haveeru.

Kaafu Atoll Council’s President Ahmed Saeed told the paper that the council might be unwilling to pay the wages of the civil servants working in the council as well as the councilors.

Haveeru reported that the budget was held by the National Office due to inconsistent articles in the concerned law within the constitution.

The paper also reported that the council’s president had said that development programs scheduled were delayed and could only be commenced after it received the budget.

“We were told that the budget would not be provided until after the conclusion of the judicial procedures. The budget has not been provided to any island [council] of the atoll. The atoll has come to a halt,” he told Haveeru.

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President grants clemency to reggae artist sentenced to 10 years imprisonment

President Mohamed Nasheed has granted clemency to famous Maldivian reggae artist Haisham Mohamed, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after one gram of cannabis was found inside his bag and his urine was found to test positive to THC, the drug’s active ingredient.

Local radio station SunFM quoted Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service [DPRS] Director General Mohamed Rasheed saying that if persons released under parole committed an offense, the person would have to serve the annulled sentence and the punishment for the second offence as well.

Haisham, of Maafannu Loha, was arrested with a bag containing the illegal narcotics while in a resort to perform a live music show and was sentenced last year September.

The Criminal Court convicted Haisham under Article 4 [a][1] of the Drug Act after he tested positive for cannabis, an illegal substance under the Act. Haisham received five years for using the drug and five years for possession.

The judge ruled that according to witness statements, evidence, and Haisham’s own confession, he owned the bag containing illegal narcotics with which he was found.

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Cambridge invalidates Milandhoo maths results

Cambridge University has decided not to grade the O’Level mathematics papers for Milandhoo on Shaviyani Atoll, because the exam was conducted in breach of rules and regulations for examinations, reports Haveeru.

The university initially raised concerns over the similarity of students’ answers in the exam, witout

Director General of the Department of Public Examinations, Ahmed Shakeeb, said the 38 students who did the exam would receive no grade in the O-Level maths exam.

Deputy Principal of Milandhoo School Ahmed Anwar told Haveeru that the Education Ministry had yet to officially inform the school that the students marks had been invalidated.

Milandhoo ranked second in last year’s O-Level exams.

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