Category: News in Brief

Women lead defense of Maldivian democracy: Huffington Post

Recent upheaval on the subject of birth control in the United States serves as a reminder of the way religion can be used as a tool to infringe on the rights of women, writes Mary Keck, Professor of English and Gender Studies at the University of Southern Indiana, for the Huffington Post.

In response to a coup d’état against their first democractically elected president on February 7, thousands of women gathered in the capital of the Republic of the Maldives. They marched in support of early, free, and fair elections. Although their stalwart protests were met by arrests and water cannons, they are undeterred. The struggle to maintain democracy in the Maldives is ongoing, and the women of this island nation know what is at stake.

The persistent activism of Maldivian women has been recognised around the globe. On Thursday, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama stood beside Aneesa Ahmed after presenting her with the International Woman of Courage Award. Ahmed was not the first to be recognized for efforts to advance women in the Maldives. Mariya Didi was honored by Condoleeza Rice in 2007 for similar accomplishments. She was taken into police custody shortly after the coup.

Despite the courageous acts of these women, inhumane practices like flogging are still used in the Maldives mainly as a punishment for females accused of adultery. This Indian Ocean nation may have achieved democracy in 2008, but its constitution rests on an Islamic foundation, which is advantageous to many who wish to assert their fundamentalist beliefs.

A rising tide of extremism has threatened to crash over the Maldives for some time. In early December, the Adhaalath Party (a religiously-based political organization) fumed at the current government’s failure to arrest protesters advocating for freedom of religion. One of the protesters was blogger Ismail Rasheed who sustained a skull fracture when attacked during the gathering. Later that month, the parliament pushed a resolution to ban Israel’s El Al airline, which offers travel to and from the islands.

On February 7, hard-line Islamists raided the National Museum destroying Buddhist and Hindu relics and statues. This fanaticism isn’t only seen in street protests, but the use of violence in the name of Islam has seeped into the country’s political system.

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Maldives, US share climate change answer: Miscellany News

What oppositional forces in the United States, the Maldives, and other endangered countries like it must understand in order for real change to happen is the sheer risk posed by climate change and the likelihood that, without action within the next few years, humanity may not be able to avoid catastrophic economic damage and loss of life, writes Lane Kisonak for the The Miscellany News.

It has been known for some time that the government of Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, a former human rights activist who has been called the Nelson Mandela of the Indian Ocean, has been amassing a “sovereign wealth fund” for the purchase of land in India, Sri Lanka or Australia in order to eventually resettle the Maldivian people.

But after all that, Nasheed resigned in February, likely having been forced to do so by allies of Maumoon Gayoom, the dictator Nasheed had unseated in the Maldives’ first democratic elections in 2008 after 30 damaging years in power.

Nasheed’s efforts to protect his people from global warming are, I believe, illustrative of two truths for all societies interested in climate change mitigation: first, the localized nature of climate change politics, and second, how easily it gets pushed aside in favor of other matters due to personal agendas and institutional inertia.

In the Maldives, the chief rationale for the removal of Nasheed after three years of high popular support and decisive action repairing the wounds of Gayoom’s dictatorship was the purportedly wrongful arrest of a criminal court judge on corruption charges. Political forces friendly to Gayoom found it in their interest to take advantage of this incident and align against Nasheed (BBC, “Dramatic fall for Maldives’ democratic crusader,” 02.08.12). In the end they successfully took him down, likely dealing a harsh blow to the Maldives’ climate change efforts and introducing political instability all in the interest of gaining power.

What the United States and the Maldives have in common is the potential within smaller, geographically based units to make large strides in protecting people from climate change. They additionally share institutional roadblocks to getting the job done. Sadly for the Maldivians the obstacle they face—the machinations of the party of a dictator attempting to return to power—may prove much harder to overcome. It is telling, for example, that Nasheed’s efforts were as much about working around his parliament to raise awareness abroad as they were internally focused.

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Nasheed departs to Lanka to talk about coup

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has departed to Sri Lanka on Thursday on a mission to give information to the international community on “how the Maldives government was changed in a coup” on February 7.

According to the statement released by the Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), “Reeko” Moosa Manik, party chairperson, MDP Parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed “Ibu” Solih, MP Mohamed Aslam and several cabinet members of his administration will accompany him during the trip.

This is Nasheed’s first trip abroad since his controversial resignation, which the party claims was forced in an opposition backed coup that was aided by rogue security forces.

MDP expects to gain international backing on calling early elections in Maldives to unseat the new President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, whose legitimacy has been widely denounced by MDP supporters following the police and military-led events of February 7.

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Ten arrested on suspicion of attacking police officers

Ten suspects have been arrested on suspicion of multiple attacks on police officers, including one female officer this week, Superintendent of Police Ahmed Mohamed told reporters on Wednesday.

Mohamed noted that one male and a female officer was attacked around 11:30pm on Tuesday night while patrolling the street near Nalahiya Hotel.

The assailants struck the female officer at the rib cage and sexually assaulted her while the male officer suffered bruises to head, Mohamed said. Not soon after the incident, another policeman on duty was attacked as well, he added.

All received treatment for the injuries and was released the same night.

Meanwhile, another policeman was also attacked while at his home in Male’ on Wednesday night, Mohamed noted, adding that he escaped the attack without any injuries.

Mohamed observed that a strict investigation will be conducted into the attacks. Details on the suspects were not released.

However he condemned the attacks and added that violence against police will not be tolerated and advised the youth to refrain from such crime.

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President meets the public at Muleaage

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan this morning met with members of the public at the President’s residence to celebrate his assumption of office and Presidential address to parliament.

The reception was held at the official residence of the President, Muleaage. The President currently resides in the official home of the Vice-President, Hilaaleege.

Today’s event appeared quiet with few protesters, as has been the case with many of the President’s recent public appearances. Indeed, the event was a relaxed one with hundreds waiting patiently for a few words with the President – and perhaps a photograph.

The President was accompanied by the First Lady and many prominent members of the new administration were also in attendance.

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President appoints two deputy ministers

President Mohamed Waheed Hassan appointed two deputy ministers on Tuesday to serve the tourism and transport ministries respectively.

Hussein Lirar (Gaaf Dhaal Hoadhedhoo, Finifenmaage) was appointed to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, while Abdul Latheef Mohamed (Hulhumalé 10213) was appointed to the Ministry of Transport and Communication.

The new appointments come after President’s spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza told local media in early March that no new appointments would be made.

Waheed now has 14 ministers, 16 state ministers and 20 deputy ministers.

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Government sets new working hours

The cabinet has agreed upon new working hours for government institutions that will come in place from today.

The new hours will mean that government offices will be open from 8am until 3pm, Sunday to Thursday. As part of this new schedule, a 30 minute lunchtime break will be taken either between 12pm to 12:30pm or 1pm to 1:30 pm. An additional 15 minute break will also be provided for afternoon prayers.

In a statement on the President’s Office website, the government said that the decision had been taken after consultation with the Civil Service Commission, private sector bodies, independent state institutions and the Civil Servants Association.

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Haveeru Chairman Dr.Zahir appointed as university chancellor

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has appointed the chairman of local newspaper Haveeru, Dr Mohamed Zahir Hussain as the chancellor of the Maldives National University. The presentation of the letter of appointment was held this afternoon at the President’s Office (PO).

Dr.Zahir served as the Minister of Education for more than 11 years under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

Furthermore, under the same administration, he had also served as the Minister of Youth Development and Sports, the President of the Maldives College of Higher Education, Special Advisor to the President, and Senior Minister at the President’s Office.

According to the PO website, speaking at the ceremony, the President noted Dr.Zahir’s services in the education sector of the country and expressed his confidence that Dr Zahir Hussain would apply his vast experience for the advancement of the National University.

Zahir’s appointment comes following the resignation of Dr.Musthafa Luthfy, who resigned from the post on February 19.

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Superindendent of Police promises quick response to violence

Police Superintendent Ahmed Mohamed has promised swift justice for those believed to be  responsible for the violent clashes that accompanied the opening of the People’s Majlis.

“The masterminds who planned and orchestrated the violence would be arrested soon and we would probe the matter very seriously,” Ahmed said at a press conference last night.

During the conference, it was revealed that 11 police officers had been injured after the day’s unrest, with one in a critical condition.

The dismantling of the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) camp was explained as a response to criminal incidents such as yesterday’s violence, which the superintendent alleged had originated from the area.

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