June 13, 2012 – Minivan News

Police deny “witch-hunt” of officers who contributed to MDP ‘coup report’

Police have denied arresting or investigating any police officers who provided information to the former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for use in its recently released report, entitled “Military and Police coup”.

The report claims to cite primary sources, including police officers, who reported the “unlawful and criminal activity” of mutinying police officers in the events leading up to former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation on February 7 afternoon, in what the party alleges was a opposition-backed military coup. The report named those oficers it alleged were the key conspirators.

“We have not arrested anyone or any officers regarding the MDP’s report,” Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News, following reports that a police officer was arrested this morning.

He added, “I am not aware of any such investigation. But we have numerous ongoing internal investigation relating to several officers.”

Nasheed’s party has however claimed police are on a “witch-hunt” against key police witnesses who provided crucial information to the investigative report, co-authored by former Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam and National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal (also former Defence Minister).

According to the MDP’s Facebook page Yellow Force, an officer identified as Staff Sergeant Ahmed Naseer was arrested this morning on suspicion of aiding MDP’s investigation.

Pictures circulating over social media show Sergeant Naseer being taken to a police vehicle by two plain-clothed police officers.

Meanwhile, a copy of a court warrant dated June 13 was posted on the same page indicating that police are investigating another officer, Mohamed Hameed, for “violating police duty” and “abusing authority to provide information to help specific people gain political benefit”.

He is suspected of “assisting the compilation” of MDP’s report, which the police alleged “is misleading and has tarnished public confidence in the institution.”

According to the warrant, an email containing MDP’s draft report with amendments was sent to Hameed’s gmail account, and further messages were found suggesting that he had discussions about the report prior to its release.

Asked about the warrant and the apparent arrest, Sub-Inspector Haneef repeated that no one was arrested: “That’s all we can confirm at the moment,” he said.

Sub-Inspector Haneef however stopped short from denouncing the authenticity of the court warrant.

Evidence of police brutality on February 7

As violence escalated in capital Male’ on the early morning of February 7, the country witnessed police and military officers siding with opposition protesters who had been calling for Nasheed’s resignation and release of Criminal court Judge Abudulla Mohamed – who was at the time detained by the military on the grounds that he was a threat to national security.

MDP’s report alleges that military intelligence had learned of Nasheed’s opponents consipiracy to topple his three-year old government by soliciting “about 500 police officers to protest at the Republic Square” and had also gathered backing from high rank military officers.

Identity of some of the leading rogue officers were revealed in the report- prompting the government to call denounce the report as an act of terrorism, alleging that the information had endangered lives of those officers and their families.

The report recounts the confrontations and provides evidence of police brutality against MDP members, with authorities arming opposition protesters with police shields, gas masks and pepper-spray canisters. It highlights recording showing police protesting in the Republican Square and attacking the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Headquarters, while President Nasheed was still inside.

Pictures included in the MDP report show former Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Hassan Mahir being kicked in the back and forced to the ground during the unrest while surrounded by police and protesters.

Senior MDP member Ahmed Shahid (husband of MDP MP Eva Abdulla) was pictured being similarly kicked by a man identified as Corporal Mohamed Niyaz (now promoted to Sergeant). His shirt was ripped off and he was beaten up by police.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Mohamed Jinah, head of police drug unit, was pictured handcuffed on a launch. He was reported to have been beaten up by rogue police officers before being taken to Dhoonidhoo Detention Centre along with several other senior officers.

A picture showing an attack on Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Manik was also included. He was struck on the head using an extendable steel baton, by a man identified as Corporal Waseem from Police Special Operations (SO).

However, to date no action has been taken against any of the officers, while both police and MNDF have refused to comment on the subject until the CNI concludes its investigation.

Neither have any independent institutions including the Human Rights Commission, Prosecutor General Office, Police Integrity Commission announced of an investigation into the criminal activities of the police during the events of February 7.

They all say, “a coup investigation is not within our mandate.”

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Finance Minister announces plans to revise import duties, GST

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has announced the government intends to revise changes made to import duties and the Goods and Services Tax (GST), reports Haveeru.

Jihad is said to have explained that the revisions to import duties, initiated by the previous administration, have “not even come close” to covering the cost of income lost after reductions to import duties.

Haveeru reports that the Rf2 billion the state had previously earned from import duties had been halved whilst the GST earnings had not made up the shortfall as anticipated.

Jihad told Haveeru that the government was continuing to engage in deficit reduction measures which will include reducing state expenditure by 15 percent whilst raising Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST).

The current budget deficit has been estimated by the Majlis Financial Committee to be 27 percent of GDP this year – Rf9.1 billion (US$590 million).

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Cabinet to merge thalassaemia services

At yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the decision was made to combine the services provided by the National Thalassaemia Centre and the Blood Transfusion Centre in a new body entitled the Maldivian Blood Services.

The government has yet to disclose further details about the proposed organisation.

Maldivians suffer the world’s highest rate of the blood disorder, with 18 percent of the population registered as carriers. The illness causes severe anaemia in sufferers and requires regular blood transfusions.

On World Thalassaemia Day, May 8, the Maldivian Thalassaemia Society (MTS) released a statement criticising the unequal treatments available to Thalassaemia sufferers who live outside of the capital, Male’, where the National Thalassaemia Centre currently provides transfusions.

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Amnesty “deeply concerned” over continued police repression of protesters

Amnesty International has called on the Maldives government to halt the use of excessive force against demonstrators, and urged the international community to continue closely monitoring the situation.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Amnesty said it “condemns the excessive use of force by police personnel and urges the Maldives government to ensure a full and impartial investigation is conducted into such attacks. “

Amnesty urged the Commonwealth and UN “to monitor the situation very closely and press the government to ensure people can fully realise their right to protest freely.”

Amnesty’s statement follows its investigation of the police crackdown on a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest against the extrajudicial dismantling of the MDP’s Usfasgandu protest site on May 29 – a crackdown which included “beatings, pepper-spraying, and arrests. Those attacked include peaceful demonstrators, members of parliament, journalists and bystanders.”

Amnesty said that despite police claims to have used “the minimum required force to dismantle the area and arrest unruly demonstrators”, “it is clear that by far the majority of demonstrators were not using violence, and any such incidents cannot be used by police as an attempt to justify the ill-treatment of bystanders and those rallying peacefully.”

“Amnesty International believes that the police response to the demonstrations on 29 May was a clear example of excessive use of force.”

Amnesty’s statement included testimony from a number of protesters, noting that the latest reports “are consistent with many other testimonies Amnesty International has gathered previously. “

“One woman protesting peacefully in Majeedee Magu Street told Amnesty International that police officers suddenly pushed into them, and hit her and other peaceful demonstrators with their riot shields. Police hit them repeatedly on their back, and then pepper-sprayed them, aiming at their face and eyes. She said that police grabbed one demonstrator by the neck, shouted at him to open his mouth, and sprayed directly into his mouth,” the human rights organisation reported.

“Police also beat bystanders who showed no signs of violence. An eyewitness saw a man sitting on a stationary motorbike taking no active part in the demonstrations. Police went for him and hit him on his head with their batons. He lost consciousness. His friends took him to a nearby house where they arranged private medical treatment for him – they did not take him to hospital straight away as they were afraid he would be arrested.”

Mana Haleem, the wife of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem, was among those detained.

“She was walking home with her female friend in Majeedee Magu Street when police stopped them and began beating them repeatedly with their batons on their arms, back and hips before taking them in a van to the police station,” Amnesty stated.

“In her testimony Mana Haleem says: ‘I asked why we were being held, but received no answer. Later, they [police] told us it was because we had not obeyed their orders. We asked them how we could have disobeyed their orders if they had not given any, but they were not interested. I have bruises on my shoulder, my back and my hip.’”

MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy was also arrested: “he said police in Dhoonidhoo told him he was arrested for ‘disrupting peace’. The next day, in court, police stated that he had been detained for ‘physically attacking a woman police officer,’” Amnesty stated.

The organisation called on countries supplying police and military equipment to the Maldives, particularly pepper-spray, to ensure that the substance was not being used to commit human rights violations.

“Any country that knowingly supplies police or military equipment to a force that uses them to commit human rights violations is itself partly responsible for those violations,” Amnesty warned.

“Amnesty International is calling on the government of Maldives to halt attacks on peaceful demonstrators including beating and pepper-spraying; bring to justice any police personnel who have used excessive force; ensure that security forces in the Maldives receive comprehensive training on what constitutes human rights violations, which they should not commit.”

In response to Amnesty International’s statement, President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza observed that “there has always been a problem with police brutality in the Maldives, during the past three years as well.”

“We recognise the need to improve, but for this we need political stability and the MDP is not providing that,” he said, noting that the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) existed to hear such complaints.

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Quran teacher stopped teaching my daughter after MDP Coup Report, says Police Asst Commissioner

A female Quran teacher has refused to teach the 10 year-old daughter of Police Assistant Commissioner Hassan Habeeb, following the publication of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s report into controversial transfer of power on February 7.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Assistant Commissioner Habeeb said that when his wife went to fetch their daughter from the Quran class, the teacher told her: ‘’We are not supporters of the coalition.’’

‘’My wife at first did not quite get what she said and asked her what she meant by that. The Quran teacher replied that she had stopped teaching the Quran to the children of police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers, as she had seen and read what they had done on February 7,’’ Habeeb said.

He said when he and his wife talked to their daughter about it, they learned that the Quran teacher had not been teaching her daughter since the release of the MDP’s report.

‘’We knew from our daughter that the Quran teacher has been talking politics in the class,’’ he added.

Habeeb said he was “very saddened” by the incident and appealed to every one not to put politics in the way of such services.

‘’I have information that some doctors have also being differentiating among people of different political views, and it is very concerning,’’ he said. ‘’If this continues, this citizens will be split into groups.’’

He said this was a serious issue and it must be attended to immediately.

‘’Police and MNDF officers do not have any political views and we treat everyone equally, so people should not take us politically,’’ he added.

Minivan News was unable to contact the Quran teacher.

However she told newspaper Haveeru that the matter was her own personal business, and that she had stopped teaching Quran to not just one child.

According to the MDP’s report, then-Chief Superintendent Hassan Habeeb (now Assistant Commissioner), Assistant Commissioner Hussein Waheed, Chief Superintendent Abdulla Fairoosh, Chief Superintendent Ahmed Saudhy, Chief Inspector Abdul Mannan Yousuf, Inspector Mohamed Dhaudh, Superintendent Ahmed ‘two four’ Mohamed, Superintendent Mohamed Jamsheed, Sub-Inspector Azeem Waheed and SO Inspector Shameem were among the senior police officers who pledged alliance to the then-opposition and facilitated the police mutiny.

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Bill to amend Judges Act ‘custom fitted’ for former Chief Justice, claim MPs

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and some government-aligned MPs have claimed that the first amendment proposed to the Judges Act (act no. 13/2010) by the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Dr Afrashim Ali, is has been “custom fitted” for former Chief Justice Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim.

Rasheed was the Chief Justice and the President of the Council of Islamic Affairs during former President Gayoom’s administration.

The bill proposes to amend the article 26 of the act, which describes the reasons for declaring the seat of a judge vacant. However, MP Afrashim Ali proposed to change the context of the clause to replace it with privileges of a retiring judge. Afrashim was formerly a member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), the judiciary’s heavily criticised watchdog body.

If passed, the amendment would mean that the stated privileges would apply to all judges who failed to qualify as a judge or were retired from their seats under 285(a) of the constitution.

According to the amendment, the privileges entitled to the retiring judges include formal titles and a pension ranging from 33-100 percent of the wages received by a serving judge, depending on years of service.

Judges would further be entitled to a lump sum on their date of retirement, again based on years served on the bench, as well as security services, transport benefits, and medical insurance for the entire SAARC and ASEAN region, also applicable to the judge’s spouse.

During the debate, several MPs raised concerns over the bill and questioned the ‘real’ intention behind its submission by PPM MP Afrashim, at a time the country was facing a huge economic crisis.

Speaking during the debate, Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed – who has been supportive of President Waheed’s government – spoke against the bill, claiming that it was a bill fashioned for a specific person: former Chief Justice Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim.

“Now all those Judges who were disqualified after the new constitution was ratified claiming that they too are entitled to receive the same privileges as those who are currently as serving judges. After two years, they are trying to again link to the past,” he said.

MP Nasheed also said that it was difficult to name Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim on the parliament floor, but that if he continued to pursue benefits and privileges then he has no choice but keep on saying his name.

MDP MP Ahmed Hamza said that he believed there were some “unfair benefits” included in the bill, and that he did not believe retired judges should receive the same benefits as those currently serving on the bench.

“The bill says that a person who has served as a Judge for 30 years should get the same amount of money and privileges as a serving judge. That is unacceptable,” he said.

MP Alhan Fahmy, who recently defected to the Jumhoree Party (JP) from the MDP, said that it was disappointing to see bills being prepared to benefit those who had “hijacked” the judiciary for 30 years, without having provided any betterment or justice to the country.

“We are continuously seeing attempts to protect and find monetary benefits from the national budget by those who were with Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom during his 30 rule,” Fahmy said.

MDP MP Eva Abdulla said that before the parliament began speaking about privileges granted to retiring judges, priority must be given to the quality of judges currently in the courts. She claimed that the MDP government had planned to invest over Rf 300 million (US$19.45 million) improving the judiciary but was stopped after then opposition brought down the government in a coup d’état.

However, PPM MP Ahmed Nihan spoke in favor of the bill, and stated that such privileges should be given to retiring judges and that even if it was targeted for former chief Justice Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim, he would still support it.

“As a chief justice, as a former Minister of Justice, [Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim] has done a lot of work for the country. We can’t simply abolish the value of his service,” Nihan said

Speaking to Minivan News, MDP Spokesperson MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor described the bill as “dirty” attempt to give unfair benefits to those that served former President Gayoom.

He further said the party will not stand in support of the bill, and said that he was getting the same impression from some of the opposition MPs.

He also added that this was another attempt to corrupt the judiciary, and that some business tycoons did not want to have justice established in the country.

“This is a nasty thing. The coup happened because we had a crippled justice system. Some of those in the coup government want it to remain the same way. But interestingly some of the opposition MPs have started taking our stand. This can be seen even in voting records for the Public Finance Committee’s report on Aasandha,” he said.

Ghafoor said the bill was likely to be thrown out of the house.

Speaking to Minivan News, former member of the JSC, Aishath Velezinee, alleged that the bill was an attempt to pay back the judges who had colluded in Gayyoom’s conspiracy to bring down democracy.

“Afrashim – who proposed the motion – and Speaker Shahid stand accused in the JSC’s high treason case pending in Majlis, and have effectively covered this up since 2010,” she said.

“I maintain that the country does not have constitutionally-appointed judges and that parliament has failed to hold an inquiry. Rewarding the corrupt is against national interest,” she added.

In an article written in 2010, Velezinee noted that the parliament had approved the reward “of a hefty lifetime allowance for interim Supreme Court Justice Mujuthaaz Fahmy, removed from the bench at the end of the interim period.”

“Mujuthaaz Fahmy has on record a conviction for fraud committed in 1996 for which he was ‘convicted’ in 1998. He was the chief engineer in co-opting the Judicial Service Commission as a tool in the silent coup to derail democratic government through rigging state-building [independent institutions],” Velezinee wrote in 2010.

“The amendment to the Judges Act proposed by MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem, a member of the Parliament Independent Commissions Committee, applies only to Mujuthaaz Fahmy, a fact that only becomes obvious when one checks the records locked up in JSC and out of bounds to media and public alike. That the independence of Judges has been compromised -and no independent judiciary exists in the Maldives – is a fact evident to the thinking mind,” she wrote at the time.

Several MPs who are supportive of President Waheed suggested that the most recent bill be accepted and sent to committee, while others suggested rejecting the bill and throwing it out of the house.

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LGA warns MCC against allowing use of council facilities for political activities

The body assigned to monitor the work and activities of the councils created under the 2010 decentralisation act has urged Male’ City Council (MCC) not to allow its facilities or equipment to be used for political purposes.

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has reported several complaints about the use of council offices for political purposes and has released a statement on its website warning the council that such activities could undermine public confidence in the MCC.

“[The LGA] believes that this could disrupt the system by which these services are provided to the people. Hence, we advise all councils and council offices to refrain from leasing council property and equipment for political gatherings,” read the statement.

Under the terms of the 2010 Decentralisation Act* the LGA was created to “monitor the work and activities and coordinate the work of the councils.”

The act also commits the LGA to “ensure the work and activities of councils created is functioning in accordance with the constitution, this act, and the other laws.”

The LGA statement did not elaborate on its position concerning the legality of the use of MCC facilities for political purposes. Minivan News was informed by an LGA staff member that there was to be no further comment given today.

The legality of the use of council land has become the focal point in the dispute between the MCC and the central government.

The most recent development in the long-running dispute came on June 7 when the government filed a request with the Civil Court, requesting an order for the MCC to hand the Usfasgandu area over to the Housing Ministry.

The ministry first announced its intentions to reclaim the site on April 9 should the MCC fail to dismantle the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) protest camp.

The government argued that the leasing of the land to the MDP for political purposes was in contravention of the decentralisation act. After the MCC refused to accept this interpretation of the law, the cabinet informed the MCC on May 9 that it was entrusting the Housing Minister to reclaim the area.

The situation escalated once more on May 29 after the government obtained a warrant from the Criminal Court to search the area after the Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed had alleged complaints of illegal activity in the area. Among the purported misdemeanours listed on the warrant was “suspected black magic performed in the area”.

The security forces began to dismantle the camp before the MDP obtained an order from the Civil Court to halt the process.

The MDP, which enjoys a majority of seats in the MCC, has also been using Male’ City Hall, the council’s main office, for party press conferences in recent weeks.

Under the Decentralisation Act, the LGA is empowered to file suit with the High Court to dissolve the council. One of the situations detailed as warranting such action is the misuse of council’s faciltities.

Article 140 of the constitution states that a member of the cabinet must be assigned responsibility for each of the non-independent government authorities. The Home Minister currently fulfils this role.

*These details have been taken from an unofficial translation of the act.

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State spent Rf1.3 million on Gayooms’ health expenses 2010-2012

A total of Rf1.3 million (US$84,300) was spent on healthcare costs for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his wife from 2010 to April this year, MP Ahmed Hamza of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) revealed at parliament’s Finance Committee meeting yesterday.

The MP for Bilehdhoo revealed the figures during committee deliberations on a request by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to establish rules and guidelines for covering health expenses for former presidents and their spouses.

According to the Finance Ministry, Rf302,560 (US$19,621) was spent for the Gayooms’ healthcare in 2010, Rf713,803 (US$46,290) in 2011 and Rf298,572 (US$19,363) so far this year.

Article 7 of the Protection and Privileges for Former Presidents Act (Dhivehi) – the first piece of legislation passed by the then-opposition majority parliament after convening in May 2009 – stipulates that healthcare for ex-presidents and their spouses either in the Maldives or overseas shall be provided by the state.

The law however does not set any limits to the health expenses to be borne by the state.

In addition to healthcare costs, Rf3.86 million (US$250,324) was spent on the former president’s office in 2010, Rf2.1 million (US$136,187) in 2011 and Rf700,000 (US$45,396) as of April this year.

Local media reported that following discussions at the Finance Committee yesterday, MPs decided to recommend that the Finance Ministry purchase a health insurance package for former presidents.

MP Hamza suggested offering an insurance package similar to those provided to retired high-ranking officials at the United Nations.

MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem of Gayoom’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) reportedly insisted that the package should cover all forms of treatment to be in compliance with article 7 of the Protection and Privileges Act.

However, most MPs concurred that there should be a ceiling limit for healthcare costs for former presidents.

The legislation on protection and privileges for ex-presidents was required under article 128 of the constitution, which states, “A person who has served in the office of president, serving his term of office lawfully without committing any offence, shall be entitled to the highest honour, dignity, protection, financial privileges and other privileges entitled to a person who has served in the highest office of the land. Such protection and privileges shall be specified in law.”

“Unreasonable”

Prior to the passage of the Act in October 2009, MPs of the then-ruling MDP denounced the monetary benefits in the draft legislation as excessive and “unreasonable.”

The bill stipulated a monthly allowance of Rf75,000 (US$6,000) in addition to Rf50,000 (US$4,000) for housing and Rf175,000 (US$14,000) for staff and office space.

The ruling party said at the time that the total figure would shoot up once the cost of health, transportation and security was taken into account, estimating that a total of Rf3 million (US$233,000) would be spent a month on former President Gayoom.

MDP MP for Hithadhoo North, Mohamed Aslam, observed that ex-presidents would be allowed to seek medical care anywhere in the world at the state’s expense.

“The benefits are too high as Rf300,000 (US$19,450) a month for someone who has retired is beyond reasonable expectations,” Aslam had argued. “Also, the government is in a financial crisis and it will be difficult to pay such a huge amount.”

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