Local Government Authority conduct forums in the atolls

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has begun forums on decentralization and laws and regulations on local councils.

The main aim of the forum is to bring the local councils up to date with current laws and to ensure that different councils follow the same procedure, LGA officials told local media

The LGA also said that the forum will discuss ways to make the services provided by the councils more efficient and well structured.

The forums are open for councilors, women’s development committees, relevant government authorities and the public.

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Rilwan’s family remain concerned at investigation progress as third suspect released

The family of missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan have again expressed concern regarding the police’s investigation after a third suspect was released from detention on Friday (September 10).

The Maldives Police Service has confirmed that a 25-year-old man held in connection with the disappearance was released after being taken to the Criminal Court in an attempt to extend his detention for the third time.

Rilwan, who has been missing for 65 days, is believed to have been abducted at knifepoint outside of his Hulhumalé apartment at around 2am on August 8.

Rilwan’s brother Moosa Rilwan told Minivan News today that the family is very concerned police did not release enough information about the arrests, expressing concern at shortcomings in the investigation.

The 25-year-old is the third suspect to be released after four men were arrested on September 30 in relation to Rilwan’s disappearance. A single suspect remains in custody.

The Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) had applauded the four arrests made by MPS, noting the development as a clear sign of progress in the investigation.

The police are yet to suggest any possible theories or lines of inquiry into the disappearance and have previously stated that there was no concrete evidence linking Rilwan and the reported abduction in front of his apartment.

MDN released an investigation report three weeks ago identifying the possible scenarios related to the disappearance.

The investigation conducted by Glasgow based Athena Security implicated abduction by radicalised gangs motivated by religious extremism as the most likely explanation for the disappearance.

The report said that Rilwan had “regularly received clear threats to his life” for his outspoken criticism of religious extremism and fundamentalism.

It also noted that there had been an influx of extremist ideologies in three of the major gangs operating in the capital Malé, stating that gang leaders were exposed to radical Islam during incarceration in prison.

One of the gang members named in the report was subsequently caught on tape removing a CCTV camera from the Minivan News office, for which he was arrested before being released the next day with demands from the Criminal Court that he cooperate with the police investigation.

A Minivan News journalist received death threats shortly after the attack on Minivan’s office, which also saw a machete lodged in the door.

The attack was followed by dozens of death threats to journalists, senior members, and parliamentary members of the opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) from unlisted numbers.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed – who also received threats during a visit to the UK this month – alleged that the death threats against journalists and MPs were sent using an online texting website.

Nasheed has also been critical of the police’s response, suggesting they were not taking enough action to investigate the growing number of threats.

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Airport runway resumes operations after fuel leakage shutdown

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) has resumed runway operations early Sunday morning after a shut down on Saturday night due to a fuel leakage.

Maldives Airports Company Limited officials told local media the runway had been closed down to a hydraulic fuel leakage from a Singapore Airlines flight that had landed on Saturday night.

Operations resumed at about 12.45am on Sunday.

The airport’s runway was closed on September 6 due to a leakage from a Singapore Airlines flight.

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MDP office in Addu City torched after masked men attack rally

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) office for the Hithadhoo South constituency in Addu City was torched last night (October 10) after masked men attacked a rally in Feydhoo earlier in the evening.

A group of masked men wielding wooden planks and rocks reportedly attacked participants of the rally held at the harbour area of the Feydhoo ward.

Of 16 suspects arrested from the scene, police said seven remain remain in custody while nine have been released.

A number of police officers active in the area sustained varying degrees of injury while attempting to control the disturbance, police said in a statement last night.

Members of the public were also injured in the clashes, police added. While some supporters attending the rally were assaulted, rocks were reportedly thrown at others and one person sustained head injuries.

Opposition-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV’s equipment was also damaged.

Chief Inspector of Police Ahmed Shifan, commander of the south division, told local media that the incident would be investigated as “a serious matter” but claimed there was no evidence to suggest the attack was politically motivated.

The MDP office in Hithadhoo was meanwhile set on fire around 11:30pm, shortly after the rally ended.

MDP MP for Hithadhoo South, Ali Nizar, told local media that the arson attack caused more than MVR1 million worth of damages to electronic equipment and property at the office.

The office was almost completely destroyed in the fire, which also spread to a shop next door and caused damages to goods.

Nizar alleged that the office was set on fire by a group of youth involved in disrupting the rally, who left for Hithadhoo on a taxi.

The fire was extinguished by the Maldives National Defence Force’s fire and rescue service.

Police said a search was underway for suspects but no arrests have yet been made.

Last month, the MDP main office in the capital Malé was also set on fire following vandalism of the party’s office for two consecutive nights and numerous death threats sent from unlisted numbers to MDP MPs, the party’s senior members and dozens of journalists.

While the door of former MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor’s home was torched, crude oil was thrown on former President Mohamed Nasheed’s residence and the windshield of Chairperson Ali Waheed’s car was smashed.

Speaking at last night’s rally, Nasheed accused President Abdulla Yameen of employing “wayward youth” to carry out attacks against the opposition.

MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed said the party would seek information about the culprits and make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) meanwhile put out a press release today condemning the arson attack “in the harshest terms”.

“This party will not support such acts regardless who commits them. This party is concerned about such acts that harm political parties, public property, and lives,” the statement read, appealing for cooperation with the government’s efforts to ensure security and stability in the nation.

The ruling party called on the authorities to investigate the arson attack and take prompt action.

“All parties should have the opportunity to carry out political activities peacefully,” the press release stated.

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom also condemned the arson attack on social media today.

“We must never allow such violence in this country,” the PPM leader tweeted.

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Police team attacked in Raa Madduvvari

A team from the Maldives Police Service was attacked last night (October 8 ) on the island of Madduvvari in Raa atoll while attempting to arrest a suspect in an assault case.

A group of men reportedly under the influence of drugs assaulted a group of girls with a chain during an Eid show on the island and later vandalised the door of the island council office.

The police team was reportedly attacked by a 29-year-old suspect who resisted arrest. However, the suspect was taken into custody by a back-up team sent to the island around 8:30pm last night.

A 17-year-old male suspect was also arrested from the island earlier this week.

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US sailors visit children’s home, join clean-up event in Vilimalé

No additional reporting by missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan

Officers and crew from the USS Rodney M Davis visited the Kudakudhinge Hiya orphanage or children’s home in Vilimalé yesterday (October 8 ) and assisted with painting and repairs.

“The American sailors also worked with a local environment group Save the Beach Maldives to clean up island debris later that afternoon,” reads a press release from the US embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The USS Rodney M Davis – an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate with the US 7th Fleet – visited the Maldives this week on its last tour of duty.

The 27-year-old, 4000-ton, 435-feet long, and 45-feet wide frigate is due to be retired by the US Navy. Local journalists were invited for a tour of the ship on Tuesday (October 7).

In its last major operation in 2010, the frigate seized over 1,500kg of drugs from a vessel in the South Pacific Ocean.

Vice Admiral Robert Thomas said earlier this week that he expected the visit to the Maldives would be “tremendously beneficial to build on our excellent relationships with the maritime nations of the Indian Ocean.”

“The area is critical to regional security, and the partnerships we build with this training will go a long way to creating a more professional and stable maritime environment,” he was quoted as saying in an earlier press release.

The embassy meanwhile noted that the sailors volunteered their personal “liberty” time to participate in the activities in Vilimalé yesterday with support from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and Ministry of Law and Gender.

“Time off is very precious because our sailors put in long hours while we are at sea,” said Lt. Russell Wolfkiel, public affairs officer for the Rodney M. Davis.

“One of the highlights of deployment is the opportunity to engage with the local communities when we visit exotic ports like Maldives.”

The American sailors repainted the interior of the orphanage while special fire safety trainers explained how to service fire extinguishers and demonstrated their proper usage.

“This is very important for us. We are very appreciative of your team to come here and do some painting and to take some time to explain the fire alarm systems,” said Mohamed Shafeeg, deputy director of Kudakudhinge Hiyaa.

A second group of sailors meanwhile joined a clean-up event organised by a local youth group called Save the Beach Maldives. The debris collected from across the island included heavy concrete pieces left over from construction projects.

“We hope more people want to help places like this in the future because it’s not just a problem for Maldives here.  It’s a problem for everyone around the world,” said Fathimath Thanzeela Naeem, the lead coordinator for the clean-up.

“We are all connected by the ocean so I’m sure that bigger countries like the US could make an impact as well.”

The Rodney M Davis departed today after concluding its four-day stopover.

Aside from the day out in Vilimalé, the sailors also participated in sporting activities with the MNDF Coast Guard, “building camaraderie and friendships with the local mariners.”

“I like being able to come overseas and help out other people and see how they live,” said Petty Officer Daniel Cornede.

“Especially when it comes to cleaning up the beach, because I come from Hawaii, and this is how I was raised to pick up trash off the beach.”

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Man feared missing found asleep under palm tree

A 50-year-old who went missing on the island of Gan in Laamu atoll last night (October 7) was found asleep under a palm tree this morning, reports local media.

Police launched a search operation for Abdulla Naseer, from Galolhu Waterloo in Malé, after he was reported missing by his family around 11:24pm on Tuesday night.

He was found sleeping on a palm frond near the beach on the eastern side of the island by a search group of police officers and members of the public.

Naseer is reportedly married to a woman from Gan and was visiting the island for Eid holidays.

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Forum organised in Melbourne to raise awareness about Rilwan’s disappearance

No additional reporting by missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan

An open forum titled ‘Silencing Dissent: The Abduction of a Young Journalist in the Maldives’ is due to take place in Melbourne, Australia tomorrow (October 9) to raise awareness about the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

The event was organised by a group of concerned Maldivians residing in Australia and will be held Thursday 7:00pm Australian time at the Victoria College of the Arts, according to a press release from the #FindMoyameeha campaign.

“One reason why we are holding this forum is to keep Rilwan’s story alive,” explained Khadeeja Naseem, a member of the organising team.

“From what little we’ve heard so far it is highly likely that Rilwan’s disappearance is a forced one. By telling it far and wide – even in distant places like Australia – we hope to ensure that more hear about Rilwan’s story and that such sad events are never repeated.”

The forum will feature a series of talks and presentations from Rilwan’s family and friends about the journalist’s suspected abduction as well as challenges to freedom of expression in the Maldives.

Rilwan has been missing for 61 days and is believed to have been abducted at knife point outside his apartment building in Hulhumalé around 2:00am on August 8.

The organisers of the forum noted that Australia was “a close development partner of the Maldives” and has provided scholarships to dozens of Maldivian students and assisted with capacity-building of the Maldives Police Service through training and support.

“As an important bilateral partner, we feel that Australians can bear on the Maldives government to do more in the efforts to find Rilwan,” the press release stated.

“Although independent sources have pointed at evidence indicating Rilwan was forcibly abducted, the authorities, especially the Maldives Police Service has been reluctant to offer any substantial information on Rilwan’s whereabouts or how the investigation has been proceeding,” reads the Facebook page for the event.

“This is the first time a journalist has been disappeared in the country, and it is a shock for Maldivian society, despite the rise in murder and violent crime during the last decade.

“Rilwan’s disappearance is yet another tragic link in a series of events where journalists, democracy activists and proponents of free speech have been continually threatened and harassed. More significantly, these events are symptomatic of the reversal of the democratic gains Maldives has made in the past decade.”

Suspects in custody

In late September, police arrested four suspects in connection with Rilwan’s disappearance. While the Criminal Court has since released one of the suspects from remand detention and transferred a second to house arrest, two suspects still remain in police custody.

In a press statement on October 2, Rilwan’s family called on the police “respectfully” to share findings of the investigation and update the family, friends and wider public on progress made so far.

“Every day and night that passes without the truth of the case being revealed is filled with questions, anxiety, and deep sadness for the family,” the statement read.

Following the arrests last week, both Rilwan’s family and human rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) welcomed the “progress in the police investigation”.

“The Criminal Court’s extension of their detention signifies progress in the investigation,” said MDN.

MDN released an investigation report last month implicating radicalised gangs in Rilwan’s suspected abduction.

The investigation report by Glasgow-based Athena Security confirmed evidence of possible “hostile surveillance” of Rilwan at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal in Malé conducted by two known affiliates of Malé-based Kuda Henveiru gang. One of the suspects was identified as Ahmed Shiran Saeed.

Minivan News understands Shiran is currently in police custody for unrelated charges.

Citing the abduction of several young men in June by a vigilante group in a push to identify online activists advocating secularism or professing atheism, the report said gang activity in Rilwan’s abduction was a “strong possibility”.

The report noted increased radical activity among members of three main gangs in Malé – Bosnia, Kuda Henveiru, and Buru – and claimed members had participated in attacks against individuals they deem “un-Islamic”.

Rilwan had “regularly received clear threats to his life” for his outspoken criticism of religious extremists, the report said.

One man named in the report vandalised Minivan News office’s security camera on September 25 shortly before two others buried a machete in the building’s door.

A Minivan News journalist received death threats after the incident, which read, “You will be killed or disappeared next. Watch out.”

While police arrested a 32-year-old suspect on charges of stealing the security camera – who was clearly identifiable on the CCTV footage – the Criminal Court released the suspect with conditions the following day.

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Manadhoo council offers vacant plot for flat screen TV, sofa set

The Noonu Atoll Manadhoo island council has made an announcement seeking to lease a vacant plot of land on the condition that the lessee provide a flat screen television and a sofa set.

According to newspaper Haveeru, the announcement states that the council has decided to lease a 5,000 square feet plot for 15 years for a monthly rent of MVR3,000 (US$195).

The conditions for proposals or bids from interested parties include providing a 32-inch flat screen TV and a sofa set to the council. A drawing of the sofa along with specifications was included in the announcement.

In July, the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure informed all local councils to seek authorisation from the president before conducting any transaction involving state-owned land.

In June, the ministry had removed two parks from the jurisdiction of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party-majority Malé City Council, while the Dharubaaruge convention centre was reclaimed by the government in May.

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