Category: News in Brief

How to plan the perfect coup: Huffington Post

In 2006, in the Pacific island nation of Fiji, troops overran the capital city, threatened the Prime Minister, forced his resignation, placed him under house arrest, imposed censorship on the media, and the coup leader, in the form of the head of the army, went on television to declare himself the new ruler of the country, writes former President Mohamed Nasheed for the Huffington Post.

In 2012, in my country, the Indian Ocean island nation of the Maldives, mutinying police and soldiers overran the capital city, gave me, the President, an ultimatum to resign within the hour or face bloodshed, placed me under effective house arrest, raided the headquarters of the national broadcaster, and the coup leader, in the form of the Vice President, went on television to declare himself the new ruler of the country.

In the case of Fiji, the international community swiftly condemned the coup, blackballed Fiji from the club of civilized nations and suspended it from the Commonwealth. In the case of the Maldives, a report drafted by a Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) which was dominated by hand-picked appointees of the coup-installed government, and endorsed by the Commonwealth, has just whitewashed the coup, declaring it a perfectly legitimate and constitutional transfer of power.

Fiji and the Maldives’ contrasting experiences provide useful tips for coup-plotters everywhere. When planning your coup, remember that first impressions count – so don’t dress like an obvious coup leader. The man who takes over from the democratically elected leader should not wear military fatigues, as Commodore Frank Bainimarama did in Fiji; instead wear a lounge suit, as former Vice President Waheed Hassan did in the Maldives.

Secondly, get your messaging right: never, as in Fiji, publicly state you are overthrowing an elected government; instead, as in the Maldives, announce that the President’s resignation is a run-of-the-mill and Constitutional transfer of power.

Finally, have patience: if you follow steps 1 and 2, sooner or later the international community will tire of political upheaval and accept the new, coup-led political order, regardless of outward commitments to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

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President Waheed opens Koodoo Airport

Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Kooddoo airport was officially opened by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan today, less than seven months after the Singaporean Bonavista Company began the development.

Flights will be operated twice daily by Maldivian Airlines, taking passengers from Male’ to Koodoo in 45 minutes.

Upon arrival Waheed was greeted by a water salute from the airport’s fire engines as well as the children of Gaafu Alifu Atoll Education Centre, reported Sun Online.

Waheed said that he saw the development of regional airports as beneficial for both locals and the tourism industry, the President’s Office website has reported.

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Majlis committees to resume work

Local media has reported that the People’s Majlis committees will resume meeting this coming Sunday.

The Parliamentary Secretariat released a statement stating that regulations allow for the sitting of the committees even while the Majlis is in recess and that all members as well as the speaker had been informed.

The Malis is currently in recess after having been suspended by the Speaker Abdullah Shahid in July after he decided that a safe environment could not be ensured after heated exchanges of the floor.

Parliament temporarily reconvened for a one-off emergency session in early August as government-aligned and opposition MPs agreed to extend the General Regulations Act until April 2013.  The Majlis has not held a session since the vote was passed.

Haveeru reported that the Parliamentary regulations state the the Majlis is due to reconvene on October 1.

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CoNI report causes predictable outrage: The Guardian

“When is a coup not a coup? This vexed question has been exercising the citizens of the Maldives ever since their first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, was driven from office in February amid a violent rampage by police mutineers,” writes Simon Tisdall for the UK’s Guardian newspaper.

“His successor, former vice-president Mohamed Waheed, claims to hold power legitimately. Opponents including members of Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic party (MDP) say Waheed now oversees a “police state” and warn of deepening political rifts and ever greater human rights abuses.

The crisis that erupted in the Indian Ocean republic eight months ago caused widespread alarm. Nasheed, a former political prisoner, was voted into office in 2008 after 30 years of autocratic rule by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The result was widely hailed as a triumph for democracy. But the old regime took defeat badly. Resentment turned into open revolt after Nasheed ordered the detention of the chief justice of the criminal court, who was suspected of obstructing investigations into bribery and corruption allegations involving former regime figures.”

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MP and councillor charged over February 8 arson attacks not present for court hearing

An MP and a Addu City Councillor both facing charges over alleged involvement in a series of arson attacks on February 8 this year did not attend a Criminal Court hearing of their cases today.

MP Mohamed Rasheed and Addu City Councillor Ahmed Mirzad were reported not in attendance during today’s court hearing as an official chit could not be delivered to either of the men, according to the Sun Online news service.

The two men are among 40 suspects currently facing trial over allegations of involvement in attacks on several state buildings during unrest and violent clashes with authorities that occurred in the country’s second city on February 8.

Local media has said that 32 of these suspects were in attendance for the trail today,with Sun reporting that hearings within the 12ft by 13ft court room could only be held three suspects at the time.

A court official told Sun Online that the majority of the eight suspects who had failed to attend today’s trial had not reportedly received their respective chits – mostly as a result of working abroad.

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Bangladesh media reports SAARC summit uncertainty following regional unrest

Political unrest in the Maldives and Nepal during 2012 has set back preparations for the 18th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Bangladesh-based media has reported today.

According to The Daily Star newspaper, the next summit meeting for the heads of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives had been scheduled to be held in Kathmandu during May 2013.

However, the chances of meeting such a date are now alleged to be unlikely over reports that no preparatory work has been undertaken by Nepalese authorities.

Citing unnamed “diplomatic sources”, the Daily Star has claimed that the postponement of an inter-summit session of the organisation’s council of ministers by the Maldives – in its position of current SAARC Chair – had further set back Nepal’s own preparations.

“The Maldives, the current SAARC Chair, is also in serious political crisis following the alleged ouster of Mohamed Nasheed as president of the country in February last,” wrote the newspaper.

The inter-summit session is reported to have been required under the SAARC Charter to be held six months after the organisation’s previous summit in order to finalise the dates, venue, and agenda of its next meeting.

Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla and President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza were not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press.

The previous SAARC summit meeting was held back in Addu Atoll in November 2010.

During the summit, former President Mohamed Nasheed identified several key issues to be addressed including trade, transport, economic investment, security against piracy, climate change and good governance.

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Chinese aid not limited to US$500 million loan: Waheed

Speaking upon his return from China yesterday, President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan told reporters that Chinese aid to the Maldives will not be limited to the US$500million (MVR7.7billion) loan finalised last week.

Waheed revealed that the Chinese government had pledged to make all necessary aid available to the Maldives, including assistance with road and shipping development, reported Haveeru.

The President expressed his hope that his meeting with Chinese businessmen would result in harbor development projects in the Maldives.

Regarding China’s view on Maldivian politics, Waheed noted that the Chinese were amongst the first nations to recognise his unity government.

“The Chinese Prime Minister personally told me that he had full confidence and support for the Maldivian government,” Waheed was reported as saying.

When speaking with Xinhua before his trip, Waheed praised China’s policy of non-interference in foreign affairs.

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Arrival of sniffer dogs delayed

The Indian High Commission in Male’ has told local newspaper Haveeru that there will be a delay in the introduction of sniffer dogs to combat drug trafficking.

Despite a request last June from the Maldives Police Service (MPS), an official from the High Commission said that the MPS had told them that the appropriate environment in which to keep the animals was not yet ready.

Police media official Sub Inspector Hassan Haneef told the paper that the plan will still go ahead with the assistance of the Indian government.

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Dhiraagu launches online bill payment service

Local telecommunications firm Dhiraagu has announced the launch of an online bill payment service to allow customers to settle their monthly mobile phone, fixed-line and internet accounts.

Customers wishing to use the service can register online at Dhiraagu’s website by clicking on the ‘My Account’ section.

According to the company, there are no additional charges to use the service, with customers able to make secure payments through a valid Visa, Mastercard, American Express or bank debit card.

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