Category: Politics

Nasheed calls proposed changes to Supreme Court bench unconstitutional

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has called the plans to reduce the number of judges on the Supreme Court bench from seven to five unconstitutional.

While speaking to the press before departing for a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rallys in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Nasheed accused President Abdulla Yameen of trying to stack the bench in his favor.

“The constitution states the required procedure to bring changes to the bench of the Supreme Court. After extensive legal council we have deliberated that the proposed changes would be unconstitutional,” said Nasheed.

The amendments brought to the parliament by MDP MP Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef have been rejected by the party after the its national executive council convened and voted that the amendments were against its policies.

Speaking about the amendments, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim ‘Ibu’ Mohamed Solih said Shareef had not consulted the party before he submitted the changes.

However, the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has signaled the party’s support for the amendments with parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan said all ruling party MPs would support the proposal and that the PPM would welcome judicial reform.

Presenting the bill to the parliament Shareef said that he believed the number of judges on the apex court was too high for a country the size of the Maldives.

Nasheed had previously said that changing the number of judges on the Supreme Court bench would not amount to judicial reform.

Meanwhile, MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik – who has announced intentions to contest in the MDP’s 2018 presidential primary – appealed for pro-government MPs to cooperate with the party’s efforts to reform the judiciary.

Moosa described the formation of the current Supreme Court bench as a “shameful” political bargain between the MDP and then–opposition parties in 2010.

Nihan praised both Shareef and Moosa and suggested that the number of judges on the apex court was worth considering.

Former President Nasheed also reiterated party concerns with the annual state budget for the upcoming year which the party has previously labelled as aimless and serving only for administrative purposes.

The Supreme Court has recently been involved in numerous controversies both in and out of the court room.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court used a ‘suo moto’ proceeding – allowing the Court to act as both the plaintiff and the judge – against the Elections Comission (EC).

EC president Fuwad Thowfeek and Vice President Ahmed Fayaz were subsequently charged with contempt of court and disobedience to order, being sentenced to six months in jail after the court used testimony given in the People’s Majlis independent commission’s oversight committee.

More recently, the court employed a similar ‘suo moto’ proceeding against the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) after it criticised the judiciary in its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the UN Human Rights Council.

The court charged the HRCM with undermining the constitution and sovereignty of the Maldives by spreading lies about the judiciary.  It said that the UPR submission– based on a 2013 report by the UN Special Rapporteur for Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul – was “poorly researched”, “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.

Knaul’s report had detailed the pressing need for judicial reform, noting that the five-member transitional Supreme Court had been replaced by a seven-member permanent bench in 2010 with “no legal or constitutional basis”.

June this year also saw Judge Ali Hameed – a sitting judge at the Supreme Court – cleared of a sex tape scandal after three recordings surfaced allegedly showing Ali Hameed engaging in sexual acts with three different woman.

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MDP, JP MPs propose 19 amendments to 2015 budget

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs and Jumhooree Party (JP) MPs submitted 19 amendments at yesterday’s sitting of parliament to the record MVR24.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) state budget for 2015.

Among the MDP’s nine amendments were scrapping plans to impose a 10 percent import duty on staple foodstuff and oil and allocating MVR100 million (US$6.4 million) and MVR75 million (US$4.8 million) respectively to provide subsidies for fishermen and farmers.

Other proposals included adding persons with disabilities and single parents as categories eligible for government subsidies to the poor and requiring the finance ministry to submit quarterly reports to parliament every three months concerning the implementation of the budget.

The minority party has issued a three-line whip for its MPs to vote against the budget if none of the proposed revisions are passed.

The JP’s 10 amendments meanwhile included providing MVR50 million (US$3.2 million) in subsidies to fishermen and MVR40 million (US$2.5 million) to farmers, ensuring sufficient funds for local councils and allocating MVR5 million (US$324,254) out of the contingency budget for local NGOs that provide education and training to persons with special needs.

The party also proposed conducting a survey to determine discrepancies in salary and allowances among state employees.

The 19 amendments were proposed after Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nihan – chair of the budget review committee – presented a report prepared by the committee following its review process

While the committee had passed the budgetlast week without significant changes to revenue or expenditure, pro-government MPs proposed a number of recommendations to reduce recurrent expenditure.

However, amendments proposed by MDP and JP MPs during the budget review process did not pass at the committee.

Reflecting its combined 48-seat majority in the 85-member house, PPM and coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance MPs held a voting majority on the committee.

During yesterday’s debate on the budget committee report, JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim warned that introducing new taxes could damage the economy and the tourism industry.

The business tycoon claimed that Seychelles and Mauritius “went bankrupt” when tourists stopped visiting due to excessive taxation.

Occupancy rates at Maldivian resorts declined in November as a result of imposing the reintroduced US$8 bed tax along with a 12 percent Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST), Gasim contended.

Industry insiders recently told Minivan News that the high-end resorts would struggle to deal with any additional taxation following the recent rise of T-GST.

According to the Maldives Monetary Authority’s monthly economic review for October, however, the occupancy rate during the month remained unchanged at 81 percent compared to the same period last year.

In October 2014, total bednights rose marginally in annual terms while the average duration of stay decreased slightly and stood at 6.0 days,” the central bank noted.

Gasim meanwhile said the JP would vote for the budget despite misgivings, which included lack of funds for establishing pre-schools and insufficient funds allocated for independent institutions and the judiciary.

Adjourning yesterday’s sitting, Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed announced that the amendments would be put to a vote next Tuesday ahead of a final vote on the 2015 budget.

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Maldives omitted from Corruption Perceptions Index for third year

The Maldives has been omitted from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for the third successive year.

“The Maldives fell a dramatic 57 places since it first appeared in the CPI between 2008 and 2011. Since then, there have been no positive systemic changes to the governance system,” explained Transparency Maldives (TM) Advocacy and Communications Manager Aiman Rasheed.

“The Maldives scored a lowly 2.5 on a scale of 0-10 – 10 being least corrupt and 0 most corrupt – in 2011. There have been no developments to suggest that the situation may have improved this year even if Maldives were to appear in the index,” he added.

In order to be included in the index, Transparency International must collect data from a minimum of three expert sources – usually from international organisations with expertise in governance of business climate analysis.

The widely used indicator of corruption again ranked Denmark as the country with the least perceived corruption problems out of 175 states in this year’s index.

Somalia and North Korea were ranked bottom for the second consecutive year.

After appearing in the CPI – published every year since 1995 – for the first time in 2007, the Maldives appeared in the index until 2011, when a ranking of 134th prompted TM to describe the country’s “grand scale” corruption as “systemic”.

Potential sources for the study this year included the World Bank, the IMD World Competitiveness Center, Freedom House, the Economist Intelligence Unit, and the Bertelsmann Foundation.

TM’s Aiman Rasheed noted that the interaction between source and government institutions was crucial, with data only being provided from two sources in recent years.

TM’s own Global Corruption Barometer Survey – released shortly after the release of the 2013 CPI – found that 83 percent of people questioned felt corruption had increased or stayed the same during the past two years.

The survey of 1,002 people – randomly selected and interviewed by telephone – showed respondents to perceive the People’s Majlis and political parties to be the country’s most corrupt organisations.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) – perceived as  ‘extremely corrupt’ by 34 percent of respondents – immediately labelled the results of survey a “baseless” attack on its reputation, calling on local media not to publish such information.

A recent high profile case of alleged corruption involved the misappropriation of US$6 million in a deal involving tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb.

The minister – also deputy leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – dismissed evidence published by the auditor general as politically motivated. PPM sponsored amendments to the Audit Act have subsequently resulted in the replacement of Niyaz Ibrahim as auditor general.

Audit reports released this year – concerning the financial years 2011 and 2012 – showed financial transactions worth MVR2.2 billion (US$142 million) had been conducted illegally by state institutions and corporations.

Niyaz told state television, however, that releasing audit reports had become “futile” as the accountability process had so far failed.

Evidence of a crisis of confidence in public institutions, revealed in a 2013 democracy survey, was bolstered by a recent International Foundation for Electoral Systems study which found that one in three Maldivians were offered bribes for their votes or witnessed vote buying in the March 2014 parliamentary polls.

The recently introduced Special Economic Zones Act – promising relaxed regulations for large foreign investments – has been criticised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party as paving the way for corruption. Both the Maldives Monetary Authority governor and the IMF have noted the importance of transparency in the regulation of the zones.


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Islamic minister dismisses rumour of President Yameen not performing Hajj

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has dismissed rumours of President Abdulla Yameen not performing the Hajj pilgrimage despite traveling to Saudi Arabia in September.

Asked to address the speculation during minister’s question time at yesterday’s sitting of parliament by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Shareef, Shaheem suggested the rumours were being spread by former President Mohamed Nasheed, who he said was unable to make the pilgrimage while in office.

“The president of the Maldives made the Hajj [pilgrimage]. As you know, he was supposed to go the UN assembly but went to Hajj after cancelling it,” he said.

He claimed that former President Nasheed declined an opportunity to perform the pilgrimage during his tenure and had sent the first lady instead.

Shaheem was state minister for Islamic affairs under the Nasheed administration.

Nasheed’s remarks concerning President Yameen’s Hajj pilgrimage “opens the door for others to talk further about the things they have done,” Shaheem said.

“So I think it would be better to stay quiet without going around talking about such personal matters,” he said.

In an interview with Minivan Radio last week, Nasheed repeated calls for President Yameen to publicly address speculation concerning the trip to Saudi Arabia and his health.

The opposition leader referred to former President Mohamed Ameen informing the public about his health in a letter sent from Sri Lanka to the Maldivian parliament.

Nasheed claimed that according to close associates President Yameen was unable to perform rituals at Arafat due to poor health.

He implied that the source of the rumours was government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Leader Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, who accompanied the president to Saudi Arabia.

The public deserved to know the truth about the president’s health as speculation creates fear and doubt, he added.

Following numerous unofficial trips to Singapore by President Yameen this year, President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied rumours that the president underwent brain surgery in Singapore.

“Rumours being spread about the president’s health are false,” he tweeted on October 23.

Nasheed meanwhile contended that President Yameen was ruling “in absentia” or away from the public eye.

If the president is “incapacitated” and could not execute the duties of his office, Nasheed said the Constitution requires the vice president to assume the president’s powers.

In late October, an anonymous senior government told newspaper Haveeru that the MDP were using areca palm trees planted in Malé by the city council for black magic to curse President Yameen with ill health.

A close associate of President Yameen told the newspaper that the president did not seek treatment for a brain tumour.

Instead, the associate claimed, the president sought treatment for infections caught during his Hajj pilgrimage and had to be admitted at a Singapore hospital.

The anonymous government official said the president’s close associates believe that black magic or sorcery using the palm trees were responsible for the president’s ill health.

“[They] believe that [President Yameen’s] health worsens with every palm frond that falls off the areca palm trees. And that his health would worsen further with every tree that blossoms,” the anonymous official was quoted as saying.


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PPM signals support for reappointing Supreme Court bench

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) signalled the majority party’s support today for reducing the number of Supreme Court Justices from seven to five as proposed by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Shareef.

During preliminary debate on amendments (Dhivehi) submitted by Shareef to the Judicature Act, Majority Leader Ahmed Nihan said he believed all ruling party MPs would support the proposal, but a decision would be made following discussions at a parliamentary group meeting.

“The work of reforming the judiciary is not something that the PPM has not participated in or stayed away from,” said the PPM parliamentary group leader.

All pro-government MPs subsequently voted in favour of the bill, which was accepted for consideration with 43 votes in favour and 22 against.

Last week, the MDP’s national executive council decided not to support Shareef’s bill with former President Mohamed Nasheed warning that it would allow President Abdulla Yameen to appoint a bench biased in favour of PPM.

The opposition leader told the press that changing the number of judges on the Supreme Court bench would not amount to judicial reform.

Presenting the amendment bill at today’s sitting, Shareef said he believed the number of judges on the apex court was too high for a country the size of the Maldives.

The Supreme Court should maintain “legal consistency” or “uniformity” in its rulings, the MP for Addu Maradhoo said.

Confidence in the judiciary from both the Maldivian public as well as local businesses and foreign investors was essential to ensure development, he added.

Shareef also proposed establishing branches of the High Court in the north and south of the country.

MDP divisions

MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik – who has announced his intention to contest in the MDP’s 2018 presidential primary – appealed for pro-government MPs to cooperate with the party’s efforts to reform the judiciary.

The PPM together with coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance has a majority of 48 seats in the 85-member house.

The current Supreme Court bench was appointed as a “shameful” political “bargain” between the MDP and then-opposition parties in 2010, Moosa said, noting that the MDP did not have a majority in the 16th People’s Majlis.

Moosa criticised Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain for swearing in former President Dr Mohamed Waheed following a “coup d’etat” on February 7, 2012 and for remaining silent while MDP MPs were unfairly stripped of their parliament seats.

Nihan meanwhile praised both Shareef and Moosa and suggested that the number of judges on the apex court was worth reconsidering.

Shareef was a “rare” politician, Nihan said, and defended Moosa for forming a ‘people’s court’ during street protests, which was part of the former MDP chairperson’s advocacy for judicial reform.

“If MDP members think about it, if there is one member in MDP’s front rank who wishes well for the nation, I don’t doubt at all that it is the honourable Hulhuhenveiru MP Moosa Manik,” Nihan said.

Nihan suggested that MDP MPs voting against the amendments would be against the party’s principles.

However, Minority Leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said he respected Shareef and Moosa, but the MDP’s national executive council has decided not to support the bill.

“So that is the MDP’s stand about this amendment,” he said.

Moosa had reportedly walked out of the national council meeting and pledged to stand behind Shareef.

Constitutional?

Jumhooree Party Leader Gasim Ibrahim meanwhile contended that the proposed revisions were unconstitutional as Supreme Court Justices were appointed for life.

The Constitution specifies the process for removing judges, Gasim continued, and it could not be done by amending laws.

Gasim also criticised Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed for tabling the bill in the agenda, claiming that a controversial amendment submitted by the PPM requiring the reappointment of the auditor general was also tabled in spite of parliament’s counsel general advising that it could not be put to a vote.

While the MDP had also insisted that the amendments were unconstitutional, MPs Shareef and Moosa were among several MDP MPs who voted in favour of appointing former PPM parliamentary candidate Hassan Ziyath as the new auditor general.

Meanwhile, in June this year, the Judicial Service Commission cleared Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed of misconduct after sex tapes of the judge with three prostitutes in a hotel room in Sri Lanka emerged last year.

The room and date stamp in the sex tapes appeared to be the same as that in previously leaked footage of Hameed meeting local businessman Mohamed Saeed, the director of ‘Golden Lane’.

In that video, Hameed declared that he was one of then-PPM presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen’s “back-ups”, and that his stand was “to do things the way Yameen wants”.

Images and symbols depicting scenes from the sex-tape formed a prominent part of the MDP’s protests against the apex court’s repeated interference in last year’s presidential election.

In a controversial 4-3 ruling – with Justice Hameed in the majority – the Supreme Court annulled the results of the first round of the polls conducted on September 7 despite unanimous positive assessment of the polling by more than a thousand domestic and international election observers.


Related to this story

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FIFA appoint normalisation committee to revise FAM laws and organise elections

FIFA has appointed a normalisation committee to revise Football Association of Maldives (FAM) statutes, removing President Ilham Ahmed.

“The decision to appoint a normalisation committee follows the collapse of the FAM Congress in September and resignations of several of the members of the FAM Executive Committee, which made it impossible to reach the necessary quorum to take valid decisions,” read a statement from football’s world governing body today.

The five-member normalisation committee is tasked with organising elections by 30 September 2015 at the latest.

The FAM’s 6th congress was abandoned in late September after a number of clubs refused to continue with the agenda, following the refusal to consider a no-confidence motion against Ilham – also Jumhooree Party MP for the Alif Dhaal Dhagethi constituency

Ilham had told local media prior to the meeting that suspension from FIFA was likely if the FAM failed to proceed with the congress, while New Radiant Sports Club Chairman Ali Waheed also warned of dire consequences.

Waheed – also Maldivian Democratic Party chairman – urged revisions to FAM statutes during the eventually-abandoned congress, reported maldivesoccer.com.

Article 7, paragraph 2 of the FIFA statutes, under which the decision has been made, reads as follows:

“Executive bodies of Member Associations may under exceptional circumstances be removed from office by the Executive Committee in consultation with the relevant Confederation and replaced by a normalisation committee for a specific period of time.”

Members of the normalisation committee include Mohamed Shaweed as chairman, Abdul Hameed Abdul Ghafoor as deputy chairman, Mohamed Nizam, Ali Umar, and Faseeh Zahir.

The FAM also came under scrutiny during the AFC Challenge Cup, held in the Maldives during May this year.

The Asian Football Confederation suggested that the Maldives could face suspension from further tournaments should the Anti-Corruption Commission follow-through with plans to investigate possible corruption regarding ticket sales.

The ACC had announced it would investigate potential misconduct after irregularities in the sale of tickets prompted angry protests outside FAM headquarters.

“Since the jurisdiction to investigate any misconduct remains exclusively with the AFC and FIFA, if any domestic investigative authority attempts to intervene in the affairs of AFC or in any tournament conducted by AFC in partnership with FAM, the Republic of Maldives, as a member of AFC and FIFA is at risk of being penalised for such intervention, including suspension from international events and tournaments,” read an AFC press release in May.

Minivan News received information at the time that relatives of FAM staff had been selling tickets at inflated prices.


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MDP parliamentary group issues three-line whip against proposed 2015 budget

The Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) parliamentary group has decided that it will not be supporting the budget oversight committee’s version of the 2015 budget.

The opposition has issued a three-line whip compelling all party members in the Majlis – currently numbering 23 of the 85 seat house – to oppose the current version of the record MVR24.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) state budget.

A report was approved by the budget oversight committee last week for consideration of the full house, recommending no changes to the spending plans.

MDP internal committees have branded the budget “aimless”, inadequate, and conducive to corruption since it was first submitted by Minister of Finance Abdulla Jihad last month.

“MDP MPs are not voting for the budget because it’s a discriminatory and unsustainable budget, ” explained MDP Spokesman Imthiyaz Fahmy. “It would also widen the gap between the rich and the lower income groups due to regressive taxation.”

The introduction of 10 percent import duties on oil and essential foodstuffs is part of the government’s plans to generate MVR3.4 billion (US$220 million) in new revenue – representing 14 percent of the 2015 budget.

The MDP’s budget committee has expressed concern that failure to meet the proposed revenue raising measures could see the budget deficit increase to MVR5 billion (US$330 million), from the estimated MVR1.3 billion (US$84 million).

Further plans included revisions to current electricity subsidies, as well as the introduction of a US$6 ‘Green Tax’ on tourism, which the MDP has suggested was originally budgeted for US$10.

While government officials have said that the new tax will be used to resolve the country’s waste management problems, pro-government MPs have refused to ring-fence the additional revenue.

The MDP’s parliamentary group’s decision to issue the three-line whip was made during a meeting on Sunday evening, although only 9 MPs attended the meeting.

Party discipline has been brought into question on numerous occasions during the MDP’s first year in opposition, most notably in the approval of all 15 of President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet last December, after 6 MDP members ignored instructions to reject 8 nominees.

Fahmy also explained that the recent approval of Hassan Ziyath to the post of auditor general was against the spirit of the parliamentary group after it had strongly opposed amendments to the Auditor General’s Act. MDP members contributed 9 out of 59 votes in favour of Ziyath’s appointment.

“MDP MPs in the independent institutions committee boycotted the committee and walked out after making a statement there to say that reappointing an auditor general is unconstitutional,” said Fahmy.


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Parliament removes its requirement to authorise government loans

Parliament passed amendments to the Public Finance Act today reversing changes brought to the law in 2010 requiring parliamentary approval for obtaining loans, providing sovereign guarantees, and leasing or selling state assets.

During the final debate at today’s sitting of the People’s Majlis, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said he believed the government should have “the power and discretion” to obtain loans and conduct its programmes.

However, the MDP parliamentary group leader objected to scrapping a provision in the public finance law that prohibits expenditures in excess of funds allocated in the annual budget.

If Article 34(b) is abolished, Solih said the finance minister would not have to ensure that spending was in line with the budget approved by parliament.

If MVR800 million (US$51.8 million) was allocated to the police, Solih explained that the finance minister could approve MVR1 billion (US$64.8 million) for the institution.

“The purpose of passing the budget would be completely lost if this article is abolished,” he said.

Following the debate, the government-sponsored amendments (Dhivehi) were passed with 41 votes in favour, 25 votes against, and one abstention.

While Jumhooree Party MP Hussain Mohamed proposed adding clauses to require the government to provide information concerning loans and financial assistance to parliament within 45 days, neither amendment passed after pro-government MPs voted against the proposals.

The MP for Mathiveri had argued that the current law would not hamper the daily functions of the government as a decision to take a loan or provide a sovereign guarantee would not be made “one morning at the office”.

On the issue of delays in securing parliamentary approval, Hussain noted that the economic affairs committee completed its review of the amendments in two and a half hours.

“So what is the delay here? [The amendments] will be passed today. It has probably been just a week since it was submitted,” he said, noting that pro-government MPs were in the majority.

He further urged pro-government MPs to read Majlis minutes from 2010 to see how then-opposition leaders spoke in favour of the amendments.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Jameel Usman meanwhile said parliament unduly assuming executive powers would pose difficulties in providing services to the public.

“Our responsibility should not be stopping things but monitoring,” he said.

Restrictive

Last week, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told parliament’s economic affairs committee that the government faced serious difficulties due to the requirement to seek parliamentary approval before obtaining loans.

Similar requirements did not exist in any other country, he added.

Jihad referred to a loan obtained from the Bank of Maldives during President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s administration without parliamentary approval as Majlis was in recess at the time and the funds were needed to pay salaries of government employees.

In December 2013, the Auditor General’s Office revealed that President Waheed’s administration violated finance laws in securing a domestic loan worth MVR300 million (US$ 19.45 million) from the Bank of Maldives (BML) for budget support.

Meanwhile, in May, President Abdulla Yameen suggested that the requirements of the public finance law were hampering the functioning of the executive.

The government was forced to seek parliamentary approval “even for a MVR1,000 (US$65) loan,” he said.

Yameen contended that laws imposing “various restrictions” on the executive were passed by the previous People’s Majlis due to the “irresponsibility” of the former head of government.

The passage of the amendments in 2010 prompted the en masse resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s cabinet on June 29, 2010 in protest of the opposition’s alleged obstruction and “scorched earth” policy.

While former Special Majlis MP Ibrahim Ismail ‘Ibra’ characterised the amendments as the “grand finale of decimating the executive,” the Nasheed administration filed a case at the Supreme Court contesting the constitutionality of some provisions.

Yameen, who was leader of the minority opposition People’s Alliance at the time, said Nasheed’s “selling off of state assets and giving up uninhabited islands” had prompted the opposition’s actions.

“When many such actions that were harmful to the public occurred, a group of people advocating as the people’s representatives – myself included – determined things that cannot be done without a say of the parliament and passed a law called the Public Finance Act to hold the government accountable,” he had said in May.

Following the controversial transfer of power in February 2012, the new administration – made up of former opposition parties – sought to reverse the restrictions concerning the sale and lease of state properties.


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More than seven Maldivians fighting in foreign civil wars, reveals home minister

More than seven Maldivians are currently fighting in foreign civil wars, Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer revealed at the People’s Majlis today.

Responding to a query during minister’s question time from former police commissioner and Jumhooree Party MP Abdulla Riyaz about the ministry’s efforts to prevent Maldivians joining civil wars in foreign nations, Naseer said police were monitoring persons with extremist religious views.

“In such cases, persons attempting to leave abroad with the intention of joining civil wars have been stopped with court orders and prohibited from leaving,” he said.

“And the passports of some people have been withheld for a period determined by the court.”

Maldivian jihadis have also been brought back to the country with help from foreign law enforcement agencies, he added.

However, police faced difficulties in proving guilt at court of persons intending to join foreign civil wars, he continued, suggesting that the evidentiary standard should be lowered for terrorism cases.

Police were also working with the Islamic ministry to provide religious counselling and advice to discourage Maldivians from flying overseas to fight in civil wars, Naseer said.

Efforts were meanwhile underway to establish an efficient mechanism for taking action based on intelligence information, Naseer said.

While neighbouring countries provide assistance in returning Maldivians intending to travel for jihad, Naseer said the government was unable to bring back Maldivians who have made their way into Syria.

The government is studying a recently-approved UN security council resolution on foreign terrorist fighters, Naseer said, and would comply with obligations.

A strategic action plan is also being implemented to combat religious extremism, he added, which involved prevention of radical views in public schools.

Asked about efforts to prevent recruitment in the country, Naseer said the government has banned independent prayer congregations across the country.

Naseer denied claims by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik that Maldivian students who went to Sudan through the Islamic ministry in 2012 are involved in violent conflicts.

He also denied MDP MP Abdul Bari Abdulla’s allegation that government ministers were involved in a “network” for recruiting Maldivian jihadis with help from foreign terrorist organisations.

Police intelligence officers were constantly monitoring alleged recruitment efforts, Naseer said, insisting that foreign terrorist organisations or religious extremists would not be able to interfere in domestic affairs.

“The number of Maldivians participating in foreign wars would be proportionately much lower than large European nations,” he said.

Islamic State

Last month, a jihadist media group called Bilad al-Sham – which describes itself as ‘Maldivians in Syria’ – revealed that a fifth Maldivian had died in Syria.

Earlier in the month, Sri Lankan police detained three Maldivians who were allegedly preparing to travel to Syria through Turkey.

The three – two men aged 23 and 25, and a woman aged 18 – were from the island of Madduvari in Raa atoll and were released from custody upon being brought back to the Maldives.

The incident followed reports of a couple from Fuvahmulah and a family of four from Meedhoo in Raa atoll traveling to militant organisation Islamic State-held (IS) territories to join the fighting in Syria and Iraq.

A UN report obtained by the UK’s Guardian newspaper earlier this month observed that foreign jihadists were now travelling to Syria and Iraq on “an unprecedented scale”.

The report mentioned the Maldives as one of the “unlikely” places from which IS supporters have emerged.

Meanwhile, a protest march took place in the capital, Malé, in September, with around 200 participants bearing the IS flag and calling for the implementation of Islamic Shariah in the Maldives.

In late August, Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon issued a press statement condemning “the crimes committed against innocent civilians by the organisation which identifies itself as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.”

Dunya’s remarks followed Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed’s declaration that the ISIS would not be allowed to operate in the Maldives.

“ISIS is an extremist group. No space will be given for their ideology and activities in the Maldives,” Shaheem tweeted on August 24.

Shaheem had also appealed for Maldivians to refrain from participating in foreign wars and has recently defended the government’s record on extremism before the Majlis.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), however, promptly put out a statement questioning Shaheem’s sincerity, suggesting that the words had not been backed up with concrete action by the government.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has claimed that up to 200 Maldivians are on jihad, alleging that a vast majority of them are ex-military – a claim vehemently denied by the security services.

“Radical Islam is getting very very strong in the Maldives, their strength in the military and in the police is very significant. They have people in strategic positions within both,” Nasheed said in an interview with UK’s Independent newspaper.


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