Month: March 2012

Yameen and Shiyam air grievances against Gayoom, DRP in leaked audio clip

MPs Abdulla Yameen and Ahmed (Sun Travel) Shiyam have aired grievances against former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in a leaked audio conversation, giving a rare behind-the-scenes insight into the workings of Maldivian politics.

Gayoom’s half-brother Yameen and resort owner Shiyam spoke of their diminishing trust in and dwindling support among the elite support for Gayoom. Yameen believed Gayoom’s opponents “will hurt [Gayoom] a lot more” if he decides to stand for presidential elections again.

Yameen and Shiyam paint Gayoom as a leader who built his power on extensive patronage, including issuing diplomatic passports, granting land and islands for tourism, and providing loans to build homes.

Minivan News believes the conversation, now viral on social media, predates the September 2011 establishment of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). According to the audio clip, Gayoom broke away from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, which he established in 2005, amid leadership disputes with current DRP leader and Gayoom’s 2008 running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.

Yameen also narrates Gayoom’s attempts to sideline him during the period of political liberalisation between 2003-2008. Yameen said Gayoom attempted to send him out of the country as ambassador to the UK.

“Where are Maumoon’s ministers?”

Yameen compared Gayoom to then-president Mohamed Nasheed, stating that Gayoom was inaccessible and did not believe in the importance of his parliamentary group.

DRP’s four vice-presidents had to wait in queue to attend Gayoom’s functions or write letters to see Gayoom, “but look at how close Reeko Moosa and Mariya are to Anni [Nasheed],” Yamin said. Reeko Moosa Manik and Mariya Didi are senior opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group members.

Yameen said Gayoom’s close associates no longer attend to Gayoom, reflecting dwindling support for him. “Maumoon knows all the people he did favors for are not with him. Look at how many ministers he had. Who goes when he asks?” Yameen said.

Shiyam then replies, “[Even after he] built up their houses to 10- 12 stories. And even that was through president’s office loans.”

Yameen highlighted the absence of senior Gayoom-era officials in July 2009 when police summoned Gayoom from his residence, Alivaage, to question him over corruption allegations. Although Fathuhulla Jameel and Abdulla Jameel, both long time ministers under Gayoom, lived around the corner, they “did not dare to come,” Yameen said. Only a handful of people, former Speaker Ahmed Zahir (Seena), former minister of gender and family Aneesa Ahmed and former deputy minister of youth and sports Aishath Shiham, are now loyal to Gayoom.

“They will hurt him a lot more”

Shiyam and Yameen’s statements also imply they do not want Gayoom to stand for re-election.

Yameen said although Gayoom was not hurt during a 2008 stab attempt, if Gayoom were to stand for re-election “this time they will hurt him a lot more”. Yameen also said that if another murder attempt was carried out on Gayoom, he did not have the confidence that Nasheed would investigate or prosecute the case.

An unknown participant also criticises Gayoom on his old age, while Shiyam said he wanted a “stronger” and “more ruthless” man in the presidency.

“Only two favors I ever asked of Maumoon”

Shiyam expressed disappointment with Gayoom’s refusal to issue him a diplomatic passport and give him land for a boat yard in industrial Thilafushi Island. “These are the only two favors I ever asked of Maumoon,” Shiyam said.

“Once [Gayoom] took me to Singapore on some trip. All the vice presidents [of DRP] went. All of them had red passports [diplomatic passports]. We went and I was given a very average room. Even when I travel on my personal business, I don’t stay in anything but a suite. So I went and said it is a very small room, I cannot stay there. They told me that was how it had been booked. So I told them to give me the presidential suite. I stayed in a suite bigger than Maumoon’s. Dr Shaheed [foreign minister under both Gayoom and Nasheed] and others ridiculed me quite a bit,” Shiyam said.

After Shiyam returned, he met with Gayoom and told him, “I am this party’s vice-president. You have given red passports to many businessmen, and ordinary people as well. I would like one as well. And he told me he could not do so under the law. That is what he said. Then I told him I own a lot of boats. Therefore I would like a plot of land at Thilafushi [industrial island]. Gasim had received a plot of one million square feet. [not clear] according to the law, could you please arrange for a plot of 50,000 or 25,000 or even 10,000 square feet. He said he will work on it. I sent him 12 letters on the matter [hits table repeatedly]. Yameen, Maumoon never replied,” Shiyam continued.

Yameen then replied that arranging for a diplomatic passport was a small matter and that “it’s no issue at all.”

Shiyam also questioned Gayoom’s gratitude, saying that he said he had spent US$1.8 million on the DRP.

“DRP has to be buried”

Gayoom’s decision to break away from DRP came after DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali refused to hold a primary within the party to choose a presidential candidate, according to the conversation.

The DRP constitution, written under Gayoom, institutes the party’s leader as the party’s presidential candidate. During the DRP 2010 congress, a constitutional amendment requiring primaries was voted out.

“Maumoon says go for a primary. But Thasmeen very stubbornly says there is only one way. Thasmeen says [Maumoon] should apologise on the media and endorse him as the presidential candidate. But that cannot be,” an unknown participant said.

The participants of the conversation discuss buying out members of the DRP council, specifically DRP spokesperson Ibrahim Shareef (Mavota). According to the participants, the DRP council at the time was aligned with Thasmeen.

Yameen then said there was no solution but to form a separate party, a cult of personality based on Gayoom.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t want to have anything to do with DRP. We made DRP what it is today with our hard work, but DRP gave us pain and hardship. DRP has to be buried. DRP has to be buried,” Yameen said.

“He treated all who were loyal to him very badly”

Yameen believed a faction led by former attorney general Dr Hassan Saeed, former planning minister and Gayoom’s nephew Hamdhoon Hameed and former tourism minister Dr Mahmood Shaugee suggested Gayoom sideline Yameen from politics by offering him an ambassadorship in the UK.

Yameen was appointed as the minister of trade in 1997. Following the political crisis of 2003, which saw mass demonstrations for democracy and against police brutality, Gayoom sacked older members of his cabinet and brought in a group of reformist ministers including Hassan Saeed, Shaugee and Hamdhoon.

“Every time, Maumoon thinks all the problems are because of his ministers,” Yameen said.

Yameen refused the ambassadorship because as Gayoom’s half-brother no one in the UK “will believe a thing I say.” Further, he said he had not wanted to give up his Majlis seat and wanted to look after his source of income.

“I just built my house, I took out loans to build it. I have to stay in Male’ to find tenants, that is my source of income,” he said.

After Gayoom’s repeated attempts to remove him from the trade portfolio, Yameen consented to take up the higher education portfolio. Yameen attempted to regain an economic portfolio later, but was told there was no space in any of the economic portfolios.

“He’d given tourism to Dr Shaugee, fisheries to Abdulla Kamaldeen, other economic posts, such as agriculture, some other person, he [Gayoom] had space for all of these people, Gasim [prominent businessman] was given finance, when Maumoon said there was no space for me in the economic field then you should believe that he did not want me in the government,” Yameen said.

Download the full transcript (English & Dhivehi)

Listen to the full audio (Dhivehi)

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Supreme Court rules in favour of Gayoom appointees to the former parliament

Supreme Court has ruled in favour of eight appointees to the 16th parliament on 13 March 2012, citing that their removal was unconstitutional and ordered the salaries of these appointees be paid from the time of their removal until the new parliament convened.

Formerly, the Maldives’ parliament had eight appointees to the parliament by the president, according to the old constitution. When former President Mohamed Nasheed was sworn in to the office, he removed the eight MPs appointed by his predecessor Gayoom and replaced them with his own set of appointees. This was before the parliament was elected under the new constitution. The election took place on March 9, 2009.

The removed appointees argued that their removal was against the newly ratified constitution of 2008’s article 294 and had initially filed the case in Supreme Court on 12 November 2008, by MP Rozaina Adam and MP Ahmed Mahloof, both who are currently sitting elected MPs.

The article 294 clause (a) of the constitution which is under the ‘Transitional Matters’ chapter states: “The People’s Majlis [Parliament] in existence at the commencement of this Constitution shall continue until such time as the first elections of the People’s Majlis under this Constitution are held, and election of members and assumption of office by the members.”

However the case was later sent to the Civil Court and the court ruled in favor of Nasheed’s government stating the president had the authority to remove the members and appoint his own until the first parliamentary elections is held under the ratified constitution.

The case was later appealed in the High Court on January 4, 2009. The High Court also supported the Civil Court’s verdict and upheld the ruling on 08 February 2009.

The parties then filed to appeal the case to Supreme Court on April 12, 2009.

In the Supreme Court Ruling, a 3 to 2 majority decision was reached by the five member bench which consisted of Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain, Justice Abdullah Saeed (former interim chief justice), Justice Abdullah Areef, Justice Ali Hameed Mohamed and Justice Dr Ahmed Abdullah Didi.

Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and Justice Abdullah Areef had a deferring opinion which was in support of the High Court Ruling.

Nasheed removed the appointees on 11 November 2008, just a few hours after he was sworn in.

With the Supreme Court ruling, the 8 MPs will now be paid the salary of an MP from the time of their removal until the next parliament was elected on May 9, 2009.

According to the parliament secretariat, salary of an MP at the time of the removal of appointees was RF 62,500 (USD 4053).

If the former MPs are to be paid according to the Supreme court ruling, they are entitled to get the salary of seven months which would be counted from the day they were removed (11 November 2008) to the convening of the first session of the 17th parliament (27 May 2009).

This means each of these parties would receive a sum of RF 437,500 (US$28,372).

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Youth Alliance plans march for solidarity: “no politics” plead organisers

The Maldives’ Youth Alliance has asked all Maldivians to take a break from politics for two hours when it holds its first rally on Saturday.

This new group is asking participants in Saturday’s walk from the social centre to the carnival in Male’ to wear white to symbolise peace. The march will also include traditional features such as Bodu-beru.

It has been requested that the event is not politicised in any way – the event’s organisers would rather politics was not discussed at all, they claimed.

The Youth Alliance has stressed its non-aligned status, strongly rejecting any attempts to affiliate it with any political party.

“We hope that from 4-6pm on Saturday, people can think of other important things,” said a Youth Alliance representative.

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Police arrest 17 people on Thinadhoo in wake of February 8 protests

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam has confirmed the arrest of 17 people on Thinadhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, who were involved in vandalising property and creating unrest in the island on February 8.

‘’Those people are people whom we have pictures and video footage of their involvement in the incidents that day,’’ Shiyam said.

Shiyam said when police attempted to arrest some of the suspects, other islanders obstructed police.

‘’But now they are all cooperating with the police,’’ he said. ‘’All persons arrested will have all the rights guaranteed to them by law.’’

Shiyam said details of the detainees could not be given.

Thinadhoo Island Council President Ali Naseer told Minivan News that police started arresting Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters yesterday.

‘’They deployed forces from Fuvamulah and Addu City and arrested 12 MDP supporters yesterday,’’ Naseer said. ‘’Today they have deployed more police officers from Male’ and have arrested nine MDP supporters.’’

Naseer claimed that the total number of persons arrested were 21.

‘’They are taking all the detainees to Villingili in Gaafu Alifu Atoll police custodial, but six arrested remains in Thinadhoo custodial,’’ Naseer said. ‘’Police are obtaining information from Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) supporters on this island and have not contacted any government institution in the island.’’

He said MDP supporters yesterday found out that police senior officers were having a meeting with PPM senior officials in the island and MDP supporters went there and there was a some unrest.

‘’This is very much politicised,’’ he claimed. ‘’The council tried to discuss the issue with the police but the police replied that they did not need to discuss with the council and that they have the authority to arrest persons.’’

He also said police were using vehicles owned by PPM supporters, which were recently used to attack MDP supporters in the island.

On February 8, Protestors on Gaaf Dhaalu Atoll Thinadhoo set fire to the police station, magistrate court, atoll council office, and all police vehicles. Nine policemen were attacked and subsequently treated at the Thinadhoo Regional Hospital. Police officials that time declared the area unsafe for local policemen as “MDP supporters have threatened to attack the residences of policemen.”

Thinadhoo is a fiercely independent island and has reportedly blocked police access to the jetty on several occasions since the civil unrest of February 8, sparked by a brutal police crackdown on protesters in Male’ and false rumours of deaths circulated in the aftermath

Independence remains a sensitive subject for the southern atolls, particularly Addu, which in 1959 led the formation of a short-lived break-away nation called the United Suvadive Republic, together with Huvadhu Atoll (including Thinadhoo) and Fuvahmulah.

This was crushed in 1962 when Thinadhoo was destroyed on the orders of then-President Ibrahim Nasir, and the island of 4800 depopulated.

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Anti-Corruption Commission releases annual report: state owed RF 91 million

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has revealed that the state is owed Rf91million based on the cases it has forwarded to the office of the Prosecutor General (PG).

In its yearly report the ACC revealed that only one of twenty-six cases sent to the PG’s office last year had been settled in court.

The ACC President Hassan Luthufy said that most cases received by the commission had been ‘petty corruption’ cases and would be put aside in order to focus on more serious allegations of graft such as that of government institutions, the People’s Majlis in particular.

“For the year 2012 we’re gearing more towards investigating serious corruption cases rather than such petty cases. I think it would give out an effective message to those who are inclined to commit serious acts of corruption,” Luthufy said.

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Police officers to be tested for alcohol and drugs

Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz has said that a new department has been established to test police officers for urine and alcohol after media reports of police being drunk while on duty.

Riyaz said police officers will be randomly picked for the urine test and that police officers will always be tested to see if officers use any illegal drugs or alcohol.

Riyaz said this was to strengthen police professional standards and to increase public confidence in the police.

He told the press that this new policy was not established because there have been issues with the police, but to ensure all citizens that police officers on duty are there only for the safety of the citizens.

Riyaz said although this was new in the Maldives it had been done in other countries.

Earlier this month Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Imthiyaz Fahmy alleged that many police officers in riot gear to control a MDP protest “were drunk” and some fell to the ground “while others were seen vomiting.”

Imthiyaz further alleged that police officers had forced MDP activists to drink alcohol.

A police official told Minivan News that time the accusations were baseless: ”It would be better to report these allegations to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) or some other independent institution to investigate, rather than making false accusations,” the police spokesperson said.

Recently police arrested 13 people after clashing with demonstrators at the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s ongoing protest.

MDP supporters alleged that police officers were drunk and were very violent that night. Several protesters alleged that police officers stabbed them and that officers were armed with small bayonet knives.

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“No progress” in “disappointing” meeting with President Waheed, says MDP

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan this morning met with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group leader Ibrahim Mohamed ‘Ibu’ Solih, who has been representing the party at the India-sponsored all-party roadmap talks.

While a seven-point agenda – including the subject of early elections – was established during the roadmap talks, the order of preference was not, and the talks subsequently stalled with the withdrawal of the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), Jumhoree Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP), and the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) following MDP’s disruption of Dr Waheed’s address to parliament.

The MDP has also been holding separate, closed-door talks with the DRP, after previously challenging the involvement of parties such as the PPM and AP, which it argued had no electoral mandate. Together the DRP and MDP control a two-thirds majority of parliament, capable of forcing through legislation, constitutional amendments and even impeachments.

In a statement to the media on Wednesday following his meeting with Dr Waheed, Solih said “I don’t believe the former Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed is willing to seek an agreement, that both parties can agree to through peaceful dialogue.”

Solih said the MDP was “concerned” about the current state of political affairs in the Maldives, and contended that despite criticism to the contary, had attended all meetings requested by the current administration “and worked hard to find a peaceful solution [to the current political crisis].”

“No progress” was made in the meeting with Waheed, the party stated.

“It is disappointing that former Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik does not seem prepared to find a peaceful means to achieve a solution that is acceptable to all,” said Solih.

Dr Waheed’s Press Secretary Masood Imad referred Minivan News to Dr Waheed’s spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza, who was not responding at time of press.

Speaker of the Majlis Abdulla Shahid meanwhile declared that parliament would reconvene on Monday March 19, despite the failure to reach an agreement with the MDP. The party’s MPs barricaded themselves inside the chamber on March 1, preventing Shahid from entering and Dr Waheed from giving the presidential address.

That evening, Shahid held a press conference and announced he had cancelled the session because he was unable enter the chamber despite several attempts, and on one occasion had fallen and injured himself. Given the current political tensions, Shahid said he was unable to guarantee the safety of members and had decided to proceed through negotiation, rather than force.

MDP has not made any official announcements on what it plans to do, however one grassroots MDP supporter said following the failure of negotiations, the party would continue to block “the coup leader” from addressing parliament.

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Male’ City Council gives tsunami monument area to MDP until end of June

Male’ City Council has extended the duration given to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to continue its protest at the tsunami monument area, reports online newspaper ‘Sun’.

Sun reported that the Council today decided to give the area to the MDP until the end of June this year.

The council first gave the area to MDP until the end of March.

The MDP is protesting the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed in what the party says was a military and police-led coup, funded by several opposition politicians and resort owners.

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Tourism Minister holds London press conference to reassure travellers

While the Maldives Tourism Minister hosted a press conference in London to soothe the fears of the tourism industry over the ongoing political instability in the Maldives, opposition activists distributed leaflets outside.

Former Maldives High Commissioner to the UK Dr Farahanaz Faisal distributed leaflets highlighting police brutality in the crackdown on demonstrators on February 8, while the Friends of Maldives NGO distributed its travel advisory highlighting the involvement of several politicians and resort owners in the change of government on February 7.

Monday’s professionally managed event was attended by 25 journalists from a host of prominent UK travel publications.

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) recently appointed Rooster Creative Public Relations Ltd as its official PR agent in the UK. MMPRC Acting Managing Director Mohamed Adam explained this decision.

“The purpose of having a full time PR and Marketing agency is to overcome the image that is continuously spoiling in the UK market due to the current political turbulence,” Adam said.

Adam’s aims were stymied somewhat by the presence of former Maldives High Commissioner to the UK Dr Farahanaz Faisal and the former Deputy High Commissioner, and brother of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, Naushad Waheed.

MDP supporters Farahanaz and Naushad took the opportunity to distribute leaflets focussing on police brutality in the Maldives. The leaflet described the Maldives as undergoing “one of the most painful and brutal periods of its history”.

Business as usual?

Despite the demonstrations outside, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Gafoor remained upbeat about the prospects of the Maldives tourism industry. The minister told Travel Weekly that he was expecting one million tourists to visit the country in 2012, breaking previous records.

He spoke of having visited tour operators during his trip who are eager to launch charter flights to the Maldives and begin new projects.

Referring to the demonstrations, he said, “The press conference was not affected by that. The journalists did not seem bothered. The press conference was a success.”

Former Tourism MinisterDr Mariyam Zulfa has expressed confidence in the sector’s durability, saying, “I don’t think that the political situation is actually affecting the tourism industry as such because Maldives is a well-established destination.”

This current government’s veneer of confidence, however, is belied by the hiring of the professional PR group to protect its image and by reports that bookings were down six percent  in February, according to Travel Weekly.

Speaking with Minivan this week, Dr Zulfa made clear the importance the MDP attributes to protecting the tourism industry.

“It has never been the MDPs intention and it will never be the MDPs intention to obstruct the progress that we have made in the tourism industry,” said Zulfa. “It’s not in our agenda to affect the traveller’s decision to choose Maldives as a destination at all.”

“But I think the tourist industry has a responsibility to provide correct information about Maldivian life in general.”

The awareness-raising efforts of the government’s opponents, indeed, do not appear to be registering with those travelling to the Maldives at present, supporting the views of Tourism Ministers past and present.

Asking the opinions of tourists at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport yesterday, the most common response was a vague notion that the Maldives had been in the news recently, without any specific details being recalled.

This was perhaps typified by the response of a couple from the UK who were asked how they felt about what was happening in the Maldives at the moment: “What is happening?” came the response.

Travel advisory

Also outside the press conference was David Hardingham, founder of Friends of Maldives (FOM), who distributed a second set of leaflets publicising his group’s travel advisory.

FOM is a UK based NGO focusing on the protection of human rights, the promotion of social justice and democracy in the Maldives.

The content of the FOM leaflet was interpreted by the Maldivian media outlet Sun Online as claiming that the Maldives was an unsafe travel destination. Newspaper Haveeru also reported that the NGO was advocating a “tourism boycott”.

Referring to Sun’s article Hardingham said, “Responsible journalism involves getting both sides of the story – so we were disappointed not to be asked by Sun for our views as their article is one sided, has factual errors and is somewhat misleading – however it’s not entirely surprising as its owners are known to be supportive of the recent coup.”

Hardingham forwarded the leaflet distributed by the NGO (page one, two), which lists resorts and businesses owned by Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group, and Bandos Island Resort and Spa owned by Vice-President designate Waheed Deen, and urges “responsible” travellers to avoid these resorts specifically.

“The current political turmoil in the Maldives has deterred people from visiting the islands. Friends of Maldives urges tourists to continue to visit Maldives, as tourism is the mainstay of the economy. We feel the situation is not so bad, as the airport and resort islands are not linked to any population centres,” the leaflet notes.

The leaflet goes on to recommend the travel advice of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which currently has no restrictions in its Maldives travel notice.

The FOM leaflet continues to briefly outline recent events in the Maldives before asking that potential tourists “consider the idea of being a responsible traveller” by avoiding resorts that are allegedly involved in “the subversion of democracy, and human rights abuses in the Maldives”.

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