Category: News in Brief

Nasheed playing up extremism for political gain: President’s spokesperson

Government Spokesman Abbas Adil Riza has told Haveeru that former President Nasheed is trying to portray the Maldives as “a second Afghanistan”.

Abbas accused Nasheed of sensationalising the problems in the Maldives to gain political support abroad.

“Most people in the current administration had received their higher studies from western countries. The Maldivian education system had been based upon Cambridge education. The statements he is making to the western audience stating that Maldivians are religious extremists is based on his greed for power. Nasheed wants to accomplish what he wants no matter how much Maldives is to suffer,” Riza told Haveeru.

Nasheed has spoken to both the Wahington Post and the Indian Express on the subject of radical Islam in recent days. He also told the Washington Post that he feared that the return of a repressive regime may radicalise dissidents.

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‘I will go to hell and back to bring democracy back to Maldives’ Nasheed tells Indian Express

In an interview with the Indian Express, former President Mohamed Nasheed told his interviewers that he would “go to hell and back to bring democracy back to Maldives.”

Nasheed was asked to give his versions of the events of February 6 and 7, before being asked to describe Islamic radicalism in the Maldives.

“Radical Islam, as a movement, has been taking root in Maldives for a long time, especially during dictatorships when the only room for dissent is through these groups. They are the ones who gather in mosques, they are good at working underground. So anyone who wants to challenge authority would join them,” responded Nasheed.

“Youngsters are recruited, their mothers are told they can send their children for schooling to Pakistan. These young people go to Pakistan. There’s a school on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border where these children are brutalised. And often from these madarsas, they join the Taliban,” he continued.

Responding to queries about the prospect of free and fair elections, Nasheed said: “The new Constitution has established an Election Commission appointed by Parliament and answerable to Parliament. I have full confidence in the Commission. But if we give them (the current government) time till 2013, they will meddle with it. The elections must be observed and monitored. I hope there will be Indian assistance in monitoring these elections.”

Nasheed also took the opportunity to reaffirm the link between democracy, transparency, and effective climate change policies.

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Former President Gayoom meets with Sri Lankan President

Former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom met with the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday to discuss the country’s bilateral ties.

Gayoom expressed his support for President Waheed’s recent pledge to hold elections in July 2013. The former president also highlighted the need for Sri Lankan investment in the Maldivian economy, reports Haveeru.

Rajapaksa was reported to have been told of the need for a peaceful environment in which President Waheed’s administration could continue to develop the country.

The Sri Lankan President thanked the Maldivian government for its recent support for the country at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Gayoom’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) won its first official seat in parliament last weekend after its candidate won the Thimirafushi by-election. All other PPM supporters in the Majlis have been required to stand as independents since the party was formed in October 2011.

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Dhiraagu expects submarine cable repairs to begin Wednesday

Repair work to a damaged submarine cable that has affected internet services provided by local telecoms group Dhiraagu is expected to begin on Wednesday, local media has reported.

Dhiraagu has been having to provide a “degraded” internet service since Wednesday evening after a section of submarine cable located 26km off the coast of Sri Lanka was damaged. The cable is used by the group to provide internet service to the Maldives.

Despite initial estimates that the problem would be resolved in three to four days, the company now expects repairs to begin once a specially equipped repair vessel arrives in Sri Lanka. The ship is expected to arrive Tuesday, according to local newspaper Haveeru.

The company has said that in the meantime it is continuing its work on supplying “diversity routes” that will allow it to try and prioritise offering web browsing and e-mail services to customers.

Wataniya, Dhiraagu’s main competitor in the national telecommunications market, has said in a press release that it will aim to assist in providing data capacity through its own unaffected submarine cable network.

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Sareer nominated for UN ambassador role

Ahmed Sareer, current Maldives ambassador to the United States, has been nominated as a potential successor to Abdul Gafoor Mohamed as the country’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Sareer’s name has this week been forwarded to the parliament as a replacement for Gafoor, who resigned from the UN post earlier this year over concerns about February’s transfer of power, local newspaper Haveeru has reported.

Gafoor announced his intention to resign from the post live on Al Jazeera’s ‘The Stream’ programme shortly after the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed.

“I believe the new president should have the opportunity to have his views and policies presented to the world community through representatives who serve him without equivocation or reservation,” Gafoor told Al Jazeera.

Sareer has previously served as the Maldives’ High Commissioner to Bangladesh. His nomination has been forwarded to the National Security Committee.

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MMPRC targets social media push to bolster online presence

The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) has pledged to more than double the number of users currently subscribed to its official Facebook and Twitter services in a greater focus on incorporating social media into its marketing efforts.

As part of a new campaign designed to try and specifically target the growing importance of internet users to the travel industry, the MMPRC said it hoped by May 31 to increase the number of Facebook fans from just over 4,000 to 10,000 users. Over the same period of time, the local marketing body said it aims to boost its current tally of 458 followers on Twitter to 2000 people.

The pledges are part of the MMPRC’s wider ambitions in 2012 to accrue over 50,000 “likes” on its Facebook services, 14,000 followers on Twitter and to also sign up 10,000 people to its official newsletter.

As part of the plans to achieve these aims, the MMPRC has said it will be adopting real time updates on its Twitter service in order to establish it as a key source for breaking industry news for the travellers.

From the perspective of Facebook, the marketing body added that it would attempt to provide timely communication with tourists and industry stakeholders like airlines, PR agents and journalists to deal with queries and questions about the destination.

Earlier this month, the MMPRC said it was aiming to record one million tourist arrivals into the country during 2012 as it reverted to its long-standing “Sunny side of life” branding.

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Majlis postpones decision on response to President’s speech

The parliamentary speaker yesterday announced the postponement of providing an official response to President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s inaugural speech to the Majlis chamber on March 19.

Controversy surrounded the curtailed speech as opposition MPs attempted to disrupt and heckle the president as he performed his constitutionally mandated duty of speaking at the opening of the session. The previous attempt to address parliament on March 1 had been abandoned after the Speaker of the House Abdullah Shahid was unable to gain entrance to the People’s Majlis.

The official response to the address, according to article 25 of the Parliament rules of procedure, must come from the non-presidential party with the most number of seats.

The Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) leader in Parliament Ibrahim ‘Ibu’ Solih, however has said that he does not feel it appropriate for his party to carry out this function at present.

“I don’t believe that the Maldives has a legitimate leader at present. If so then the leader would be from MDP. That’s why we have refused to respond to the presidential address as MDP is not required to do so,” Haveeru reported Ibu Solih as having said.

Haveeru reported that no members objected to the motion to postpone the response.

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President honours award-winning students

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan yesterday distributed awards to some of the country’s top students in a ceremony at Dharubaaruge.

Thirty-three students from the Maldives achieved results placing them in the top ten of all O’levels candidates around the globe, according to Haveeru. The Education Ministry said that the pass percentage had risen this year to 37 percent.

Also given awards were four students who achieved the highest marks in the world in individual subjects. These outstanding marks were achieved byAhmed Shaffaan Mohamed (Computer Studies), Ahmed Hindham (Travel and Tourism), Amru Mohamed Didi (Business Studies), Fathimath Sana Haleem (English as a Second Language).

The President’s Office website reports that Dr Waheed gave a speech on the need for discipline in school-leavers which could be fostered through better teacher-pupil relationships.

Police closed off a large area surrounding the conference centre although some anti-government protesters were able to gather outside the event, reported Haveeru.

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President Waheed addresses MNDF training graduates

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has addressed graduates of the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) 56th basic training course, calling for their continued support in protecting the sovereignty and independence of the nation.

Speaking to graduates of the course, which was conducted by the Defence Institute for Training, the president called on MNDF officers to continue demonstrating a high sense of integrity and moral character personally and professionally.

In addressing the professional aspects of the MNDF’s work, Dr Waheed said that it was vital the country’s defence forces remained steadfast in their core values of Islamic principles, selfless service and maintaining the rule of law.

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