Police clash with protesters in crowded street injures “dozens”

A large crowd of mostly young people last night held a protest in Male’ against the rising cost of living, following a spike in import costs brought on by the government’s managed float of the rufiya – a decision which has led to a cost increase for dollar commodities of up to 20 percent.

Although the protest was led by opposition leaders, Minivan News observed many unfamiliar faces not identified as members of either major party.

The protest’s leadership consisted mostly of those from the ‘Z-DRP’ faction of the opposition loyal to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, including MPs Ahmed Mahlouf, Ilham Ahmed and dismissed Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed, Jumhoory Party (JP) MP Ibrahim Muthalib and other opposition allies were also present at the protest.

The group gathered near the artificial beach last night around 9:00pm and marched towards the tourist street of Chandhanee Magu, occupying the intersection with the main road of Majeedhee Magu. Minivan News observed many protesters sitting or lying down in the intersection, some having coffee.

Riot police initially blocked off vehicle access to the area, and waited without taking any action.

However at around 3:30am early on Sunday morning, police advised protesters to leave the area or otherwise they would use force to disperse the crowd.

The protesters declined to leave the area and continued protesting, whereupon police issued several warnings before throwing tear gas canisters into the crowd camped in the narrow and congested intersection, and moving in with shields and batons.

Male and female protesters were injured in the incident after being attacked with batons, while police claimed officers were injured in the effort after bricks were thrown. Protesters also pelted police with empty water bottles, empty cans and other such materials.

“One female officer was hit in the chest with a pavement stone, she is still hospitalised,’’ said Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam.

While police were attempting to disperse the crowd, a motorbike in the area was destroyed by fire and the glass window of a nearby shop was broken.

After the violent attacks, police failed to completely disperse the crowd as the protesters continued to return to the area and gathering.

Local media SunFM and Haveeru News also reported that police used excessive force on their journalists taking coverage of the area.

Haveeru, which described the incident as a “deadly clash”, reported that its journalists were arrested after they refused to leave the area were told by a police spokesperson that even journalists wearing press identification could not stay in the area.

The protest lasted until 9:00am this morning, lasting a total of 12 hours.

Residents living in the densely-populated urban area surrounding the intersection have complained of women and children being affected by tear gas used by police used to control the riot.

News agency Associated Press reported Gayoom’s spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain ‘Mundhu’ Shareef, as saying that dozens were hospitalised in the demonstration consisting of 5000 people rallying against “economic hardship, alleged government mismanagement and wasteful spending”, but was unable to raise a response from the Maldivian government. News of the incident quickly went international, appearing on the Washington Post and other major newspapers.

This afternoon the President’s Office released a statement condemning the violent protest as orchestrated by supporters of the former President.

“Scores of people were injured and shops and private property were damaged when protesters hurled bricks and other projectiles at the police. The police responded to the unprovoked assault with tear gas and made several arrests,” the statement said.

“The protest was orchestrated by the Z-DRP, a faction of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, which is under the control of former President Gayoom.”

President Mohamed Nasheed’s spokesperson, Mohamed Zuhair, added that “peaceful political activity, such as the right to protest, is legal – and indeed welcome – in the Maldives’ new democracy. But there can be no excuse for needlessly causing violence in the streets. We have numerous peaceful political rallies, protests, petitions and other forms of legitimate democratic activity throughout the year, which is a healthy part of our democracy. However, whenever Mr Gayoom’s supporters take to the streets, it always seems to end in violence and bloodshed,” Zuhair added.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom told Minivan News that he believed the protests, which he described as a “youth movement” rather than an opposition political gathering, had been building for some time amidst concerns regarding the government’s commitment to democracy and increased living costs.

“We feel the protests are overdue, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is not championing democracy like it promised,” he said.

Mausoom claimed that the prime areas where he believed the government had failed to bring about democratic reforms – a key policy area for the governing MDP party – were in freedom of expression and allowing protesters to demonstrate peacefully.

Although opposition parties like the DRP and the recently formed spin-off faction the Z-DRP were present at the protest, Mausoom said that they had been invited by local young people to support their concerns.

“This has been organised by young people [of the Maldives]. Opposition parties joined in support only after being invited. This was not a political movement, but a youth movement,” he claimed. “The protests were in themselves largely peaceful and we feel the police response was inappropriate.”

Mausoom added that he believed that the protesters should have been given the right to air their concerns and called on the government to address areas such as spending on political advertising and cutting living costs.

The opposition DRP has recently been split by infighting and violence between supporters of Gayoom and those of the party’s leader, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, triggered by the expulsion last year of Deputy Leader Umar Naseer from the party for organising protests without sanction from the DRP Council.

Both sides claimed the animosity within the party was cause it to “disintegrate“, and there was speculation that Gayoom’s supporters would form a spin-off opposition party. However last Thursday, two days before the protest, Gayoom’s faction officially announced that it was “commencing work” as the Zaeem-DRP (Z-DRP), a separate branch of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

The Zaeem-DRP (Z-DRP) faction today announced that it has officially commenced its work as a separate branch of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

An earlier protest on April 12 against the government’s currency decision ended peacefully, with both factions conducting separate rallies around Male’.

A currency in crisis

The government has struggled to cope with an exacerbating dollar shortage brought on by a high budget deficit – triggered by a spiralling public sector expenditure – in comparison with the foreign currency flowing into the country. Civil service expenditure has increased in real terms by 400 percent since 2002.

Banks subsequently demonstrated reluctance to sell dollars at the pegged rate of Rf 12.85, and high demand for travel, commodities and overseas medical treatment forced most institutions to ration their supply or turn to the flourishing blackmarket.

After a short-lived attempt to crack down on the illegal exchange of dollars, the government floated the rufiya within a 20 percent band, effectively allowing it to be sold at up to Rf 15.42 to the dollar.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has been critical of the government’s growing expenditure despite a large budget deficit, praised the decision as a step towards a mature and sustainable economy.

“Today’s bold step by the authorities represents an important move toward restoring external sustainability,” the IMF said in a statement. “IMF staff support this decision made by the authorities. We remain in close contact and are ready to offer any technical assistance that they may request.”

However many companies dealing in dollar commodities immediately raised their exchange rates to Rf 15.42, along with the Bank of Maldives.

The government’s move, while broadly unpopular, acknowledges the devaluation of the rufiya in the wake of increased expenditure and its own inability to overcome the political obstacles inherent in reducing spending on the country’s bloated civil service.

Yet as Maldives relies almost entirely on imported goods and fuel, and many ordinary citizens have found themselves harshly affected by short-term spike in prices of up to 20 percent as the rufiya settles.

“We do not really know, based on the breadth of the domestic economy, what the value of the Maldivian rufiyaa is right now,” Economic Development Minister Mahmoud Razee admitted at a recent press conference.

The government has said it hopes the rufiya will stabilise within three months.

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Opposition groups back national anti-piracy stance

Political opposition the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) have pledged to cooperate with the government in pursuing anti-piracy campaigns within the country’s waters, according to reports.

During a joint press conference held yesterday afternoon, Miadhu reported that both parties expressed concern about expanding activity from Somali pirates that they claim is getting closer to Maldivian shores.

Gasim Ibrahim, leader of the JP, claimed that piracy within Maldivian territorial waters represents a major threat to the nation and its lucrative tourism and fisheries sectors.

“There are many challenges to the tourism industry even now. Though it might be that the number of tourists has increased, the tourists come here with special discounts,” he said at the conference.  “Therefore, if the tourism industry is further undermined then the economy will be destabilised,”

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DRP Leader, Parliament Speaker dismiss bribery allegations

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid – also a DRP MP – have dismissed allegations republished in local media that they each accepted bribes of US$1 million from Indian infrastructure giant GMR to stall parliament sittings until the GMR-Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium took over management of Male’ International Airport.

Parliament Majority Leader Thasmeen dismissed the rumours as “a total fabrication” linked to opposing political agendas while Speaker Shahid said he had “never met [GMR officials] and never been offered anything.”

“These allegations originated in an internet site called the Dhivehi Post,” Thasmeen told Minivan News today. “If you go through it you can make a reasonable guess as to who they support.”

He added that the party’s opposition to the GMR airport deal had not changed as DRP signed an agreement with four opposition parties in parliament to oppose the leasing of the international airport.

Managing Director of GMR Male International Airport Limited P Sripathy described the claims as “totally false and baseless, and very disappointing and damaging to our reputation. We have never met any members of the opposition to date.”

“The GMR Group is in Male’ on serious business – to build a world class, benchmark airport that people of Male’ and the Group will be very proud of,” he added.

The rumours of the senior DRP officias  accepting bribes from GMR surfaced in the Dhivehi Post blog earlier this month, a website that routinely refers to President Mohamed Nasheed as “bipolar” and “ganjabo” (marijuana smoker).

The DRP, DQP, JP and PA formed an opposition coalition in June to protest against the airport deal, on nationalistic grounds. Deputy Leader of the DRP Umar Naseer told Minivan News on June 28 that ” if [the operators] allowed it, an Israel flight can come and stop over after bombing Arab countries.”

The government has alleged that opposition to the airport deal stems from the “vested interests” of certain MPs, several of whom it arrested following the resignation of cabinet on June 29 in protest against the “scorched earth politics” of the opposition-majority parliament.

The fuel trade is the most immediately lucrative part of the airport deal, Minivan News understands, and is a key reason behind both GMR’s interest and the government’s decision to award the contract to the Indian infrastructure giant. GMR has told Minivan News it will amalgamate the trade under one umbrella, a decision that will likely affect current third party suppliers.

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MDP might have to “take action” against VTV, warns Reeko Moosa

Parliamentary group leader for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has threatened “action” against Villa Television (VTV), a TV station owned by leader of the Jumhoory Party (JP) Leader and MP Gasim ‘Buruma’ Ibrahim.

Moosa alleged the channel “repeatedly misleads and broadcasts news in a way that smears respect for MDP, [in such a way] that MDP might have to take action against VTV.”

“Citizens of the Maldives have realized that VTV is not meeting the proper broadcasting standards due to their attempts to discredit MDP, the political party which introduced democracy to the Maldives,” claiming that there were “limitations” on freedom of expression.

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan said it was “typical” of Moosa to attack any media that “does not report the way he likes.”

“Previously when MDP was in the opposition he was against [state broadcaster] Television Maldives, and more than once he attacked the TVM building and its staff,’’ claimed Nihan. ‘’Now MDP is in power, Moosa is against VTV and DhiTV (a private television station).’’

Nihan said there was “only one action” Moosa could take.

‘’He can threaten the government and delay the issuing of a broadcasting license of VTV – I heard their license would expire very soon,’’ he said. “There is no such law that allows him to do that, but that is the only thing he can do.’’

He added that however Moosa attempted otherwise, it would be “impossible for him to bury the media.”

”The reason they hate VTV so much is that it has this TV programme that shows things President Nasheed vowed he would never do but did after coming to power, and some other things he had scheduled to do but failed to deliver on time,” Nihan claimed.

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Opposition coalition drafting bill on airport management

The opposition coalition against airport privatisation has announced the four opposition parties – including the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhoree Party (JP), People’s Alliance (PA) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) – will draft a bill governing “operations and rules” at  Male’ International Airport.

A statement issued by the coalition said the draft bill would be presented to parliament this week.

“We will not hesitate to take action against those who violated the law in leasing Male’ International Airport, a state asset, to [Indian infrastructure firm] GMR for 25 years,” said the statement.

“We assure the people of the Maldives that we stand steady and go forward on this issue.’’

The opposition parties – which strongly oppose the government’s decision to upgrade the airport under a 25 year management contract to the GMR-Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) consortium – have not yet revealed whether the bill will oppose the deal outright, or restrict its operations in some way.

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said the contents of the bill would be disclosed on conclusion of the drafting process, but said he believed the bill’s object “is not to utterly obstruct the leasing of the international airport.”

Leader of the DQP Dr Hassan Saeed refused to comment to Minivan News on the issue.

According to a report in Haveeru, the DQP’s Deputy Leader Dr Mohamed Jameel told the newspaper in a statement that the bill’s objective was to ensure the airport was “managed by the government or a [Maldivian] company assigned by the government. The aim is to prevent [the government] from giving the airport to a foreign party. The bill will specify everything very clearly,” he said.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said opposition coalition had proved they had vested interests concerned concerning the lease of the airport, and “have shown they are not working not in the interests of the nation, but rather their own self-interest.”

”When the first announced the proposal and published it locally and internationally, no person expressed concern or protested against it,” said Zuhair. ”Because the government did not receive [acceptable bids], the government requested proposals a second time, this time with the assistance of the World Bank.”

Opposition parties were silent throughout, he said, and expressed disapproval “only when the transaction had reached its final stages.”

Zuhair queried the coalition’s claims that leasing the airport compromised the country’s nationalism: “It is only the management of the Airport that we are handing over to GMR – the water company is operated the same way, and so far no one has complained about that. It just shows how insincere the opposition are being.”

The GMR-MAHB consortium will spend US$373 million upgrading the international airport after winning the controversial bid. Last week it held workshops with airport staff and stakeholders to determine what would be required.

Speaking at the opening of the cavernous Delhi Terminal 3, GMR Manager P Sri Pathi told Maldivian journalists that physical work would begin on the airport towards the end of this year.

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Opposition rally first step towards changing administration: Thasmeen

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Peoples Alliance party (PA), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and Jumhoory Party (JP) last night held a joint rally to deliver what they promised yesterday would be “a shocking message” to the government.

DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali told the assembled crowd that this was the first step of the opposition to change the administration.

“The government has recently on different occasions attempted to smear [the name of] independent institutions and commissions of the state,” said Thasmeen. “The government fist attempted to influence and smear the Civil Service Commission (CSC) first, then the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), now parliament and the judiciary as well.”

Thasmeen accused the government of attempting to retain power by “misusing” the armed forces.

“The government has attempted to threaten and hold the media captive,” he alleged, “and has been trying to influence the state media.”

PA leader Abdulla Yameen, who along with JP leader Gasim Ibrahim was recently released from house arrest by the Supreme Court following allegations of corruption and treason against the two high-profile businessmen, said the government had “sold everything the country owns except the national flag located in Jumhoory Maidhaan.”

“Recently we have witnessed the government trying to assassinate opposition leaders and hold the constitution in contempt,” Yameen alleged. “The president has threatened the opposition leaders and people of the country.”

Yamin said the Supreme Court’s ruling “proves the independence and fairness of the judiciary.”

Gasim meanwhile apologized to the people for his work bringing the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to administration.

“Without the sacrifices made by the JP and DQP, this government would not have been able to win the last presidential election. Every Maldivian will understand that,” said Gasim. “I thought President Nasheed would be a sincere man, but it turned out that it was all sour poison.”

Gasim also said that he did not wish to run for the presidency anymore.

“But when the government is trying to sell the assets of the nation, I cannot wait patiently,” he said.

DQP leader Dr Hassan Saeed, who represented Gasim in court, was not present at the rally but Deputy leader of DQP Dr Ahmed Jameel spoke on behalf of the party.

The crowd dispersed peacefully following the rally, making the event rather more more muted than the ‘Red Notice’ protests DRP recently led against rising electricity prices. Police presence was light and the absence of MNDF personnel suggested the government had revised its predictions of clashes following the conclusion of the World Cup.

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Police investigate leaked audio clips

The Maldives Police Services has begun investigating the leaked audio clips of suspected telephone call conversations believed to be the voices of Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, People’s Alliance party (PA) leader and MP Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and Jumhoory Party (JP) leader and MP Gasim ‘Buruma’ Ibrahim, confirmed Press Secretary for the President, Mohamed Zuhair.

On July 4, three recordings of discussions between MPs referring to other MPs and officials, including a plan to cease work on the tax bill in the parliament, appeared on the internet and scandalised the Maldivian media.

Zuhair said he met with police officers this morning and that police informed him the investigation was progressing.

“The audio clips also raise issues of threats against the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC),” Zuhair added.

A corruption case presented to parliament against former Auditor General Ibrahim Naeem was instrumental in ousting the AG in vote of no-confidence, days after he publicly demanded a financial audit of all current and former ministers.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police received the audio clips through the media and that they would be analysed and investigated.

“Police do not record the telephone conversations of people,” he claimed, but declined to provide further information.

Aishath Azima Shukoor, former Attorney General and a member of the legal team defending the detained MPs, noted that article 24 of the constitution promised “respect to personal communications” and that recording a personal telephone call was “unlawful according to the constitution, and that any evidence collected unlawfully cannot be presented to court as an evidence.”

“The audio clips would be inadmissible,” said Shukoor. “I do not believe that media can broadcast the audio clips either.”

Groups of pro-government demonstrators have been playing the clips through loudspeakers outside the court proceedings.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan recently told Minivan News that there was an MNDF officer who’s duty was to operate a telephone call recording machine.

“He records our telephone calls and handles it to (former) Defence minister Ameen Faisal,” said Nihan.

Dr Hassan Saeed, who is also a former Attorney General and member of the opposition leaders legal team, said he was busy and unable to comment to Minivan News at time of press.

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Airport opposition seeks injunction over GMR deal

The opposition parties campaigning against the awarding of Male’ International Airport on Monday took the issue to the civil court, requesting a court order delaying the implementation of the agreement signed between the government and the GMR-Malaysia Airport Holdings consortium.

The case was filed hours before President Mohamed Nasheed announced that his entire cabinet was resigning due to the “scorched earth” tactics of opposition MPs.

Spokesperson for the joint opposition committee, Imad Solih, said on Monday that the parties had sought an injunction against the agreement proceeding “because it contains suspicious [elements] and issues relating to corruption.”

”When the People’s Alliance (PA)  presented the issue to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) they replied that many of their members were away at the moment, and that they would investigate the case as soon as they return,” said Imad.

”That’s why we felt it might take some time, so we decided to request the court give out an order to hold the transaction till ACC finishes their investigation.”

Former Minister for Civil Aviation and Chairperson of Privatisation Committee Mahmood Razee said the agreement was an international agreement which “contained ways to deal with any kind of situation.”

”In the contract there are ways of responding to issues like these,” he suggested.

Secretary General of the PA, Ahmed Shareef, said there were “many issues of concern” which pointed to corruption in the deal.

”The GMR company was not a prequalified party in the bidding process, and neither was another of the companies that expressed interest,” said Shareef. ”There was no criteria for the bidders announced, and none of the bidders even knew the criteria.”

Shareef also accused the government of not consulting the Maldives Airports Company board members when making the deal.

”That is why some of the MACL board members resigned at the last minute,” Shareef said. “They did not agree with the deal. The government’s close relationship with GMR is one of the issues we presented to the ACC.”

He said these issued indicated that there were other concerning issues the party believed could potentially suggest corruption.

”The four opposition parties are against this deal,” he said. ”We will do anything that we could to stop this from happening.”

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