Day: December 20, 2011

Committee to review HRCM nomination

A temporary committee will review President Mohamed Nasheed’s nomination of Ahmed Tholal of Henveiru Adduge for deputy human rights commissioner. Parliament endorsed the committee today with 66 out of 68 votes.

The President made the nomination on Sunday.

The committee includes Dhidhoo MP Ahmed Sameer, Machangoalhi-North MP Mohamed Rasheed, Madaveli MP Mohamed Nazim, Kela MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom, Hithadhoo-South MP Hassan Latheef, Velidhoo MP Ali Mohamed, and Maavashu MP Abdul Aziz Jamaal Abu Bakr.

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has been without a deputy president for over a year. On October 4, 2010 Parliament unanimously approved Mariyam Azra as HRCM President but rejected the President’s nominee Jeehan Mahmoud by ten votes.

A coalition of local NGOs called the vacant posts “an immense obstacle to the effective functioning of the commission” at the time.

MPs said they opposed Mahmoud’s nomination for reasons of gender equality.

DRP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed told Minivan at the time that while he considered the people appointed for HRCM as capable, the role of President and Vice President “should include a male.”

“Even if you look at it from a religious perspective or from the perspective of good policy, there should be a male in either post,’’ he said.

Independent MP for Kudahuvadhoo, Ahmed Amir, said it was “against human rights” to have two females in the roles of President and Vice President.

“It is the woman who calls for equality most of the time,’’ Amir said, regarding the case.

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Audit report finds HRCM spent Rf133,639 in violation of public finance regulations

The audit report of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has revealed that the office has spent a total of Rf133,639 (US$ 8666) in violation of the public finance regulation during 2010.

In the report published on Sunday, Auditor General (AG) Ibrahim Niyaz revealed that the commission spent Rf127,939 on the UNDP project “Collaborating with Civil Society” and Rf5700 on “Strengthening the Administrative Functioning of the Commission” in violation of section 4.01 of the public finance regulation.

According to the report, the money was spent on a reimbursement basis; however the AG noted that it was not repaid till 29 September 2011.

HRCM however informed auditors that the money was deposited to the state’s income account. The Commission also assured the auditors that reimbursement mechanism would be improvised.

The report further reads that the auditors identified several outstanding bills for items and services purchased by the commission in 2010 – which the commission members were unaware of prior to the audit.

Therefore the AG concluded that the internal control system established within the commission to monitor the authenticity of financial statements was “not functioning properly”.

Furthermore, the report noted that a total of Rf44,746, which was stolen from the commission’s safe in 2008, still remains unaccounted for.

The money was stolen without any damage to the safe; hence the two members of the staff who knew the secret code to the safe should take responsibility for the theft, Niyaz claims in the report.

He also told the commission to recover the money from the two staff and reimburse it to the budget.

However, the commission noted that the police investigations had initially revealed that a double key to the safe was in the office key holder and four staff knew the combination to the safe – therefore, the commission could take no action until the negligent or responsible party is found by the police, the commission told the auditors.

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NSC to summon five cabinet members over Israel airline issue

The National Security Committee has decided to summon five cabinet ministers, Vice President of Adhaalath Party Dr Mauroof Hussein and Chief of Defence Force Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel in a bid to determine the potential consequences for allowing an Israel airline to operate to the country.

The matter was submitted to the parliament by Adhaalath Party Vice President Dr Mauroof Hussein.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Nazim, who is also a member of the National Security Committee, confirmed the summonses to Minivan News.

‘’The Chair of the committee will decide a date to summon them, it has not been decided yet,’’ Nazim said. ‘’They will be summoned and questioned about the issue.’’

MDP MP Mohamed Riyaz refused to comment on the matter while DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf did not respond to calls at time of press.

During yesterday’s meeting MPs also reviewed the matter  of the ‘silent’ protest for religious tolerance held on Human Rights Day on December 10, and the planned protest due to be conducted next Friday to ‘protect Islam’ in the country.

In May this year Israel’s national carrier El Al formally applied to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to begin flying to the Maldives from December.

Later, Adhaalath Party severed its coalition agreement with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in September, soon after the Transport Ministry granted a licence to Israeli flag carrier El Al to begin operations to Maldives.

Recently the Adhaalath Party sent a letter parliament’s national security committee which has begun debating whether to permit Israeli flights to land in the Maldives.

“If there is a terrorist attack in the Maldives due to the commencement of Zionist Israel’s flight operations to Maldives, the tourist arrival rates for the next 12 months will decline by 10-36 percent,” Adhaalath predicted in the letter, adding that the tourism industry would face a loss of US$200 million to US$1 billion. The party did not elaborate on how it reached the figures.

In the letter forwarded to the national security committee, which has an MDP majority, Adhaalath alleged that the Israeli flights are “targeted by the terrorists” and said that terrorist “eyes” would turn on Maldives if the operations commence, posing “serious threats to the national security”.

Transport Minister Adhil Saleem that time observed that opponents of allowing Israel to fly to the Maldives “don’t seem to have an issue with Israeli tourists coming to the Maldives and spending their money.”

His mandate as Transport Minister was to increase air, sea and cargo transport to and from all countries, Saleem said, “and if there is no specific legal exemption for Israel, I cannot treat it any differently as that would mean I was corrupt.”

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Civil Court orders MVKB to vacate duty free shop within 48 hours

The Civil Court has ordered MVK Maldives Private Limited to vacate the Alpha MVKB Duty Free shop and hand the premises to GMR Male’ International Airport Private Limited within 48 hours, or face eviction by the authorities. The deadline expires at 10:00am on Wednesday.

Civil Court Judge Maryam Nihayath ordered the Police and Customs Department to implement the verdict in the event that MVKB refused to comply.

MVK’s lawyer Azima Shukoor said that shop evacuation and handover by MVKB was not possible as the shop was currently the property of Customs. “There is nothing we can do about the 48-hour deadline since we don’t have access to the shop. We are forwarding the court order to Customs and requesting access to take inventory of the shop before anything further is done,” she said.

Shukoor explained that certain goods required specific air temperatures, and the shop does not currently have cupboards or shop doors.

Shukoor added that MVKB’s case had been appealed to the Supreme Court, and that the company is awaiting that ruling.

The verdict came after GMR filed a case in the Civil Court for the second time when MVKB refused to implement the earlier verdicts of the Civil and High Courts on the issue.

Judge Nihayath recalled that the High Court has ruled that MVKB has no right to use the land without GMR’s consent because it violates contractual rights.

On December 4, GMR officials began to physically remove the Alpha MVKB Duty Free Shop at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) after “several notices” to vacate the area were “ignored”.

On December 13, the High Court ruled that GMR had vacated the Alpha MVKB Duty Free Shop at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) legally and according to the agreement between both companies.

The High Court stated that GMR gave notice on March 1 and, as per the agreement, the contract terminated on March 31. As no party could extend the termination notice, the court concluded that MVKB had no right to remain at the airport without approval from GMR.

Company CEO Ibrahim Shafeeq subsequently organised a protest on Thursday, December 15 “to demonstrate our opinions and dislike of what GMR has done to us, and to get public responses.” Posters and banners read “Leave us Alone” and “GMR Go Home.”

Shafeeq today said the protest was “very successful, and more people are signing the petition [against GMR].”

Shafeeq said he would continue to protest GMR. “It hurt me and as an individual I have to defend myself,” he said.

Speaking to Minivan News yesterday at the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of work on the new airport terminal, GMR Chairman G M Rao said the company had encountered similar resistance from existing concessionaires when developing airports in Delhi and Istanbul.

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Bangladeshi man suffers head injuries in assault

Police have arrested three men and a minor on suspicion of a brutal attack on a Bangladeshi national on Goidhoo in Baa Atoll, which left him with serious injuries.

According to a police media official, the man was attacked by the group around 1.45am on Monday night, at the Goidhoo harbour area.

The reason for attack was unspecified by the police as the investigation is still ongoing.

However according to a Goidhoo Councillor, islanders are claiming that the Bangladeshi man was attacked in retaliation for “holding the hands of a married girl”, with whom he was claimed to be friends.

The councillor said the Bangladesh national was a security guard working at a Goidhoo harbour construction site and added that he was attacked while on duty.

He noted the man suffered severe injuries to his head, and his left hand was broken in two places.

“He was bleeding really badly from the bruises on his head and back. We found two wooden planks with his blood on it close to the area he was beaten,” the councillor said.

The man was brought to Male’ and admitted to IGMH after receiving care at Baa toll hospital.

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Exhibition gives voice to abused, neglected and abandoned children

Among the black and white images on display was a picture of a hoisted national flag, captured by a six year old boy who dreams to become a policeman. This was one picture among the 41 images showed at the photo exhibition “Me through my lens”  – which provides the first glimpse into the life of abused, neglected and abandoned children living at the state orphanage “Kudakudhinge Hiyaa” in Villigili Island.

The two-day photo exhibition open from 10:00am to 10:00pm is organised by two friends; photographer Hussain Sinan and Dr Aishath Saistha Rasheed, a paediatrician at IGMH- who have started a voluntary movement called “Voices” to help the children at the orphanage.

Speaking to Minivan News Dr Shaistha said that the photo exhibition is the “beginning of a series of events to help the children build their skills”.

According to Shaisthaa, all the basic needs of the children like food, shelter and clothing are fulfilled, but the children lacked the opportunity to harness their talents and skills.

“When we were young, our parents worked really hard to build our skills. But the children at the orphanage don’t have this opportunity. So we decided to help by starting to teach them photography,” Dr Shaisthaa said.

Under the initiative, a team of professional photographers taught the children the basics of photography. The children were then gifted disposable cameras and encouraged to take photos, out of which the best were displayed at the photo exhibition launched by President Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday night.

She noted that people often identified the children at Hiyaa as abused or victims. “But we wanted to show that is not what defines them,” she said.

“Even these children have skills. Just like any children at their age, they wish for small things that bring them joy.”

She noted that the money raised through the exhibition will be invested to run more skill-building programs involving sports, creative writing and art.

According to the other organiser Sinan, 35 out of 41 photos exhibited at the gallery had now been sold for Rf 500 each. He also added that for every donation above Rf 199, a calendar with photos of children will also be gifted.

“We didn’t get the details on the past of these children. But these pictures tell their story. They have brought up what they feel through these pictures,” Sinan said.

Dr Shaistha and Sinan urged the public to help the children at the orphanage. “There are just 55 kids at Kudakudhinge Hiyaa. I am sure we can find 55 people who are willing to help these children, to make a difference in their lives”.

The exhibition provides enough incentive for those seeking the motivation to lend a hand to the abused, neglected and abandoned children.

The exhibition will be shown at the National Art Gallery until 10pm, December 20.


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“I cannot speak against music. I cannot stand against cheerfulness”: President Nasheed

The following is a translation of a speech given by President Mohamed Nasheed on December 17.

“When I spoke in Maafannu [on December 15], I said that we have been somewhat contemplating on what everyone is talking about in the Maldives today. This party or the government is, in no way, worried about the instigation of a mega protest [on December 23].

However, if any of the citizens spread fatwa, or talk about beheading or killing other citizens, I see it as a severe disruption of our social stature.

We all have been accustomed and have accepted moderate policies for our daily lives. I see that it is time for all those who support our traditional methods and believe that those methods are not wrong, to come out for its defense.

Lately some people, including political parties and NGOs, have been very vocal about the implementation of specific verdicts. Those that they identify include harsh religious verdicts which we don’t practice today, such as half-buried stoning, beheading and killing.

From the beginning, this government has been seeking and following the advice of religious scholars.

Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari is the Minister of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, the institution responsible for disclosing and implementing the government’s religious policies. Dr Majeed would agree that the government has always respected their decisions on religious matters, and has in no way attempted any reservations or objections on such decisions, even in my own capacity.

And Dr Majeed clearly knows that, quite often, I accept his word as the final word on certain type of matters, even at Cabinet discussions.

We have been able to hold our religious identity and its values at a par, for hundreds and hundreds of years. I don’t see a reason for us to get ourselves drenched arguing over different sectarian perspectives and intricate religious vocabulary today. Since ancient times we have been living in a harmonious Islamic culture, unlike those Islamic nations who are known for defending specific religious perspectives. I would rather stand up and show Maldives’ Islam as an example for them to follow.

We Maldivians are a nice lot. And we love Islam. Not this government, nor the people, nor myself, would allow room for the spread of another religion in the Maldives.

We or the government have never – never – endorsed for such. If some are of the view that the current religious situation is not better than before, I wonder where are all the scholars who were in the cells that surrounded mine?

They are here: because they pray; because they preach; because they clarify religious matters. Today, our people have the blessings of God, for all scholars to speak their will, and guide the public, within the rightful boundaries of religion.

Using [religion] to deceive as such, I believe, could be very perilous to the people. It could be very perilous to the Maldives.

While harsh religious policies are being defended; in reality, they can only be implemented through the Constitution.

To conduct half-buried stoning, cutting off limbs, beheading, flogging or to implement any other such verdict, it can only be done when it is deemed so in the Penal Code. Those responsible for doing this are the parliament members.

I always prefer to seek religious advice from religious scholars. They need to clarify it plainly to the public. What is it that they are so vocal about? What is it that they are seeking? Is it the same as what we have been practicing so far? I feel that we need to speak about these matters very clearly. All political parties need to spell out clearly what they prefer to include in the Penal Code.

What verdicts do they want to include? We also have many other not-so-clear matters in addition to these verdicts. And many other matters of dispute among the people. One such dispute would be about music. Many of us has a passion for music. Many of us Maldivians listen to music and like to play too. When some start to preach against it, we the people, need to know what the actual truth is.

Traditionally, Maldivian women have strongly participated equally both at work and at home, similar to its male counterpart, in raising children, in social and economic activities. We need to know what the social role of women is. Are we asking to change what we have been practicing for so long? Or are we only hearing from the loudest? Is this from the opposition’s TV and radio channels, trying all that they can to promote anti-government sentiment, in the heated political atmosphere? I believe that the public needs to have clarity.

We are the leaders of the people. We are elected by the people. According to this political system embedded in our constitution, we cannot part away from the people. We brought in this system, because we wanted to execute it. By God’s virtue, we are doing it. While we are at this, most political leaders would be swindling to comment or not to comment on my words here tonight, basically without expressing their perspectives at all, and remain deceitful to the public. They need to express, to the public, very clearly and specifically their views and perspectives on relevant matters. If the public don’t agree, it is their right to seek other leaders. We will continue to conduct free and fair elections.

I will say, I have been raised by my parents on the principles of Islam since childhood. I dearly believe the principles of Islam. I shall not let my conscience be affected by the worldly waves, or breach my own ways: the ways my teachers and my parents taught me.

I don’t see why some people should disapprove me for this reason. We all should be able to live together. We have spelt out the constitution for different circumstances.

Some people raised concern about the monuments placed by the SAARC countries in the city and the atoll, when Addu transferred into a city. We find a lot of commemorative monuments in Maldives. Male also has such monuments. This time, when it was requested to send in their country’s monument, the specifics had probably been subject to miscommunication.

I don’t think, under any circumstances, any of us intended to place an idol of worship, when it was placed there. It was only a commemorative monument sent in by the leaders of SAARC countries, placed by the mayor with the workmen from the islands. I only saw it when I was told that it had been vandalised.

This is not a government who will try to do anything that hasn’t been done before as far as religion goes. What we are trying to change are the social standards, economic policies and political philosophies.

We shall never denounce the religious policies and standards accepted by the people. We shall neither provide space for such a spirit to infiltrate into Maldives. But I shall repeat, I cannot speak against music. I cannot stand against cheerfulness. We require them as part of our daily needs, to sooth and calm our souls. I am sure; our youth population is not tiny. We cannot let them be demoralised or leave them to become useless. We need to provide them with modes of entertainment and other activities to fill their time, for if not, the outcome would be devastating.

When we rolled over in 2008, I myself was witness to the youth in street corners, being victims of strong addictive drugs. Some would say that I don’t see them now because I am not out there on the streets. I am actually looking for them now. We are implementing and managing different activities. We are taking care of them. When we took over the government, not a single month passed when there had not been a fire attack in a jail or vandalising of property. However, today they know they have the opportunity to come out on parole with an effort on their side. They know that this government is working on it. That is the society we want to establish. To find a way to bring them back in to their families and the society as productive good citizens.

We need shelter. We all know the obstacles we face in the Maldives. We know them now. I still remember around one and half years ago, what someone had told after some calculations. That if we were to build the number of flats that we promised, we were to erect a specific number of flats per minute. And that is exactly what we do: we erect a number of flats per minute. The waiting time, planning time, designing time is sometimes not considered as part of the project implementation time. During my visits some would ask when the physical implementation work would start. Physical work is considered only that from which you sweat. Or which can be physically seen on site. With God’s grace, we shall deliver our ‘shelter’ campaign pledge. We shall deliver our ‘health’ pledge. We shall deliver our ‘anti-drugs’ pledge.

The only one we would question would be the ‘price’ pledge, understanding exactly how much we can reduce the prices. Prices will reduce somewhat on January 1. However, we should consider giving serious thought as to whether it is possible to reduce the prices to match the levels that we initially wanted.

We shall not stop. We shall try all possible methods. We shall twist and tweak all possible economic options to find a balance. With God’s blessing, we are trying to achieve our goals of a ‘neater’ life, beautiful and happy: without serious worries; not having to beg for medical assistance or text books for school children; not having to worry about red notices. We are seeking to get beyond these. All the same, I would like to tell you, I shall not let go of any of these beliefs for any political reasons, and I will not keep quiet about them.

I believe that our citizens are very much aware. Misconceptions shall dissolve. And they know how things are moving ahead. What is being spoken about on a regular basis would be clear to all. However, some of us are concerned, that there are those citizens who only believe what they are made to hear and see by specific radio and TV stations. Not me. I know they are not misguided. I am leading a people that I know about. They are not strangers to me.

Most time, I would know. Those issues that aren’t rectified for you, are not unknown and not left without attendance. It is the current situation that is not allowing us to get in it on the right track. I believe we have achieved several objectives during the past three years.

Before I end my words, I would like to stress that, on December 23, as many of citizens as possible should come out to express themselves and to take a stand. This is the purpose of rallies under a democracy. To express your view and to show which views you stand by.

Some keep asking me why we should stand up.

We have to. Let me tell you this. On that day, when you happen to see a group of people on Male’ streets, who keeps a certain look, dresses in a certain way, and calls for certain calling, you will ask me where I was, if I wouldn’t be there. By God’s grace, I shan’t be lost. I shall be there where I should be.

My prayer is that we are blessed with a better tomorrow.”

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