Tag: Dunya Maumoon

Ahmed Farish Maumoon made state minister

The President’s Office has confirmed the appointment of Ahmed Farish Maumoon as the Minister of State for Economic Development.

Farish is the son of former President and leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Gayoom’s daughter Dunya – formerly state minister for foreign affairs under the previous administration – was appointed to the cabinet as foreign minister last week.

The names of the first cabinet ministers proposed by the newly elected President Abdulla Yameen – Gayoom’s half-brother – were forwarded for the approval of the People’s Majlis today.

The proposed appointments include Umar Naseer as Home Minister, Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed as Islamic Minister, Dr Mohamed Muiz as Housing and Infrastructure Minister, Dr Mohamed Shainy as Fisheries and Agriculture Minister, Mohamed Saeed as Economic Development Minister and Thoriq Ibrahim as Environment and Energy Minister.

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PPM council member refuses to withdraw case against Nasheed’s candidacy

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) council member Ibrahim ‘Wadde’ Waheed has refused to withdraw a case filed at the Supreme Court challenging the candidacy of opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate and former President Nasheed, local media has reported.

The Supreme Court petition filed on October 10 states as grounds for stripping Nasheed’s candidacy his “outright criticism towards Islam and imposing Islamic Sharia’ in the Maldives” and his criticism of the judiciary.

The lawyer’s determination to proceed with the attempt to bar Nasheed from all future elections comes in spite of condemnation, including from within Wadde’s own party.

Shortly after the case was filed last week by Wadde and President of the ‘Madhanee Iththihaadh’ (Civil Alliance), Sheikh Mohamed Didi, President Dr Mohamed Waheed strongly criticised the litigation.

“[President Waheed] believes this is not the time to engage in efforts to obstruct or bar candidates from going through the electoral process. It will not help resolve the already volatile political situation in Maldives,” read a President’s Office statement.

Senior leadership from within Wadde’s PPM were also critical of the move, with State Foreign Minister Dhunya Maumoon saying the party was negotiating with Wadde to have the case withdrawn, arguing that he had not consulted with the party leadership.

The UK’s Bar Human Rights Committee has also expressed concern regarding this specific case, as well as the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the first round of presidential election on October 8.

MDP Spokesperson Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy has previously described the petition as a “very dirty” attempt by their rivals to invalidate a candidate who had the demonstrable support of at least 45 percent of the people.

Inthi told Minivan News today that he believed the case alleging criminal wrongdoing did not belong in the Supreme Court.

“But the SC has been acting like some freak of nature, so anything is possible,” he added.

“Cynical attempt”

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to hold a repeat first round – scheduled for October 19 –  an additional ruling was made insisting that the EC’s re-registration process be started anew with fingerprinted forms.

An MDP press release following this decision, claimed that the new ruling had come as a response to a complaint filed by the PPM.

“The MDP fears that the PPM is seeking to delay the elections and also disenfranchise overseas and  resort-based voters, who will now likely have to re-register and who tend to vote overwhelmingly in favour of President Nasheed,” read the statement.

MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor also described the move as a “cynical attempt by the PPM and the Supreme Court to prevent elections from taking place next week.”

During a PPM press conference held with its ally, the Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA), yesterday (October 16) the PPM accused the EC of violating the electoral guidelines stated in the Supreme Court’s verdict, therefore jeopardising the ability to hold the presidential election Saturday.

“We believe that the security forces need to step in and take action against this,” MDA Deputy Leader MP Ahmed Amir was quoted as saying.

The hurried re-registration drive was further hindered on Sunday (October 13) as supporters of the PPM and MDA accused the EC of foul play after a system crash.

The EC subsequently accused the parties’ supporters of “threatening officials, inciting discord, and obstructing EC officials’ ability to work”.

The Supreme Court issued yet another ruling on October 14 that ordered the EC to address the complaints of any individual who has the right to stand for election, “including the verification of fingerprints on re-registration forms through the Department of National Registration.”

PPM presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen this week told local Haveeru that it “would be hard” for him to approve the voter registry – another recent requirement from the Supreme Court – should the EC not verify fingerprints.

The commission accepted complaints submissions until 6pm today and, as of this afternoon had processed over 52,000 of the estimated 65,000 re-registration forms for individuals voting outside of their permanent residences.

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State Foreign Minister Dunya attacks Amnesty report as “heavily biased”

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s daughter and current Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dunya Maumoon, in a press conference today dismissed the international human rights NGO Amnesty International’s report on the Maldives.

The report titled “The other side of paradise – a human rights crisis in the Maldives” chronicled the human rights abuses in the country that took place following the controversial transfer of power.

The report detailed a number of incidents of police brutality on February 8, including attacks on Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs Eva Abdulla and Mariya Didi.

“The overall objective of these violent attacks has been to silence peaceful government critics and stifle public debate about the current political situation,” said the report.

“Based on Amnesty International’s interviews with survivors of these violent attacks, it appears that many were targeted by security forces because they were MDP ministers, parliamentarians or supporters,” it read.

The report recommended that the Maldivian government “ensure prompt, independent, impartial and effective investigations into allegations of violence by officials.”

“Those suspected of offences involving such violations, irrespective of rank or status, must be prosecuted in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness,” the report read.

Speaking to members of the press – who did not include opposition-aligned Raajje TV – Dunya  stated that the majority of the allegations stated in the “heavily biased” report were not true

“I am not saying that nothing happened. There were incidents that took place. But the report did not highlight on the arson attacks that took place in Addu City on February 8,” she said.

She further went on to stress that Amnesty must verify information that they receive before deciding its factual accuracy.

“Instead of just listening to just one party, Amnesty must thoroughly observe the happenings that take place in the Maldives,” she stressed.

Furthermore, the state minister stated that it was not the government’s wish to comment on “reports like that”, but “said it does not mean that government is dismissing all the reports that came out, concerning human rights abuses in the country”.

However, Amnesty’s researcher in the Maldives, Abbas Faiz, had a dissenting view.

“Without an end to – and accountability for – these human rights violations, any attempt at political reconciliation in the Maldives will be meaningless,” he said

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs, Mohamed Jameel Ahmed earlier made similar remarks on the report as Dunya, criticising Amnesty International for failing to seek the comments from the government.

“They had not sought any comments from the Maldives government. I’m extremely disappointed that a group advocating for fairness and equal treatment had released a report based on just one side of the story,” Jameel told local media at the time.

“An international group of the caliber of Amnesty should have heard the other side as well. But they had failed to obtain our comments,” Jameel said.

The Amnesty report recounts sustained and pre-meditated beatings of protesters with a variety of weapons during the violent crackdown.

Some of those interviewed reported people being attacked in their hospital beds, whilst others recalled torture and further degradation whilst in detention.

Whilst Amnesty stated that several of its human rights recommendations were reflected in the Commission of National Inquiry’s (CNI) report, which was released on August 30, but Jameel argued that the CNI had highlighted misdemeanors of protesters which did not make it into the Amnesty report.

“CNI (Commission of National Inquiry) report had clearly highlighted the actions of demonstrators during protests in the Maldives. The foreign observers labelled the actions of demonstrators as cowboy tactics,” Jameel told Haveeru.

In their closing observations, Professor John Packer and Sir Bruce Robertson, advisers to CNI appeared critical of the anti-government protesters.

“Some would want to call an example of the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. In reality it is rather more bully boy tactics involving actual and threatened intimidation by a violent mob,” reported Packer and Robertson.

“The demonstrators undermine the peace and stability, carry out attacks while being inebriated, carry out attacks with sharp objects and damage private property. Even internationally such actions are regarded as violence. However, the Amnesty report has ignored all such things. It is extremely one sided and unjust,” said Jameel.

However, in relation to Jameel’s remarks, Amnesty International’s spokesperson rebutted the claims contesting its impartiality.

“Amnesty International is an independent and impartial human rights organisation without any political affiliation. We are not alone in highlighting the human rights violations since the transfer of power this year,” he said.

He also dismissed Home Minister’s remarks that the NGO had failed in getting the remarks of the government.

“In compiling our report we talked at length with government and police officials in Malé and Addu during our visit to the country in late February and early March. On the occasions they responded we have included their comments in our documents,” he said.

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CMAG delays decision on Maldives

Following its teleconference yesterday, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has delayed its decision on the Maldives’ potential removal from its investigative agenda until its next meeting on September 28.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended by all member countries, as well as the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma and Special Envoy to the Maldives Sir Donald McKinnon, who had visited country earlier this week.

President’s Office Spokesman Masood Imad expressed confidence that the country would be taken off the agenda at the next meeting, saying that this move had been supported by all but one of those present for the teleconference.

“We have given in to all their demands. CMAG has been so much a part of our lives that we wanted to get out of it,” said Masood.

However, former Foreign Minister and current UN Special Rapporteur to Iran, Dr Ahmed Shaheed said that the Maldives’ removal from the agenda would be “a travesty”, given the government’s “reprehensible actions” following the CNI’s release.

“Things are not going well in the Maldives – the government is intent on persecuting Nasheed and the MDP (Maldivian Democratic Party)”, he added. “They seem hell bent on repressing the people.”

There have been strong calls from within the government for the country to be removed from the agenda after the Commonwealth’s approval of Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) which appeared to absolve government figures of any wrongdoing in the resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed in February.

The release of the report was initially welcomed by a members of the international community, including, the EU, the United States, India, and the UN as well the Commonwealth itself.

“There was an expectation from the government that CMAG would rubber stamp the CNI report – this is far from realistic” said Shaheed, who suggested that these groups were welcoming the report’s release without necessarily welcoming the findings.

Observers representing the UN and the Commonwealth praised the independence and professionalism of the report.

CMAG placed the country on its formal agenda in February after it expressed its concerns over the precise nature of Nasheed’s resignation.

A member of CMAG itself, the Maldives was subsequently suspended from the group.

Local media yesterday reported that an emergency meeting of the cabinet had been called yesterday, although no details of the meeting had been revealed.

Today, Masood explained that the cabinet meeting was called simply to prepare for the CMAG’s anticipated decision.

“It is normal procedure to be prepared in this way, “ he explained.

Prominent members of the government, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon, as well as Special Advisor to the President Dr Hassan Saeed have suggested that the Maldives may leave the Commonwealth should it not be removed from the CMAG agenda.

“I would now argue that if CMAG does not remove the Maldives from its agenda in its next teleconference on 11th of this month, we should end our relationship with the Commonwealth and look to other relationships that reflect modern realities of the world,” said Saeed in an article written for local newspaper Haveeru.

Dr Hassan was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Home Minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, told Minivan News earlier this week that Commonwealth should refrain from dictating the country’s national priorities.

“We appreciate their engagement, but [the Commonwealth] should also recognise our need to move forward and allow us to find local solutions to local problems,” said Jameel

In a statement sent to CMAG in preparation for the teleconference, the government maintained that the Maldives should be removed from the agenda, and that it should not have been placed on it in the first place.

“There is simply no justification for keeping the Maldives on the [CMAG] agenda,” read the statement, which went on to list reasons in support of its removal.

The reasons given, other than the apparent exoneration of the government by the CNI report, included its commitment to investigate issues of police brutality, the atmosphere of relative calm currently prevailing in the capital, and the detrimental effect being on the CMAG agenda was having on tourism and foreign investment.

The statement did, however, make mention of the government’s interest in expanding cooperations with the Commonwealth, particularly along the lines of strengthening institutions and “cultivating democratic values in the society.”

Shaheed today insisted that there was ample scope for the country to be kept on the agenda, drawing attention to CMAG’s revised mandate of October 2011, which he noted was championed by Nasheed himself.

“The revised mandate is not so much a punishment for countries but a safeguard for the people,” he said.

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Government urges CMAG to remove Maldives from agenda

The government has sent a statement to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group’s (CMAG) demanding its removal from the group’s agenda, ahead of its teleconference this Tuesday (August 11).

In the statement, dated September 7, the government argues that there remains “simply no justification for keeping the Maldives on the [CMAG] agenda”.

The CMAG had placed the Maldives on its formal agenda in February although President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s government has maintained that the group “lacked the mandate” to to so.

Waheed’s government also spent £75,000 (MVR 1.81 million) on advice from former UK Attorney General and member of the House of Lords, Baroness Patricia Scotland, in a bid to challenge what they deemed was the Commonwealth’s “biased” stance on the Maldives, and has continued to express disapproval at what it terms “interference” by the Commonwealth.

The government’s statement offers five reasons in support of its removal from the CMAG agenda.

Firstly, the government pointed out that the recently completed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) had found no legal issues surrounding the transfer of power, adding that its international observers had hailed the report as “exemplary.”

The publication of the CNI was closely followed by an independent legal analysis which has raised serious doubts over the credibility of the CNI’s findings.

The teleconference statement added that former President Mohamed Nasheed had also welcomed the report, “though with some caveats”.

The most notable of the caveats mentioned by Nasheed was that the report left the country in a “comical” situation “where toppling the government by brute force is taken to be a reasonable course of action.”

Secondly, the government reasons that the CNI’s findings of police brutality are already being acted upon by the relevant independent institutions – the Police Integrity Commission (PIC), the Human Rights Commission (HRCM) and the Prosecutor General (PG).

The onus placed on these institutions since the release of the report has again raised doubts as to their ability to handle these politically sensitive investigations.

However, the fourth reason cited for the removal from CMAG’s agenda was the government’s willingness to expand cooperation with the Commonwealth in order to strengthen the institutional infrastructure.

This willingness to enhance relations with the Commonwealth appears at odds with the apparent enmity shown by senior figures towards the organisation since the CNI’s release.

Both Dunya Maumoon, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dr Hassan Saeed, Special Advisor to the President, have publicly argued that the Maldives had been treated unfairly, suggesting that the country should leave the organisation should it not be removed from the CMAG agenda without delay.

“Should the Maldives continue to be kept on the CMAG agenda, I have to say that there are a lot of citizens and very senior members of the government who have many serious concerns regarding whether the Maldives will stay on as a member of the Commonwealth,” Dunya told the press last Thursday.

Dr Hassan launched a scathing attack in a comment piece for local newspaper Haveeru, in which he argued that the Maldives had received “third class justice” from the Commonwealth.

“It is my belief that the Commonwealth and its institutions have treated us very badly,” wrote Dr Hassan.

“I would now argue that if CMAG does not remove the Maldives from its agenda in its next teleconference on 11th of this month, we should end our relationship with the Commonwealth and look to other relationships that reflect modern realities of the world,” he said.

President’s Office Spokesman Abbas Adil Riza was reported in local media today as saying that he does not feel CMAG should intervene in any future challenges the country faces.

When discussing the current visit of Commonwealth Special Envoy Sir Donald McKinnon, Abbas said he felt this would be McKinnon’s last visit to the country.

The third reason listed by the government in its statement to CMAG argues that calm had been maintained “despite some serious efforts by the opposition to create unrest.”

Although there was widespread anticipation of unrest before the release of the CNI with Nasheed at one point calling for his supporters to “topple the government”, the demonstrations surrounding the report’s release were not accompanied by a notable increase in violence.

The presence of international news crews in anticipation of unrest did, however, did lead to greater coverage of the ensuing protests.

The statement also mentions the initiation of the ‘Leader’s Dialogue’ talks which it claims will focus discussion on practical issues such as legislation which will ensure elections next year can be held freely and fairly.

Finally, the government argues that the stigma of remaining on the CMAG agenda is negatively affecting foreign investment and tourism in the country.

“The Maldives, which is one of the smallest countries in the Commonwealth, is experiencing difficulties in finalising foreign investment projects, and in some cases, concessional loan financing, as well as a drop in tourist arrivals into the country as a result of being on the CMAG agenda,” read the statement.

Ministry of Tourism figures show that this year’s tourist arrivals had grown just 2.8 percent compared to the same period in 2011. Figures for 2011, however, showed growth of 17.6 percent compared with 2010’s arrivals.

President Waheed travelled to China last week where he finalised agreements for a US$500 million loan (MVR7.7billion).

“It is therefore time that the Maldives is removed from the formal agenda of the CMAG and allow the government to focus on what it is expected to do; cultivating and nurturing democracy in the Maldivian society,” concludes the statement.

“After all, in democracies, governments are answerable to the people,” it finishes.

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Nasheed reneging on commitment to respect CNI: Dunya

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon has accused former President Mohamed Nasheed and his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of “threats and intimidation tactics” over the outcome of the CNI report, due at the end of August.

“The Government of Maldives is committed to the resolution of political differences through peaceful dialogue and the democratic boulevard [sic] and institutions available in the country,” Dunya said in the statement.

However Nasheed “is going back on his own words and commitment to the international community that he would respect the outcome of the CoNI.”

Former President was speaking during an event commemorating ‘Black Friday’, the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy activists by the former regime in 2004.

Dunya expressed concern at Nasheed’s apparent determination to bring members of the police and military to justice for their illegal roles in the transfer of power, no matter the final verdict of the inquiry commission.

“President Nasheed had threatened violence on the streets of Male’ in order to ensure justice,” said Dunya during the press conference, the details of which have been distributed by the Foreign Ministry as a media release.

A translation for Minivan News of the pertinent section of Nasheed’s Monday speech is as follows:

“I am certain beyond doubt that the commission’s report would note that many officers of the security forces committed a number of unlawful acts. Our demand, our protest, our request will be for these [officers] to be brought to justice. Our work will be to bring them to face justice. We should only go back home after CoNI’s report after bringing them to justice and establishing justice in this country. For a certainty, I definitely will not go back home otherwise.”

Nasheed’s intentions were clarified the following day in a proposal submitted to the government by the MDP . The document mapped out the steps the party expected to see taken following the CNI’s conclusion.

This proposal stated the MDP’s willingness to cease its calls for early presidential elections and wait for the constitutionally mandated polls in 2013 should the final report show no evidence of any unlawful activity in the transfer of power.

However, should the report find that the transfer included illegal acts on the part of any individual, the MDP proposed that those implicated be brought to trial and that all parties agree to early elections.

In the event that the CNI rules the departure of Nasheed from the President’s Office to have been unconstitutional, the MDP proposed that his government be fully reinstated.

The party had hoped for a response from the government before the end of Ramadan this weekend and appeared to receive it today when President’s Office spokesman Abbas Adil Riza told local media today that the government would not discuss the report’s outcome before its release.

“CNI’s report will not act as a final verdict. The purpose of the report is to assist the relevant institutions. So, there’s no need to make the report a ‘political carnival’,” Riza reportedly told Sun Online.

At its meeting on Tuesday, the MDP’s executive council had agreed to call a meeting of its National Council in order to determine the party’s next course of action.

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Maldives’ defence of human rights position before UNHRC to be webcast live

A Maldivian government delegation will stand before the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) at 6:00pm (local time) on Thursday to discuss the current state of national efforts to address human rights and equality issues.

The committee hearing comes as certain local and international NGOs raised criticism over an alleged deterioration in commitments to address national human rights concerns since March 2011.

Representatives of the Waheed administration including Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel , State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dunya Maumoon and the Maldives’ Permanent Representative in Geneva, Iruthisham Adam, will be present during today’s session to discuss human rights in the country.

A number of NGOs, including Redress, the Helios Life Association, the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and social services veteran and former State Health Minister Mariya Ali have submitted reports and evidence to the panel, which is to be webcast live.

The broadcast can be viewed live here.

The government of the Maldives responded to the list of issues to be raised during the session today earlier this month.

However, speaking to Minivan News this week, President’s Office spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza said the administration’s key focus at the UNHRC hearing was expected to be countering allegations put forward by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) about alleged police brutality and human rights abuses conducted since it came to power in February.

Abbas added the government would submit its case against what it called grossly “exaggerated” allegations raised by the MDP, which clams to have been removed from office in a “coup d’etat” on February 7.

UK-Maldives All Party Parliamentary Group

Aside from the reports submitted to the UNHRC, a UK-based NGO called Maldives Watch this week provided a report to the UK-Maldives All Party Parliamentary Group outlining what it claims has been a deterioration in human rights commitments despite assurances given in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) back in March 2011.

The report claims that the perceived decline in respect of human rights practices had been largely attributed to a “rising Islamist influence and the return of the former dictatorship.”

Since February’s controversial transfer of power, President Mohamed Waheed has installed a coalition unity government consisting of former opposition groups including the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the Dhivehi Rayithuge Party (DRP) and the Jumhoree Party (JP) amongst others.

The PPM is currently headed by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former autocratic ruler of the Maldives, who was succeeded by former President Mohamed Nasheed in the country’s first presidential elections in 2008.

The MDP passed a resolution on February 8 contending that the present government was illegitimate.  The party has therefore refused cooperation with the coalition’s work – a position it has continued to back amidst five consecutive days of protests in Male this week that have at times descended into violent clashes with police.

While Waheed’s coalition government includes cabinet positions for several members of former President Gayoom’s family and party, the president on February 17 denied the coalition had restored an autocratic dictatorship to power.

“Anything other than President Mohamed Nasheed’s government is now being painted as the old government, as a return to the old regime. Which is a really misleading way of looking at it,” he stated at the time. “In this country most of us grew up and got education during the last 33 years, and most of the well educated people in this country worked in government. The government was the biggest employer in the country and continues to be so.”

Violation claims

To justify Maldives Watch’s claims about a deterioration of human rights in the Maldives, the report pointed to a number of developments including the adoption under the Nasheed government of Religious Unity regulations it claimed served to violate freedom of expression and right to information.

“The regulations give the Minister for Islamic Affairs arbitrary powers to ensure that only officially sanctioned views on religion can be expressed,” the report claimed.

Maldives Watch also pointed to the condemnation of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay following calls she made back in November 2011 to encourage a national debate to ending flogging, a commitment said to have been backed by the Maldives at the UPR.

Criticisms were also made of the December 23 Coalition in Defense of Islam, which included NGOs, former opposition politicians and prominent religious figures.

“The coalition was led by radical Islamists and were joined by all opposition parties, all advocating Islamic supremacist ideas,” the report added.

Concerns were also raised over the detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdullah Mohamed on January 16 2012 under the Nasheed administration .

The detention, which the the government claimed had been made over concerns about “national security” owing to allegations that Judge Abdulla was involved in perjury and “blatant collusion” with the previous administration, was widely criticised by international bodies at the time.

Other issues raised by Maldives Watch’s report include:

  • The “overthrow” On February 7 2012, of the elected Nasheed government by various members said to be linked to the December 23 Coalition
  • Claims made this year by President Waheed on February 24, May 2, and “several occasions since” from other members of government, warning against dissent and labelling opposition as terrorists
  • A “resurgence of police brutality and growing violations of freedom of assembly freedom of association, and freedom of expression” since the transfer of power
  • Calls made during a series of stalled all-party talks – last held in June – for the opposition MDP to “give up its fundamental rights relating to freedom of expression, association, and assembly”
  • Police and the military “violently” taking over the state broadcaster before former President Nasheed’s resignation on 7 February
  • Allegations that private broadcaster Raajje TV “the only TV station critical of the government” has experienced government interference in obtaining a satellite uplink and harassment of its journalists
  • Perceived bias within the country’s judiciary, which is alleged to be either controlled by the elements of the Gayoom administration “or sympathetic towards the sharia norms espoused by the government”
  • Members of the Country’s Human Rights Commission (HRCM) perceived to be sympathetic to the interests of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom with a relative said to be employed in a key position within the body

The full report submitted to the parliamentary group is available here.

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New government a continuation of Nasheed’s: President Waheed

“My government is a continuation of the previous one under President Nasheed and there should be no doubt on this score,” President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan said during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reports The Times of India.

Finer details of this meeting are thin on the ground and have led to allegations of  media misinterpretation, prompting correction by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon today.

President Waheed’s comments appear at odds with a speech he gave in Kulhudhufushi a week ago, in which he described Nasheed as “a liar lacking in any sincerity”.

Waheed accused Nasheed of becoming a corrupt and authoritarian leader during his presidency who hijacked the Majlis and attempted to destroy the judiciary.

Since assuming the presidency following Nasheed’s resignation, Waheed has appointed an entirely new cabinet after the previous post-holders were asked to resign as well as creating two new ministries.

Just before leaving for India, President Waheed also vetoed three bills submitted to parliament by Nasheed’s government concerning corporate tax reform, including the Business Registration Bill, passed on 23 April 2012, the Corporate Profit Tax Bill passed on 24 April 2012, and the Sole Trader Bill passed on 25 April 2012.

According to the President’s Office, the bills were returned on the legal advice of Attorney General Azima Shukoor, previously the lawyer of former President Maumoon Gayoom.

The new government has also repealed or reviewed many of the initiatives and policies started under Nasheed, often citing poor planning or corrupt practices.

The government has sought to dispel what it considers “untrue perceptions” planted during the visit to India by former President Mohamed Nasheed last month.

However The Hindu on Friday argued that “the most important agenda will be the political issues that have been flagged by Mr Nasheed during his visit to New Delhi.”

During his trip, Nasheed spoke widely on the need for early elections as well as the potential for radical Islam to emerge within the Indian Ocean nation.

Media interpretations

With only scant details emerging from Dr Waheed’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, media outlets have provided differing interpretations of what the most substantive issues of these talks were.

India Today chose to focus on the issues raised by Nasheed in its summary of the meeting.

“India has asked Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed to hold early elections. He was also directed to rein in fundamentalist forces gaining ground in the island nation,” said India Today.

“Waheed… was told to pay heed to all ‘shades of opinions’ and hold elections before the scheduled polls in October 2013,” the paper continued.

The Hindu said: “[Waheed] is a political lightweight, who will be unable to categorically assure New Delhi on issues that are high on the agenda.”

“The Waheed government has neither shown the urgency, nor the persistence to engage all shades of opinion to arrive an early election date,” the paper reported, noting that the possibility of an early election “appears remote”.

The paper suggested that the real powerbrokers in the Maldives were people not present with the Maldivian delegation, alleging that former President Maumoon Gayoom was one such figure, who preferred 2013 to be the election year.

Gayoom’s daughter, Dunya Maumoon, is part of the delegation, currently serving as State Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dunya was today anxious to correct any media interpretation that the discussions included agreement on elections before 2013.

“He said that an early election will be held within what is allowed in the constitution, but that the matter is not in his hands given that the constitution stipulates a Presidential election can only be held in 2013,” Dunya told local newspaper Haveeru.

The Gulf Times coverage of the meeting noted that early elections were discussed between the two statesman, before adding that “consensus was elusive” in the Maldives in this respect.

The Indian Express said, “the assessment here is that the parties in the Maldives need to have another round of discussions on the question of early elections,” before the article detailed the constitutional amendment that early polls would require.

The meeting also received coverage in the United States, with the New York’s Daily News reporting that Waheed talked with Singh about the possibility of constitutional amendment that would facilitate early polls.

The newspaper also highlighted the inclusion in the talks of investment opportunities as Waheed told Singh of the Maldives’ desire for further Indian investment as well as assuring him of the “continued adherence” to all agreements between the two countries.

The most high profile deal involving Indian investment in the Maldives is the GMR deal, details of which the government has challenged.

The Indian infrastructure giant signed a 25 year concession agreement with former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government to upgrade and manage Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA). Under the concession agreement, a US$25 charge was to be levied on all outgoing passengers to part-fund the US$400 million upgrade.

However, while in opposition the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) which today forms part of Waheed’s national unity government, led by Dr Hassan Saeed, now President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s special advisor, filed a successful case in the Civil Court in December 2011 to block the payment of the charge, on the grounds that it was effectively a tax not approved by parliament.

In a bid to try and resolve the issue last week, GMR provided several possible solutions to address concerns about the ADC, by offering exempting Maldivian passport holders from paying the charge.

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President Waheed meets Indian PM during official visit

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan continues his five-day official visit to India today upon the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Hindustan Times reports that the President has met with Prime Minister Singh, discussing the potential for early elections amongst other things. The same paper has also reported that Waheed will meet with President Pratibha Patil tonight.

Dr Waheed is travelling with a delegation that includes the Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Adbullah, Minister of Finance Dr Abdullah Jihad, and Minister of Housing and Environment Dr Mohamed Muiz, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dhunya Maumoon, as well as the First Lady Madam Ilham Hussain.

The visit marks the first overseas trip for the President since he moved into the President’s Office on February 8. Before his departure from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport yesterday, Waheed said that the primary aim was to strengthen existing bilateral relations.

He claimed that the situation in the country was calming down after the unrest that had immediately followed the transfer of power.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), however continues to conduct regular protests challenging the legitimacy of the current government and demanding fresh presidential elections.

On Friday evening Waheed met with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and briefed him on the current political situation in the Maldives.

Reporting on this meeting, the President’s Office said: “The Foreign Secretary said that India hopes to find a ‘Maldives solution’ for the situation. He further stated that India would always hope to see a peaceful and stable Maldives, and would provide its fullest cooperation and assistance in achieving such an environment in the Maldives.”

In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), reported by Daily News and Analysis, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon – and daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – said that Waheed will work to dispel “untrue perceptions” given by former President Mohamed Nasheed, who visited India last month.

“Maldivian Presidents have always made their first trip abroad to India. And President Waheed is coming to India to… brief them directly about the political situation in Maldives,” Dunya is reported to have told PTI.

“I believe that India would respect our sovereignty and really does not play a role in the internal politics of the country which is why I find President’s Nasheed’s comments unacceptable”, she continued.

Former President Nasheed visited India last month, and also met with Prime Minister Singh. During his visit, Nasheed attempted to rally support amongst politicians, think tanks, and industry leaders, for early elections.

Nasheed told the Times of India: “We want more Indian assistance in bringing democracy back.”

Regarding the accusations of coup-conspiracy levelled against her father, former President Gayoom, Dunya said that Nasheed’s politics had always centred on attacking her father, claiming: “I believe he is using the same kind of argument to try and gain the support of his people”.

The presence of Finance Minister Jihad in the delegation was explained by President’s Spokesman Abbas Adil Riza, who told Minivan News that lobbying for the extension of long-term financial support through various aid mechanisms would form part of the group’s agenda.

The Finance Ministry this week revealed that the government’s budget deficit would reach 27 percent of GDP this year, following a 24 percent increase in government expenditure.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) mission chief in the Maldives, Jonathan Dunn, recently told Minivan News that, other than cutting expenditure and boosting revenue, obtaining foreign loans would be among the few options left to avoid the far more risky option of printing money.

Representatives of Waheed’s government have already travelled to India on official visits, with both Foreign Minister Dr Samad and Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim having visited in early April.

Since the unrest began, bilateral ties appear outwardly to have been unaffected. In March, India offered to replace police vehicles that flared in the unrest following the resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed and joint naval exercises have been conducted between the two nations, alongside Sri Lanka, in April.

The Indian Foreign Secretary Mathai played a leading role in the initiation of the ‘all party roadmap’ talks which were intended to expedite the reconciliation of opposing political factions within the Maldives.

Indian brokerage of these talks, which included a commitment to early elections, came only days after India initially recognised the new government. Former President Nasheed later told Time magazine that he had been “shocked” by the speed of this decision.

The deadline set by the Commonwealth’s human rights watchdog, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), by which it hopes to see improvements in the impartiality and independence of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) passes next week.

“Further and stronger” measures against the Maldives have been threatened if the CNI, charged with investigating the events surrounding the presidential changeover, is not adequately reformed.

India is a member of the Commonwealth but does not currently sit on the eight member CMAG board of foreign ministers.

During the meeting with Nasheed last month, the MDP reported Prime Minister Singh as having great faith that the Indian-sponsored all-party talks between Maldivian political parties were the key to a resolution.

Unfortunately, these talks have continued to stall and are currently on hold while the Elections Commission investigates the recent change in leadership within the MDP.

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