Category: News in Brief

No-confidence motion against Attorney General tabled for Monday

The no-confidence motion submitted in parliament against Attorney General Azima Shakoor has been tabled for Monday (October 28), reports local media.

The motion, with 26 MP’s signatures, was received September 25, said the parliament secretariat.

Shakoor was notified on October 1 that parliament will be debating the no-confidence motion against her.

Constitutional article 101(2) requires 14 days notice be given to the cabinet member in question and that individual will have the right to defend themselves both verbally and in writing.

The Maldivian Democratic Party’s parliamentary group is also seeking to move no-confidence motions against Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, Parliament’s Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizzu and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb for their roles in the government’s attempt to stall the presidential election, reports Haveeru.

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Parliament approves MDP MP Ahmed Hamza to Judicial Service Commission

Parliament today approved Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza as the People’s Majlis’ representative to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) with 43 votes in favour, 27 against and one abstention.

The MP for Faafu Bilehdhoo was approved after a proposal backed by pro-government Progressive Party (PPM) of Maldives and Jumhooree Party (JP) to appoint JP MP Ilham Ahmed to the judicial oversight commission was defeated 34-39.

Hamza’s name was proposed by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP ‘Colonel’ Mohamed Nasheed and seconded by MDP MP Eva Abdulla.

The opposition party’s success in approving its member to the JSC confirms a new-found majority for the MDP with the provisional support of the DRP, which is currently backing MDP presidential candidate and former President Mohamed Nasheed in the upcoming presidential election.

The MDP currently has 33 seats in parliament while the DRP has nine.

The 10-member independent judicial watchdog body meanwhile consists of three judges from the three tiers of the judiciary, the chair of the Civil Service Commission, the Attorney General, a member appointed by the president, the speaker of parliament, an MP approved by parliament, a member of the general public selected by parliament, and a lawyer elected by licensed practitioners of the legal profession.

The slot for the parliament representative was vacated after JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim accepted the loss of his seat in July after lawyers questioned the legality of a presidential candidate remaining in the JSC.

Article 10 of the JSC Act states that a member of the commission will automatically lose his seat in the event that they “file to contest in an election for any political position under the constitution of the Maldives”.

The newest member of the JSC, Ahmed Hamza, is an experienced lawyer and long-serving MP.

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Maldivian government at best an inept bystander, at worst a willing collaborator: The Hindu

In forcing the cancellation of the presidential polls a second time, the Maldives government has proved to be at best an inept bystander and at worst a willing collaborator, reads today’s editorial in Indian newspaper The Hindu.

The Waheed administration has not only prevented the Maldivian people from exercising their franchise, but also stands in direct contempt of the original Supreme Court order that required elections to be held before October 20.

Strangely, even the Court did not deem it fit to take cognisance of the blatant flouting of its order by the executive, the very arm tasked with administering the polls. It is impossible to miss the pattern: there were no major complaints of voter list tampering till the results came out on the night of September 7; the first complainant who approached the Court was a trailing candidate Qasim Ibrahim, who is a member of the powerful Judicial Services Commission.

Based on questionable evidence, the Supreme Court annulled the polls and ordered fresh elections. It also set clear guidelines, one of which related to approval of electoral rolls by the candidates. This effectively gave candidates the right to veto the polls.

President Mohamed Waheed — sworn in under controversial circumstances after Mohamed Nasheed resigned on February 7, 2012 — cannot abdicate responsibility for the Maldivian Police Service forcibly blocking Election Commission personnel from moving out poll-related material on the morning of October 19, when the elections were scheduled.

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Maldives facing fundamental battle for its future: Independent

“I don’t think there is going to be an election any time soon,” former President Mohamed Nasheed told The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe, speaking from Male.

“They have had the election and they have had the result, and we won. They came to power in a coup and they will not leave.”

The archipelago island nation has been rocked by a series of crises since Mr Nasheed was forced from office in February 2012 in what he and his supporters say was a police-backed coup. Under international pressure, his successor, Mr Waheed, agreed to hold new elections.

The first round of those polls was held on September 7, with Mr Nasheed emerging with the highest number of votes and appearing well-placed for a run-off, due to have been held on September 28.

When the country’s court halted that run-off amid claims the original poll had not been fair, despite observers saying they believed it was legitimate, a fresh poll was fixed for Saturday. But on Saturday police prevented the poll from going ahead, claiming it was in breach of a court ruling.

Observers said that beneath the twists and turns lies a more fundamental battle over the future of the Maldives. Mr Nasheed was elected in 2008 in the country’s first independent election, defeating Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former dictator who had ruled for 30 years.

Mr Waheed, the president, on Monday spoke to the nation in a televised address and told the media he would guarantee a free and fair poll. His spokesman, Masood Imad, dismissed Mr Nasheed’s claims and said the president would not remain after his term expires.

“The President has said he would not wish to stay in office after November 11,” said Mr Imad. “The President has no intention of not stepping down. Nasheed is a liar.”

There has been widespread international criticism of the delay in the election. Late on Monday evening, the Mr Waheed’s office said a new election date had now been fixed for November 9, with any run-off poll to held on November 16

One Western diplomat who asked not to be identified, said if a run-off was required it would take place after the expiration of Mr Waheed’s term. The diplomat said: “That takes us into slightly uncharted waters.”

Farah Faisal, a supporter of Mr Nasheed and who previously served as the Maldives’ ambassador to Britain before resigning in protest, said she worried that Mr Nasheed’s rivals would not allow voting to go ahead on November 9.

She said: “If you are staring defeat in the face why would you want to have an election?”

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Police ask HRCM to substantiate claims of malpractice regarding role in delayed vote

The Maldives Police Service has requested that the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) substantiate its claims that police exceeded their mandate during the delaying of the presidential election on October 19.

The scheduled poll failed to go ahead after police informed the Elections Commission that it would not support the election. The commission reported that police officers had informed them no document related to the election could leave their offices.

Maldives ‘police life’ website reported that the statement claims “actions of the Police on the 19th of October were based on the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives and the Supreme Court verdict, SC-C/42/2013, along with ensuring the rights of every individual who can vote”.

“The document goes on to state that the Maldives Police Service had prepared in advance for the election on the 19th with Officers being sent to the atolls on the 18th, being sent abroad as per the instructions of the Elections Commission and with separate Officers being sent with the voting list and vote slips being transported by air,” read the police website.

On the day scheduled for the vote. the HRCM released a statement arguing that the police service had “acted outside of their mandate in obstructing elections.”

“Point one of the Supreme Court’s 16 point guideline orders all institutions to provide cooperation to hold an election before October 20th. And yet, today Police had obstructed EC and brought the election to a halt. Even if there are concerns, the Elections Commission is the authority mandated by the Constitution of Maldives to stop an election if there is a need for it,” the HRCM continued.

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Deputy minister becomes latest DRP withdrawal from government

Deputy Minister for Economic Development Shiham Mohamed Waheed has become the latest Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) member to withdraw from the government since the delay of Saturday’s presidential election.

Party leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali on Saturday evening declared that the DRP council had decided to withdraw after “expressing discontent over Government’s actions in election related matters.”

Shiham follows Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hassan Saeed, who resigned yesterday citing the same reasons.

In a parting shot, Hassan Saeed told local media that the government had obstructed the election, criticising in particular the new requirement for foreign observers and journalists to obtain special visas and Foreign Ministry approval before entering the country.

Sun Online has also reported that DRP member and Chairman of Maldives Post Limited Ahmed Nizam has also resigned.

After forming a coalition with incumbent President Dr Mohamed Waheed for the first round of the election – in which Waheed received only five percent of the vote –  the DRP quickly switched allegiances to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed going into the second round.

The DRP’s decision was quickly followed by the dismissal of State Minister for Health Ali Shareef, allegedly for his role in his party’s decision to back Nasheed.

After the annulment of the first round, DRP leader Thasmeen maintained that his party’s supporters should back the MDP candidate in subsequent poll.

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Maldives Development Alliance officially recognised by parliament

The Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) has been granted official status in parliament after MP for Kurendhoo Ahmed Moosa joined the party led by tourism tycoon MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam Mohamed.

Amended parliamentary rules of procedure allow a party on whose ticket an MP has not been elected to be recognised once it has three MPs in the People’s Majlis. In addition to Shiyam and Moosa, the third MDA MP is Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir.

Ahmed Moosa’s status as an MDA MP was announced at today’s sitting of parliament. Elected as an independent MP, Moosa previously joined the Jumhooree Party (JP) before leaving to sign for President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaad Party (GIP) ahead of the presidential election.

The MDA is currently in a coalition with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) backing its presidential candidate and parliamentary group leader MP Abdulla Yameen.

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Man commits suicide inside Jumhooree Party campaign office

Police have this morning discovered the dead body of a Maldivian man inside Jumhooree Party (JP) campaign office on Lonuziyarai Magu next to Ameer Ahmed School in Henveiru.

People gathered in the area as police searched the place for objects related to the incident, telling local newspapers that the body was discovered this morning at about 8:30am.

According to people living in the area it was the body of a 27 year-old man.

The JP office in Lonuziyarai Magu was opened before the first round of presidential elections held in September since it closed for the elections first round no political activities have been carried out in the place.

The campaign office, which has no roof or door and is open for anyone to enter, was used by drug addicts living in the area after the JP stopped conducting political activities in the area, according to local newspapers.

The police spokesperson did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

However, police have told the local newspaper that the case was reported to police by the girlfriend of the man this morning at 8:30am and that his girlfriend told the police that he had recently told her that he would commit suicide.

Local newspapers also reported that the police had arrested his girlfriend.

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MDP protest against cancelled election: photographs

Supporters of the Maldivian Democratic Party occupied the main thoroughfare of the capital Male’ yesterday, after police forcibly prevented the rescheduled presidential election from going ahead.

Thousands of protesters gathered on Majeedhee Magu to sing, smoke sheesha, barbecue, play cards and declare their desire to exercise their democratic right to vote.

They also gathered to listen to their presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed, who gave a rousing speech to his supporters.

“I assure you, we will not step back. They can beat us. They can arrest us, but this ideology cannot be erased. We will establish good governance in the Maldives,” he said.

Click here to for pictures of yesterday’s demonstration

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