The newly appointed Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel has warned of filing terrorism charges against those arrested over the destruction of public and police property during Wednesday’s late-night protests, which erupted across 10 islands in six atolls after the police attacked Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters’ peaceful march in Male’
Dr Jameel, the deputy leader of minority opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), was investigated by Nasheed’s government for ‘hate speech’ after his party published a pamphlet entitled ‘President Nasheed’s devious plot to destroy the Islamic faith of Maldivians’, alleging that Nasheed’s government was part of a “Jewish Zionist conspiracy” seeking to “spread Christianity” and “undermine Islam in the Maldives”.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Dr Jameel claimed that “MDP is responsible for the unrest” since the crowd beaten by the police had come from a meeting of the MDP national council yesterday afternoon.
Police stations and vehicles on several islands were set on fire or taken over last night by protestors identified by the police and government as “MDP supporters”, while several magistrate courts on the islands and government offices were also burnt down.
“I believe these [attacks] fit as acts of terrorism as stated in the Maldives Terrorism Act,” Dr Jameel contended. “The law states those who commit such acts will face 10-15 years jail sentence or banishment… They will be brought in front of the law successfully and I will make sure it happens for the safety of our people.”
Police Commissioner Abdullah Riyaz who also spoke at the press conference, said that the police are continuing the search for attackers.
“Will utilise all the skills I have and resources at hand, to conduct an evidence based investigation into the attacks and forward the cases to the Prosecutor General’s Office to begin the court trails as soon as possible”, Riyaz added.
Meanwhile, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Solih rejected the allegations that MDP had instigated the unrest. “We did not do anything wrong,” he claimed.
“All we wanted was to take a peaceful march around Male’. But near the Maldives Monetary Authority [MMA], military armed with shields stopped us from moving forward. And without any warning we were attacked with tear gas, while police Star Force marched in, beating us with batons,” Solih explained.
At least 50 individuals were seen at Male’ hospitals following the crackdown, and images circulating over social media and news outlets show several people with various injuries and blood stained clothes. Government hospital IGMH declared a state of emergency at 6:15pm last evening.
Party Chairperson and MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik was reported to be in critical condition following the attack. Giving an interview to local media Raaje TV from his hospital bed, Moosa claimed security forces “wanted to kill me.”
Nasheed also sustained injuries to his back, hands and head. He was kept in a safe house until some time last night, when he returned to his home in Male’. Although a warrant for his arrest was issued by the Criminal Court this afternoon, Police Commissioner Riyaz has said he will investigate the legality of the court order before taking action.
Following the events, Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) released statements, raising concerns over police actions and asking the police not to use brutal force against people.
Riyaz acknowledged the remarks and said the police would use “minimum force” to control such situations.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Dr Jameel contended that “we are not responsible” for the police’s actions yesterday afternoon, as Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim and himself assumed their respective posts after the events.
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Is Dr Jameel saying that President Waheed alone is responsible for the police brutality yesterday then?
Hey Mr. Jameel, why don't you go and grab the balls of your current president instead President Nasheed.
Haha no one seems to be responsible in this rogue Government.
The situation went beyond control and chaos and blame is on for police and MNDF.They committed crimes against their own citizens. Stop blaming MDP.
Coz of brutality action the people went out of control and this all around the Maldives and what happened is happened. Definitely Blame is on MNDF & Police. Believe it or not this is what will happen in society if the same happens. The reason Y is because we are human's.
On the other hand police and MNDF should protect government properties and people. But the opposite happened they are against people and they did not protect properties. They are employed serve the nation and its people. So tell me who to blame???
When pointing fingers on MDP please note that this was not only by MDP.Its public in general.
You guys need to change the dialog. Find out all who did it and bring them to justice. We all support it and everyone should obey rules of law. First get custody in police and MNDF who beaten people to death on the street and who forced to resign elected president .People are not sleeping!!!
In Addu City. People who supports DRP made a list of people to be arrested and it goes to MDP.Its Not only MDP supporters but gangs as well. But the arrest is only MDP members.
Police and MNDF was warned the general public that they will scare the citizen and they have made the promise by forgetting the reason they are employed. No Maldivian will be scared of them. They are our brothers and sisters and relatives. We will not be scared of them but good friends. Ask the guy to resign he does not have clue of what he was talking about and he is not aware of the constitution. He cannot go above the law. What a funny statement on live TV program.
One of my close colleague at Addu city police service told me they were not given order by their commanders to control it and even when they requested they were asked to step back away!!!He told me if the order was given they will control all the burnings of government building and they got enough police and MNDF officers and they have controlled much worse demonstrations in Addu city.so who to blame??? They all made this happen and blaming others!
We will fight for our own rights and we will build our own society!! It will be democracy and freedom within Islam.
The coup d'etat has finally undone the changes of the democratic revolution, and reinstated the Gayoom dictatorship by proxy.
Jameel and the dictators other puppets are doing exactly what Gayoom did back in the day.
They're going to crush dissent and employ the kangaroo courts to take Anni and other democratic leaders off the streets and behind bars.
They have failed before, and they will fail again. But once again, at a terrible cost to the country.
Dr Jameel, I agree that people who damage public and private property should be held accountable. BUT before you hold civilians accountable, you are obliged to hold your police force accountable for the atrocities they have committed against our citizens. But looks like you have already started making excuses not to, saying you weren't the minister then. How convenient eh. Well let's see if these police hooligans can behave themselves under your 'leadership'.
Jameel who the Hell are u to say such a word, we don't want listen ur word, cox we beleive u r a dictator and u can't fool on us. U better kick ur self. We need democratic government.
you are the one who used roudy undiscipline words to the government officials, we Maldivians will never accept you as a home minister'the person who kept you will accept you as a home minster.even you are not a legally elected government's home minister.while you are vaccating puppet governments home ministers post,according to your order if any maldivian got a injury by polce we call you as a haamaan.and you will be a terrorist too.
you have no supports from public.even your party also have no enough supports from the majority of the public.
Get lost Jameel. You have committed crimes against the Maldivian Public. I do not care if MDP never comes to power but I would not accept a government that is rammed down by my throat. I would not even accept a government that has someone like you in it.
You and your bunch of savage thugs have beaten innocent people and you shall suffer the consequences. May the Almighty Allah make you suffer the same pain and sufferance that you bought to the people of Maldives.
Ganjaaboa is solely responsible for the current situationin the Maldives.
Snake Jameel, you will never ever hold a position in an elected government of this country. Never ever! Got that?
You are evil personified. You can conveniently excuse yourself from the crimes against humanity committed by your terrorist organisation, i.e. Maldives Terror Services. It's not a surprise, since you've been fabricating lies and creating dissent in this country for years.
You dare not set foot outside the Maldives. Not only is your anti-Semitic, anti-Chrisitian hate mongering still fresh in the memories of people the world over, but everyone throughout the world has seen Day One of your illegal regime.
Be ready for the fires of hell, Snake Jameel.
If people still have doubts that this was a coup, just recap the first few appointments of Waheed:
(1) Nazim. This ex-army man was expelled from the service. He is a disgrace to the country after having been expelled from Sandhurst as well. He demanded the resignation of Nasheed! The reward is the job of Defence Minister. In other words, this is the political representative of the military coup!
(2) Snake Jameel. No Maldivian needs further introduction to this chap. His anti-semitic, anti-Christian hate campaign is well known the world over, thanks to the translation of his party publications. His reward is that of Home Minister, i.e. in charge of Maldives Terrorist Services!
(3) Terrorist Commissioner Riyaz. He lost his job at the former Maldivian Police Service. For his part in the coup, he got the reward of the Commissioner. We all witnessed what he and his terrorist organisation intends to do to the Maldives and its people yesterday.
Miner, I am surprised that you have no clue as to what is going on.
I do not care. All I care is that a legitimate government was brutally overthrown by the security service and then the innocent public beaten brutally.
If Nasheed was breaking the law, impeach him in Majlis as per the constitution. Then no one would say anything. I am not going to accept a coup in the Maldives. I would not accept a coup even if Gayoom was thrown out.
Anni should be responsible for all this mess. It is he who created all this trouble for his own party members. He brought them on to streets and stimulated the police and army to attack them all. Everyone knows maldivian army and police are good at beating their own people. But they always do and this under the orders of a respective government. Under Qayyooms government they did so and so did they the very Anni’s government. This time its neither under Qayyoom nor Annis government that the forces have harmed the citizens. Anni and MDP should stop this sick blame game on Qayyoom now. They have a habit of blaming on Qayyoom even when they are constipated. Anni was brought down from his position by the very oposition people who brought him to presidency. Qayyoom never formed coalition with him. Everyone knows now all political parties are selfish and work towards their own selfish interests. They are not working on any orders of Qayyoom, rather Qayyoom has stayed away from all this mess. Anni should have behaved in a more civilized way after his resignation. But he is always like an animal, he loves protesting and running around the city with thugs. He could have asked for election by legal means and with the help of the constitution instead of protesting and making his party members to go around destroying public properties, citing fire in the city and islands, and demonstrating terrorism and vandalism in the Maldives. Shame on you Anni. I thought I would still vote for you after you resigned, but the way you have reacted to all this made me realise you are a very low character human who doesn’t deserve a second chance.
President Nasheed should have led the country in a firmer manner without showing compassion to former cronies who looted the nation.
Miner, after all the atrocities Waheed and his cowardly allies police and MNDF have committed against the people of this Country, you are still hell bent on putting the blame on President Nasheed. Feel sad for you, looks like you have no empathy for your fellow citizens, people like you should leave Maldives along with the terrorists who overthrew a legitimate and democratically elected government. And btw, whatever President Nasheed maybe consuming, he has never lost control of himself to order senseless beatings and killing of his own people. This violence is the way Maumoon ruled and now we're back to it. If President Nasheed is to be blamed for this, it's only because he did not throw all the opposition politicians in jail as soon as he became President!
@Asif on Fri, 10th Feb 2012 7:05 AM
"President Nasheed should have led the country in a firmer manner without showing compassion to former cronies who looted the nation."
I can see your point here. However, Nasheed was never like that, and I'm sure that whatever injustice he faces under the current regime, he'll not change that part of his character.
I do agree with the way Nasheed dealt with the former regime. He tried and tried to follow the rule of law and he was barricaded at every single moment.
Did anyone ever see any harm come to any former regime member under Nasheed's government? I don't recall any! Everyone was free to do as they wished, and they did.
As we all know, the situation today couldn't be more different. On day one of the current illegal regime, they let lose their terror dogs from the Maldivian Terrorist Services on to the streets and beat up anyone they could lay their hands on.
There is simply no way that this regime will last. They started with a mutiny followed by terror. I'm telling you, their days are numbered. I'll not rest until I've done all I can to bring back democracy to my beloved country, by the will of Allah.
Jameel, investigate the MNDF and police who have committed horrific crimes against the peaceful protesters.
I love our new member, Qayoom's no.1 fan, Yasir. Your love for the old man is admirable.
It hurts to see the man who kicked out Qayoom still alive even as a civilian, doesn't it?
I do not share your pain, but I think I get it. It must be hard not seeing the dear leader on TV when you wake up every day.
Such brutality against the first democratically elected president of the Maldives and his supporters is unacceptable. There is no justification for such heinous acts perpetrated by the present regime. The threat that MDP supporters will be charged with terrorism indeed bears testimony to the fact that the intention of the regime that took over deposing Mr. Nasheed is to suppress the voice of democracy. The people they are pretending to protect desperately want to shape their own destiny by participating in the process of governance which is only possible if a democratically elected dispensation comes to power. Dictatorship has no place in today's world. I as an Indian deeply empathize with all the brave Maldivian people who are fighting for democracy. I wish our government takes more actions diplomatically in ensuring peace in Maldives. From here I think a fresh referendum is the only way forward. And if we could persuade the present government to take steps in that direction, it will be a great achievement.
JAMEEL HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. EXCEPT THIS TIME, YOU ARE GUILTY OF BRUTALITY THAT CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. YOU ARE NOW A VICTIM OF YOUR OWN DEVICES! STEP DOWN! WE DONT BELIEVE A WORD YOU SAY.
Let me get this straight, public outrage due to police brutality is a crime it is terrorism. But the police attacking MDP Haruge is not a crime it is not terrorism.
President Waheed is a puppet of dictator Gayoom and this is obvious when you see who he has chosen around him.WE WANT ELECTION AND THIS MUST BE CLEAR FOR GAYOOM & HIS PUPPETS!!!F..k off dictators...
People of Addu Atoll will never forgive Maumoon, Yamin, Gasim, Thasmeen, Hassan Saeed or Waheed.
You came and attack our beloved people like wild animals.
Waheed we equal you to Nasir who destroyed Thinadhoo, if you want visit Addu ever, please sure you bring more than one army platoon to protect you, you have shed in our Atoll we will not take this lightly.
Dr. Jameel, Dr. Hassan Saeed please come pay a visit to you island.
Waheed, step down, you are not in control, we are, you better start believing this instead of living in la la land.
You made riot police grab our President Nasheeds balls, revenge is on the card.
Angry bird aka Snake Jameel
i think Jameel among the lowest of Maldivians, intellectually and as a human... he is such a disgrace.
Jameel.
The police have brutally beaten up thousands of Maldivians who were expressing their support for Nasheed. Order your Police Comissioner to investigate the matter and initiate legal proceedings against those officers who are responsible!
Terrorism has several normative definitions folks and, like it or not, that will have an influence on its more formal legal counterparts. There is no consensus on either, and just because you do not agree with one of them, does not render it invalid.
In any case, let's look at the situation. Nasheed is formenting civil unrest and exploiting the concomitant violence as a bargaining chip to try and coerce the legitimate authorities to get his way.
From an objective vantage point, I could not think of a better definition of terrorism, even if I were to spend several weeks in the pursuit of just that one effort.
Furthermore, as Minivannews seems to be aiding and abetting him in this purpose it is entirely within the realm of reason to start considering this a terrorist website.
This is not something that can be tolerated on our soil and action should be taken accordingly. Now that Nasheeds quasi-tyranny has come to an end as a result of his own incompetence, the foreign-bred contributers to this website should not think they can continue to violate our sovereignty with their impunity, whilst masquarading as bleeding hearts "oh so concerned" with our "sinking" islands. On which they are not welcome.
We deserve a better tommorow than the one Nasheed had to offer. May God bless the Maldivian people.
*with impunity.
The regime loyalists just cannot face the fact that truth is being revealed here for all the world to see. No matter how they spin it, thousands of Maldivians, including myself will never accept this illegal regime.
Normative, or non-normative, this regime fills all the criteria for being propped up illegally by those carrying arms. As if Maldives didn't have enough troubles, the country has been sunk even lower by those who could have never come to power through legal means, i.e, free and fair elections.
You may beat us up, but you will never be able to kill our spirits. May Almighty Allah save us from the tyrants.
What about the brutual police and MNDF? Can they can just walk free after torturing countless people? Imagine Mr. Jaleel, you might easily find your self in the same situation!
Illigitimate bastard.go to hell
Jameel - you should be ashamed of yourself. Mate, just look into the mirror and ask youself what good did I bring to this country by you and your evil friend by fabricating host of lies and creating hatred. I think it is only because you are so power hungry. But may be you forgot, the power comes from the people, and I can assure you, you will not even get elected even to an village council. Just try to prove me wrong! Your arrogance! Shame on you!
Remember what you did at the police "hanu hurumuge minivan kan".We too can use it, not so easy jameel
not a new measure. even before during Gayoom regime, terrorism charges are the common practice. Dr Jameel was part of that autocratic government and is probably one reason he cannot survive in a democratic environment.
MDP never thought that their government could be toppled. If we trace back the various unconstitutional stubborn decisions made by Nasheed since the arrest of Jameel, it is quite obvious that only Prez Nasheed is to be blamed for all this.
For me the most dangerous move was the attempt to reappoint all the Supreme Court Judges and High Court Judges through an amendment that was to be submitted to Majlis. Talk about blatant abuse of power and determination to take absolute control of the whole Judiciary! Scary isn't it?
Finally the police were disgusted having to take illegal orders and joined the demonstrations. Even at that point Nasheed could have saved his regime if he had given assurances not to give any more illegal orders to Police and offered clemency for them.
But typical arrogance in the way Nasheed dealt with the Police only infuriated the Police and MNDF who finally decided that enough was enough.
So call this a coup or whatever else. But it toppled a regime hell bent on trashing the Constitution and the Laws of the Land as if they were enjoying a party.
Setting ablaze places, reminds me of Bimbi force? Many simillarities? We should stop eating so many tuna, becuase it seems that we have very short memory!!
All MNDF and Police personnel that used brutal force must be punished under the full extent of the law.
All MDP, PPM and other political and civil society members who fomented discord and instigated violence also must be punished under the full extent of the law.
Only then will people learn to be peaceful.