A black magic coconut was discovered at the home of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof, reports local media.
The ‘kurumba’ (young coconut) had a human figure drawn on it with a nail driven into the figure’s head and was discovered around 1:00pm Wednesday, according to local media.
The Maldives Police Service (MPS) is investigating the matter, but have not commented on the case, reported CNM.
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(0)A special sitting of parliament will be held on Sunday (September 22) upon written request by 29 MPs, according to a statement by the parliament secretariat today.
Amended parliamentary rules allow sittings to be held during recess upon request by one-third of the 77 MPs in the People’s Majlis. Parliament broke for its customary one-month recess after the second session of the year concluded in August.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group officially made the request for a special sitting yesterday (September 18) after the party’s national executive committee requested the majority party to take steps through the parliament to “stop undue influence of political parties in the judiciary.”
The only item on the agenda for Sunday’s sitting, according to the secretariat, will be consideration of the motion submitted by the MDP to hold state institutions accountable in light of alleged efforts by political parties to “destroy constitutional rules and principles and move away from democracy” after former President Mohamed Nasheed secured 45.45 percent of the vote in the September 7 presidential election.
Third-placed candidate in the first round of the polls, MP Gasim Ibrahim of the Jumhooree Party (JP), has alleged vote rigging by the Elections Commission (EC) and contested the results at the Supreme Court.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has expressed gratitude to former President Mohamed Nasheed for his decision to construct a new building for the Arabiyya School in Male’.
Dr Waheed made the remarks during a ceremony on Thursday to officially open the new school premises in Chandhanee Magu. In his speech, Dr Waheed reportedly said that Islamic education should not be reserved only for students of Arabiyya, and that the Quran and Sunnah should be the basis of education in all other schools as well.
He also thanked officials of the Education Ministry under the Nasheed administration for the new Arabiyya School project.
The previous government shut down the old Arabiyya School in March 2010 after cracks in the building caused a wall to collapse. Arabiyya students were transferred to Mandhu College while construction on a new building began in early 2011.
(0)Dislikes(0)The US has hailed the results of the first round of the presidential election in the Maldives as a “victory for the democratic process”.
In a statement, Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department Marie Harf noted that the results had been “widely hailed as a success” by the Commonwealth, United Nations, and local Maldivian observers.
The comment comes as Jumhooree Party candidate Gasim Ibrahim, who placed third with 24.07 percent and narrowly missed a place in the run-off, contests a case in the Supreme Court seeking annulment of the results, alleging electoral irregularities.
The JP was supported in the ongoing court case by the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), while Attorney General Azima Shukoor also intervened and criticised the conduct of the Elections Commission.
“As the country prepares for the second round on September 28, the United States and the international community again stand ready to assist Maldivians as they exercise their fundamental right to choose their own government,” declared the US State Department.
“For this final round to be as successful as the previous round, all political parties must respect the democratic process and continue to allow for a free, fair and peaceful vote to take place. We encourage all parties and all presidential candidates to respect the results and work together for a peaceful transition for the benefit of the Maldivian people,” the statement concluded.
(0)Dislikes(0)“India believes that it is of utmost importance that the electoral process is allowed to proceed unhindered so that the second round is conducted according to schedule and the will of the people of Maldives is fully recognised,” the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has said.
“It is important that all sides respect the verdict and aspirations of the people of Maldives. We hope that the second round of Presidential elections will be held as scheduled on September 28, 2013 in a similar transparent, organised and peaceful manner.”
The statement, released in response to media enquiries, again praised the conduct of a first round it describes as “unblemished by any notable incident”.
The statement also reiterated the observations of Indian election observers, who had praised the Maldives Elections Commission as being “logistically well-prepared for this election”, as well as describing the much-criticised voter registry as “accurate and robust”.
(0)Dislikes(0)Islanders on Madifushi in Thaa Atoll discovered the body of the former island chief Mohamed Rahaa in the island’s lagoon.
A member of the island council told local newspapers the body was discovered at 1:00pm this afternoon.
The council member told the paper that Rahaa was more than 65 years old, and that his body was found naked.
He said Rahaa’s family has advised the council that it was the deceased’s practice to go to the sea every afternoon to take a bath before attending prayers.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Alliance Française (AF) de Male’ will tonight host the first of its monthly screenings of French films (subtitled in English), at the Centre for Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) by Sultan Park in Male’.
(0)Dislikes(0)Indian Naval Ship Khanjar berthed in Male’ harbour on 16 September 2013, on deployment for joint exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and anti-piracy patrols with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
INS Khanjar will undertake a Joint EEZ patrol in the Maldivian EEZ from September 18-21. Officers from the MNDF Coast Guard will embark the ship for this mission.
According to a statement from the Indian High Commission in Male’, several professional activities were conducted between the ship and MNDF Coast Guard personnel. These included refresher training capsules on Force protection, Search and Rescue, High risk boarding and other naval exercises for MNDF personnel.
“INS Khanjar is the fourth of the famed ‘Khukri’ class Missile Corvettes of the Indian Navy. The ship is christened after the traditional weapon ‘Khanjar’- a curved double edged dagger, epitomising the fighting spirit of the ship. Designed for surface-to-surface warfare, teh ship packs a considerable punch compared to her size. The weapon outfit includes surface to surface missiles, close range anti-air missiles, medium calibre gun and close-in weapon systems. She also has the capability to carry an Alouette helicopter for air operations. INS Khanjar is part of the elite Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy and is commanded by Commander BS Bains,” stated the High Commission.
“The ship’s deployment to Male underscores the strong bilateral ties between India and Maldives and is expected to go a long way in strengthening maritime security cooperation between the two countries,” the statement added.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives, and its strategic location in the Indian Ocean eyed by world powers, is once again at the cross-roads, writes Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury for India’s Economic Times.
Nearly one and-a-half years after then President Mohamed Nasheed was ousted in what his supporters describe as a coup, the archipelago is all set to elect a new president to replace Mohammed Waheed Hassan. The first round of presidential polls was held on September 7 and there was no clear winner. Nasheed has emerged as the frontrunner, but missed necessary majority of 50 percent, as the votes were split among the other three contenders. His main rival, Abdulla Yameen, a half-brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, came second.
Nasheed and Yameen will face each other in a run-off election on September 28. Runoff is not new for Nasheed. In 2008, he became president after a run-off against Gayoom. Challenges before the next president include rising fundamentalism and lack of investor confidence after Waheed’s government canceled the country’s biggest foreign investment project with India’s GMR.
The outgoing president, who secured a paltry 5.13 percent in the first round, is expected to back Yameen in the run-off elections. Taking time out from his hectic campaign for the run-off, Nasheed spoke to ET from Male on his prospects in polls, Maldives foreign policy, relations with India and democratic values.
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