The 15 year old male victim of a hit and run accident in Hulhumale’ last Thursday has been flown to Sri Lanka for further medical treatment.
The victim was a passenger on one of the two motorcycles that collided during the accident.
Local media reports that the victim was in critical condition even when flown to Sri Lanka, and that he was suffering from major head injuries.
(2)Dislikes
(0)Three Bangladeshi men are on trial at the Criminal Court in the first criminal prosecution for human trafficking in the Maldives since the enactment of Anti-Human Trafficking Act in December.
The three Bangladeshi nationals identified by the court as Baadshah, Abdul Malak and M D Saim Mohla are accused of trafficking a Bangladeshi woman who arrived in the Maldives in December to work as a house maid.
The three defendants could face 10 years in jail if they are convicted.
M D Saim Mohla is also facing charges of possession of pornographic material, which were found on his phone when he was arrested.
In June, the Maldives was removed from the US State Department’s tier two watch list for human trafficking following the passage of the legislation last year.
In a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council and made public yesterday, the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) recommended “concerted efforts” to enforce the law.
“There are countless reports of exploitation of migrant workers through fraudulent recruitment practices by their agents, withholding of wages and confiscation of passports,” the report stated.
“Shelters to accommodate trafficking victims and support services are not operational. Lack of resources and capacity appear to be a challenge faced by authorities in establishment of institutional mechanisms and to implement the Anti‐Human Trafficking Act. Thus efforts to facilitate redress to victims remain disproportionate to a deteriorating situation.”
In a section on migrant workers, the HRCM noted that expatriate workers were often subjected to “inhumane conditions like being accommodated in overcrowded places which lack proper ventilation, adequate sanitary facilities and limited accessibility to water.”
“Maltreatment and negative attitudes towards migrant workers are a concern. Accessing services from [Labour Relations Authority] is a challenge for migrant workers based at atolls due to transportation difficulties as many remain reluctant to seek assistance for fear of deportation due to undocumented status.”
The HRCM also recommended ratification of the International Convention on Migrant Workers.
(1)Dislikes(0)The Maldivian judiciary is controlled and influenced by the Supreme Court to the detriment of superior and lower courts, states the Human Rights Commission of Maldives’ (HRCM) report to the United Nation’s Human Rights Council’s Universal Period Review (UPR).
“Judicial system is controlled and influenced by the Supreme Court, weakening judicial powers vested in other superior courts and lower courts,” the HRCM contended.
“Supreme Court issued a circular ordering all state institutions not to communicate to individual courts regarding any information relating to the judiciary except through the Supreme Court. HRCM is facing difficulties in gathering information related to judiciary due to lack of cooperation.”
The UPR studies the human rights records of all 193 UN member states, aiming to prompt, support, and expand the protection of human rights. After having been reviewed first in 2010, the Maldives will again undergo inspection in 2015.
Through a raft of regulations enacted in recent months, the Maldives Supreme Court has sought to consolidate control over administrative affairs of the judiciary.
The new regulations require Supreme Court approval for judges seeking transfer to a different court and the court’s permission for judges and judicial employees to attend overseas workshops, seminars, conferences, or training programmes.
In May, the Supreme Court enacted new rules stipulating that the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) – tasked with management of the courts and public relations as well as providing facilities, training, archiving systems and security for judges – will function in accordance with policies set by the apex court bench and under the direct supervision of a designated justice.
Former Judicial Service Commission (JSC) member Aishath Velezinee told Minivan News at the time “the appointment of a Supreme Court judge to [oversee] the DJA is tantamount to control of the courts.”
In a comprehensive report on the Maldivian judiciary released in May 2013, United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, wrote that centralising administrative decisions in the hands of the Supreme Court “has undoubtedly contributed to the strong impression that lower courts are excluded from the administration of justice and decision-making processes.”
She also referred to “several complaints about internal tensions in the judiciary, where lower courts are left with the feeling that the Supreme Court only works for its own interests, without taking into account the situation of other judges and magistrates.”
Access to justice
In the ‘access to justice’ section of its report, the HRCM noted that the enforcement of a new penal code would be “a positive development towards a better legislative framework.”
“However, due to shortfalls in judicial system, functioning of the judiciary is often questionable on various grounds including independence, transparency, interference, influence, competency, consistency, and accessibility,” the report observed.
“State responded to UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers as trying to undermine the country’s court system. [International Commission of Jurists] has issued a number of recommendations to build competency of judiciary with no progressive action by the state,” it continued.
“According to [Transparency Maldives], majority of public lack confidence in the court system. Majority of cases, both criminal and civil, often get delayed for more than a year, and is prosecuted in the capital which forces plaintiffs and defendants from atolls to travel to and stay in capital, which is costly.”
The HRCM recommended implementation of recommendations by both the Special Rapporteur and the ICJ as well as codification and harmonisation of Shariah law and common law in accordance with the Constitution.
“Enact important laws leaving no room for inconsistencies in judicial decision making,” read the recommendations.
(0)Dislikes(0)Additional reporting by Ahmed Naish and Mariyath Mohamed
Police have revealed they find no “concrete evidence” to connect the August 8 disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla with a reported abduction on the same evening.
“The police investigation has not found any concrete evidence so far of a connection between Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla’s disappearance and the incident that occurred near his flat in Hulhumale’ on the night of 7 August 2014,” read a statement released today.
Neighbours of Rilwan reported seeing a man fitting his description being pushed into a vehicle outside of his apartment at around 2am. A knife is believed to have been recovered from the scene of the crime.
Police have today said the ongoing investigations have failed to confirm that anyone saw or spoke to Rilwan after midnight.
A witness who claimed to have sat next to the missing journalist on the 1am ferry has explained to Minivan News that the police’s reluctance to place Rilwan in Hulhumalé is a result of his inability to confirm whether Rilwan exited the ferry.
The Malé-Hulhumalé ferry terminates in Hulhumalé. The Hulhumalé terminal had no CCTV in operation at the time in question.
Minivan News has spoken to the witness on a number of occasions, and he has clearly identified himself on the CCTV footage.
Additionally, the witness was able to confirm the clothes Rilwan was wearing at a time when the last people to see Rilwan in Malé on August 7 had mistakenly recalled him wearing a turquoise shirt.
Police have today said that other people appearing on the ferry terminal footage that evening are among the 128 persons questioned as part of the investigation.
Today’s statement is the first official update on the investigation since September 4.
Rilwan’s family, meanwhile, has again expressed dissatisfaction with the progress shown in the police investigation into the matter.
“There is nothing new in that statement. It’s just the old story. I believe MPS has either no leads or they are trying to cover up the story,” said the missing journalist’s brother Moosa Rilwan.
“Either way, we see their incompetence and irresponsibility to do the job they are paid to do by the public,” he added.
Today’s statement showed that the area of ocean searched by divers remains unchanged since the previous statement, at 267,197.5 square meters. Similarly, the number of locations searched in Hulhumalé remains at 139.
Police stated that they have interviewed an additional 69 persons, and interrogated 17 more individuals. They also claim to have interviewed 197 neighbours of Rilwan who live in the apartments surrounding his residence.
Between September 4 and 16, police have also searched an additional 66 vessels docked in and around Hulhumalé while one more residence in capital Male’ City has also been searched in the past 12 days.
Police further said that they are also conducting searches in a number of residences and guesthouses located in other islands, which they have not named in the statement.
According to the press release, CCTV footage has been retrieved from an additional 31 locations. Police are currently analysing a total of 1,235 hours of CCTV footage retrieved from 157 cameras.
Police concluded the statement with an appeal to the public to contact them if they have any information about the case, or if they had seen Rilwan at the Hulhumalé ferry terminal or on the island itself on the night of the disappearance.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government has sent the 121 victims of the al-Fatuh Hajj and Umra group frauds on the Hajj pilgrimage under the care of the Hajj Corporation.
According to local media, the people sent today were those who had paid al-Fatuh and obtained their visas before the company pleaded bankruptcy to the Islamic Ministry explaining that it would not be able send the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
Haveeru reported that the government has spent MVR9 million (US$584,036) to cover the expenses of the defrauded pilgrims.
At a press conference on Friday, Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said that the government was covering the expenses of the victims because the Saudi Arabian Government might reduce the quota to the Maldivians if the full quota is not fulfilled.
The 1000 pilgrims quota provided by the Saudi Arabian Government is split into two, with 500 reserved for the Hajj Corporation and the rest divided into private corporations chosen after a bidding process.
(1)Dislikes(0)The historic visit of Chinese President Xi Jinpeng today saw MoUs signed on the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport and promoting the construction of the Male-Hulhulé bridge.
Following a lively welcoming ceremony – featuring a Chinese dragon, Maldivian dancing, and a 21 gun salute – President Xi and President Abdulla Yameen observed the signing of eight MoUs.
The visit has also seen the signing of a preliminary contract agreement on the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.
Xi’s arrival marks the first visit to the Maldives by a Chinese president in the 42 years since diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in October, 1972.
The most notable MoU concerned the promoting the construction of the long-awaited Male-Hulhulé Bridge – with a replica awaiting President Xi’s arrival at Republic Square this morning.
A foreign ministry statement has said that the Chinese government will “favourably consider” providing financial support for the project.
Both presidents also launched two Chinese funded and implemented projects concerning housing in Hulhumalé and a link road in Laamu Atoll. The housing project is to be financed through concessional loans, while the 15.1km Laamu road project will be constructed through non-reimbursable aid financing.
Other MoUs were signed on health sector promotion, establishing a joint committee on trade and economic cooperation, strengthening cooperation between the foreign ministries of both countries, and establishing a joint mechanism on dealing with the issue of safety and security of Chinese tourists visiting the Maldives.
President Yameen also revealed that further development of the tourism industry had been discussed during today’s talks, expressing hope that Chinese arrivals would increase three-fold over the next four years. Chinese tourists currently make up around 30 percent of all arrivals to the country.
During a joint press conference on Monday at the President’s Office, President Yameen thanked China for its assistance, stating that “graduation from a less developed country has come with enormous challenges and hardships.”
“As a small island state, we are at a disadvantaged position in global commerce and trade. Our socio-economic development forecast changed dramatically with the status of a middle income country”.
“At such a crucial juncture in our development, it is indeed a source of major encouragement and inspiration that one of our most trusted economic partners is willing to support our national effort to transform our economy, bringing happiness to our youthful population and promoting trade and investment,” he stated.
New phase
In addition to the Maldivian President, President Xi Jinping and his delegation have also met with Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed and other senior government officials.
Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives Wang Fukang – signatory of a number of today’s MoUs – told Chinese media that, after decades of development ties, the bilateral relationship had entered a new phase
“China has helped with several construction projects in the Maldives, including the foreign ministry building, and the national museum. This has been totally free of cost. We have also helped the country build a thousand residential homes,” said Wang.
A press release from the President’s Office reveals that the Housing Project’s Phase II will be funded through concessional loan financing by the Government of China, and implemented by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation.
Yameen also praised the New Silk Road project, reported by Chinese state media to be pass the intended site of the Ihavandhippolhu Integrated Development Project – or ‘iHavan’ – in the northernmost atoll in the Maldives.
“Maldives is now honoured to feature among China’s partners in building a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road – a unique vision of President Xi which will bring Asian neighbours closer together,” said Yameen at this morning’s press conference.
In an op-ed published in local media ahead of the visit, President Xi called for the Maldives “to get actively involved in building the 21st century maritime Silk Road by leveraging its own strength.”
“China looks forward to working with Maldives to speedily translate this cooperation initiative into reality so as to boost the development and prosperity of all countries and the rise of Asia,” wrote President Xi.
The foreign ministry reports that the Maldives is prepared to actively participate in relevant cooperation with regard to the establishment of the Silk Road, and that the two countries further agreed to cooperate in the fields of maritime issues, economy, and security.
(4)Dislikes(0)The Criminal Court will provide VIP treatment and escort persons facing trial in and out through the back door in circumstances where it sees fit, Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed has said.
Speaking at a function held on Saturday night (September 13) to celebrate the court’s anniversary, Judge Abdulla reportedly said that the court would allow accused parties to enter through the back door for safety reasons.
“If a court employee has to go an receive such a person, that would be done, too. That is done through the court’s administrative arrangements,” he was quoted as saying in local media.
The remarks followed criticism of the court for providing preferential treatment to MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed in his alcohol possession case.
The leader of the government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance was escorted in and out of the backdoor when he arrived at the court for a trial date and was also seated in a separate area.
Moreover, the chief judge had taken over Siyam’s case in May after the business tycoon requested a change of judge.
Judge Abdulla also criticised the police and state prosecutors for failure to secure convictions as a result of poor planning, insufficient evidence, and glaring inconsistencies between statements submitted by police and witness testimony heard at trial.
(1)Dislikes(0)Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim met a delegation from the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of China to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on marine cooperation on oceanographic research.
“This memorandum considers that cooperation on oceanographic research can strengthen the existing friendly relations between the two countries, and make due contribution to ocean development and conservation as well as social and economic development of both countries and can recognise the role of ocean in climate change, and the common concerns of the parties on oceanographic observation, investigation, scientific research and marine resources’ conservation, management and sustainable uses and wishes to establish closer relations between the marine agencies and personnel of the parties,” the environment ministry explained in a statement.
“The Parties will undertake joint collaborative research activities in the field of oceanography to improve the understanding on the nature of ocean, and strengthen the capability of marine environmental protection, marine hazards mitigation, and adaptation to climate change.”
The MOU was signed at a ceremony held at the President’s Office this morning.
(2)Dislikes(0)Deputy Health Minister Hussain Rasheed has said that proper research is essential for identifying shortcomings and improving the health sector, local media has reported.
Speaking at a research workshop in Nasandhuraa Palace Hotel on Sunday, Rasheed said proper scientific evidence concerning the incidence and spread of diseases in the Maldives, its effects, affected age groups, and obstacles to health service provision in health centres needed to be identified.
“Developments achieved in modern medicine and innovative treatment methods are found out through the hard work of many, and through research,” he was quoted as saying by newspaper Haveeru.
Rasheed also stressed the importance of standardising health sector research proposals as well as capacity building and training for members of the national health research committee.
The five-day workshop is being conducted assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for groups interested in health research. The health ministry said the purpose of the workshop is to ensure that research proposals meet the requirements set by the ministry, develop research methodology and skills, and encourage ethical and scientific review.
(1)Dislikes(0)