Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has told the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit that recordings in the Maldives show sea levels rose by 60mm in the last 20 years.
While speaking at the summit today (January 5), Gayoom said that changes to the Maldives’ environment in the last 20 years were concerning and far worse than previously estimated, adding that global warming is one of the biggest problems faced by island nations.
“We are seeing many changes in the environment which were not present when the Millennium Development Goals were set up, small nations like us are concerned about this,” said the former president.
Gayoom has recently called upon leaders of developed nations to allow small island states to lead the world in efforts to combat climate change, with the Maldives recently becoming chair of the Alliance of Small Island States.
This year marks the third time Gayoom has spoken at the Delhi summit, organised by The Energy and Resources Institute, picking up a sustainable development award in 2009.
The Maldives is to hold an international rowing tour in the southern atolls, organised by the Rowing Association of Maldives, World Rowing Federation, and Addu City Council.
The tour, which will see 19 international rowers participating, is set to start at Gan with the route taking the athletes through nine islands in Huvadhoo Atoll and Fuvahmulah before concluding at Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo.
Rowing Association of Maldives President Ahmed Habeeb told Haveeru said that the tour will kick off on February 7 and will finish on February 16
Habeeb said that he believes that this tour will help advertise Addu to the world, and help boost tourism in the atoll.
The Maldives joined the International Rowing Federation in 2010, just months after British Olympic rower Guin Batten broke the record for the solo crossing of the Zero Degree Channel between Huvadhoo and Fuvahmulah.
Media sources have reported that a three-month old Maldivian baby has died in Syria after being taken their with her parents.
According to reports, the baby died as a result of respiratory difficulties around one week ago due to lack of adequate healthcare.
It was also reported that, after the child had fallen ill, the mother attempted to travel back to the Maldives but was prevented from contacting relatives due to the lack of cooperation from her husband and other jihadists.
Her parents are said to have travelled to Syria for jihad around two months ago, crossing into the country from Turkey.
Maldives Police Service media officials stated that the they had not yet received any information about the case.
Earlier this week, Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed called it a cause of concern that Maldivian nationals are leaving the country to fight in wars abroad.
In a police function held on February 2, the Commissioner said it is necessary for all police officers to work together in order stop Maldivians joining wars abroad, instructing the intelligence department to immediately take preventative measures if the service receives any information regarding such a case.
Since the first reports of Maldivians travelling to ISIS-held territories for jihad were received last year, a steady stream of recruits have left the country, including couples and entire families.
The exact number of Maldivians abroad for jihad remains unclear, with Haveeru reporting a group of six having departed last week, as well as a dozen more said to have gone to Syria at the start of January.
Commissioner Waheed has previously estimated that around 50 Maldivians are working with foreign rebel groups, dwarfing figures suggested by Home Minister Umar Naseer in December.
Despite assurances that the activities of radicals are being monitored, the group said to have left in early January included a number of individuals known to police.
They included Azlif Rauf – a suspect in the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali, and an individual arrested over the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
Last month, four would-be jihadis were apprehended in Malaysia, with media reporting that they were brought back to the Maldives and released after the authorities seized their passports. A similar group were returned from Sri Lanka in November.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) will sign the agreement to work towards defending the Constitution at a special joint rally at the carnival area of Malé tonight (January 5).
Speaking at a press conference today, JP Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim said that the two parties have worked ceaselessly towards the agreement, adding that some ruling Progressive Party of Maldives MPs have also agreed to work with the opposition parties in defending the Constitution.
“There are some individuals amongst them who want to see change, individuals who want to save Maldivians from the dire circumstances they are in,” said Ameen.
Last week, the JP severed its ties with the PPM coalition – defunct since May last year, with party leader Gasim Ibrahim inviting all opposition parties for talks.
The JP has also invited the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party and the religious Adhaalath Party, though neither party has yet agreed to join the talks, with Adhaalath saying that it saw no use in the discussions at the current time.
The Majlis government accountability committee requires more time to determine possible state negligence regarding the death of three-year-old Mohamed Ibthihaal last week.
Committee member Rozaina Adam said that the committee first received documents and reports from the state institutions regarding the case when arriving at today’s sitting.
“The reports were not emailed to committee members before the sitting,” said Rozaina. “We had to read them while at the committee so we did not have adequate time to map out a course of action according to the contents of the documents”.
The Maldivian Democratic Party MP noted that the report sent by the police did not include any information relating to Ibthihaal before his death, only detailing the actions by the service afterwards.
“We have no choice but to ask representatives from police to come and clarify the information to the committee,” she said.
Local authorities and the police and gender ministry were both aware of the abuse prior to the child’s death, the island council has revealed, though the government has assured that Ibthihaal was in a safe environment when officials last visited the island.
However, Rozaina noted today that the Ministry of Law and Gender has no documents to substantiate these claims.
“The gender ministry says they handed the child over to a relative, but they have no records of doing so and the relative denies having been handed over guardianship. There are documents and forms that need to be filled if gender assigns guardianship of a child to another person,” said the Addu-Meedhoo MP.
Closed committee
Rozaina also accused pro-government MPs of hampering the investigation, stating they “do not want to reveal any information that might find the government guilty of negligence”.
She also accused committee chair Riyaz Rasheed of conducting today’s sitting in violation of the Majlis’ rules of procedure by refusing to allow members of the press to witness proceedings.
Responding to these claims, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz said that neither a motion to hold a closed door session nor an open one was proposed by any member, with the meeting adjourned before any such deliberations were made.
“At first I did not let media personnel inside the meeting room as some of the institutions requested their reports and documents be kept confidential, and before any committee member proposed to hold a closed door meeting or an open one, I ended the committee as most members requested further time to analyse the documents,” Riyaz stated.
The Vilifushi MP also said that the committee members would receive until next week to analyse the documents, after which he would schedule a sitting to proceed with the issue further.
Documents regarding Ibthihaal were requested from Rakeedhoo Island Council, the Maldives Police Services, the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, the Ministry of Law and Gender, and the Family Protection Unit.
Multiple investigations into potential state negligence have begun after the authorities’ prior knowledge of the abuse became apparent.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old mother of the child, Afiya Mohamed, was arrested in the afternoon hours of January 30, with media reporting that Rakeedhoo Magistrates Court had remanded her for 15 days.
Ibthihaal’s two siblings are currently in the care of family members, local authorities have said.
Social activist website Avaaz has called upon President Abdulla Yameen and his foreign minister Dunya Maumoon to identify those involved in the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.
“We call on you to ensure a thorough investigation into the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan and bring to justice all those involved in his alleged abduction,” read the petition launched this week.
Avaaz – which means ‘voice’ in various languages – is urging Maldivian authorities to protect free speech in the Maldives and to address the threat of violent extremism.
A private investigation into the 29-year-old’s disappearance implicated radicalised gangs, while – despite a lack of progress in the search – the home minister has acknowledged gang involvement.
Rilwan’s brother Moosa told the organisation that he had turned to them after fearing that Maldivian authorities were doing nothing to aid the search.
“Rilwan was a brave journalist who exposed the dangerous Islamic radicals operating in these paradise islands and who had issued many death threats to my brother. But many of these extremists have links with ruling politicians and that’s why the police are not moving on Rilwan’s case,” suggested Rilwan.
Similarly, speaking with Minivan News on the occasion of Rilwan’s 29th birthday last month, his mother Aminath Easa said she was convinced her son was a victim of a coordinated abduction.
“The police will look for him and find him if their superiors order them to do so. I believe government officials are complicit in this case,” said Easa, aged 67.
Friends and family of Rilwan take part in the second 'Suvaalu March' on January 8
International pressure
After suggesting opposition groups, friends, and family of the journalist were obstructing the investigation, authorities have assured that the search continues six months after Rilwan was last seen at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal – shortly before witnesses reported a man being forced into a car outside of Rilwan’s apartment.
Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed told the media last month that the search was continuing without “interruption or boredom”, though he declined from revealing specifics, saying that information previously circulated by sources had “cast a shadow over our work”.
While foreign minister Dunya has previously spoken out about the case, noting the importance of protecting free speech, President Yameen has yet to comment on the matter beyond a brief remark made shortly after the disappearance.
Rilwan’s brother told Avaaz that international pressure was the only thing that would make the authorities act, noting the country’s heavy reliance on the billion dollar tourism industry.
“This Sunday [January 8] it will be 6 months since Rilwan disappeared. When we get to 50,000 signatures, Avaaz will take out ‘Missing person’ ads in major Maldivian newspapers and launch a massive media awareness campaign on the extremism and corruption in my beautiful islands,” said Moosa.
“Please join my family’s search for Rilwan.”
Avaaz previously launched a Maldives campaign in March 2013, calling for the flogging sentence given to a 15-year-old rape victim to be rescinded.
After 2 million people signed the petition, the High Court overturned the sentence in August 2013.
Deputy Minister of Tourism at the time of the first petition Mohamed Maleeh Jamal – now minister of youth and sports – called the campaign’s motive “dubious”.
Meanwhile, then President Dr Mohamed Waheed – to whom the petition was addressed – thanked the international community for its concern but warned against calls for a tourism boycott.
In response, Avaaz Executive Director Ricken Patel denied a boycott had been called for, suggesting that tourists had the right to know the issues of countries they intend to visit.
“Around the world people are interested (and have a right to know) what kind of systems they’re supporting with their tourism dollars, and to make their holiday decisions accordingly,” said Patel.
The High Court has ruled that there are no legal grounds under which a stay order can be granted against the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) regarding the appointment of judges to the Hulhumalé Magistrates Court.
The order was requested by former president and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed during Tuesday’s (February 3) hearing into his case against the JSC over the legality of the appointment process.
Hassan Latheef, a member of Nasheed’s legal team, told Minivan News that the High Court gave its decision with no further explanation or reasoning.
“It just said that the court finds no legal ground on which such an order can be granted,” said Latheef.
Further, he revealed that representatives of Nasheed have been asked to attend the High Court to sign the statements given in relation to the case challenging the legality of the Hulhumalé Magistrates Court bench,
The case was first raised in 2012, and challenges the legality of the bench assembled to try the opposition leader for the detention of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed during his presidency.
Meanwhile, Tuesday’s hearing saw presiding judges ask Nasheed’s representatives to submit the request for a stay order in writing despite their insistence that the court allow the request to be presented orally.
Nasheed lawyer Hisaan Hussain commented while speaking to the press after the hearing that the court must provide opportunities for the points to be presented orally, facilitating the illustration of connections between laws and facts of the case.
Expressing discontent over the time limits placed by the presiding judge and the refusal to allow the points to be raised in court, Hisaan said: “If the court is not providing enough time to orally present the case in detail, both parties involved can send the relevant documents to court and the court can deliberate on the matter”.
Responding to the request during Tuesday’s trial, JSC lawyer Hussain Ibrahim said he was unable to respond as he was not aware the process of appointing new judges to the Hulhumalé Magistrates Court bench was underway.
Nasheed and the MDP have suggested the case is being rushed through after a near two-year delay in order to conduct his trial before the introduction of the new Penal Code in April, which they argue does not include the offence under which he is being charged.
The Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have questioned the independence of Prosecutor General (PG) Muhthaz Muhsin.
Speaking at a joint press conference today, JP Deputy Leader and former transport minister Ameen Ibrahim said that Muhsin had become “someone who just rings a bell when a certain party asks him to”.
Muthuthaz told media outlets yesterday that his office was looking into comments made by JP leader Gasim Ibrahim regarding the recently resumed hearings in the MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed’s case against the assembly of the Hulhumalé Magistrate’s Court bench.
The conclusion of the High Court case – stalled since April 2013 – would clear the way for Nasheed to be tried for the 2012 detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.
Speaking at press conference at JP’s headquarters in Maafannnu Kunooz last night, Gasim called upon the PG to retract the case against the former president, saying he had already been punished for the judge’s detention by choosing to step down after being given a public ultimatum of releasing the judge or resigning.
The PG swiftly responded by saying that Gasim, as an individual citizen, could not ask for the retraction of a criminal case, accusing him of going against the spirit of the Constitution.
“Gasim is saying that the public offered Nasheed an ultimatum to resign or release Judge Abdullah. However, it is illogical that Gasim is saying that by resigning Nasheed has been punished for arresting the judge,” Muhsin told Haveeru.
“Are we to believe that if the police commissioner resigned tomorrow after illegally arresting a lot of people, that he has been punished?” he asked.
He further criticised Gasim, saying that he would not have a problem if the argument had been made from an academic background: “However, I am not aware that Gasim has the academic background, I see the talk as political.”
Gasim’s legal opposition to the first round results of the 2013 presidential elections – praised by international observers – led to their eventual annulment, before his endorsement of Abdulla Yameen brought the Progressive Party of Maldives’ candidate’s victory.
Muhsin was appointed in July last year, more than six months after the previous post-holder Ahmed Muizzu resigned shortly before parliament was set to debate an MDP-initiated no-confidence motion against him.
Muizzu was criticised by the MDP for failing to take action against mutinying police and military officers, who Nasheed has alleged caused him to resign under duress on February 7, 2012.
Speaking at today’s press conference, MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed condemned the remarks made by Muhsin, pointing out that Gasim was the biggest businessman in the Maldives who has set up one of the few higher educational institutions.
Meanwhile, a press statement released by Nasheed’s lawyers today noted that freedom of expression is a fundamental right guaranteed in Article 27 of the Constitution, as long as it does not go against the tenets of Islam.
“We urge the prosecutor general to not take any action against the Constitution, by taking action against honorable Gasim Ibrahim expressing his opinion under rights guaranteed in Article 27 of the Constitution,” read the statement.
The MDP-JP alliance to defend the Constitution began with MDP pledges to defend the Maamigili MP from attacks on his person and business.
Minivan News was unable to obtain a response from the PG’s Office regarding the matter at the time of publication.
“On December 5, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) received a phone call from the Union external affairs ministry, routed through the railway ministry,” recalls Jyoti Mukul for India’s Business Standard.
“It was not a usual communication but a direction to pull out something as basic as drinking water to meet a diplomatic call.
A day earlier, the Maldivian capital of Male had experienced a crisis. Its only desalination plant, which supplies drinking water to citizens after treating sea water, had caught fire. It, indeed, was a disaster for the island nation; India offered help and so did China and Sri Lanka.
Since the sea route would take at least four days, the quickest relief was to air-lift drinking water from India and take it to Male.
The need to rope in IRCTC, Indian Railways’ government-owned catering and tourism company, was felt.”
(0)Dislikes
(0)