Category: News in Brief

Police destroy confiscated alcohol worth MVR4 million

The police destroyed confiscated alcohol with an estimated street value of MVR4 million (US$259,400) yesterday.

Police officers poured the contents of 1,200 cans of beer, 600 bottles of liquor, and 60 containers into a hole in the ground in the presence of journalists.

The elimination of alcohol seized during the past six years was carried out at the Dhoonidhoo island near Malé. The last time police destroyed evidence in completed cases was almost six years ago.

According to Sun Online, Superintendent Ahmed Shifan, head of the drug enforcement department, told the press that police are facing storage problems due to a large amount of seized alcohol bottles.

Shifan said seized alcohol and drugs seized were stored safely and police will be destroying the evidence in concluded cases every Saturday.

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LGA suspends seven councilors over May Day protest

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has suspended seven councilors who took part in an anti-government demonstration on May 1.

All seven had been arrested in a police crackdown after protesters attempted to enter Malé’s restricted Republic Square. They were suspended for two months, local media reports.

Councilors are elected for island and atoll councils for three years. There are over 1000 councilors in the Maldives.

According to the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), some 300 of its 450 island and atoll council members had taken part in the protest. Some 7000 people had traveled to Malé from Maldives’ remote islands for May Day, the opposition has claimed.

Nearly 20,000 protesters took part in the May Day march and demanded the release of imprisoned ex-president Mohamed Nasheed and ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim.

Home minister and president of the LGA, Umar Naseer, has also asked the anti-corruption watchdog to penalize any councilors who had traveled to the capital on state funds.

According to the opposition coalition, 12 employees of the state were dismissed for participating in the protest.

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IS enforces death penalty against Maldivian recruit

The militant organisation Islamic State has enforced the death penalty against a Maldivian recruit in Iraq.

Haveeru reported today that the Maldivian was thrown off the top of a tall building last month.

He was sentenced to death by an IS court, the newspaper reported, but the alleged offence is unclear.

The Maldivian had traveled to IS-held territories in Syria in late 2014 and had gone to Iraq last month following a military offensive by the Iraqi army to recapture Tikrit.

A number of Maldivians jihadis who traveled to fight in the Syrian civil war have been reported dead. Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed in early January estimated over 50 Maldivians could be fighting in foreign wars.

Most Maldivian jihadis are believed to have joined the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat Al Nusra front in Syria.

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Two Malé schools vandalized

Two schools in Malé were vandalized this week.

A group of people entered classrooms at Iskandhar School and Jamaluddin School on Monday and Tuesday night, respectively, and broke projectors and fans and sprayed paint on the walls, boards and desks.

“Someone tried to break a fan and a projector in one of the class room in the second floor, they would have done this late last night as we discovered what had happened only this morning,” said an official from Jamaaluddin school.

Police confirmed that security guards were present at the front gates of both schools at the time.

“But we cannot say it was due to their negligence, as there are other entrances where suspects could have used,” an official said.

No arrests have been made yet and the reason for the vandalism is unclear, police said.

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Military transfers crocodile from children’s park

The military has transferred the crocodile at the children’s park in Malé to an unspecified location.

According to local media, the crocodile was transferred on Sunday night ahead of work on adjusting its cage.

Ahmed “Gahaa” Saeed, then-deputy principal of Majeedhiyya School, caught the young crocodile in 1998.

It has since been kept in a cage at the children’s park and grew to about 10 feet in captivity.

The caging of the crocodile has attracted a number of protests, including one led by the Billabong International school in 2010, which drew attention to the small cage and bad conditions the animal has been kept in.

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Nazim ordered to return after treatment in Singapore

The correctional services has ordered convicted ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim to return from Singapore, where he is currently seeking medical treatment.

According to CNM, assistant superintendent of prisons Ibrahim Mohamed Didi sent letters to Nazim’s wife and his father on May 5 saying the prisons authority has learned that Nazim has completed his treatment.

The retired colonel was found guilty of weapons smuggling on March 26 and sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was granted permission to seek medical treatment overseas for a period of 45 days.

The deadline for the medical leave expires on May 24.

Nazim’s legal team has said that he has a doctor’s appointment on May 23 and will come back by the deadline.

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Bank of Maldives introduces new loan scheme for teachers

The Bank of Maldives launched a new loan scheme today dedicated for Maldivian teachers and lecturers, offering loans up to MVR100,000 for a period of five years.

The new scheme offers teachers loans ranging from MVR 50,000 to MVR 100,000 at a 15 percent interest rate per year, the national bank said today.

“The purpose of the loan is to encourage the development of teachers, whether it is a training program or further studies or to purchase additional equipment such as laptops,” reads a statement by the bank.

Education Minister Dr Aishath Shiham praised the bank for its contribution to the development of teachers.

“Teachers play a pivotal role in our community by nurturing, moulding and shaping the future generations of the nation. As the national bank, we’re proud to launch this customised loan product for this special group of people in our society,” said the bank’s CEO and managing director, Andrew Healy.

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MDP congratulates British conservative party on election victory

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have congratulated the British Conservative Party and prime minister David Cameron for the ruling party’s shock victory in last week’s general elections.

“The imprisoned president of the MDP, former president Mohamed Nasheed wishes to convey his compliments from the confines of a cell in Maafushi jail in the Maldives on the impressive victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Prime Minister David Cameron,” the main opposition party said in a statement.

Nasheed is serving a 13-year jail sentence on terrorism charges after a 19-day trial in March that was widely criticised by foreign governments, the UN, and Amnesty International for its apparent lack of due process.

The Conservative Party has a longstanding relationship with the MDP dating back to its formation in 2005.

“I am heartened by the electoral successes of my friends in the Conservative Party, who has so steadfastly stood by us as we have endeavoured to nurture our nascent democracy in the Maldives.” Nasheed was quoted as saying in the MDP statement.

“I take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations to our friends in the Conservative Party who have retained their seats as well as those members who are freshly beginning a parliamentary career as proud Conservatives under your able and inspiring leadership.

“I have no doubt that under the leadership of prime minister Cameron, the Conservative Party will lead the United Kingdom to even greater prosperity and success in the future, both at home and internationally.”

The MDP said the party is “greatly appreciative of its close friendship and cooperation with the Conservative Party, from whom we have gained much experience and knowledge on political party building and democratic practice.”

Foreign minister Dunya Maumoon also congratulated the re-elected UK prime minister for the “outstanding win by the Conservative Party”.

The Conservative Party won 331 out of the 650 seats in the UK House of Commons and secured a majority for the centre-right party, which had formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats after the 2010 general elections.

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12 dismissed for participating in anti-government rally

State-owned companies and the government have dismissed a dozen employees for participating in the May Day anti-government demonstration.

The opposition ‘Maldivians against tyranny’ alliance revealed today that the utility company Fenaka Corporation has fired six employees and the aviation command has fired four employees. The State Electricity Company has also sacked some employees.

Approximately 20,000 protesters took to the streets of the capital on May 1 in the largest anti-government rally in over a decade.

Adhaalath Party council member Shidhatha Shareef told the press that the opposition alliance has launched a hotline (9111388) to assist unfairly dismissed staff.

Former State Trading Organisation managing director Adam Azim said the constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the right to participate in political activities and called on independent institutions to fulfil their responsibilities.

Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party council member Hussain Amr said the opposition parties will arrange employment for the sacked staff.

The dismissals follow ruling party MP Ahmed Nihan urging the government to track down civil servants and employees of state-owned companies who had participated in the protest and dismiss them immediately.

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