A political delegation from the United Nations’ (UN) Department of Political Affairs (DPA) will arrive in Male’ next week to discuss the Maldives’ current efforts at judicial reform as part of its ongoing democratic transition.
The delegation, headed by UN Assistant Secretary-General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, will meet with government officials, opposition leaders and civil society representatives. Revolving around the current situation the Maldives, discussions aim to identify opportunities to support democratic growth.
In November last year UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay visited the Maldives and said the country had made “significant advances” during the first few years of its transition, but a gap still existed between the rhetoric and the reality on the ground.
The Commonwealth has also pledged to assist the island nation in its efforts towards judicial reform, while British Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Alistair Burt, is holding discussions with President Mohamed Nasheed to resolve the current stalemate.
“Although the [Maldives’] judiciary is constitutionally independent, the sitting judges are under qualified, often corrupt and hostile to the democratically elected regime,” said MP John Glen of Prime Minister David Cameron’s ruling Conservative party.
Glen further called on the House Leader to “urgently make time for a debate on judicial reform in the Maldives,” reads a press statement.
Leader of the House of Commons and Conservative Party MP George Young pointed out that the British High Commission in Colombo is involved. “We want to help Maldives to make progress towards democratic reform in the direction that my friend John Glen outlines,” he said.
The Maldives formally requested international legal assistance from the UN Human Rights Commission on January 22. Last year, ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also appealed for international intervention in what it considered an “increasingly blatant collusion between politicians loyal to the former autocratic President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and senior members of the judiciary.”
The Maldives government initiated a judicial standoff on January 16 when it ordered the military to arrest Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed after he filed a High Court injunction against his police summons.
Allegations against Judge Mohamed date back to 2005 and include misogyny, sexual deviancy, throwing out an assault case despite the confession of the accused, political bias, obstruction of police duty, disregarding decisions of high courts, deliberately holding up cases involving opposition figures, barring media from corruption trials, ordering the release of suspects detained for serious crimes without a single hearing, maintaining “suspicious ties” with family members of convicts sentenced for dangerous crimes, and releasing a murder suspect “in the name of holding ministers accountable” who went on to kill another victim.
In one instance Abdulla Mohamed was accused of requesting that two underage victims of sexual assault act out their attack in court, in front of the perpetrator.
The judge had previously been under investigation by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), but had successfully sought an injunction from the Civil Court against his further investigation by the judicial watchdog.
The JSC itself has itself been accused of perjury, embezzlement and corruption – by one of its own members.
The ongoing detention of the judge has polarised public opinion in the Maldives, resulting in three weeks of opposition-led protests which draw crowds of 200 to 400 nightly on Male’ calling for the judge’s freedom and the downfall of the government. Several police officers and protesters have been injured during the protests and a number of journalists have been the victims of targeted attacks.
In addition, a few government buildings and private property belonging to government officials have been damaged.
Protest leaders have pledged to continue the demonstrations until an “even stronger” protest on February 24. Meanwhile, MDP has gathered regularly at its party camp where activists have occasionally urged party members to “go out and confront the opposition”. No such order has officially been given, however MDP has asked party supporters to come to Male’ from surrounding islands for a demonstration on February 17.
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Timely action by the UN as the number of opposition protesters are growing and the MDP supporters aare dwindling day by day.
The President must be shivering with fear after seeing the number of people gathered at the Artificial Beach area protest.
“Although the [Maldives'] judiciary is constitutionally independent, the sitting judges are under qualified, often corrupt and hostile to the democratically elected regime,” said MP John Glen.
The key word that Glen used here is "regime". Although this is a technically correct term to refer to an elected government, it's use is of a derogatory nature. In effect, Mr Glen is suggesting that this "regime" is no more legitimate than the one it replaced and equal to many other "regimes" in 3rd world countries.
Also, Mr Glen probably doesn't believe that a Western style democracy can exist in these 3rd world "regimes". He's skillfully played with words here to satifsy both his "friends" in the government and perhaps a few in opposition too!
I forgot to mention that it's an often used British tactic to keep your enemies close. They are not certain at this stage what the next government of the Maldives will look like.
So, people like Mr Glen like to hedge their bets by labelling the current government a "regime". You see, the British have been at this game for a very long time.
Anni has really taken the wrong way to do this whole judiciary reform thing. Locking up the judges, protesters, harming the protesters by force and poisonous gases shouldn't be the things he should do. One day there will be justice and Anni will have to pay for all these actions of him. And that day he will cry and feel sorry for what he has done.
Change has to be forced here. I can not believe the rationale to protect the current situation. Sickening. With outside expertise the process will be accelerated. Not a moment too soon.
British interference in our affairs is no cause for celebration.
True tourists from the UK contribute a lot in terms of foreign exchange yet I do not believe that justifies their constant puppetry with our "regimes" as Ahmed from Addu puts it.
The Conservative Party was instrumental in bringing the Nasheed government to power. Nasheed himself has admitted in a television interview that funds were funneled through the Westminster Institute for Democracy to Maldives for Nasheed's Presidential campaign. So on the face of it the BCP lacks the required neutrality to mediate in the current standoff.
Yet Ahmed is right. BCP surely would be concerned about a government that has to be propped up by the security forces and constant whitewashing.
Also, the MDP's growth as a party has been lacking. BCP would surely find the party's internal structures less than assuring in spite of their continued financial and technical assistance.
Welcome to the rules of jungles.Fight each other and kill eaach other.No peace.
Is this what we are here for or are we muslims or ethiests!
Do we believe in Allah all mighty and do we understant whats in holly book Quran."Try to practice whats in Quran and follow the foot steps of prophit Mohammad(SAW)"
Seems like everyone is just working to get into the power and no one is working fro the nation and its people.Soon we will see terrerist attacks and road side bombs and kill our own people by our arms.
The defense force need to deploy its forces on streetsof Male and get full controll of all these happenings on the streets.
If the oppsitions want any result come to the same table and discuss.Do not destroy this nation.MNDF and Police should help to play a role to help all parties to negociate between parties.If oppositions are thinking to bring down the government wait for the terms.
The way of doings now is all wrong and injustice.Imagine what will happen if government is forced to step down this nation will go upside down.No one can even dream about it.Think twice before to say something for of negetive or positive impacts of it.
I saw Umar Naseer, during his army days, what I saw was he wore an army band with MP on his arm, When I checked it, he was an army traffic controller.
Giligili
President Nasheed studied in England. So, his brand of democracy where arresting judges using armed force must be the English way of taking care of irritating judges. The Maldivian security forces regularly use various chemicals to disperse crowds. I suspect these toxic chemicals were supplies by England. Recently Queen Elizabeth invited President Nasheed to Buckingham palce and she also sent her son, Prince Andrew to Maldives.These meetings would have been the perfect opportunity to teach Nasheed on the finer points of British democracy and taming judges who rule against the Government.
tsk tsk is the Judge, Jury and the Jailer I suppose. for someone's sake stop using words you don't understand.
Zakariya loves you.
The word "regime" is often applied on governing entities of countries that blatantly refuse to respect universally guaranteed human rights. Free and fair elections, separation of powers and transparency do not always result in entities that respect these rights. To that extent, whatever faction makes up the composition of the Maldives governing entity, under the present constitution, it will always be labelled a regime.
Before seeking to correct a corrupt judicary elsewhere, our MPs should look at the corruption within our own legal and judicial systems.
Here in the Uk there are thousands of us who can testify that corruption exists and that so called 'white collar crime' is rampant within our system.
A regime merely means "a form of government" you morons.
Unless you live within an anarchic territory, ANY form of government, with a set procedure of doing things, will be called a regime.
It becomes a derogatory word when it is used in conjunction with a person, as opposed to a government type. For instance, the Nasheed-regime as opposed to a "democratically elected regime".
The British legal system is based on 800'years of democracy and Oxford and Cambrige finest. It is is the foundation for the system in Singapore, USA, Australia, India, basically the whole developed world. It is not perfect but it is slightly more fair then the current system we have here wouldn't,t you say?
Besides, they are sending someone from Spain at the UN. Good news, praise Allah!Change is good!
Thank you so much our beloved President Nasheed for your noble and compulsory work though it's very, very difficult to do...We appreciate the good work that you are doing for the sake of the common people of this country.
We are not and will never be with anyone who is working or talking against our Judiciary reform work - we appreciate your work Mr president....
Be it Anni or his cronies, he will face rule of law the day this country prevails the power of constitution. The opposition has more strings that it could pull to offset Anni's treacherous game with international parties.
On the other hand, I also wonder if Minivan news is reporting fairly, especially when it comes to a controversial case like allegations against Judge Abdulla. Free media doesn't mean that it should do all it can to defame citizens. Wonder Eleanor knows if a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. What if Judge Abdulla is proven innocent at the end of the day?
The fact is that Judge Abdulla have played a key role in this nations democratic reform as he had the discretion during the political turmoil in 2002 to jail all opponents who have tried in court, which he have not endeavored.
What MDP hooligans cannot digest is to follow the constitutional path. A judge will always make decision based on the evidence that is brought after him. If the strength of these evidences vary so does the ruling. MDP really needs more intellects than these wannabe Reeko and its cheap, corrupt MPs, many of them who even does not have basic secondary education or who are drop-outs.
Kuda Sappe (Ahmed Shafeeq Moosa) should be ashamed of the statement "Judicial Reform - Maldives ( Say No To Abu Gay-Zees! )
Isn't he aware that his friend's Defense Minister & Home Minister could not justify arrest of the judge? Furthermore as a public servant he should have a sense of responsibility and keep his street-level vocabulary for his DO magazine only.
if the brits are as smart as either of you say they are, their intentions and actions must necessarily elude your faculties of perception and analysis.
The world is controlled by the WASP(white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant.) It would always be. This is the force that brought Anni to power. So, don't play with us. Judge Abdullah is guilty. He should not be allowed to practice. His lawyer Maumoon Hameed (a nephew of ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom) is scared that a proper judicial system would bring his uncle (ex-President Dictator Maumoon) behind bars for years to come. Even the UN would come to know the truth. Truth can never be buried.
@Eleanor - UN's press statement on the visit says nothing about "discussing current efforts at judicial reform". It states that the visit is for assisting the country's "transition to democracy". Transition to democracy involves not only judicial reform but also stopping abuse of power by the executive President. Eleanor, you see a country disintegrating into anarchy before your very eyes. Please don't try to mislead us especially at a time of crisis. If UN has specifically stated somewhere else that judicial reform is the reason for visit, I sincerely apologise.
Interesting .... amusing ... entertaining ... Lets see the inter-action with the international community. Why dont the opposition appoint a representative on their behalf to the team from UN ... perhaps, Yameen?? Gasim??? Nihaan???? MahFool????? or one of the Dr.Adhaalath??????? or by far the best of all Uz. Ablho Qazi.
President Nasheed is right when he said this Friday that an opposition without the will nor demonstrable capacity to counter government on policy is a sign of stunted political party development. This do not help consolidate our young democracy! So what happened to British educated Thasmeen or Beirut/US educated Yameen, Madharasaa graduate Dr Hassan and locally honoured Dr. Gasim Ibrahim. And what about our Egyptian scholar Gayyoom. Oh dear!
When are the UK Government going to take seriously and act upon documented evidence of corruption and abuse of office in our own Government departments and Judiciary and start cleaning up our own messed up system.
I think Nasheed was merely issuing a political taunt.
Similar meaningless jabs at Nasheed and his party have been issued by the opposition as well.
No amount of grandstanding and statements can change the fact on the ground however. The opposition seem to have created a platform which truly threatens Nasheed's chances at re-election.
He responded by accelerating a plan to take control of court benches for the sole purpose of convicting opposition figures in time for the elections.
This backfired in light of recent events. Now the UN is arriving to mediate. One can only guess at the UN's intentions and the possible outcome of their mediation. There have been hints in the media that the Commonwealth Secretariat's mediation might be biased towards the Nasheed government. It remains to be seen what the end result is yet.
@Shiyam on Sun, 5th Feb 2012 7:06 AM
"Besides, they are sending someone from Spain at the UN"
Incorrect! Oscar Fernandez-Taranco is an Argentinian national.
"The British legal system is based on 800′years of democracy and Oxford and Cambrige finest."
So what? That matters 'nil' to us. We've had 1433 years of Islam to learn from (the mistakes we've made and the teachings of Mohammed and the Holy Quran).
In fact, do you know the origins of the Oxford that you so admire? It was founded by Christian clergy who gathered knowledge from Muslims. They learnt Arabic and translated the works of Muslim scholars into Latin. This was the lead up to the European Renaissance.
We do not need a British legal system to learn from. We have all the legal code and systems we need. We need the educated people who love their country and who can implement and nurture the systems we have!
Dear All,
As a BIG victim of judicial and Police corruption in the UK, I do hope that, John Glen, George Young and Alistair Burt are reading these comments, as it seems odd to me that they are demanding judicial reform in the Maldives; when the UK's judiciary is rotten to the core.
I am flabbergasted at how eager British MPs are to tackle corruption in OTHER countries, and then, doing nothing whatsoever about the systemic corruption in their own country. - Which is the most corrupt country in the WORLD!
For just a tiny sample of the corruption in the UK, please peruse the following for the FACTS: -
Reuters - By Peter Apps, Political Risk Correspondent | LONDON | Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:49am EDT
Analysis: Is Britain more corrupt than it thinks?
Britons love to lecture the world about integrity and the rule of law, but the News of the World phone hacking scandal has laid bare a web of collusion between money, power, media and the police.
As with media barons such as Murdoch, the influence of the financial services industry is so strong, Kaufmann argued, that politicians have long avoided questioning it.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/20/us-pht-newscorp-britain-corruption-idUSTRE76J25L20110720
To further support my claim, the following is a brief outline of the systemic corruption that I encountered in the UK Member State that maliciously denied me due process and justice: -
Report by Phillip Inman of The Guardian, Jobs & Money, Saturday May 10, 2003:
This man was right all along
Patrick Cullinane has fought a running battle with the Inland Revenue since the day he was accused of not paying income tax. And the taxman fought dirty - so dirty he lost his home and nearly lost his sanity. Now, a batch of confidential documents reveal fatal weaknesses in the Revenue's case. Phillip Inman reports
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2003/may/10/tax.scamsandfraud
No protection here neither, as the Inland Revenue conspired with High Court ‘Judges’ to rob me when I was owed thousands of pounds in tax rebates: -
Report by Phillip Inman of The Guardian, Financial Section, Monday 25 August 2008
“Evidence put to the high court shows that Cullinane, far from owing tax, was due a rebate.”:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/aug/25/tax.taxandspending1
The Guardian: By Phillip Inman Saturday 18 December 2010
Minister demands action over bankrupted taxpayer
Nick Hurd's constituent Patrick Cullinane has been fighting a 16-year battle. Can something be done at last?
HMRC objected to releasing Cullinane's tax files and the court agreed.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/dec/18/minister-demands-action-bankrupted-taxpayer?INTCMP=SRCH
Patrick Cullinane's address in the House of Commons on 23 April 2009
“This is a short video of the corruption at the Inland Revenue; who conspired with High Court 'Judges' and the Police to pervert the course of Justice. Trial by Jury is the ONLY answer to this Government’s Tyranny.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFakScc9Z80
What I would like to know now is; when are the MPs, John Glen, George Young and Alistair Burt going to start tackling the corruption in the UK? Surely this should be their first priority, but sadly they have shown yet again that it is NOT, as they are more interested in the corruption in the Maldives.
Yours truthfully,
Patrick Cullinane, Caseworker for the (unfunded) IBRG and victim of Her Majesty's Conspiratorial Partnerships.
Well said, Anthony "Anthony Lowery on Sun, 5th Feb 2012 9:20 PM
When are the UK Government going to take seriously and act upon documented evidence of corruption and abuse of office in our own Government departments and Judiciary and start cleaning up our own messed up system."
Yes, I certainly offer my comment, on the corruption ofthe UK Courts, Judges, solicitors, also the court staff, are influenced by the solicitors who in turn influence the Judges, I am also a victim of corrupt courts & the solicitors with their conflicts of interests, & due to the insurance companies, in my case, I was cheated out of compensation, through our corrupt court system. We beg you delagation to look into the corruption of the legal profession, where people have lost their livlihoods, assetts, & of course, their homes. We here in the UK are the most corrupt country in the world, it is a known fact.
Yes, please investigate our legal profession, as we in the UK have the most corrupt Judges, solicitors & civil servants, all influencing each other.
there is no democracy here in the UK, when we think we are in the courts to obtain a fair hearing, they in the courts, meaning Judges, solicitors & THE REST OF THE CLOSE NIT, are just laughing at us knowing we are just fools, & will get nowhere, as they have it all planned out, against us. We are the losers, assll the time, robbing us of our livlihoods, assetts, & property, We here in the UK need a investgation, immediatly.
The truth very well put Patrick Cullinan
I see certain historically illiterate people are spouting their nonesense again.
The European "Renaissance" began with the advent of print-capitalism alongside a rediscovery of the works of classical latin - (as opposed to the contemporary church latin that Muslim scholars were used to working with) - through applied philology, the precuror to modern linguistics.
Thus they discovered that certain documents validating Church power, such as the "Donation of Constatine" were in fact forged, because the Latin was apocryphal to the context of the time period they were supposedly written in; greatly undermining the Churches attempts to keep a monopoly on scholarship. It soon followed that Erasmus was challenging the official st-jerome vulgate Bible with his own translation.
Thus with Church power undermined and a revival in classical scholarship underway, the foundations of the European Renaissance in Italy were set (it didn't reach Northern Europe until much, much later) - and it would last there until Italy became a playground for the ambitions of the Valoid French, and the Hapsburg Spanish.
The contributions of Umayyad and Abassid Muslim scholars to this period in European History, are partly true exagerations that pervade the Islamic world - but we would do well to remember, that these so called scholars and their rulers were mostly deviants and heretics that facilitated the emergence of a decadent culture that stood no chance against the armies of Genghis. (Oh had Imam Ali been their to witness such calamity.)
___________
*Now it is true that, especially under Umayyad Cordoba, they preserved the works of Classical Greece and Rome but even this shouldn't be overstated)
___________
@Shiyam on Sun, 5th Feb 2012 7:06 AM
"The British legal system is based on 800′years of democracy and Oxford and Cambrige finest. It is is the foundation for the system in Singapore, USA, Australia, India, basically the whole developed world. It is not perfect but it is slightly more fair then the current system we have here wouldn’t,t you say?!"
That is incorrect. You should be garrotted on the spot!
The magna carta wasn't so much a declaration of democracy, as it was a set of protections afforded to the nobility from arbitary rule conceded to them by the plantagenet king, John of England.
It was merely a document they could then rally behind in lieu of a legitimate heir to the throne.
In any case, though they had a parliament in place after the wars of the roses - a great deal of Tudor and Stuart rule was arbitary, and democracy and the party system developed in Britain largely under the (mostly powerless) hanover dynasty, that came to power after their "glorious revolution" in 1688 (with an interim by William of Orange and some fat chick) - and didn't truly mature until the early 1900's. That's hardly 800 years.
*Valois French/ not Valoid
@patrick, keep your personal problems overseas please. We are struggleing with little things like freedom of speech and human rights with a young democracy, flogging of women and high drugs crimes in the meantime.
Speak to the inland revenue about your tax rebate. This is not the place for your terrible problems!
MDP is the only ruling party in any country who demonstrate and protest. What a shame!
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass is a voice in the wilderness. He is calling for a corruption enquiry into the police an local authorities in North Yorkshire. What is needed is to root out the endemic official corruption throughout Britain. Maybe then, the UK can start lecturing other countries on how to do that.
Dr.Hassan Saeed, a Dr!!!! My foot!! All these buggers got to be Ministers by "furagas faraath_n livaa_thu kohgen" with Abdullah Hameed!!! They have no qualifications, whatsoever. There certificates were not checked by a Qualification Authority!!! I can very well remember what Thasmeen was doing in the Atoll's Ministry. The list include: Mohamed Jameel and Kutti Nasheed. There certificates should be checked by contacting the concerned unversities!!!
Mr Glenn (whatever) come and see the support for the opposition and then open your smelly mouth...punk head
It is only right and fair that British MPs
investigate corrupt judges in the Maldives
This is required because these judges will
need training by the best, most experienced corrupt judges and courts here
in England and Wales, these Maldive amateuars could ---k up a wheeze that has
taken 600 years to perfect ! The master
of the Rolls Nueberger assisted in the theft
of £10 million of Mr.Eberts money useing
bogus bankruptcies and the Insolvency service. UK judges don,t want young
whipper snappers spoiling their thefts
& frauds.
Human Rights ! there are No human rights in the UK ! these corrupt judges
erased-removed Article 1 and Article 13
from the ECHR. just google ECHR then
British Human Rights Act 2000 You will
see how clever corrupt judges render
British citizens second class europeans
With NO FUNDAMENTAL Rights we are secretly enslaved by a corrupt monarchy and judiciary in England Parliamentary
Democracy is a fraud !
You have been warned !
@Maldivian citizen
MDP is a political party, not a government.
MDP is not the ruling party in the Maldives.
We do not have ruling parties, in the Maldives. Our executive leader is elected by the people in a Presidential election. We have a Presidential system of leadership , not a Parliamentary system.
President Nasheed was nominated by the MDP to run for Presidency after he won the MDP promaries for Presidency. Our MPs do not hold government office as MPs do in a parliamentary system.
The MPs we elected are accountable to the Party, not to the President. It is the Party that endorses their candidacy, not the President.
MDP party members have every right to hold demonstrations to express our opinions and views over what concerns us.
We will support the President we endorsed and who we voted for. Which ever way we can.
@Maldivian citizen
MDP is a political party, not a government.
MDP is not the ruling party in the Maldives.
We do not have ruling parties, in the Maldives. Our executive leader is elected by the people in a Presidential election. We have a Presidential system of leadership , not a Parliamentary system.
President Nasheed was nominated by the MDP to run for Presidency after he won the MDP primaries for Presidency. Our MPs do not hold government office as MPs do in a parliamentary system.
The MPs we elected are accountable to the Party, not to the President. It is the Party that endorses their candidacy, not the President.
MDP party members have every right to hold demonstrations to express our opinions and views over what concerns us.
We will support the President we endorsed and who we voted for. Which ever way we can.