Day: February 9, 2013

Defence Minister Nazim rejects allegations of police misconduct on Feb 8

Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim has rejected accusations that police officers committed criminal or “inhumane” acts against members of the public on February 8, 2012, instead blaming opposition party supporters for violence on the day.

Nazim was reported by newspaper Haveeru as claiming that police and military figures should not be held accountable for injuries sustained by members of the public during protests held over a three-day period between February 6 and February 8, 2012.

On February 7 last year, then President Mohamed Nasheed resigned from office. He subsequently alleged he had been forced to do so under “duress” on the back of a mutiny by sections of the police and military.

Speaking to private broadcaster DhiFM this week, Nazim rejected claims by the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) that some officers should be prosecuted for criminal behaviour due to how they dealt with protesters at the time the government changed.

Parliament’s Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) was told by the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) on Thursday that certain police officers should be prosecuted for alleged “unlawful actions” they committed in the build up to, and following, last year’s power transfer.

Parliament’s EOC is currently reviewing the report produced by the Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI), which looked into the events leading up to February 7, as well as its aftermath.

The CNI report, which was published in August last year, concluded there had been no coup, no duress and no mutiny during the controversial transfer of power that saw President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik sworn into office.  The report did however call for investigations into “acts of police brutality”.

The CNI findings were also welcomed at the time by the US State Department and the United Nations, but have continued to be branded a “whitewash” by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Opposition “offence”

Nazim told DhiFM broadcast that injuries received by members of the public during protests held on February 8, 2012, were a result of confrontations with police.

He maintained that the “truth” of the day, which he claimed had been wiped from public memory, was that supporters of the opposition MDP had carried out an “offence” by committing acts of violence that served to reverse national development by 20 years in certain cases.

Police stations and court houses in six southern atolls were torched during February 8 last year after police violently cracked down in the capital Male’ on a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) march where thousands took to the streets in support of former President Nasheed.

In August last year, terrorism charges were pressed against over 40 people accused of setting the Seenu Gan police station on fire on February 8, including Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed and Addu City Councillor Ahmed Mirzadh.

According to local media, Nazim alleged this week that senior figures in the MDP had requested that the archives and history of islands across the country be set on fire along with courts houses and police stations.

While the defence minister added that police had taken part in unspecified, “unprecedented acts” during the transfer of power, he said that law enforcement and security officials were not at fault for violence during and after the transfer of power, and that former President Nasheed should take full responsibility.

Injuries sustained by members of the public between February 6 and February 8 last year were a result of confronting police officers, Nazim said, and had not been sustained “from being at home”. He maintained that a probe into the clashes was ongoing.

Defence Minister Nazim was not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press. Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz’s phone was also switched off.

Prosecution calls

PIC Vice President Haala Hameed said earlier this week that the actions of some police officers during the controversial transfer of power amounted to crimes and should be prosecuted by the PG.

She claimed that the PIC had identified 29 cases of police misconduct, out of which cases concerning six police officers had been sent to the PG for prosecution. Furthermore, the PIC revealed that it had urged Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed to suspend the officers immediately.

Hameed said the commission had failed to identify the police officers in five of the remaining cases, while 11 other cases lacked supporting evidence. She also said the PIC was still investigating seven cases of police misconduct during the transfer of power.

“These are not disciplinary issues, but crimes. Aside from sending cases to the prosecutor general, we also recommended the Home Minister suspend these officers, because of the delays in prosecution. We believe these officers should not be serving in the police,” she said.

Prosecutor General Ahmed Muiz disputed Hameed’s claims at the time, suggesting that the actions of police officers did not amount to crimes but were “disciplinary issues”.

“I am not deterred or afraid of carrying out my duty. I am not influenced by anybody. By the will of God, I will continue to carry out my duty. I would have sent cases to court if there had been sufficient evidence needed for a successful prosecution,” Muiz said.

The PIC has said that it had investigated officers involved in alleged abuse as criminal cases rather than as disciplinary matters.

Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed responded in local media at the time that cases involving police officers whom the had PIC recommended be dismissed had been sent to the police disciplinary board.

Jameel said the Police Act and the regulations made under the act were very clear as to how a police officer could be dismissed or disciplined. He claimed that he would uphold the law and would not violate the Police Act.

“The PIC is an institution formed under the Police Act. I can’t simply remove a police officer simply based on a recommendation by the commission. That is why I sent the cases to police disciplinary board as soon as I got the [PIC]’s letter,” he told Haveeru.

Jameel also said it would be an unfair dismissal if the court acquitted a police officer who had been dismissed prior a verdict being reached.

Dr Jameel was not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

International pressure for a thorough investigation into allegations of police abuse has continued.

The UK government earlier this week called for the government and other parties to work towards institutional reform in areas such as the judiciary, as well as “to fully investigate all allegations of police brutality, as recommended in the CoNI report.”

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NDA head calls for drug smugglers to receive death penalty

National Drug Agency (NDA) Chairperson Lubna Zahir has called for individuals found to be importing illegal narcotics into the Maldives to face the death penalty, local media has reported.

Speaking on state broadcaster Television Maldives (TVM), Lubna was reported as saying  that the death penalty should be imposed for those who bring drugs into the country, adding that it needs to be in the same category as murder.

The comments were made after the recent deaths of a number of individuals who had taken a fake version of LSD circulated in the Maldives.

“We can only prevent drugs from coming into the Maldives by implementing the death penalty against them. Importing drugs is not a less serious crime,” Lubna was quoted by the Sun Online news service as telling the state broadcaster.  “One solution to this is to implement the death penalty against those who bring in drugs and commit murder.”

Lubna requested parliament to include the death penalty as the most severe punishment for drug smugglers, when passing relevant laws.

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“The current government is failing”: government-aligned PPM

The government has come under fire from Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) potential presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen, who has claimed institutions are both failing and corrupt.

Speaking at a rally on February 7 to mark the anniversary of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s removal from power, Yameen called for President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik to “set things right”, adding that the current government had come to a halt.

Despite PPM being part of the current government coalition, local media reported Yameen as criticising a number of issues he claimed the government was responsible for.

“What we’re seeing today, and it is with sadness I say this, is the current government failing. The institutions are now incapable,” Sun Online quoted Yameen as saying.

Yameen, who is the half-brother of former autocratic ruler Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, further claimed that Maldivians will not believe they have achieved democracy unless laws are properly implemented by the government, local media reported.

“Major crimes are being committed on the streets. Rights are being invaded and violated. We want a clean, bold and a just government. A government with our support.

“Unless laws are being implemented, the Maldivians won’t believe that they have achieved democracy. They won’t believe a dictatorial rule had ended. We don’t see a difference,” local newspaper Haveeru quoted Yameen as saying.

Yameen’s comments come less than one month after the PPM appointed former 30-year ruler Gayoom – who many claim ran the country as a dictator – as its party President.

The PPM presidential candidate further criticised foreign interference with internal issues in the Maldives, claiming that the government was making it possible for foreign parties to do so.

“Foreign countries are interfering with internal issues of the Maldives to a greater extent than we’re comfortable with. The government is giving them that opportunity,” Yameen was quoted as saying in local media.

Yameen’s critical remarks were met with backlash yesterday (February 8), including from the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

DRP Parliamentary Group Deputy Leader Abdullah Mausoom told local media the PPM was willing to take credit for the government’s success, but distanced itself when the government faced criticism.

“If the government achieves something, they’d say it was them, they want to be the ones who sustain the government. But if the government is being harmed in any way, they are not part of it. If the government gets recognised for something, they take credit for it,” he told Sun Online.

Mausoom said that PPM had obstructed the government on two occasions, expressing concern that the party still continues to criticise the government despite the challenges faced due to the obstructions.

Speaking to local media, he said that whilst the budget is the most important part of providing public services, the PPM and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had reduced it by MVR 2 million, and that it would not be “wise” to criticise the difficulties this may cause.

Furthermore, Mausoom claimed that the Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) – currently investigating the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) report – is held by a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) majority and that this was facilitated by the PPM.

Mausoom said that the former Parliamentary Leader of the People’s Alliance – Abdulla Yameen – had given up the party’s spot in the EOC when he joined the PPM, giving the MDP a majority.

President’s Spokesperson Masood Imad, and Dhivehi Quamee Party Leader Hassan Saeed were not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

Jumhoree Party (JP) Spokesman Moosa Ramiz said he needed to discuss Yameen’s comments with the JP’s leader, resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, before giving the party’s official view. Minivan News was awaiting his response at time of press.

Cracks are starting to appear: MDP

Speaking to Minivan News today (February 9), MDP Spokesman Hamed Abdul Ghafoor said Yameen was “expressing discontent” within the government’s ranks, and that cracks were beginning to appear within the coalition.

“There are two issues that seem to disturb them at the moment. The EOC coming up with evidence supporting that there was a coup, and the other being President Nasheed’s court case.

“It is looking like they are also trying to get Nasheed out of the [Presidential elections] race,” Ghafoor said.

In regard to the EOC’s investigation into the CoNI report, Yameen was quoted as saying during Thursday’s rally that the investigation was “determinably illegal” and that it was being spearheaded Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

The investigation by the Executive Oversight Committee has so far seen senior military and police intelligence figures give evidence alleging that the transfer of power on February 7 “had all the hallmarks of a coup d’etat”, whilst claiming that the final CoNI report published last year had not reflected their input.

Speaking at the rally, Yameen said the government had no legal obligation to cooperate with the EOC in regard to the CoNI investigation, local media reported.

“As Parliamentary Group Leader of PPM, I have told the President that the government does not have to cooperate with the Majlis Committee investigating CoNI Report. The executive shall run according to the legal instruction of the Attorney General and not a Majlis Committee.

“[Parliament Speaker] Abdulla Shahid is now investigating the CoNI Report, and I wonder what he has in mind to do. On behalf of PPM, I would emphatically say that they are undertaking an illegal work. They cannot do it”, Sun Online reported Yameen as saying.

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MDP holds ‘Black March’ against police brutality

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) held a march attended by nearly 10,000 supporters in the capital city on Friday to mark the anniversary of February 8, 2012, when police were accused of committing many acts of brutality against its supporters.

The march is one of a series of rallies being held weekly on Friday afternoons, but stood out due to the huge number of participants and the theme of black worn by most marchers to mark a year since the controversial transfer of power.

Many of the party’s senior officials marched on the front lines. MDP MPs Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Ali Waheed,  Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, Mohamed Nazim, Mohamed Rasheed and Ahmed Sameer were among the leaders who participated.

Former Deputy President of the party Alhan Fahmy also participated in Friday’s march. Fahmy last year signed with Jumhooree Party (JP) and has been vocal against the MDP and its leadership. Minivan News observed some of the participants shouting ‘baaghee’ (traitor) upon Fahmy’s entrance to the rally grounds.

“The MDP is an open, liberal party. Incidents like this test our liberal attitude. We are able to be diplomatic and liberal, anyone can join these rallies. But then of course, people will have reservations about these things,” Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said.

MP Alhan Fahmy was not responding to calls at the time of press.

The marchers, under the banner “I condemn the coup d’etat'”, marched against police brutality and impunity. Starting near the MDP rally site – currently locked down by the police under a High Court order – the march proceeded on the same route as it took a year ago.

The demonstrators came up against a police blockade halfway into the march, near the local market area, and forced their way through two separate police lines to approach the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) area.

Demonstrators came to a halt about 10 feet from the final police cordon, which blocked entry into the Republican Square. The march then took a detour through side streets and reconvened on Fareedhee Magu.

Minivan News did not observe any physical confrontations between demonstrators and security forces, who maintained a high presence in the area.  However, Minivan News journalists were initially refused entry behind the police lines despite other media personnel active in the area.

The demonstrators continued to shout slogans against police, and many held placards with messages against the “coup government” and police brutality.

The march concluded back near the MDP’s protest site at Usfasgandu. Some senior MDP officials spoke to the gathered crowds before the rally ended.

Speaking at the rally, MP Ali Waheed said the MDP would henceforth come out to protest with the attitude of “an eye for an eye”, and that the current “coup government has 30 days to do what they will. The MDP will start our most intense actions within this time.”

“The numbers we saw today are far more than what we saw even on February 8 last year. I believe people now have a higher resolve to bring an end to this coup,” said MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

“I believe protests will become more aggressive in future. People are fed up of  the blatant impunity with which the police operate,” Hamid said, but added that any resistance would “happen within the framework of rule of law.”

Some acted against the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act: police

Police have said that four police officers were injured due to demonstrators throwing objects at them and had to seek medical attention.They further said that the police were analysing video footage taken during the march to identify the perpetrators of these acts, and that legal action would be taken against them.

“Some of the protesters had their faces covered, while some also damaged the chains on the MNDF monument near the National Monument. These are acts which go against the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act,” Superintendent Abdulla Nawaz stated at a press briefing held Friday night.

Nawaz noted that parliament members had also participated in the march, adding “MPs should know that such events should be conducted within the legal framework. They should also demonstrate this to other people.”

Police have called on the public to demonstrate within the rights and freedoms granted by Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act and the Constitution of the Maldives.

The Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act is a bill redefining restrictions on assembly which was recently ratified by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Meanwhile, MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor stated that the party had noticed that police had exercised more restraint during today’s march in comparison with recent other demonstrations of the same calibre.

“We noticed that police were in a more rational mood,” Ghafoor said, “They were not confrontational despite protesters getting rather aggressive.”

“People’s attitudes are one notch higher when it comes to standing up against police impunity. People are getting more impatient. There is an overall lack of respect for the police institution,” Ghafoor said.

“I think this is people’s way of showing that we’ve had enough. Groups of police would muscle into crowds and drag away people they hand-picked. I think people have crossed the threshold into no longer accepting such acts, and not accepting police brutality and police impunity any more.”

Similar demonstrations took place at the same time on Friday on other islands across the Maldives, including the islands of Kudafaree and Velidhoo.

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Maldives banks revising home finance to cater to emerging real estate demand

Two banking groups operating in the Maldives have announced the launch of new home financing mechanisms they have said will cater for predicted growth in the country’s real estate sector.

Both the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) and Bank of Maldives (BML) have launched new home finance packages in recent weeks to try and cater for a perceived emerging demand amongst local buyers.

MIB on Tuesday (February 5) officially launched a new mechanism for home financing based on the Islamic principle of “Diminishing Musharaka”.

A spokesperson for MIB explained that the principle required the formation of a partnership between itself and an individual customer or institution to jointly buy a property.

Once acquired, eligible customers enter an agreement with the bank to divide shares in the property into units.  These units must must then be periodically purchased by the client until ownership is fully transferred from MIB.

Properties covered by the financing program must be fully constructed and not more than 10 years old, while also found to have been kept in good condition in accordance to standards outlined by the bank.

The maximum financing available under the scheme was 80 percent of a property’s total purchase price, the bank added.  The maximum tenure of the loan – the time by which the customer is required to have fully paid back the financing to MIB – is 20 years.

According to the company, individual customers looking to make use of the finance scheme must be 21 years of age or above, while institutions must be registered in accordance to local laws.

Prior to the MIB launch, state-owned BML also announced a new home finance package for its customers that it claims offers more favourable loan conditions for the purchase or refinancing of properties specifically in the capital Male’ or the nearby island of Hulhumale’.

“Recently the Maldives has seen a rise in real estate business and this sector is expected to grow in coming years. To cater for this demand, BML launched a competitive home loan product,” a spokesperson for the company has claimed.

Despite being one of the country’s longest-serving providers of home finance, BML has claimed that its revised loan package was more attractive to local buyers, increasing the repayment period to 15 years from the previous 10.

The company added that the interest rate for the loan had also been cut to 11 percent, a .75 percentage point reduction on its previous housing finance package.  Meanwhile, customer equity has also been cut to 20 percent from 30 percent previously, the company added.

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