Day: November 3, 2014

President thanks soldiers who fought for Maldives’ sovereignty on Victory Day

President Abdulla Yameen has extended his gratitude to soldiers and members of the public who have fought for the sovereignty of the country on the occasion of Victory Day.

The holiday is celebrated annually on November 3 to commemorate the failed coup by Maldivian political dissidents and Tamil mercenaries in 1988.

“The President said that the key to victory in the November 3rd terrorist attack was unity and harmony among the Maldivian people,” read a statement from the President’s Office.

President Yameen urged Maldivians to foster the spirit of cooperation and to defend the nation’s independence and sovereignty against enemies within who would seek to allow outside forces to influence the nation.

He also called upon Maldivians to stay away from irreligious activities and “disruptive” influences.

The attempted ousting of then President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – President Yameen’ half brother – 26 years ago was repelled with a combined effort from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and Indian troops.

November 3, 1988

The attempt to overthrow Gayoom’s then-ten year regime was formulated in Sri Lanka by two Maldivians – Abdulla Luthfee and Sikka Ahmed Ismail Manik – who requested assistance from Tamil secessionist organisation the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).

PLOTE reportedly provided the Maldivians with a raiding team of 80 mercenaries with which they sailed to the Maldives in sea trawlers, arriving in the capital Malé in the early morning hours of November 3, 1998.

After securing Hulhulé airport with little to no opposition, the rebels landed in Malé in front of MNDF headquarters where they met heavy resistance from Corporal Hussain Adam, a young officer who was guarding the main gate that morning.

Corporal Hussain Adam died from multiple gunshot wounds in a small guard post on the side of the gate from where he laid defensive fire, weakening the offensive until he ran out bullets. Corporal Adam died after calling out for more bullets so he could lay covering fire in order to enter the safety of the headquarters.

Meanwhile, President Maumoon requested assistance from numerous countries – including India, the UK and the USA – after having himself escaped a group of rebels sent to capture him. India was the quickest to respond to the distress call, deploying 1500 paratroopers to the Maldives.

The rebels quickly fell into disarray after the resistance from the MNDF gate and began looking for ways to escape the island. They eventually seized the vessel, MV Progress Light and started sailing towards Java before changing course towards Sri Lanka. They took with them a group of hostages, including the transport minister and his wife.

Progress Light was soon intercepted by Indian Navy vessels INS Godhavari and INS Betwa. After some resistance – including the murder of 5 hostages to discourage the strong offensive from the Indian Navy vessels – the rebels surrendered after their vessel sustained irreversible damage.

Prosecution and disappearance of Luthfee

Luthfee, along with the other Maldivians involved, was captured by the Indian Navy and handed over to the Maldivian Government who charged them with terrorism and sentenced them to death. The sentence was later amended after pressure from the Indian Government, with those charged receiving life imprisonment instead.

In 2010, however, Luthfee disappeared while in India for medical reasons. The home minister at the time, Mohamed Fayaz, told Minivan News that Luthfee was authorised to go to India in 2009 and was supposed to return by January 2010.

The Progressive Party of the Maldives, headed by former President Gayoom, accused then President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration of setting Luthfee free.

Current Home Minister Umar Naseer today expressed his confidence in finding Luthfee, suggesting that he was currently residing in Sri Lanka under a false identity.

“What happens is it’s different to hunt him down because it’s a foreign country. Our police officers have to go there and work. As far as I know, Luthfy was last seen in Lanka,” said Umar.

The Maldives Police Service has previously placed a bounty of MVR75,000 (US$4,870) on Luthfee’s head – to be given to anyone who aids the police in finding him.

In a testimony made public today by Haveeru, Luthfee accused the Senior Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry at the time of the 1988 coup attempt, Ibrahim Hussein Zaki, of having prior knowledge of the attacks and of providing information of Gayoom’s travel schedule.

Zaki – also special envoy to President Nasheed – has denied the allegations, stating that he did not have any prior knowledge of the attacks and that he would hand himself to authorities for imprisonment if proven otherwise.

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Former President Nasheed to receive ‘Sylvia Earle Blue Mission’ award

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has departed for the United States this morning to accept the ‘Sylvia Earle Blue Mission’ award for 2014 in recognition of his climate change advocacy and efforts to raise public awareness.

According to the office of the former president, Nasheed will be presented the award at a ceremony in St Petersburg, Florida, on November 6. On the following day, the former president will deliver a speech on environment protection.

During the visit, Nasheed will also meet Dr Sylvia Earle, who was the first female chief scientist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Mission Blue is a global initiative of the Sylvia Earle Alliance – which was formed in response to Sylvia Earle’s 2009 TED Prize wish – and currently includes over 90 ocean conservation groups and organisations.

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MDP may challenge constitutionality of amendment to Audit Act

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) parliamentary group has decided to make a recommendation to the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to challenge the constitutionality of amendments brought to the Audit Act last week.

“The NEC will make a decision tomorrow,” MP Rozaina Adam said at a press conference this morning.

Under Article 143 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court and High Court has the jurisdiction “to enquire into and rule on the constitutional validity of any statute or part thereof enacted by the People’s Majlis.”

Rozaina argued that the amendment stipulating that the president shall reappoint an auditor general within 30 days was unconstitutional.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Thoriq had proposed adding a clause to the audit law stating that the president shall nominate for parliamentary approval an individual or individuals to the post of auditor general within 30 days of ratifying the amendments.

The amendment was passed with 36 votes in favour and 22 against at Wednesday’s (October 29) sitting of parliament.

At today’s press conference, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy meanwhile stressed the importance of the public protesting the unconstitutional move.

Imthiyaz said he had learned that parliament’s Counselor General Fathmath Filza had also advised Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed that the amendment was unconstitutional.

President Abdulla Yameen ratified the amendments less than 24 hours after it was passed, he noted.

Imthiyaz said the haste with which the amendment was passed and ratified shows the PPM government’s eagerness to replace the auditor general following allegations of corruption made against the party’s deputy leader – Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb – in a special audit report of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Company (MMPRC).

Meanwhile, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim told newspaper Haveeru last night that he would also contest the constitutionality of the amendment at the Supreme Court.

The amendment contravenes the process specified in the Constitution for the appointment and removal of the auditor general, Niyaz contended.

Article 218 of the Constitution states that the auditor general could be removed from office “(a) on the ground of misconduct, incapacity or incompetence; and (b) a finding to that effect by a committee of the People’s Majlis, pursuant to article (a) and upon the approval of such finding by the People’s Majlis by a majority of those present and voting, calling for the Auditor General’s removal from office”.

Niyaz told the local daily that he does not intend to remain in the post even if the Supreme Court strikes down the amendment.

Following the release of the MMPRC special audit report, Niyaz revealed that death threats were sent to both himself and his family. Niyaz is currently on leave.

During last week’s parliamentary debate, PPM MP Thoriq said he proposed the amendment with reference to Article 211(b) of the Constitution, which states, “A statute shall specify the responsibilities, powers, mandate, qualifications, and ethical standards of the Auditor General.”

Thoriq noted that the Audit Act was passed in 2007 before the ratification of the Constitution the following year and did not specify the responsibilities, mandate, qualification and ethical standards of the auditor general.

PPM MP Ibrahim Waheed has meanwhile told local media that the post of auditor general became vacant with the president’s ratification of the amendments.

Waheed contended that as Niyaz was appointed under the 2007 audit law, a new auditor general must be appointed in accordance with the Constitution following the amendments to the Audit Act.

Article 210 of the Constitutions states, “The President shall appoint as Auditor General a person approved by a majority of the total membership of the People’s Majlis from the names submitted to the People’s Majlis as provided for in law.”

Waheed argued that Niyaz was appointed in the absence of a law passed after the adoption of the Constitution in August 2008.

“So the legal obligations and responsibilities of the present Auditor General will stop. And if he is willing to go ahead, he also has to apply to the post just like others. An Auditor General will be appointed under this constitution after the parliament approves the name sent by the president,” he was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

The 17th People’s Majlis had unanimously approved former President Mohamed Nasheed’s nomination of Niyaz Ibrahim to the post of auditor general in May 2011.

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Drugs, mobile phones seized from jails

The Maldives Correctional Service (MCS) has seized a large amount of drugs and mobile phones from the Maafushi jail, custodial jail in Malé and Himmafushi low security ‘Asseyri’ jail.

At a press briefing yesterday (November 2), Superintendent of Prisons Mohamed Asif said MCS has been “continuously searching” jails for contraband as part of wider efforts to improve security.

“After searching Maafushi jail for the past three weeks, we have seized 52 mobile phones and 35 phone batteries,” Asif revealed.

In addition, MCS found 32 chargers, more than 33 SIM cards, and 200 packets of illicit narcotics from Maafushi jail cells, Asif added.

Smuggled items confiscated from the Malé custodial jail include three mobile phones, two chargers, two phone batteries, one SIM card, and one packet of a substance believed to be drugs, Asif said.

“In the same operation, we searched Asseyri jail and found four mobile phones, three chargers, and one phone battery and one SIM card,” he said.

Prison guards checked jail cells at random, Asif noted, praising the “hard work” of MCS employees.

Moreover, a mechanism has been put in place for prison guards to check jail cells once a month, Asif continued, conceding that prevention of smuggling items into prisons completely would prove difficult.

“However, we have commenced numerous different efforts to minimise the extent of smuggling,” he said.

A joint investigation with the Maldives Police Service was underway to determine how the contraband was smuggled into the three jails, Asif said.

The search operation follows the escape of two dangerous convicts from Maafushi jail last month. Police revealed that the pair had sawn off 22 bars on a window in the bathroom of cell number 14 in unit nine of Maafushi jail.

Following the capture of the fugitives, Home Minister Umar Naseer said a dog squad would be used periodically in preventing the entry of illicit drugs into Maafushi jail.

In addition to a new 20-foot wall, surveillance cameras, increased lighting and automatic locks will be used to strengthen security at the jail, Naseer said.

Between 50 and 100 inmates will work for pay in constructing the wall. The MVR4.2 million (US$272,000) wall will stretch for 1.4 kilometers and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

Asif meanwhile told the press yesterday that the lack of an outer wall allows access to Maafushi jail on all sides, noting that construction of the 20-foot wall was underway.

Asked about the involvement of prison guards in smuggling drugs and phones, Asif said MCS has started searching guards and employees before they enter the jail.

Asif contended that contraband could be smuggled without the involvement of prison guards or staff, referring to items being thrown into the custodial jail in Malé.

A net has been put up around the perimeters, Asif said, which was, however, “not a total solution.”

Both visitors and prison guards have been caught while attempting to smuggle drugs and phones, he noted.

In May, a police officer was caught while attempting to smuggle drugs into the custodial detention centre in the capital.

In January, police seized mobile phones and drugs from Maafushi jail while a 20-year-old and a minor were arrested in February for attempting to smuggle drugs into the jail.

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