Day: April 29, 2012

This government will not detain Nasheed, says VP Deen

Deposed former President Mohamed Nasheed will not be detained and government has no intentions to make the arrest, the new Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen said on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference at the President Office, Deen contended that the current administration has no intention of “seeking revenge against anyone”.

“This government will not detain Nasheed. We are not even intending to do so,” Deen said in response to a question relating to allegations that President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan administration was seeking to arrest Nasheed, who insists he was  been forced out of office in an opposition-backed coup.

Criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Nasheed, two days after he resigned, but it was not executed by the police at the time.

Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Nasheed could face charges for his alleged role in the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) decision to detain Criminal Court’s Chief Judge Abdulla. The Maldives Police Service has sent the case against Nasheed to the PG’s Office but a decision by the office to proceed the prosecution is still pending.

A second case involving Nasheed has also been sent to the PG by the police, involving the confiscation of bottles of alcohol allegedly found at his residence shortly after his three year presidency ended on February 7.

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“CMAG lacks clear mandate to place Maldives on its agenda”: government tells EU

Maldives’ permanent representative to the EU Ali Hussein Didi has criticised the Commonwealth’s involvement in the Maldives, telling the European Parliament that the Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) lacked a clear mandate to place the Maldives on its agenda.

Following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s claim he was deposed in a coup d’état, the Commonwealth suspended the Maldives from the CMAG, and said it had decided to place Maldives on its formal agenda because of “questions that remain about the precise circumstances of the change of government, as well as the fragility of the situation in the Maldives.”

However, in a statement obtained by Minivan News provided to a monthly EU parliamentary session on South Asia, Didi said the situation in the Maldives did not allow for the country to be placed on the Commonwealth’s agenda.

Didi said the enhanced mandate of the CMAG approved in Perth in October 2011 only allowed the organisation to place a country on its agenda if there was: “(1) unilateral abrogation of a democratic constitution or serious threats to constitutional rule; (2) the suspension or prevention of the lawful functioning of parliament or other key democratic institutions; (3) the postponement of national elections without constitutional or other reasonable justification; and (4) the systematic denial of political space, such as through detention of political leaders or restriction of freedom of association, assembly or expression.”

“As you would agree, the Commonwealth Ministerial Mission that visited the Maldives from 17-19 February was not able to determine whether any of the above four conditions exists in the Maldives,” Didi claimed.

But the government of Maldives will continue to extend “maximum level of cooperation” to the Commonwealth “despite the fact that, in our opinion, the CMAG lacks a clear mandate to place the Maldives on its agenda,” Didi said.

In his five page statement, Didi further criticised the CMAG for not responding to requests for assistance to the government’s inquiry into the transfer of power, and reiterated the government’s commitment to holding presidential elections in 2013. He also claimed President Nasheed was ousted in a widespread popular uprising following Criminal Court Head Judge Abdulla Mohamed’s detention and said that normalcy and stability had returned to the Maldives.

Further criticisms

The CMAG and the EU have called for an independent and impartial investigation into the transfer of power and urged the Maldives to hold an early presidential election within the calendar year.

New President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan set up a three member Committee of National Inquiry (CNI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nasheed’s resignation, but the CMAG has challenged the committee’s independence, and in April warned of “further and stronger” measures should the Maldives fail to review the committee’s composition and mandate.

However, Didi supported the CNI’s independence and said the Commonwealth and the United Nations had not responded to requests for technical and legal assistance for the CNI.

Spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Richard Uku had previously told Minivan News that the CMAG remained “ready to assist the Commission as soon as broad-based political agreement is reached on its composition and terms of reference.”

Didi also acused the CMAG of failure to respect understandings reached by the Maldives government and the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy Sir Don McKinnon. He did not provide details on the nature of the understandings reached between the government and McKinnon.

“Yet, I note with regret that the understandings we reached with the Secretary General’s Special Envoy, H. E. Sir Don McKinnon has not been respected by the CMAG or the Commonwealth Secretariat. The cooperation we give to the Commonwealth is not reflected in the statements issued by the CMAG. My government would therefore need the assurance from the Commonwealth Secretary General that the organisation’s interaction with the Government of Maldives is serious and that any understanding reached with the Government would fully be respected,” Didi said in his statement.

Commission of National Inquiry

Didi said the CNI “is conducting its work in complete independence from the Executive and other branches of government.”

He  also provided details on the government’s efforts to make the CNI acceptable to President Nasheed and to solicit international assistance.

“Names of the Commission members were shared with the MDP through international partners but no response was received. Eventually, the Government had to establish the Commission with the consultation and guidance of members of the international community. Although the Commission comprises officials with immense integrity and respect in the country, it has requested both the Commonwealth and the United Nations for technical and legal experts to assist the Commission in carrying out its work. The terms of reference of the request experts were drawn up in close consultation and in complete agreement with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Despite repeated follow-ups by the Government, there has been no response from any of the two organizations to the request.”

Didi further claimed President Nasheed had not exhausted domestic legal avenues for justice.

“His own party’s Vice President Alhan Fahmy, MP, called for a parliamentary inquiry into the events that led to transfer of power. However, this was also later withdrawn from Parliament when Nasheed decided he did not want inquiry from taking place,” he claimed.

Fahmy had submitted the resolution to Majlis’ National Security 241 committee. Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs said they had walked out of the committee because the committee was chaired by MP Gasim Ibrahim who they accuse of funding the alleged coup d’état.

Early election

Didi noted the EU’s call for early elections, but said that July 2013 was the earliest date allowed for elections in the constitution. Further, an early election could not be held while the Office of the President continues to be occupied, he claimed.

“When Maldivians voted in 2008, they voted for a President and a Vice-President. Every vote that Mr Nasheed received was also received by Dr Waheed. The Vice- President is elected for the primary purpose of filling the office of the President, should it become vacant during the term of Presidency, for any reason,” the statement said.

“Normalcy has returned”

Didi also assured the EU parliament that “stability and normalcy” had returned to the Maldives.

“The political situation in the Maldives is stable and normalcy has returned to the country. All state institutions are open, and fully functional. The schools are open, and functioning as normal. Hundreds of tourists visit the Maldives every day. In short, people in the Maldives go about their lives as normal.”

According to Didi, Dr Waheed’s administration was “committed to enact reform legislation, strengthening judiciary, building capacity of independent oversight bodies, modernising the criminal justice system and fighting corruption.”

He alleged corruption was “endemic” in Nasheed’s administration and claimed that President Waheed had set up a “High Level Task Force” to ensure compliance with the Anti- Corruption Commission and Auditor General’s reports and recommendations.

Nasheed left the Maldives at the verge of bankruptcy, Didi alleged, saying that Maldives’ debt had risen from 46 percent of GDP to 88 percent of GDP during Nasheed’s tenure.

“A team of IMF officials that visited the Maldives a few days back issued a stern warning to the Government that unless painful measures are taken urgently, the Maldives faces economic and financial crises within a matter of few months,” Didi claimed.

“Widespread popular uprising”

Didi claimed President Nasheed resigned following “a widespread popular uprising” after Nasheed “abducted” Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

The judge was not granted access to a lawyer or family for 22 days and refused to obey a Supreme Court ruling to release the judge, spurring a series of nightly protests against Nasheed, Didi said.

“The Government’s response to the protests was the use of tear gas and arrests. Simultaneously, however, hundreds of convicted criminals were released from the prison, and were put on the streets to clash with the protesters,” the statement read.

After 22 days of protests, Nasheed’s administration ordered the police to withdraw from the streets, “and the protesters from both sides were left to fight physically and the security forces were ordered to do nothing,” Didi said.

“Reporters and protesters were getting serious injuries and taken to hospital in numbers. Eventually, the police who had been withdrawn from the site, decide, on their own volition, to go and stop the clashes and implement law and order. All of this was being broadcast live on TV and was witnessed by the people of the Maldives.”

“Following this, orders were given to arrest the police officers, who had intervened, upon their return to the Police Headquarters. At which point, majority of the police force decided to join hands and took their position on the square in front of the Police Headquarters and MNDF Head Quarters. Then began the police and armed forces stand-off. In the ensuing time, President Nasheed decided to resign,” the statement narrated.

MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor refuted claims of popular uprising saying the protesters only numbered a few hundred people consisting of “police in plain clothes and opposition party members who were paid to protest.”

Further, Ghafoor said Judge Abdulla had been granted access to a lawyer and family members, but had refused to see his family. Hamid also noted that the Human Rights Commission (HRCM) had visited the judge on January 20 and told media that the judge was in good health, and had the ability to freely roam the island.

Hamid also condemned Didi’s failure to include in his report the police’s ransacking of MDP offices in the early hours of February 7, the hijacking of state broadcaster MNBC One, and the police’s brutal crackdown on Nasheed and his protesters on February 8.

Read the government’s full statement to the EU (English)

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44 year-old man arrested for sexually assaulting six year-old

A 44 year-old man was arrested on Friday after he was accused of sexually abusing a six year-old kid on the island of Hinnavaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, police said.

Police said the man was arrested with a court warrant on Friday afternoon at about 3:25pm.

Hinnavaru Police and Police Family and the Child Protection Unit are conducting a joint investigation into the case.

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MMPRC confirms appointment of Ruder Finn for international PR

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has confirmed its appointment of New-York based public relations agency Ruder Finn, following speculation in the PR industry press last week.

Ruder Finn will provide international PR in a three-month contract PR Week speculated to be worth over US$150,000 per month.

According a statement from the MMPRC, the agency will “oversee the overall media coordination and achievement of PR related solution for destination Maldives, instil confidence in the tourism industry of the Maldives, gain understanding and public acknowledgement of the Maldives in the international community, ensure sustainable development of the tourism industry, and improve the image of the destination.”

President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s spokesperson, Abbas Adil Riza, told Minivan News last week that the appointed PR firm would only be responsible for promoting tourism, and would not be involved in politics or government.

Ruder Finn’s Senior Vice President and Ethics Officer, Emmanuel Tchividjian, told PR industry publication The Holmes Report that the company would “resign its lucrative new Maldives’ tourism brief if a national enquiry finds that the country’s new government took power illegally.”

Tchividjian claimed the company had “closely examined the complexity of the current political situation in the country”.

“Accusations of a coup have been dismissed by many international organisations and governments, including the United Kingdom government who has said that they do not recognise the transfer of power in the Maldives to be a coup,” he claimed.

“We were encouraged by the desire of the current government, in place according to the country’s constitution, to focus on ensuring stability, democracy and transparency in the Maldives, including a free press.”

Ruder Finn’s resignation of an account under such circumstance is not without precedent.

The firm’s founder David Finn, cited on the website of the American Jewish Committee, a think tank and advocacy organisation “combating anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry” and “supporting Israel’s quest for peace and security”, recounts how  “some years ago a professor at the Seminary helped us make the decision to resign the sizeable Greek tourism account after three colonels seized power and installed a military dictatorship. “

The company nonetheless has a reputation for representing controversial clients, including tobacco giant Phillip Morris and Israeli airline El Al, which MPs of the Maldives government coalition last week voted to ban from landing in the Maldives.

The PR firm was also embroiled in controversy over its distribution of the incendiary film ‘Fitna’, produced by Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, at a conference organised by Ruder Finn in 2008 called ‘Facing Jihad’.

The MMPRC has also appointed several other agencies to target specific markets, including Rooster PR (UK), Belcanto Communications (Germany) and Travel Link Marketing (China).

The MMPRC said it was also in the process of appointing PR agencies in India, Russia and the Middle East.

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24 year-old man arrested with three packets containing drugs

Police have arrested a 24 year-old man after he was found to be in possession of three packets containing illegal drugs on the island of Himandhoo in Alifu Alifu Atoll.

In a statement police said he was arrested upon his arrival to Himadhoo from the Feridhoo, an island nearby reachable in less than two hours on local boats.

The packets were found inside his mouth, according to police.

He went to Himadhoo on a speedboat he had rented, said police.

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Gang stab minor six times

A minor aged under 18 fainted after he was stabbed six times in the back by a gang on Friday, on Izudheen Road in front of Maafannu Cemetery in Male’.

According to police, the boy was stabbed six times in his back and once in his left hand, and fainted on the spot due to the injuries.

The assailants threw away the knives they used in attack and fled on motorbikes against the one way sign boards.

People at the area carried the boy to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) on a motorbike. He is currently being treated at the hospital.

In a statement, police said the case was reported to police at about 3:15pm on Friday.

Local newspapers reported that the assailants threw the knives they used in the attack into the water drain on the roa, but witnesses recovered the knives and handed them to police.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that two persons had been arrested in connection with the case.

Haneef said further details about the persons arrested or the investigation could not be disclosed at the time.

‘’We will provide details later,’’ Haneef added.

On the first of this month, Ali Shifan ‘Tholhi Palay’, 33 of Fairy Corner house was stabbed to death near West Park Restaurant on Boduthakurufaanu Road.

A friend of Shifan told Minivan News at the time that Shifan was attacked while he was waiting in front of West Park Restaurant for a friend.

‘’He was having a coffee inside West Park Restaurant and went out because a friend of him was coming to see him,’’ he said. ‘’He was waiting with another friend and this group shows up with sharp weapons.’’

Last month a 21 year-old man, identified as Abdul Muheeth of G. Veyru, was rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) after he was stabbed at 1:45am near the Finance Ministry building. He later died during treatment.

Police later said that the assailants mistakenly attacked him and that he had no criminal record or affiliations with gangs either.

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Finance Committee proposes ceasing Aasandha scheme in private hospitals

Parliament’s Finance Committee has suggested ceasing the country’s universal health care scheme Aasandha in private hospitals, citing that the scheme would not be economically viable unless private hospitals were excluded.

The decision to do so will only be confirmed after parliament passes the committee’s report. If the parliament does pass the report, the Asandha service will only be  available in the government’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and other government health centers and health corporations around the country.

However, medical services that are not currently available in IGMH would still be available from private hospitals and clinics, but the new arrangements would require a doctor’s referral to use such services, according to the report.

The Finance Committee’s report, compiled last week, also suggests that in order to reform the scheme, all political positions including parliamentarians and those for which parliament sets the salaries be excluded from the scheme, and that Auditor General conduct a complete audit of the scheme to ensure the absence of any fraudulent transactions.

Earlier, the Health Ministry suggested to the Finance Committee that a co-payment mechanism be introduced to the scheme in order to mitigate the system’s spiraling costs.

However, members of the committee were keen not to impose any fee on the public, and insisted that the focus of efforts should be on reducing costs and introducing controls that will reduce demand over time.

The scheme came under fire after the new government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan came to power in February 7, which claimed that the scheme’a current rate of expenditure threatened to reach Rf1 billion (US$64.8 million) on an approved budget of Rf720 million (US$46.6 million).

The government has anticipated its annual spending will be Rf2 billion (US$129.6 million) over budget this year, after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that economic growth and stability in the Maldives were unlikely to be maintained “in the medium term” unless the government substantially cut its spending.

The President’s Office claimed two weeks ago that figures showing that 150,000 people had used the healthcare scheme a total of 250,000 times indicated that something must have gone wrong with the system.

Minivan News tried contacting Minister of State for Health and Family, Thoriq Ali Luthfee for his comments on the report, but did not respond at the time of press.

Health Minister Dr Ahmed Jamsheed was also not responding at time of press.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs, MP Mohamed Shifaaz, MP Ilyas Labeeb and MP Imthiyaz Fahmy criticised Finance Committee’s actions alleging that since the parties supporting the current government have a majority in the Finance Committee, the committee was trying to find excuses to stop the scheme.

The MPs stated that the party would take “all necessary measures” to prevent the government from manipulating the scheme.

Aasandha is a public-private partnership with Allied Insurance. Under the agreement, Allied will split the scheme’s shared 60-40 with the government. The actual insurance premium will be paid by the government, while claims, billing and public awareness will be handled by the private partner.

The service was initially intended to cover emergency treatment, including treatment overseas if not available locally, along with all inpatient and outpatient services, domestic emergency evacuation, medicine under prescription, and diagnostic and therapeutic services.

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Financial committee to recommend abolition of Media Council

Parliament’s financial committee announced its intention to abolish the Maldives Media Council (MMC) in a report that will be submitted to the house for debate as part of tomorrow’s scheduled agenda.

The report states that the decision has been reached owing to the Solicitor General’s belief that the MMC has not been able to perform its duties and responsibilities to a satisfactory level.

The 15 member MMC, established in 2010, is charged with preserving the freedom and integrity of media in the Maldives as well as encouraging ethical and professional standards within the industry.

The MMC was scheduled to hold elections for new council members on May 10.

President of the Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir disagrees with the decision of the finance committee.

“First of all let’s look at the reason they have given for disbanding the media council. They are saying it must be disbanded because the council had not executed its responsibilities. But if it is not a justifiable reason. If the council members are not fulfilling their duties, then they must be removed from the position, new members must be appointed and the council must proceed,” he said.

“Disbanding the council just because the members are not working is like dissolving the parliament because members are not working – which is absurd,” said Hiriga.

Additionally, the financial committee will suggest to the house that the responsibilities of the MMC be transferred to the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) whose current remit covers only television and radio broadcasts.

Hiriga expressed concerns over this idea: “There are talks of assigning the task of print media regulation to the existing Broadcasting Commission. But we must remember that the commission’s composition and mandate is very much structured to regulate the broadcast or electronic media; not the print,” said Hiriga.

“If they are going to reassign the tasks, they must change the composition of the Broadcasting Commission to encourage representation of members more experienced in print media. Because the existing members are screened and selected for the position because of their expertise in electronic media,” Hiriga continued.

Additionally, the current President of the MMC Mohamed Nazeef, believes that the MBC cannot safeguard media freedoms adequately as it is a regulatory arm of the government.

“Parliament elected most of the members of the commission and so it will be hard for them to be independent from the government,” said Nazeef.

In accordance with the Maldives Media Council Act, the MMC operates as an independent legal entity.

Chairman of the finance committee Ahmed Nazim said that the establishment of the MBC has resulted in an overlap of the two bodies’ responsibilities. He said that he hoped to establish a single body “similar to Ofcom in the UK.”

Ofcom is the UK’s independent regulator and competition authority for the communications industry, created by an act of parliament in 2003. The legislation states that the group should protect the interests of citizens and consumers.

Nazim said that the necessary legislation to facilitate the adaptation of the MBC would be introduced by the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and formed part of the financial committee’s report.

The financial committee’s report also highlights the findings of the Auditor General’s (AG) report from last year which claimed that council members had been illegally receiving a living allowance of Rf7500 (US$500) a month in addition to their salary.

Hiriga stated his agreement that certain aspects of the financial committee’s report held merit, but suggested that legal safeguards would be needed to protect the media.

“We have always maintained that media needs to be self regulated and it must be done under one body,” he said.

“We have no objection to dissolving the media council as such. But if it is being done, then mechanisms to regulate print media must be introduced, the Broadcasting Commission’s composition and legal mandate must be amended. Otherwise it will be an unfair decision.”

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