Day: February 1, 2014

Opposition MP Alhan Fahmy stabbed

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy has been stabbed in Malé this evening, while at the Breakwater cafe in the artificial beach area of the capital.

Eyewitnesses have said that police caught and arrested one of the opposition MP’s attackers. Police officials were officially able to confirm only that a man had been stabbed at around 9pm this evening.

Minivan News witnessed a lot of blood at the scene, with a large area having been cordoned off by police.

The MP has been taken to ADK hospital for treatment. A video emerging in local media appears to show a stricken Alhan arriving at hospital on the back of a pick-up truck with what appeared to be a wound on his back, around the shoulder area.

Alhan’s brother is reported to have told local media that his brother received a stab wound to the back.

The results of the final MDP parliamentary primaries were officially revealed today, with Alhan losing the Feydhoo constituency seat to Mohamed Nihad, who received 316 votes to the incumbent’s 154.

After the results of the primary contest emerged, Alhan alleged irregularities in the vote via social media, declaring his intention to challenge the outcome.

I don’t accept the results of MDP Feydhoo Parliament Primaries . I have officially informed the party of election irregularities.

— Alhan Fahmy (@FahmyAlhan) January 31, 2014

The MDP’s primary election to determine the contestants for next month’s parliamentary elections, has been marred by suggestions of irregularities.

Machangoalhi Uthuru candidate Aishath Velezinee last week complained of manipulation of party registries, while prominent Raajje TV journalist Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed suggested the number of ballots cast had exceeded the eligible voters after narrowly losing the Maafannu-south constituency race.

The MDP’s election complaints committee has investigated the latter, finding the contest to have been fair.

Political past

Alhan has had a chequered recent past with the MDP, rejoining the party in June last year after an apparently acrimonious departure in April of the previous year. Then party vice president, Alhan was ejected – alongside then party President Dr Ibrahim Didi – after the pair publicly questioned the party’s official interpretation of the February 7 ousting of President Mohamed Nasheed.

The Feydhoo MP subsequently organised a rally – sparsely attended – calling for the freeing of the MDP from its talismanic leader Nasheed. Alhan’s soon joined the government-aligned Jumhooree Party,

Alhan was initially elected to parliament on a Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) ticket, making him one of the few MPs to have been a member of almost every major political party represented in parliament, barring the DRP’s splinter party, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).

He was dismissed from the DRP in 2010 for breaking the party’s whip line in a no-confidence vote against then Foreign Minister, Dr Ahmed Shaheed

Last August, Alhan was summoned by police in connection with the alleged blackmailing of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, using footage of the judge having sex with two foreign women said to be prostitutes.

The MP tweeted a screenshot of a text message he claimed had been sent to his mobile phone by Superintendent of Police Mohamed Riyaz. The text read: “Alhan, will make sure you are fully famed (sic) for blackmailing Justice Ali Hameed. You don’t know who we are.’’

Following a number of prosecutions of MPs during the repeatedly delayed president election late last year, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) requested an urgent visit to the Maldives.

Secretary General of the IPU, Anders B. Johnsson wrote to Speaker of the Majlis Abdulla Shahid, requesting that a delegation was sent to discuss steps to ensure MPs “can do their work unhindered, without fear of intimidation and harassment or attack on their physical integrity,” added the Secretary General.

Alhan’s name appeared on an IPU list of 21 Maldivian MPs being monitored by the group. The list included Progressive Party of Maldives MP Dr Afrasheem Ali who was murdered in October 2012.

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LGA Vice President Ahmed Faisal resigns

Local Government Authority (LGA) Vice President Ahmed Faisal has resigned from his post at the local councils’ oversight body.

Faisal told local media that he resigned to make way for new members to work with newly-elected councils.

The LGA is tasked with monitoring local councils and coordinating with the government. Its board is comprised of a cabinet minister appointed by the president, a member from Malé City Council, four members elected from atoll councils, a member appointed by parliament to represent civil society, a member of the general public by parliament and a member of a city council elected from the Malé and Addu city councils.

Faisal was the civil society member on the LGA. Following the swearing-in of newly-elected councillors on February 26, the LGA’s board will be reconstituted.

Faisal had been outspoken about reforms to the current model of decentralisation followed in the country. He had recently suggested lengthening council terms from three to five years to allow the Elections Commission to conduct the parliamentary and local council elections simultaneously.

At a press conference last week, current LGA chair, Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim, criticised Faisal’s recommendation and dismissed it as his “personal opinion”. The defence minister also alleged that Faisal had been pursuing a personal agenda in deciding matters related to local councils.

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PPM members in Laamu call for democratic polls for Majlis candidate

Members of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in Laamu Atoll, Maavah constituency, held a protest on Friday over the party’s alleged decision to grant the ticket to incumbent MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakr without a primary.

Azeez, however, has said the PPM is still in discussions over candidates for the primary and that he has not yet been granted the PPM ticket.

The Maavah constituency consists of Maavah, Hithadhoo and Kunahandhoo constituencies in Laamu Atoll. Protests were held only in Kunahandhoo Island.

Speaking to Minivan News, PPM member Simad Adam said an estimated 240 members took part in Friday’s protest.

“Azeez is very close to President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and we have heard they are handing him the party ticket on a tray,” he said.

Simad claimed Azeez had pledged to work closely with constituents during the 2009 parliamentary elections, but upon election he stopped answering phone calls and refused to see constituents when they visited him.

“The party’s constitution says primaries must be held. There are others who want to contest the seat. We are just asking for a primary. If Azeez wins the primary, we will support him regardless of any issues we may have with him,” he said.

Pictures of the protest show complainants holding signs calling on the party to implement democratic principles and hold primaries.

Azeez dismissed the protests as a ploy to get him to buy off contestants.

“I am ready to contest. I will not be angry if I do not win. I will accept it as the PPM member’s decision,” he said.

According to Simad, Judge Mujuthaz Fahmy’s son – Azhan Fahmy – will be standing against Azeez.

The governing coalition – which also includes the Jumhooree Party (JP), and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – reached a deal last week on reserving a set number of seats for each party.

Of the 85 seats, PPM will contest 49, JP will contest 28, and the MDA will contest 8 seats.

The PPM is to hold primaries on February 4. All 150 candidates who applied for the 49 seats will go through a screening process where they will be evaluated and graded on the extent to which candidates uphold the party ideology, on their length of time as a party member, experience in the parliament, participation in campaigning for the presidential candidate, and service to the party.

Applicants who do not receive 75 percent will be disqualified from the primaries.

Simad said that Kunahandhoo residents will hold pro-longed protests and if the party leadership does not respond to their demands, party members will boycott the parliamentary elections and any internal party vote.

Meanwhile, members of JP have also spoken out against the party’s decision to grant the ticket to eight incumbent MPs and former Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz without a primary.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) held primaries for 56 seats this weekend after a first attempt on January 24 was called off due to poor organisation and voter registry issues.

The Elections Commission has announced it will be accepting applications for the People’s Majlis elections between January 29 and February 11.

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Cargo boat capsizes with 12 onboard

A cargo boat en route from Malé to the Filitheyo resort in Faafu atoll capsized 15 miles off the coast of Alif Dhaal Dhiggurah in the early hours of Friday following a collision at sea.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), a coastguard squadron was dispatched to rescue the crew upon receiving reports of the accident at 4:48am.

Eight men, two women and two minors were onboard when the 60-foot “3 A 28” resort supply dhoni (traditional Maldivian vessel) went under. All 12 were found by the coastguard on a lifeboat dingy and had escaped without injury.

Police meanwhile launched a search yesterday for the second boat, which allegedly sped away after the collision. The ‘Kumeri’ dhoni was found docked at the Hulhumale’ harbour.

The crew and captain were however released by the police after questioning. Newspaper Haveeru today reported a crew member of the Kumeri dhoni as saying that the crew saw 3 A 28 speeding away after the accident and were unaware that it had capsized.

The fishing boat from Faafu Magoodhoo was en route to Hulhumalé to buy ice, he said.

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Indian doctors treat over 900 patients in nationwide medical camp

Some 931 patients have been treated so far in a ‘medical camp’ conducted across the country by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) in collaboration with the Indian military.

According to the MNDF, three teams of specialist doctors from the Indian military visited islands in three areas of the country under the military’s northern, central, and southern commands. Having commenced on January 27, the medical camp is due to conclude tomorrow.
The team of doctors included specialists in skin diseases, surgery, ENT, and children’s illnesses as well as gynaecologists, ophthalmologists, and dentists.
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