Parliament’s Executive Oversight Committee is seeking international experts to help oversee a review of the Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) report.
Committee Chair Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ali Waheed said during a press conference yesterday (January 9) that efforts were being made to bring international experts in the fields of law and public inquiries to the Maldives for a review of the CNI report. The process is expected to take a minimum of two weeks.
The CNI report, which was released back in August 2012, looked into the circumstances surrounding the controversial transfer of power in February the same year. The report concluded that the change of government had been constitutional.
The government today dismissed the review as being politically motivated, while also rubbishing allegations that President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik had violated the constitution by not providing information from the CNI’s investigation to parliament.
Ali Waheed has claimed that the purpose of seeking international expertise was to ensure the autonomy and credibility of the parliamentary inquiry for both local and international actors. He added that parliament secretariat would make the announcement for applicants to fill the two positions at a later date.
The press conference was held right after the committee summoned the two former intelligence heads of both Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and Maldives Police Services as part of the parliamentary inquiry.
Ali Waheed was not responding to calls at the time of press. However, he was reported in local media as describing yesterday’s meeting as one of the most “extraordinary, concerning and fearful” experience in his parliamentary career.
“The information the committee got from the [intelligence heads] surprised me. New questions have come up over what took place last year,” he said. “The former intelligence heads wept at today’s committee meeting.”
Impartiality
When questioned about the impartiality of the committee, which has a majority representation of MDP members, Waheed claimed that the committee has previously been mostly made up of former opposition parties under the former administration.
He added that the committee at the time, under an opposition majority, had taken major decisions against the former government such as endorsing the bench of the Supreme Court during former President Nasheed’s administration.
“If the Maldivian Supreme Court is deemed legitimate, than regardless of who controls the majority of the committee, its decisions would be binding as well. This committee will do everything it can to maintain its credibility and autonomy,” he told local media. “I hope that committee members and members who give evidence to the committee will also think about that. I want this inquiry to take place transparently.”
Constitutional claims
Five members of the Executive Oversight Committee today passed a motion stating that President Waheed had disregarded Article 99 of the Constitution.
Article 99 states that the [Parliament] or any of its committees has the power to – (a) summon any person to appear before it to give evidence under oath, or to produce documents. Any person who is questioned by the [Parliament] as provided for in this Article shall answer to the best of his knowledge and ability; (b) require any person or institution to report to it; (c) receive petitions, representations or submissions from interested persons or institutions.
When contacted today, Media Secretary of Presidents Office Masood Imad declined to comment, stating that he “was very busy”.
He requested Minivan News to ask the committee members as to what constitutional clause President Waheed was alleged to have violated by not providing the information to parliament.
Masood said yesterday that the statements given to CNI were not in public domain and therefore it would be President Waheed who would make a decision on the matter.
“That is a property of [CNI], but now that commission has been dissolved. So now whether to make the documents available in the public domain is solely up to President Waheed to decide,” he said at the time. “The commission was formed to release a report on the findings. The report is now available, that means it will have what is mentioned in the statements.”
President’s Office Spokesperson, Ahmed ‘Topy’ Thaufeeq also dismissed the committee’s motion claiming that it was a “political” decision.
In an interview given to Channel News Maldives today, Thaufeeq said that the new government has never tried to exert undue influence over the parliament.
“President Waheed has never even once violated the constitution. He is using the powers that have been vested to him by the constitution. He has never gone beyond his jurisdiction. Yesterday, the decision was made by a committee that had the majority of opposition MDP. That is a political decision,” he was quoted as saying.
Thaufeeq went on to accuse the People’s Majlis of trying to influence the day to day running of the government.
“Government reluctance”
Executive Oversight Committee member and MDP MP Ahmed Easa responded that any information from the executive power must be given to the parliament unless it concerns the national security of the state or involves critical confidential information.
“Any document the parliament requests must be given from the government unless its concerns the national security or critical confidential information,” he said. “Even if the information concerns national security interests, there are procedures in which it can be shared. So far government has not said that those documents fit into the said criterion.”
He also claimed that there were no legitimate grounds for President Waheed to ignore the request from parliament without giving proper reasoning. According to Easa, the action “clearly violated the constitution”.
The Kendhikulhudhoo constituency MP admitted that committee would face “huge challenges” in reviewing the findings of the CNI Report without obtaining the information of which the report was based on.
“For an example, CNI has clearly mentioned that there are issues within the country’s judiciary. However, it has not gone into details. So how can we find about the mentioned issues within the judiciary without obtaining the information on which such a conclusion was based upon. We need to find out based on what information had the CNI come to such a conclusion,” he explained.
“They are crying out loud saying that the findings in the CNI report was the truth. If so what we are saying is that the truth must have been obtained from credible true information. Why are they hesitating to share that information with us?”
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People like Ali waheed had no credibility in front of public. These people are known corrupted figures .
Prior to becoming MP, this guy had nothing but within few years he had bought land Hulhumale' and Male' and their package from parliament will not be sufficient to purchase these land. Where the hell this money had come from?
These money he got to from GMR and MDP and it is clear for all the Maldivian.
When these guys have no self integrity, why should any one listen these idiots.
Ali Waheed can shout and shout, we the Maldivian knows how corrupted you are and you will never be able to win any election in this country.
You idiots don't know that you are not empowered to do investigated role there and you damn idiots do know what you are supposed to do.
You idiots are not elected to lick some people ass but rather being elected to do work for us .
perlment peoples are verry godd. speciallly MP Dr. Aall Blaaku waheed. vEry ggod MP. Exselent egxample he is. He is fomr Vrery vrey poorr Thoddaoo famly. But 3 year time He becomae multi milllinare. our beLoved leeder preisdent Anni recognisze godd telent like BBlaaku waheed. he Rewaord. big milliaon.
How can Waheed respect the constitution when he got that position by violating the constitution. An unelected president can never be trusted to abide by laws and constitution.
MP W, (who bought expensive real-estate in Male immediately after changing party) is accusing President W (who became president overnight)
W calling W, a W.
Ali waheed says that his investigation will be free from politics ?
I do not know how this idiot can say this? He is a politician and the committee consist of only MDP people and the people who have been questioned are the people who are aligned with MDP?
In any case, any investigation carried by idiots like this will never be accepted by any one except MDP .
International community is not interested in this investigation any more.
Since Nasheed is a cult , he need to keep giving hope to his followers becoming the president and then helping them to robbed the country.
Nasheed, you will never be able to win the election and we elected you as the President and you could not managed and resign and then you better be the prudent of Kenereege and not Maldives.
You idiot could not even run your own company and I am sure you are big failure in business and politics too.
@mody says:
"You idiots are not elected to lick some people a** but rather being elected to do work for us ."
And by the way who is "us"?
MP Ali Waheed may be, or even can be who ever he is said to having been.
No problem!
Just do it!
For the sake of Maldives and the people of this country.
Patriot, I do not care what you write here and you will never find any corruption and bribery that had happened during Nasheed regime and the money Nasheed and his associates had taken.
Nasheed was asked to resign by the people who had elected him and he resigned himself.
He was asked to resigned because he had breached our constitution many times and had become a threat to the democracy itself.
Ali Waheed was very poor before he was elected as MP. but within just few years, he managed to buy Lands at Hulhumale and Male' which had costed over 15 million . One need to know from where the hell he can get this money.
His salary is not sufficient enough to buy these lands and build house on those lands.
So MPs better first do an investigation on Ali waheed from where he got all these money.
As per the law, all MPs need to submit thier income statement to parliament every year but these idiots do not do that since it will get exposed themselves.