Day: February 11, 2015

Are politics returning to the streets of Malé?

Additional reporting by Ismail Humaam Hamid and Mohamed Saif Fathih

Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the Civil Court by the market in Malé this afternoon, as former President Mohamed Nasheed continued a legal campaign that stretches into its third year.

Inside, the Civil Court agreed to consider the challenge – rejected by the High Court earlier this week – into the legitimacy of the bench tasked with trying Nasheed for the January 2012 detention of Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Tussles between police and protesters hinted at a return to the tension that became commonplace in the capital in the months before and after Nasheed’s controversial resignation from office just weeks after the judge’s arrest.

“The process that we saw in 2012. That appears to be happening this time,” suggested Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor from the protest today.

“We are certainly trying to wake up people to what is going on and it is our wish to inform people what will happen if we do not act,” he explained over the shouts of demonstrators.

Rising tensions on the streets in 2012 eventually saw security personnel turn on Nasheed’s government, with the MDP leader alleging his subsequent resignation was under duress.

Nasheed earlier this week called upon the people of the country to protest against their failed judicial system while party Chair Ali Waheed said today that the party would begin daily protests to defend the Constitution against persistent breaches.

Others, however, have suggested that the large scale anti-government demonstrations seen three years ago will not be repeated in 2015.

“We really don’t think that the past is going to come back,” said Ismail Asif of the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI). “The economy is picking up. People want to move on.”

Following the resurgence of street demonstrations since the decision of the formerly government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) with the MDP, the MNCCI called on authorities to stop such activities which might hinder local business.

Police attempts to clear a space from the space outside the court today saw protesters pushed into the market itself.

“We don’t feel that part of a democracy means any party should be allowed to block the streets,” said Asif.

He suggested that recent attendances at street demonstrations indicated that people preferred to go through the system, though he admitted the MDP leader Nasheed would still be able to draw large crowds.

The MDP’s Hamid said that the party intends to utilise both approaches, with “organised and sustained” direct action as well as efforts, via its new parliamentary alliance, to secure JP leader Gasim Ibrahim as Majlis speaker.

“We are trying to convince the public that if we do not take action now, we may not get another chance,” said Hamid.

The party sees the resumption of legal action against Nasheed as part of a wider move by the government to remove potential challengers to President Abdulla Yameen.

While government-sponsored amendments to the Constitution could disqualify JP leader Gasim on grounds of age, former defence minister Mohamed Nazim – himself a key player in events leading to Nasheed’s resignation – faces further charges of fomenting a coup, this time from the current government.

JP MP and former Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz – who stood alongside Nazim on the day of Nasheed’s resignation – has called the charges against Nazim “purely political” in nature, suggesting the police were attempting to frame the former minister.

During today’s demonstrations, MDP Chair Waheed said the party would be willing to work with its “political enemies” in order to defend the Constitution.

“People you would not expect to see  on one platform will be seen together on February 27,” he claimed before dispersing today’s protest.

Hamid also explained that no one who wished to work with the opposition party would be turned away.

“We do not agree with how he [Nazim] has acted, but justice and rule of law should prevail. He has the right to due process,” he said.

Nasheed himself fears that the expedition of his case – which his party predicts will be pushed through before the introduction of the new Penal Code in April – will see him forced to campaign far from the streets of the capital.

“I will be even more active from block C of Maafushi Jail,” he told party colleagues this week.

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Home Minister Umar Naseer elected as LGA President

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has been elected as the Local Government Authority (LGA) president.

Media reports say that Naseer – who is the cabinet representative in the authority – was elected to the post unanimously by the seven members present at today’s LGA board meeting.

The post was previously filled by the former Defense Minister Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim, who has now been dismissed from his posts and is now under arrest, with the police accusing him of plotting a coup and trying to harm senior government officials.

Today’s meeting was the third LGA meeting so far this year.

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Former Defense Minister Nazim’s remand appealed at High Court

Former Defense Minister Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim’s legal team has appealed the Criminal Court’s remand sentence at the High Court today (February 11).

Nazim was given 15 days detention yesterday (February 10), after being arrested in the early hours of the same day and taken to Dhoonidhoo Detention Centre.

Speaking at a press conference last night, Nazim’s legal team had said their client was being framed, implying the firearms found during a raid on his home were planted.

On January 18, police raided the former minister’s apartment and claimed to have found pistol, three bullets, and an improvised explosive device while confiscating a pen drive.

A police statement issued last night claimed to have found documents in the pen drive suggesting that Nazim “was plotting to physically harm senior Maldivian state officials”.

“In addition, police intelligence has received information that he was plotting with various parties to overthrow the government,” read the statement.

The police have maintained they were unaware the apartment they were raiding belonged to the former defense minister and said they had decided not to arrest him at the scene due to his high profile.

Hameed questioned the police’s decision to arrest Nazim after the completion of investigations, and claimed such an arrest can only be made through a PG order.

Jumhooree Party MP and former Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz accused the police of unprofessionalism, saying: “This was clearly done to frame Colonel Nazim.”

Nazim and his wife’s passports have been confiscated.


Related to this story

Police accuse Nazim of plotting coup, planning to harm senior government officials

Police raid Defence Minister Nazim’s home in early hours

Former Defence Minister Nazim remanded for 15 days

Former Defence Minister arrested on illegal weapons charge

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Civil Court concludes first hearing of Hulhumalé Court challenge

Former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed’s case against the legality of the process in which the bench of the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court was heard by the Civil Court today.

Nasheed submitted the case to the lower court after the High Court decided on Monday (February 9) that it could not deliberate on the legality of the bench, citing jurisdictional grounds.

The High Court’s decision read that, under the regulation, the court can deliberate on decisions of the lower courts, but not on their composition.

According to Nasheed’s legal team member Ahmed Abdulla who spoke to the press outside the court, the trial today heard the case challenging the legality of the Hulhumalé Magistrate Court bench and also a stay order requested by Nasheed.

“We have received information the Judicial Service Commission plans to bring changes to the bench, we requested the court to order a halt to that”, Abdulla said.

He added that the JSC’s legal team requested more time to respond to the case regarding the legality of the bench but that it had responded to the stay order request.

“Firstly they stated that the bench is not in existence and then they said that we have brought no changes to the bench. Therefore what they are basically saying is that bench not being in existence is not a change. We were unable to comprehend what they were saying”.

Abdulla told reporters that in response to this, Nasheed’s legal team stated that the reason Nasheed had lodged cases in court against the JSC is because the commission insists it has powers to assemble court benches.

Nasheed’s legal team member Hisan Hussain stated that the reason the JSC is saying the bench does not exist is because magistrates who were initially appointed to the bench have now been promoted to superior courts.

“We must always assume that the JSC will assemble a bench, possibly even tomorrow and proceed with the case as long as the commission insists it has authority to do so,” she continued.

The judge will decide and rule on the stay order request in the next hearing to be held Saturday (February 14) .

While the trial continued supporters of Nasheed and the MDP gathered outside the Civil Court and expressed their discontent over the government’s “persecution and failures”.

Tensions between Special Operations police officers and those gathered grew as police started clearing the crowd from the main entrance of the civil court around 5pm.

Some pushing and shoving was observed along with heated exchanges of words between protesters and the police, although no arrests were made.

(PHOTO: LAWYER AHMED ABDULLA)


Related to this story

Nasheed predicts he will soon be jailed

High Court cannot deliberate on Hulhumalé court bench

Opposition alliance a “waste of time”, says Gayoom

MDP and JP reach agreement on defence of Constitution

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Opposition concerned at “interference” with educational institutions

The Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) education committee has expressed concern over rising government interference with educational institutions.

The committee has condemned the recent decision by the government to vacate the old Jamaaluhdheen Building, currently the location for Maldives National University’s (MNU) faculty of arts and other departments, catering for over 1,300 students.

“The students are all scared. They have been hearing that police are going to come and vacate the building. Even the student union has demanded answers as to where these facilities will be transferred,” said the MDP Education Committee chair Dr Musthafa Luthfee.

Media have reported that the President’s Office has requested the police vacate the old Jamaaludheen premises within seven days, prompting concerned responses from the university and the student union.

The President’s Office was not responding to calls at the time of publication.

“These students are unsure as to whether they could return to their classrooms they have been studying in,” said Dr Luthfee, who served as the minister of education during MDP’s administration.

An MNU statement released yesterday read that the sudden decision to vacate the premises is not viable without a building to move to, and that the university is saddened by the fact that the decision will halt the education of many students.

While the Maldives Police Services refused to comment, the President’s Office told media that the university was offered several other plots of land to move the faculties and that the government wants to vacate the premises due to safety concerns.

The MDP education committee also raised the issue of the private higher educational institute, Mandhu College, which was handed a 15 day eviction notice by the Ministry of Education earlier this month after the it claimed the college had breached the terms of its lease.

Mandhu revealed yesterday (February 10) that large number of students who have started courses at the college have started dropping out.

Also speaking at the press conference today, committee member Shifa Mohamed criticised the education ministry for intimidating teachers and putting them in humiliating circumstances.

“On one side the teachers are being told to go study and improve their quality, while on the other side they are being  intimidated,” said Shifa.

The committee had previously alleged that the structure of the recently announced salary increments for teachers was poorly planned and researched, and that it would leave a lot of teachers who do not fall into the criteria at a loss.

While the Teacher’s Association of Maldives (TAM) have also pointed out the weakness within the structure of the salary increments, its president Athif Abdul Hakim has accused the government of intimidation for speaking out against the new pay scales.

Athif told Minivan News that a letter of warning had been handed to him today by the head of Dhivehi Department at Majeedhihyaa School – where he works as a Dhivehi teacher – demanding he clarify in writing some of the comments he has made in the media.

Athif had previously said that he had been summoned to the education ministry and told by the Permanent Secretary Dr Abdul Muhsin to “pay attention to  public interest” while speaking publicly about the teachers structure.


Related to this story

Government had no choice but to increase teachers’ salary: MDP

Mandhu College denies violating agreement as eviction looms

Mandhu College experiencing 40 percent dropout rate

TAM President accuses Education Ministry of intimidation

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MNDF expresses interest in buying Bangladeshi patrol boats

The Maldivian military has expressed interest in purchasing sea patrol boats from the Bangladeshi coastguard.

According to reports by the Bangladeshi media, Chief of Defence Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam expressed interest in the purchase of the boats during a courtesy call to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday evening (February 10).

The boats referred to by Shiyam were built at the Khulna Shipyard, which he visited recently, according to the prime minister’s press secretary.

The Maldives defence force chief also thanked Bangladesh for sending drinking water and water treatment plants in December when his country faced acute water crisis in December.

Source: bdnews24

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Chinese Embassy marks the Chinese New Year in Malé

The Chinese Embassy in Malé held a reception to mark the Chinese New Year in Dharubaaruge last night.

Speaking at the reception, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon stated that relations between the Maldives and China have strengthened and “accelerated to unprecedented levels in the last year”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Maldives in September of last year prompted talks that led to the the Maldives officially agreeing to participate in the Silk Road trade route and to engage upon free trade in the future.

Dunya noted that the relationship between the two countries was based on “sovereignty and territorial integrity; it is about non-interference in each other’s internal affairs; it is about peaceful co-existence; and most importantly, it is about cooperation for mutual benefit.”

Chinese Ambassador Wang Fukang stated while “high level exchanges have been frequent and fruitful” between the Maldives and China, “economic cooperation has been enhanced and expanded”, along with “people to people exchanges”.

Fukang pledged that the Chinese government will facilitate Maldivian fish products to be exported to China, will encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the Maldives, will provide more training and scholarship opportunities for Maldivians, will improve cooperation “in areas like technology, culture and wealth”, and will “enhance cooperation particularly on issues like climate change”.

Last night’s speeches were followed by cultural performances from both Maldivian and Chinese youth, including a song sung in Mandarin by a Maldivian performer.

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Nasheed predicts he will soon be jailed

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed has predicted that he will be jailed in the upcoming weeks.

Speaking at the party’s 129th National Council sitting last night (February 10) Nasheed stated that although he will be very saddened to leave his family and worldly pleasures, he is determined to patiently bear the pain and “if necessary, even torture”.

“Nevertheless, with your permission, I would like to spend my jail days as the president of this party”, Nasheed said, requesting that the party “try and free me as soon as possible” and to “try and find a way in which I could be saved without being sentenced”.

Nasheed’s challenge of the composition of the Hulhumalé Magistrates Court bench was rejected on jurisdictional grounds on Monday (February 9), paving the way for the court to resume his trial for the January 2012 detention of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Nasheed has described judicial proceedings as being influenced by the government, making them “unfair”, alleging that the government’s intention was to sentence him before the new Penal Code is implemented in April, 2015.

Nasheed’s legal team has subsequently submitted the case to the Civil Court, again challenging the composition of the Hulhumalé court bench. The first hearing of the case is scheduled at Civil Court today at 4pm.

In last night’s meeting held to discuss the steps that need to be taken by the MDP in defending the Constitution, Nasheed also said that more than 10 parliament members from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) are discussing switching to the opposition alliance.

The MDP and Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhooree Party (JP) signed an agreement during a mass rally last Thursday (February 5) night to “defend the spirit of the Constitution and do everything necessary to guarantee the rule of law”.

The agreement pledges to prevent the passing of any propositions in the People’s Majlis against the letter or the spirit of the Constitution, both inside and outside of the Majlis. Currently, the two parties control 34 seats in the 85-seat legislature.

The MDP National Council also decided last night to pass a motion submitted by Villimalé constituency president Mohamed Ibrahim Manik to lift the disciplinary measures preventing MPs who had violated the party’s whip line from participating in votes taken in the party’s internal bodies.

It was also decided that Anas Abdul Sattar be appointed as the party’s secretary general.

Nasheed stated that the joint parliamentary group to be formed under the MDP-JP agreement will strive towards appointing Maamigili MP Gasim to post of speaker of parliament.

Gasim’s decision to stand for the position last May prompted the end of his party’s alliance with the PPM, though the JP did not officially sever ties until late last month.

Nasheed also assured that, if and when the alliance gains the majority, the current composition of independent institutions, such as the Judicial Services Commission, will be changed.

“I will be even more active from block C of Maafushi Jail,” concluded Nasheed.


Related to this story

High Court cannot deliberate on Hulhumalé court bench

Opposition alliance a “waste of time”, says Gayoom

MDP and JP reach agreement on defence of Constitution

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Police accuse Nazim of plotting coup, planning to harm senior government officials

Additional reporting by Mohamed Saif Fatih

The Maldives Police Services has accused former Defense Minister (retired) Colonel Mohamed Nazim of plotting to overthrow the government and harm senior government officials.

A police statement issued at 9pm tonight claimed to have found documents in a pen drive confiscated from Nazim’s house during a midnight raid on January 18 suggesting he “was plotting to physically harm senior Maldivian state officials.”

“In addition, police intelligence has received information that he was plotting with various parties to overthrow the government,” the statement read.

During the search, the police claimed to have found a pistol, bullets and an improvised explosive device.

Nazim was arrested at 1:15am on Tuesday (February 10) on charges of treason and possession of illegal weapons. The Criminal Court has extended his detention for 15 days.

At a 9pm press conference at Villa TV tonight, Nazim’s legal team said the former minister is being framed and have implied the firearms found during the raid were planted. Nazim’s remand sentence is to be appealed at the High Court tomorrow.

If convicted, Nazim faces a jail term between seven and ten years. The police have forwarded charges to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

“Framed”

Nazim’s lawyer Maumoon Hameed suggested weapons may have been planted, claiming police officers who raided Nazim’s apartment had spent ten minutes in the bedroom in his absence.  Further, police only announced they had found an improvised explosive device days later after an analysis conducted without independent oversight, he said.

“This is nonsense,” Hameed repeatedly told the press at Villa TV tonight.

After police forced open Nazim’s door at 3:30am on January 18, police immediately entered Nazim’s bedroom, taking him, his wife and two of their children to the living room, Hameed explained.

“After the whole family was taken to the sitting room, the police officers who had initially entered the apartment remained in the master bedroom for approximately ten minutes.”

A team of plainclothes officers arrived afterwards and produced a search warrant. The pistol and three live bullets were found in a bedroom drawer during a search in Nazim’s presence.

The improvised explosive device had not been found during the initial search and the item was not even listed in a record of items found during the search, he said.

The police have maintained they were unaware the apartment they were raiding belonged to the former defense minister and said they had decided not to arrest him at the scene due to his high profile.

Hameed questioned police’s decision to arrest Nazim after the completion of investigations, and claimed such an arrest can only be made through a PG order.

Jumhooree Party MP and former Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz accused the police of unprofessionalism and said: “This was clearly done to frame Colonel Nazim.”

Nazim and his wife’s passports have been confiscated.

His arrest appears to be part of a larger crackdown on political rivals by President Abdulla Yameen. The former minister had revealed his presidential aspirations following the raid on January 18.

Nazim was a central figure in former President Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster. He had delivered an ultimatum to Nasheed demanding an unconditional resignation on February 7, 2012.

He has served as Defense Minister for three years now, first under Nasheed’s successor Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Following Nazim’s dismissal, Nasheed’s former Chief of Defense Forces Moosa Ali Jaleel was appointed as Defense Minister.

Prior to Nazim’s arrest, President Yameen retired Vice Chief of Defense Forces Ahmed Mohamed and appointed Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid to the post.

Changes brought to military ranks in late January include the dismissal of Major Ahmed Faisal and Captain Ibrahim Naeem from the posts of head of the Special Protection Group (SPG) and Head of Armory, respectively.

Lieutenant Colonels Ahmed ‘Papa’ Fayaz and Abdul Rauf were appointed to head the SPG and Armory respectively.

(PHOTO: MOHAMED NAZIM ADDRESSING MUTINYING SECURITY FORCES ON FEBRUARY 7, 2012)


Related to this story

Former Defence Minister Nazim remanded for 15 days

Former Defence Minister arrested on illegal weapons charge

Police raid Defence Minister Nazim’s home in early hours

Nazim dismissed as defence minister, replaced by Moosa Ali Jaleel

Pistol and explosive device found at Nazim’s home, says Police Commissioner

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