Category: News in Brief

Report identifies 155 juvenile crime cases so far in 2012

A new report released by the Juvenile Justice Unit (JJU) has detailed 155 cases of crime committed this year by young offenders.  Most of the cases are linked to suspects between 16 and 18 years of age, whilst a growing number of crimes were also found to involve young women.

Local media has reported that of the 155 cases of juvenile crime committed this year, 20 were related to assault, while 20 were filed over theft and robbery. A total of 18 cases related to drug abuse were also filed.

The JJU, which is run under the auspices of the Home Ministry, also reported that a number of crimes in the report were found to include “sexual misconduct”and vandalism.

Last year, the JJU concluded that the “vast majority” of crimes linked to young offenders between April 1 and June 30, 2011, related to people who did not attend school.

According to Haveeru, the JJU’s latest report found 68 percent of young offenders included in the report were found not to have attended school. A large proportion of the crimes committed in the report were linked to suspects aged between 16 and 18.

Local media added that there was a growing number of cases involving young females related to possession of alcohol and “disruption of harmony” relating to illegal gatherings.

The JJU concluded that a lack of proper nurturing, the negative influence of media and adults pushing young people into a life of crime were some of the key drivers for the number of offences in the report.

When adressing the work of a correctional training centre based in Kaafu Atoll, the report added that six children had undertaken rehabilitation programmes at the site so far this year.  However, Haveeru reported that there were concerns children being reintroduced back into society after committing offences were not getting the “necessary” encouragement and support.

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Some points former President Nasheed should ponder: Eurasia Review

“There is no doubt that former President Nasheed was forced to quit by the machinations of a few disgruntled- serving and retired security personnel and Islamists with a strong backing of those political leaders opposed to Nasheed and his party,” writes Dr S Chandrasekharan for Eurasia Review.

As someone had said, it was the result of a nexus amongst the money bags, Islamists and those in opposition. And there was Gayoom all over directing from behind. Yet the odds for having early elections appear to be not so bright and he needs to re-examine his own strategy now.

The daily processions growing in numbers in the last days of Nasheed’s regime before February 7th gave an indication that Nasheed could not have withstood the “onslaught.”

However right Nasheed may be in continuing with the protests calling for early elections, he should in my view consider the following points in working out a strategy that would, not necessarily bring him back to power but to “restore democracy” as he himself had pointed out.

  • So far the MDP has been able to organise impressive protests in Male and other places. The April 20 rally of MDP calling for Speaker’s resignation saw a gathering of about 10,000. The May day rally on 1st May turned out to be another big protest rally. There have been minor rallies in the evenings between 5.30 and 7.30. The students who are taking the final examination in Male have protested about the disturbances and the rallies are being conducted in a very low key. Differences within the party have arisen over the efficacy of continued street protests. The question is whether Nasheed could sustain the street protests for long when the Government is in no mood to relent? It is going to be difficult and the MDP may in due course lose sympathy of the people and may also see attrition from the party itself. ( The latter has already happened)
  • Nasheed’s visit to India has not been much of a success. He met the Prime minister on the 23rd along with his trusted colleagues of the party. On the eve of his meeting the external affairs ministry indicated India’s position “that engagement of all stake holders . . . will facilitate a constructive dialogue among all the political parties and help in bringing stability . . .” The PM in his meeting with Nasheed stressed on the road map of Feb 16 given by the Indian foreign secretary which calls for early elections. The road map is now dead and gone and India is neither in a position nor will it even try to resurrect the road map.

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Dhiraagu restores internet services, announces service credits

Dhiraagu has repaired damage to its underwater cable that slowed internet in the Maldives to a crawl and affected some overseas phone calls, and announced the restoration of full service.

The cable suffered damage at a depth of 40 metres, 26 kilometres from the Sri Lankan coast, on April 18.

The company announced service credit to affected customers, including the waiving of rental for ADSL customers for the affected period.

TouchNet Postpaid customers will receive a free 20 percent data allowance until May 31, while TouchNet Prepaid customers will receive an additional allowance of 200mb until May 15.

Mobile internet users will receive an extra 20 percent allowance on any data packages until May 31.

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Three men arrested with 58 packets of drugs

Police have arrested three men with 58 packets of illegal drugs on the island of Funadhoo in Shaviyani Atoll.

Police said that on May 1 they received a report that a group of people were using drugs in a house on the island. Police officers attended the scene and two of the men tried to flee, however all three were arrested.

Police are currently investigating the case.

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President addresses importance of “will” in ensuring sustainable developments

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has today said that the “will to make a difference” – both by political and private sector bodies – was vital to ensure more effective environmental protection in the future.

Speaking at the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation’s (CANSO’s) 2012 Asia Pacific Conference being held this week at the Kurumba Maldives resort, the president addressed delegates over the “evident” toll on the global environment from unsustainable practices.

At part of a keynote address given this morning during the conference’s final day, President Waheed claimed that technological developments in air traffic management were a good example of the measures available for cutting down on the wider civil aviation industry’s carbon footprint.

However, Dr Waheed stressed that “the will to make a difference” was more essential to sustainable development than purely technical advances, according to a President’s Office statement.

The president added that private organisations like CANSO had an important role to play alongside governments in addressing “environmental damage and neglect”.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed, who Dr Waheed controversially replaced in February, has in recent years became a high-profile advocate for carbon neutral policies in the Maldives.

Nasheed’s government had committed to an ambitious plan to try to become carbon neutral by 2020, with the former president being an outspoken figure on the potential environmental impacts facing the Maldives should the world fail to adopt more sustainable practices.

During his speech today, President Waheed claimed that the Maldives had been a strong advocate for responsible global environment policy since 1989.

He added that his government was committed to protecting the environment and would develop new institutions to help oversee these goals, as well strengthening existing environmental bodies, according to the President’s Office.

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We need to focus on the development of key population centres in order to live within our means: Dr Hassan Saeed

“The public’s thirst for improved local facilities and services such as harbours for our islands or free healthcare seems to be unlimited,” writes Dr Hassan Saeed for local newspaper Haveeru.

“There is nothing wrong with this. We do need to listen to people’s hopes for the future. However we also need to recognise that we cannot do everything at once,” adds Dr Saeed, currently the leader of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and Special Advisor to President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

“Like any household or business, our country also needs to live within its means. However up until last February our government was portrayed by some as a provider of unlimited funds often provided through international donors. Irresponsible politicians were happy to make the most of this with no thought for the future.

We were and continue to be in the position of a typical Maldivian who goes from one businessman to another businessman asking for help with medical treatment. This is exactly what the Maldivian government has been doing for years with international donors and the development institutions.

This generosity has been good for us; just as at a local level a Maldivian will be very grateful for the support for that medical condition I described. However the government and that person has to be aware that the generosity may not last forever.”

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Thasmeen refuses to back Commonwealth withdrawal bill

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has told local media that his party would not support a bill submitted to parliament this week calling for the Maldives to renounce its membership in the Commonwealth.

Thasmeen told reporters from several of the country’s major news outlets that he deemed the bill – forwarded on Sunday (April 29) by Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Ilham and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed – as “not responsible”.

The DRP leader was also reported to be critical of amendments proposed by parliament’s Finance Committee to the country’s universal healthcare scheme.

The DRP, which serves in President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s coalition government alongside the PPM and DQP, has said he believes the motion to leave the Commonwealth may “negatively affect the country and its people”, the Sun Online news agency reported today.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (GMAG) has increased pressure over the last month on the Maldives government to revise the composition and mandate of an independent commission established to ascertain the nature of the controversial transfer of power in February.

CMAG said that “stronger measures” would be considered against the Maldives over the next month if it failed to enact changes to the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) to ensure it was more “credible” and “independent”.

Despite not welcoming the calls to withdraw from the Commonwealth, Thasmeen added that the DRP did not support all of the CMAG’s calls since February’s controversial transfer of power.  He was notably critical in regards to the exact details of CMAG’s demand for more independent representation on the CNI.

“We notice that CMAG’s comments regarding the inquiry commission are not very clear. So we have to find out what Commonwealth wants exactly – whether they would accept if foreign technical assistants were included in the Commission. Right now we are hearing different things. These things have to be clarified,” Sun Online reported Thasmeen as saying.

Meanwhile, Haveeru reported Thasmeen as claiming that neither Ahmed Ilham, Riyaz Rasheed or representatives of their respective parties had consulted the DRP on forwarding the motion to the People’s Majlis.

Yesterday, a PPM MP speaking to Minivan News on condition of anonymity said that he had not been aware of any discussions within his own party about seeking parliamentary approval to renounce the country’s Commonwealth membership in parliament.

“From my view it is not something that has been discussed within the PPM yet,” the MP said yesterday. “I have previously expressed my concern that [leaving the Commonwealth] is not the best way to solve this issue. It is not really a choice we can take,” he said. “I would still say that there is a chance to sit down together and discuss this matter.”

Aasandha proposals

Aside from the CMAG issue, Thasmeen was also reported to be critical of amendments proposed by parliament’s Finance Committee to the country’s universal health care scheme, Aasandha.

Should parliament pass the amendments proposed in the committee’s report, the Aasandha service would only be available in the government’s Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and other government health centres and health corporations around the country.

Thasmeen claimed that the provision of amendments by the parliamentary Finance Committee was not the “right way to go” to bring about changes to the scheme and could undermine parliament’s role in holding the government to account in future, Haveeru reported.

DRP leader Thasmeen added that should amendments to the scheme need to be made, he did not want to see the cessation of free healthcare to the public.

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Iranian Ambassador Nabi Hassani-Pour meets President Waheed

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has met with the Iranian Ambassador of Iran accredited to the Maldives, Mohammed Nabi Hassani-Pour.

At a meeting at the President’s Office in Male’ yesterday, Dr Waheed discussed the current state of bilateral relations with Iran, as well as means to further strengthen cooperation with the Maldives.

The ambassador was also thanked for the ongoing support provided by Iran in relation to the country’s “economic situation”, according to the President’s Office website.

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Dhiraagu internet service “restored” after successful repair test

Dhiraagu has said that internet services affected by a damaged section of submarine cable off the Sri Lankan Coast have been “restored” after testing on repairs proved successful today.

The cable was damaged on the evening of Wednesday April 18 forcing the company to provide a “degraded” service to national internet customers for several days as it sought out “diversity routes” to reduce the impact to its operations.

The repair work, which was carried out jointly by Dhiraagu and Sri Lankan Telecom (SLT), commenced last week after a specially equipped repair vessel called the Asean Explorer made its way to Sri Lanka from India.

Company spokesperson Imjad Jaleel told Minivan News that testing on the repaired cable had been under way today to ensure that the company could provide a “normal service” to its clients.  By this evening, Dhiraagu announced the tests had been successful and that its broadband capacity had been restored.

According to Dhiraagu, the damaged section of cable, situated 26 miles off the Sri Lankan coast and 40 metres below the water had been damaged by the anchor of a ship.  The damage was found to have occurred in an area of Sri Lankan waters where vessels were not permitted to anchor, the company had previously announced.

Whilst repairs were being undertaken, the company said it had been working to improve the quality of internet services and international calls affected by the cable damage through alternative avenues like the use of satellites.

Last week, chief national telecoms rival Wataniya announced it was also assisting in the provision of data capacity from its own cable as part of a national agreement to cover any disruptions to the Maldives communication network.  Dhiraagu said it has been paying Wataniya for the data capacity allowance.

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