November 2013 – Page 3 – Minivan News

MNDF to establish TV channel, day care centre, open access to military hospital

The Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) will establish a TV channel and a day-care centre as well as providing public access to the military hospital within 100 days of government.

Recently reappointed Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim unveiled the raft of new initiatives during a ceremony held to reveal the MNDF’s new strategic action plan on Monday.

The Addana TV (Shield TV) will first be established solely for the MNDF, but will later be registered and broadcast for public viewing, MNDF Spokesperson Major Hussein Ali told Minivan News.

The military hospital Senahiya will be upgraded to provide MRI and CT scan services and will enlist specialised doctors. The 25 bed hospital currently caters to security forces and civil aviation staff but will be open for the public, Hussein said.

The day care center is an initiative of the Military Family Association and will ensure “soldier’s children are looked after in a compassionate and loving environment when their parents are at work,” Hussein said.

A new building with 72 new flats is also to be built in Bandeyri Koshi in Malé and the MNDF will build additional housing for soldiers in the MNDF headquarters.

Defense Minister Nazim said the key policies of the new Strategic Action Plan are strengthening of the national security framework, establishing a welfare system that does not rely on the state budget, developing infrastructure to enhance soldier’s living and working conditions and expanding education and training facilities to further professionalize the army.

Speaking to Channel News Maldives today, Nazim said the development of Senahiya will be sourced from foreign aid and not through the state budget.

The military will also buy a new hovercraft and a helicopter within 100 days of government, Nazim said.

Within 100 days of government, the MNDF will also submit a military discipline bill to parliament and establish military courts to ensure equality and justice within the military, he said.

The MNDF had established a joint venture “MNDF welfare company” in August 2012 to invest in various businesses, including the tourism industry.

The company is 10 percent government owned and 90 percent owned by Sifco, the MNDF’s cooperative society.

Soon afterwards, the MNDF said it would develop the military training island Thamburudhoo as a “boutique surf resort” in order to generate income to fund welfare services and training facilities

The move has garnered opposition from Maldivian surfers who started a campaign called “Save Thamburudhoo” claiming the resort will kill surf tourism in the Malé atoll.

The new initiatives come in the wake of dissent within the military ranks following the cancellation, delay and annulment of 2013 presidential polls.

A letter signed by 17 high ranking soldiers expressing concern over politicization of the military and possible repercussions should a president-elect not be determined by the end of the presidential term.

In November, an appeal signed by 73 mid-ranking soldiers, calling on fellow soldiers not to obey any “unlawful” orders issues by former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan was leaked on social media.

The MNDF has also amended its regulations to punish officers who promoted “upheaval and chaos” in the military.

Six soldiers including Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam were dismissed from service on Monday.

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Turning the clock back: Frontline

“The political crisis in Maldives over the presidential run-off ends with the surprise victory of a close relative of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and the shock defeat of Mohamed Nasheed,” writes R.K. Radhakrishnan for India’s Frontline magazine.

“Change, sometimes, seems like a closed loop. The more things appear to change, the more they remain the same. This is so very true in respect of Maldives, an archipelago nation with a population of over 300,000 people, which is normally in the news for climate change issues and its idyllic upmarket beaches.

On November 16, Maldivians queued up to elect a new President in a run-off round. The results shocked international observers. Five years after the country held its first multiparty presidential election, Maldivians chose to turn the clock back. They brought back to power a close relative of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the country with an iron hand for about three decades.

Abdullah Yaameen Abdul Gayoom, the presidential candidate of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), a party Gayoom founded after he returned to Maldives a few years ago, was elected to the top post, with an astonishing 51.39 per cent of the vote polled (111,203 votes). He defeated the former President and Amnesty International’s Prisoner of Conscience, Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldivian Democratic Party. Nasheed got 48.61 per cent of the votes (105,181 votes). The polling percentage, at 91.41 per cent, was unbelievably high. A total of 218,621 of the 239,165 eligible voters exercised their franchise.”

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Majlis approves US$11,122,700 loan for Fuvahmulah water and sewerage

The People’s Majlis has approved a loan worth US$11,122.,700 to establish a water and sewerage system on Fuvahmulah Island.

The Kuwait fund provided loan has a grace period of four years and is to be repaid over 24 years.

Fuvahmulah Island located in southern Maldives has a population of 11,140 people.

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Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam, five MNDF officers dismissed

The Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) has dismissed six soldiers including former head of military intelligence Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam.

In a statement on Tuesday, the MNDF said Nilam had been demoted from the post of Brigadier General and dismissed for “violating MNDF duties and disciplinary norms, repeating acts that should not be seen from an MNDF officer, revealing secret information against military regulations, diminishing the honor of the MNDF, and sowing discord in the military.”

Nilam was suspended in January after he told the People’s Majlis Government Oversight Committee that he believed the transfer of power in February 2012 had all the academic characteristics of a coup d’état.

A separate MNDF statement said First Lieutenant Abdulla Shareef, Sergeant First Class Ali Waheed and Staff Sergeant Ibrahim Ali had been dismissed for breaching MNDF’s duties and responsibilities.

Further, Staff Sergeant Hassan Hameed had been dismissed for disciplinary offenses and Lance Corporal Shahrab Rashid for leaking secret MNDF documents.

All six soldiers had previously been suspended on charges of sowing discord in the military.

Speaking at a ceremony to unveil the MNDF’s strategic action plan held last night, Chief of Defense Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam called for “100 percent loyalty” from the MNDF.

“Soldiers must have absolute loyalty. Every single man and women working in this institution must have this characteristic. Otherwise, they are lacking the most important characteristic of a soldier,” Shiyam said.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Ahmed Nazim appealed to all soldiers to stay away from ideological warfare and to remain steadfast in evading attempts to sow discord among soldiers.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the “unlawful” dismissal of the six officers “on baseless allegations.”

The party said it accepted the military’s work in upholding the constitution and working to resolve the political turmoil following the annulment, cancellations and delays in presidential polls.

Following the Supreme Court order to delay run-off polls pending a verdict in a case to annul the first round of presidential election held on September 7, 17 high ranking MNDF officers sent a letter expressing concern over politicization of the military and possible repercussions should a president-elect not be determined by the end of the presidential term.

The MNDF then amended its regulations to punish officers who promoted “upheaval and chaos” and Brigadier General Abdulla Shamaal was subsequently removed from his position as the Commandant of Training and Doctrine.

Shareef, Waheed and Shahrab were suspended from service.

As the prospects of electing a president by the end of the presidential term on November 11 dimmed, 73 mid-ranking officers circulated an appeal calling on fellow soldiers not to obey any “unlawful” orders issued by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan or his political appointees.

Sergeant Hassan Hameed was then detained on the MNDF training facility at Girifushi Island.

The MDP has said the “politically motivated dismissal of soldiers who have served the state for long periods of time will only weaken the institution.”

According to local media reports, First Lieutenant Abdulla Shareef had served in the MNDF for eight years, Sergeant First Class Ali Waheed for 30 years, Staff Sergeant Ibrahim Ali for 18 years, Staff Sergeant Hassan Hameed for 19 years and Lance Corporal Shahrab Rashid for 14 years.

Ali Ibrahim had served as body guard to former First Lady Laila Ali during President Mohamed Nasheed’s tenure and Shahrab Rashid had served as bodyguard to Nasheed’s running mate Dr Musthafa Luthfy in the 2013 presidential polls.

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Majlis to review removal of Penal Code Article 81

The People’s Majlis has narrowly voted to review a series of Penal Code amendments proposed by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) including the removal of the Penal Code’s Article 81.

Former President Nasheed is currently being charged under Article 81 for the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed – an incident that precipitated Nasheed’s ouster in February 2012.

“It shall be an offense for any public servant by reason of the authority of office he is in to detain or arrest in a manner contrary to law. Person guilty of this offense shall be subjected to exile or imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding MVR 2,000,” reads the article.

MDP MP Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy’s proposal passed with 27 members voting for and 26 members voting against the proposal. The proposal will be reviewed by a parliamentary committee before it is sent to the Majlis floor for a final vote.

Other amendments also include the removal of Penal Code’s Article 75 and 87.

Article 75 concerns the making of false charges: “Whoever institutes a claim against another person with the intent to cause inconvenience, loss or injury to that person without lawful grounds shall be subjected to a fine not exceeding MVR 2000.”

Article 87 of the code relates to the failure to assist public servant in his duties, with offenders subject to exile, six months imprisonment, or a MVR500 fine.

The current penal code was written in 1968. Work on a new penal code started in 2008, but it is still at committee stage.

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Approval sought for six ministers

President Abdulla Yameen has requested the approval of the People’s Majlis for six cabinet ministers.

The request was forwarded to the Parliament Committee on Oversight of the Government today.

The six ministers to be reviewed are:

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem
Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr Mohamed Shainee
Minister of Home Affairs, Umar Naseer
Minister of Environment and Energy, Thorig Ibrahim
Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Dr Mohamed Muizzu
Minister of Economic Development, Mohamed Saeed

A request for the approval of five ministers was sought on Sunday, which are still in review.

Approval for the Minister of Education, Dr Aishath Shiham, Minister of Youth and Sports, Maleeh Jamal, Minister of Health and Gender, Dr Mariyam Shakeela, and the most recent appointment, Attorney General Mohamed Anil, has yet to be forwarded.

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Three DRP MPs defect to Jumhoree Party

Three members of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) have defected to resort tycoon-turned-politician Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhoree Party (JP).

DRP MPs Hussain Mohamed, Hassan Latheef and Ahmed Mohamed announced their defection during a meeting held by JP at its party headquarters last Monday night.

Meanwhile former DRP Leader MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, his wife MP Visam Ali and party’s Deputy Leader MP Rozeyna Adam defected to the opposition MDP last week.

The DRP backed opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Presidential Candidate and former President Mohamed Nasheed in the last Presidential Elections, shortly after the Supreme Court annulled the first presidential polls held in September, in which Nasheed won 45.45 percent of the popular vote.

The new change of sides, leaves the DRP – who won 29 seats in parliament during last parliamentary elections – downsized to just three MPs, with its interim Leader MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed, Parliamentary Group Leader MP Abdulla Mausoom and MP Mohamed Ramiz as remaining members.

However, since the fact that neither the MDP nor the coalition of parties supporting President Yameen Abdul Gayoom have the sufficient number of MPs to form a simple working majority of 39 MPs, means the DRP would still continue to be an influential swing party in deciding parliamentary matters.

This is because, the government coalition – even with the support of all independent MPs – would still be able to command just 35 MPs – four MPs short of a majority– while the opposition MDP commands 36 MPs.

The change in party compositions in parliament could also possibly jeopardize the opposition MDP’s majority in parliamentary select-committees, which they gained following DRP’s decision to back Nasheed in the presidential polls.

MP Abdulla Mausoom who took part in Monday night’s JP meeting told local media that although he had not formally joined the JP, he “now supports the JP”. However, Mausoom said that he still intends to remain in DRP and follow the DRP’s whip-line.

Mausoom’s announcement of his support to the JP also coincides with his appointment to the position of General Manager of the Sun Island Resort and Spa – a resort owned by JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim.

“Tourism has always been very close at heart. I’ve taken over as the resort’s General Manager yesterday,” Mausoom told the press earlier.

DRP in ICU

In a press conference held this Tuesday morning, Interim Leader of DRP MP ‘Colonel’ Nasheed admitted that his party is now “in ICU” and appealed to the support of party members to revive the party.

“But, as a doctor who is attending to the DRP’s condition I shall not give up hope on her. I am sure that this party will be revived. DRP will again become a powerful political party in Maldives in a near future,” Nasheed told the press.

“I am not [former Maldives autocratic ruler for thirty years and founder of DRP] Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. I am not [former DRP Leader] Thasmeen. So my strategy would be different,”

Nasheed also said that the DRP was currently in the process of an internal audit as it has standing debt of approximately MVR 10 million. He however said that the party would be taking the responsibility for debts it had incurred instead of blaming its former leaders.

“I won’t be able to sort this mess out on my own. This party has members across the country. We fell into this stage because we did not have the needed active members. So I am calling out to all party members to become more active,” Nasheed said.

He further added that the DRP will be fielding its candidates in the upcoming local council elections and the parliamentary election. The party’s target is, Nasheed said, to win the mayorship of Male’ City Council and win at least 10 seats in parliament.

Following the change, the DRP now has 3 MPs, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has 36 MPs, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has 20 MPs, the JP has 7 MPs, resort tycoon Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam’s Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) has 2 MPs, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has one MP and five independent MPs.

Three out of the 77 seats are now vacant. The vacant seats include seats belonging to two former DRP MPs Ali Azim and Ahmed Nashiz – who were unseated after the Supreme Court held that they had unpaid debts – and the Mulaku Constituency seat which belonged to President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

The Elections Commission earlier said that by-elections for the seats would not be held as the current parliament’s term will expire before six months, and as per the constitution, a by-election is required to be held if the parliament’s term has more than six months before expiration.

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Suood to investigate Justice Ali Hameed’s ‘sex tapes’

Former Attorney General Husnu Suood has been appointed to a Judicial Services Commission (JSC) committee to investigate Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed’s alleged involvement in a series of leaked sex tapes.

The JSC set up a five member sub committee in July following the circulation of several videos in which an individual believed to be Judge Ali Hameed has sex with several unidentified foreign women in a Colombo Hotel room.

Suood was appointed to the seat previously occupied by Mohamed Anil who resigned from the committee following his appointment as the state’s Attorney General.

The remaining members on the committee are JSC Vice President Abdulla Didi, President’s representative to the JSC Latheefa Gasim and lawyers Ahmed Rasheed and Hussain Siraj.

The committee in July recommended the suspension of Ali Hameed, but the JSC decided against any action citing lack of evidence and asked the committee to conduct further investigations into the case.

Abdull Didi and Latheefa Gasim then tendered their resignation from the committee, but the JSC voted not to accept their resignations.

The Supreme Court suspended Suood in September for alleged contempt of court.

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