Category: News in Brief

ARC children’s storybook shortlisted in Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

A storybook for children by a Maldivian child rights advocacy group has been shortlisted in the 2015 European Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

The Sneaky Snare of the Syrupy Slurp Slops was shortlisted in the category for Best in the World for Children’s Books.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards celebrates and awards books about food and/or drinks and features a number of books by world-renowned chefs, publishers and authors every year.

The Sneaky Snare of the Syrupy Slurp Slops, released in 2014, is an educational children’s book based on the message of “Re-think Your Drink,” encouraging children to drink water and plain milk, whilst making them aware of the dangers of consuming energy drinks, soda and other sugary drinks.

It is the second book in ARC’s Health Eating and Active Lifestyles (HEAL) campaign.

President of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Edouard Cointreau said: “It is quite an achievement to be on the shortlist. It is extremely difficult. The quantity and quality of entries from the 205 participating countries have reached a new high this year. All the books shortlisted are truly excellent, in very different ways”.

The 6 shortlisted books include books from USA, Spain, Canada, Sweden and the UAE. The awards are to be announced on June 9.

ARC’s first storybook, The Colourful Companionship of Casey Cabbage, won two awards in Gourmand Awards in 2013, namely Best Children’s Book in Maldives and Best Charity and Fundraising Book in Asia. It was also nominated for the Best in the World category.

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Fourth expatriate stabbed in Malé

An expatriate worker was stabbed in the Galolhu ward of Malé around 7:10pm on Wednesday, reports local media.

Police said the expatriate is undergoing treatment at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital after his arm was slashed in a scuffle near the Auto Garage. His condition is not serious, police said.

Today’s assault is the latest incident in a recent spike in violence against expatriates.

A 25-year old Bangladeshi, Shaheen Mia, was stabbed to death in a Malé café in the early hours of the morning on Sunday (March 22), while a Bangladeshi national identified as Bilal was found dead in Alif Alif Atoll Thoddoo Island on Monday night.

The following day, three expatriate workers were stabbed between 7:20pm and 7:40pm in three different locations in Malé.

Police have yet to make any arrests in connection with either the murders or the stabbings.

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Gayoom denies rifts within government

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has denied any rifts between himself as leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday prior to departing for Singapore to attend the funeral of ex-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew as President Yameen’s representative, Gayoom denied claims by Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla that he was a victim of the government’s “brutality.”

“Things are going very well with the party working together with the government. There is no discontent at all,” he was quoted as saying by newspaper Haveeru.

Gayoom suggested that the opposition was using his name for their political purposes.

Asked about international concern over the conviction of former President Mohamed Nasheed, Gayoom said criticism from foreign nations and organisations was not a cause for concern.

Gayoom reportedly said Maldivians connected to foreign actors wanted to help them achieve their ends in the country, but the PPM did want to follow instructions issued by another nation.

He added that the criticism was baseless and uninformed, suggesting that certain foreign parties harboured longstanding prejudices against the Maldives.

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British High Commissioner pays farewell call on President Yameen

British High Commissioner to the Maldives John ‎Rankin paid a farewell call on President Abdulla Yameen today.

According to the President’s Office, ‎President Yameen ‎expressed his gratitude to High Commissioner Rankin for the ‎cooperation ‎and close friendship with ‎the Maldives during his tenure and conveyed his hopes to further ‎strengthen the close mutual ‎relations the two ‎countries.

Discussions were also focused on the current political situation ‎of the country and President Yameen assured the Government’s ‎commitment to uphold the rule of law and consolidate democracy in the ‎Maldives.

High Commissioner Rankin expressed his pleasure to serve as his nation’s High Commissioner to the Maldives and reassured the British Government’s commitment to work with the Maldives on “issues of mutual interest.”

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Amendments prohibit civil servants from holding political party posts

Amendments voted through to the Civil Service Act today prohibits civil servants from either holding posts in political parties or seeking the registration of a political party.

The amendments also prohibit civil servants from using powers to directly or indirectly influence political activities as well as participating in political activity either during official working hours or in a way that casts doubt on impartiality in the performance of duties.

The amendment bill (Dhivehi) submitted on behalf of the government by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Mohamed Ameeth was passed unanimously with 40 votes in favour and one abstention.

Continuing protests on the People’s Majlis floor with sirens and megaphones into the 12th consecutive sitting, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MPs did not participate in the vote.

Presenting the legislation (Dhivehi) in August last year, the PPM MP for Raa Madduvari explained that the amendments to the 2007 law were part of a raft of bills proposed by the government to bring outdated laws in line with the new constitution adopted in August 2008.

Ameeth said the restrictions were necessary to ensure that the civil service was free of political bias and undue influence.

In September 2011, the Supreme Court backed a ruling against the prevention of civil servants’ participation in political activities.

The apex court referred to Article 30(a) of the Constitution, which states, “Every citizen has the right to establish and to participate in the activities of political parties.

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Former MDP President Dr Didi arrested

Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Dr Ibrahim Didi was arrested on Wednesday for attending opposition protests in violation of a Criminal Court order, reports online news outlet CNM.

Didi was arrested during a protest on February 27 and accused of obstructing police duty. After being held in remand detention for 10 days, the former fisheries minister was released on March 10 on the condition that he not attend protests for 30 days.

Police said Didi was arrested today in connection to an ongoing investigation.

Most people arrested during the ongoing opposition protests are released on the condition that they do not participate in protests for a period determined by the court. Human Rights NGO Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) has described the move as unconstitutional, arguing the condition violated the right to freedom of assembly and expression.

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First batch of Faaragema dogs arrive in Maldives

Five of the 16 sniffer dogs for the newly established “Faaragema” dog squad arrived in the Maldives last night.

According to the Maldives Police Services, a Dutch and a British dog trainer accompanied the first batch of dogs and will train police officers in handling the dogs.

The dogs were due to arrive the previous night, but their arrival was delayed after the handlers deemed the journey from the Netherlands was too long for the puppies. They were then quarantined in Malaysia.

Faaragema dog squad

Five more puppies will arrive tonight and the remaining six are to arrive tomorrow night.

The dogs were brought in to tackle drug trafficking in the Maldives, and are going to be kept in custom made kennels at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

Speaking to local media, Home Ministry’s spokersperson Thazmeel Abdul Samad said that the dogs and the kennel had cost the government US$ 80,000.

The Home Ministry has meanwhile requested the Dhivehi Language Academy to come up with 16 Dhivehi names for the puppies.

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Government invites international experts to observe Nasheed’s appeal hearings

The government has invited experts from the United Nations Secretary General, the Commonwealth, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union (EU) to observe the appeal hearings of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Nasheed was found guilty of terrorism and sentenced to 13 years in prison on March 13 over the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012.
“On behalf of the Government the invitation was extended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Dunya Maumoon,” read a press statement from the foreign ministry.
“President Mohamed Nasheed was sentenced on 13 March by Criminal Court of Maldives for abducting a sitting judge in 2012.”
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No intention of “jumping into the bandwagon of MDP,” says Umar Naseer

Home Minister Umar Naseer has declared that he has no intention of “jumping into the bandwagon of [opposition Maldivian Democratic Party].”

After contesting the 2008 presidential election as an independent candidate, Naseer refused to back either former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom or MDP candidate Mohamed Nasheed.

The Jumhooree Party (JP) and Adhaalath Party (AP) had formed a coalition with the MDP ahead of the second round run-off between Gayoom and Nasheed. However, both parties left the coalition during the MDP’s three years in power.

Naseer’s remarks follow AP President Imran Abdulla claiming during a protest march last night that the home minister would soon join the opposition alliance.

Imran had said President Abdulla Yameen was keeping Naseer in the cabinet to undermine the latter’s popularity and bring him into disrepute.

Naseer had resigned from the JP last month in protest of the party’s decision to form an alliance with the MDP.

Speaking at a ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) rally this week, Naseer suggested that former President Nasheed should be prosecuted on further charges for alleged offences committed during his presidency.

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