Tag: Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom

DRP deputy contemplates election coalition, rules out PPM alliance

The government-aligned Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) has ruled out a coalition with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) ahead of elections later this year, despite being open to collaboration with other parties.

DRP Deputy Leader Ibrahim Shareef told Minivan News the DRP would not contemplate forming a coalition with the PPM beyond the present government, calling any discussion on the matter a “waste of time” considering previous disagreements between the two parties.

The PPM, a coalition partner in the government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, was formed by DRP founder former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 2011 following an acrimonious war of words with the party’s current leader, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali. Thasmeen was directly appointed by Gayoom to be his successor as head of the DRP.

PPM members are currently campaigning ahead of primaries to decide whether MP Abdulla Yameen or the party’s former interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer will contest as the organisations presidential candidate in September’s elections.

Speaking Friday (March 15) at a rally head at the artificial beach area of Male’, PPM Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed claimed that unlike MP Yameen, “almost all parties” have said they would unite with Umar Naseeer in a coalition for the next presidential elections, reported Sun Online.

Ilham told the gathered crowd that being able to form a coalition would be important in the upcoming elections, adding that no other party would be interested in forming an alliance with a party helmed by MP Yameen.

MP Ilham was not responding to calls at time of press, while Umar Naseer’s secretary said he was too busy to speak.

However, PPM MP and spokesperson for MP Yameen’s campaign team Shifaq Mufeed has since slammed Umar Naseer’s primary team for making what he called slanderous and untruthful statements.

With its own congress scheduled for next month, DRP Deputy Leader Ibrahim Shareef said the DRP was presently focusing on its own campaign and manifesto for the presidential elections, but believed the party would never be able to form an alliance with the PPM going forward.

“Our position is very clear, we will not be forming a coalition with the PPM,” he said.

Shareef said that following a split within the DRP that saw supporters loyal to former President Gayoom break away and form the PPM, it would not be possible for the two parties to work together.

“We won’t waste our time discussing a coalition with them,” he said.

Despite rejecting any possibility of working with the PPM, Shareef said that the DRP would not rule out a coalition with parties in the future who they had not already worked with, adding that there was always room for discussions to be held.

However, he claimed that the party was presently in the process of compiling its manifesto for elections to be held next year, while also trying to finalise a venue for the party’s congress scheduled next month.

“Right now we have not been able to get a venue, though we hope to secure Dharubaaruge [conference centre],” Shareef said. “We are not a wealthy party, so we cannot campaign like richer parties and we need to find a new way to do this. We don’t have our own television or radio stations like other parties.”

Spokespersons for the  Jumhoree Party (JP), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and Adhaalath Party (AP) were not responding to calls at time of press.

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DRP rejects possibility of PPM coalition and “hereditary rule”

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has said it will never form a coalition with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), DRP Leader MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali told local media.

“PPM left because they couldn’t continue with us. So there are no grounds to form a coalition now is there?” another local media outlet reported Thasmeen as staying.

“Hereditary rule, we cannot support that. So we cannot form a coalition with PPM,” Thasmeen said.

Furthermore, the coalition DRP forms will be subject to who they field as a presidential candidate, Thasmeen explained.

Gayoom formed PPM in 2011 after resigning from the DRP, following a dispute with Thasmeen and the party’s ejection of Umar Naseer.

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Keeping Nasheed Alive: Eurasia Review

India has a moral obligation to see that former President Mohammad Nasheed, who was arrested by Maldivian Commandos on March 5, 2013, in alleged response to a court order to face trial in a case pending against him, remains alive,” writes B. Raman for the Eurasia Review.

“Even though he might have been arrested ostensibly in pursuance of a court order, his arrest is a breach of faith on the part of the Waheed Government. He left the Indian High Commission, where he had taken sanctuary, in response to assurances regarding his safety and security.

India, which played a role in the negotiations that led to his leaving his safe sanctuary in the High Commission, is a guarantor of the assurances given by the Waheed Government regarding his safety and security.

India should immediately make it clear to former President Abdul Gayoom, who has allegedly been playing an active behind-the-scene role in advising the Government of Waheed, that it will hold him and Waheed personally and morally responsible for the safety and security of Nasheed and that should anything untoward happen to him while in custody India would act in the appropriate manner to ensure that solemn assurances given to India by the Government are not violated with impunity.

Read More.

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Gayoom opts out of PPM presidential primary

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has announced he will not be competing in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primary scheduled for next month.

Local media reported that the former president made his decision via a one-page statement declaring: “I have decided not to take part in the PPM presidential primary scheduled to be held on the 30th of next month”.

Gayoom, appointed president of the party earlier this year, stated that “there are people within PPM leadership who are capable of fulfilling the Maldives presidency”.

Gayoom’s statement comes after he told Sun Online on February 19 that he would announce his decision regarding the party’s presidential primaries in nine days.

“I have made a decision, God willing, on how I will proceed. But I do not want to announce it here.  When these nine days pass, it will be known whether I will compete or not,” Gayoom told Sun Online earlier this month.

So far, Gayoom’s half-brother PPM MP Abdulla Yameen and PPM Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer are the only two candidates competing in the upcoming presidential primary.

Retiring from politics

In February 2010, Gayoom announced that he was retiring from politics after endorsing Ahmed Thasmeen Ali as leader of his former party, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

However, in September 2011, the former president opted to form the PPM after resigning from his position as ‘Honorary Leader’ (Zaeem) of the DRP.

Speaking to press back in 2011, Gayoom said he made the decision based on the assurance that the DRP would function “according to certain principles.”

“At the time and even up till yesterday, I was at the most senior post of one of the largest political parties in the country,” he said.

“So how can it be said that the person in the highest post of a political party is not involved in politics? Up till yesterday I was in politics. Today I am forced to create a new party because of the state of the nation and because it has become necessary to find another way for the country.”

As “a lot of citizens” had pleaded with him to form a new party, Gayoom said he made the decision to return to Maldivian politics as “a national obligation.”

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US Ambassador meets former President Gayoom

The United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Michele J Sison met with former President and current Progressive Party of Maldives leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday (February 21).

“[We] had a good exchange of views on domestic and bilateral issues,” Gayoom stated on Twitter.

Their discussion included strengthening ties between the US and Maldives, as well as an “exchange of views” on the current political situation in the Maldives, said the statement released by Gayoom’s office as reported by local media.

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Former Defense Minister denies charges in Hulhumale Magistrate Court

Former Defense Minister Tholhath Ibrahim Kaleyfaanu has denied the charge of arbitrary detention of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdullah Mohamed, during the first hearing of his criminal trial held in the controversial Hulhumale Magistrate Court.

The Prosecutor General has charged Tholhath for arresting the judge in January 2012, during his tenure as the minister of defense under former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration.

Others facing the same charges include former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Chief of Defense Force retired Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel, former Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Male Area Commander retired Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim Didi and Colonel Ziyad.

During the first hearing of the trial held on this Monday, State Prosecutor Abdulla Raabiu claimed that following orders from the Commander in Chief – President Mohamed Nasheed – Tholhath had orchestrated the plan to arrest the judge and had arbitrarily detained Judge Abdulla Mohamed from January 16, 2012 until February 7, 2012.

Tholhath should therefore be charged for the offense of arbitrarily detaining an innocent individual as stipulated in article 81 of the Penal Code, Raabiu added.

The article 81 of the Maldives Penal Code states: “It shall be an offense for any public servant by reason of the authority of office he is in to detain to arrest or detain in a manner contrary to Law innocent persons. Person guilty of this offense shall be subjected to exile or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding MVR 2,000.00”.

Denying the charge, the former defense minister claimed that charge pressed against him was “not legitimate”, but did not state his reasons for the claim.

Speaking on behalf of Tholhath Ibrahim, his defense lawyer Mohamed Ibrahim argued that the trial lacked the necessary impartiality, contending that same charges should be pressed against former Home Minister Hassan Afeef and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh, as they were responsible for maintaining law and order within the state.

Detention of the judge

Minister Afeef at the time of the judge’s arrest accused him of “taking the entire criminal justice system in his fist”, listing 14 cases of obstruction of police duty, including withholding warrants for up to four days, ordering police to conduct unlawful investigations and disregarding decisions by higher courts.

Afeef accused the judge of “deliberately” holding up cases involving opposition figures, and barring media from corruption trials, ordering the release of suspects detained for serious crimes “without a single hearing”, maintaining “suspicious ties” with family members of convicts sentenced for dangerous crimes, and releasing a murder suspect “in the name of holding ministers accountable”, who went on to kill another victim.

Afeef also alleged that the judge actively undermined cases against drug trafficking suspects and had allowed them opportunity to “fabricate false evidence after hearings had concluded”.

Judge Abdulla “hijacked the whole court” by deciding that he alone could issue search warrants, Afeef alleged, and had arbitrarily suspended court officers. He also accused the judge of “twisting and interpreting laws so they could not be enforced against certain politicians” and “accepting bribes to release convicts.”

The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) itself had investigated Abdulla Mohamed but stopped short of releasing a report into his ethical misconduct, after the Civil Court awarded the judge an injunction against his further investigation by the judicial watchdog.

JSC whistleblower Aishath Velezinee has also contended that the JSC’s blanket reappointment of all interim judges and magistrates in 2010 violated article 285 of the constitution guaranteeing an ethical and qualified judiciary, and that as such, the case “is based on a false premise, the assumption that Abdulla Mohamed is a constitutionally appointed judge, which is a political creation and ignores all evidence refuting this.”

The JSC itself had investigated Abdulla Mohamed but stopped short of releasing a report into his ethical misconduct after the Civil Court awarded the judge an injunction against his further investigation by the judicial watchdog.

Military assisted police

During Tholath’s trial, his lawyer argued that the military did not conduct intensive legal reviews of requests for assistance from the police, and said his client fully believed that the military should act as quickly as it could to assist the police when required.

When the judges sought to clarify as to what part of the charge Tholthath was denying, his lawyer stated that his client had not done anything against the law.

In response to Tholhath Ibrahim’s denial of the charges, the state produced witnesses in support of its claim.

This list of witnesses included current Chief of Defense Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam, former Police Commissioner Ahmed Faseeh, former Vice Chief of Defense Force Farhath Shaheer, former Military Intelligence Chief Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Atheef, Colonel Wise Waheed and Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Media Official Colonel Abdul Raheem.

Along with the witnesses, the state also produced as evidence a list of text messages sent from Tholhath Ibrahim’s mobile phone, video footage of the arrest of the judge and a transcript of a cabinet meeting in which the issue was debated.

State prosecutor Raabiu said the state was willing to produce more witnesses and evidences to court if the need arises as the trial progressed.

When the evidence was produced in court, Tholhath lawyer requested the court give a period of one month to review the evidence put forth against his claim.

Dismissing the request, the sitting judges stated that the trial had been put on hold for a long time and that certain documents had already been shared with the defendants, therefore the next hearing would be scheduled for March 13, giving the defendant a period of 23 days.

An investigation led by Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) found the former President Nasheed as the “highest authority liable” for the military-led detention of the Judge. The HRCM also identified Tholhath Ibrahim as a “second key figure” involved in the matter.

In July 2012, Prosecutor General Ahmed Muizz pressed charges against the parties who had been identified in the HRCM investigation as responsible for the arrest.

Following the charges, former President Nasheed’s legal team challenged the legitimacy of the Hulhumale Magistrate Court in High Court, but the Supreme Court intervened and dismissed the claims by declaring the magistrate court was legitimate and could operate as a court of law.

The trial was heard by all three judges of Hulhumale Magistrate Court appointed to look into the case. The panel consists of Judge Shujaau Usmaan, Judge Hussain Mazeed and Judge Abdul Nasir Abdul Raheem.

Contentious court

The Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court, which is also trying former President Nasheed for his detention of the Chief Criminal Court Judge during his final days in office, was created by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).

The JSC, which includes several of Nasheed’s direct political opponents including rival presidential candidate Gasim Ibrahim, also appointed the three-member panel of judges overhearing the trial.

Parliament’s Independent Institutions Oversight Committee has previously declared that the JSC’s creation of the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court was unconstitutional.

However, the Supreme Court declared parliament overruled, issuing a statement that “no institution should meddle with the business of the courts”, and claiming that as it held authority over “constitutional and legal affairs” it would “not allow such interference to take place.”

“The judiciary established under the constitution is an independent and impartial institution and that all public institutions shall protect and uphold this independence and impartiality and therefore no institution shall interfere or influence the functioning of the courts,” the Supreme Court stated.

A subsequent request by the JSC that the Supreme Court bench rule on the court’s legitimacy resulted in a four to three vote in favour. The casting vote was made by Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed, also President of the JSC.

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Committee to enlist Singapore parliament in US$800 million oil trade probe

Parliament’s Committee on National Security is requesting assistance from the parliament of Singapore to investigate the case related to US$800 million in “illegal” oil trade allegedly conducted by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his half-brother, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) presidential prospect, MP AbdullaYameen, Sun Online reports.

During the committee meeting Monday (January 21) MP Reeko Moosa Manik announced the parliament was notified to contact Singapore’s parliament requesting they facilitate meetings with the Singapore police and anti-corruption authority.

The Foreign Ministry refused to fully cooperate and said it would take two weeks to arrange the requested meetings, according to local media.

Travel to Singapore and Malaysia for the investigation was scheduled for January 20, however was delayed due to the “failure to arrange meetings with [the necessary] investigative bodies,” added Sun Online.

The alleged international money laundering racket involved Yameen as “the kingpin” of a scheme to buy subsidised oil through the State Trading Organisation’s branch in Singapore and sell it on through an entity called ‘Mocom Trading’ to the Burmese military junta, at a black market premium.

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Umar Naseer may consider one of former President Gayoom’s children as presidential running mate

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer has said he may consider choosing one of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s children as his running mate should he win the party’s upcoming presidential primary.

Speaking to local media after an event at Ghiyasuddin School in Male’ held to try and recruit volunteers for his campaign, Umar said that rival candidate Abdullah Yameen also “has the option” to be his running mate.

“There is the possibility that I might give the option to one of Maumoon’s children. The possibility to form a coalition and choose a running mate from that coalition is also an option,” he said.

“Three of Maumoon’s children are of eligible age. So I might also choose to give it to the most competent one amongst them,” Umar told Sun Online.

Out of Gayoom’s children, only Farish Maumoon, Dhunya Maumoon and Yumna Maumoon meet the requirements set out by Article 112 (c) of the Madives constitution, stating that a person has to be at least 35 years of age to be elected as president or vice president, according to the report.

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“Father unlikely to run for re-election”: Dhunya Maumoon

Dhunya Maumoon, daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom , has said that it is unlikely her father will contest in the upcoming 2013 presidential election.

Speaking to local newspaper Haveeru yesterday, Dhunya said she believed only two candidates would be contesting in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primaries.

She claimed the two candidates would be the PPM’s Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer and its Parliamentary Group Leader – and half brother of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – MP Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

“Hasn’t Umar [Naseer] said that it is him and Yameen who will be competing in the primaries? That is how things are currently being seen. But it is [Gayoom’s] own decision if he wishes to compete,” Dhunya told Haveeru.

Naseer this week announced his intention to stand in the upcoming party primaries at a time when former President Gayoom, the current interim PPM leader, also hinted at the possibility of his running for re-election.

“I would definitely back Gayoom if he is to contest the elections. He is our ‘ace of spades’. You cannot say that the ace of spades is not the ace of spades,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gayoom told Indian newspaper The Hindu Tuesday (December 11) that he may consider contesting in the next presidential election, which is presently expected to be held in August or September next year.

“Things change very frequently. So I am keeping my options open,” Gayoom was quoted as saying.

“[If I run] it won’t be out of my choice, if ever, it will be out of compulsion. Because I feel I have served the country for 30 years and I feel it is up to other people [now].” he added.

Although unclear of his intention to run for top office, Gayoom announced that he would be contesting for his party’s presidency during a press conference held today (December 13). Gayoom was elected interim leader during the party’s inaugural convention in October 2011.

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