Tag: maldives national defence force

MDP willing to discuss interim government with PPM: Nasheed

Former President Mohamed Nasheed announced the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) willingness to discuss enacting an interim government with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), which the party believes is essential for free and fair elections to occur.

The MDP has desired the establishment of an interim government since the controversial transfer of power of February 7, 2012 and is open to holding discussions with the PPM to establish a transitional government prior to September’s Presidential elections, Nasheed stated during a press conference held at the Mookai Hotel in Male’ today (May 16).

“If PPM wants to bring in an interim government, we are ready to hold discussions. MDP wants an interim government. We at MDP have always wanted an interim government. But we need support from other parties to do that in parliament. If PPM is so inclined, we are ready to hold discussions with PPM to achieve this,” Nasheed said.

“For free and fair elections [to take place], we are encouraged that PPM has pledged to stop Waheed from campaigning on state funds,” he added.

The MDP is continuing its call for the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI) recommendations to be implemented, with the supervision of the international community. Nasheed stated he was disappointed CoNI recommendations have yet to be enacted – especially regarding holding to account those who mutinied against the government and committed various brutal acts, including destroying the MDP’s headquarters.

Nasheed said that the MDP did not believe free and fair elections were possible with Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz and Defence Minister Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim in their current positions, and has asked they be “transferred” from their current posts.

He distinguished between ‘rank and file’ Police Service and Maldives National Defence Force (MDNF) and their leadership. Nasheed said action should be taken against the highest ranking officers for their role on February 7.

MDP Spokesperson Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News today that local media reports of Nasheed calling for Riyaz and Nazim to be “forcibly removed” are inaccurate, however the former President has called for their removal and transfer “as far away from their current positions as possible”.

“They are already enacting measures of intimidation under the guise of ‘coordination’ by requesting political parties give the name of a person to work with the police. The Elections Commission should be enacting such a policy, not the police. It’s very strange and highly suspicious,” said Zuhair.

Should PPM be of the same view that an interim government is necessary for credible elections to be held, MDP would work through the parliament to discuss with PPM, Zuhair explained.

“PPM’s President and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said their party would ‘go it alone’ and not form a coalition, because that would not allow policies to be implemented effectively. Then the natural next step [for the PPM] would be to gain parliamentary support from the only player able to give support, MDP,” said Zuhair.

PPM Spokesperson and MP Ahmed Nihan today rejected the likelihood of the government-aligned party working with the opposition MDP to remove President Waheed from office ahead of elections in September.

“I do not believe this is a possibility. If it was possible, we would have done this already I believe,” he said.

Nihan claimed that the PPM’s main concern at present was for free and fair elections to take place. However, he added that with the Commonwealth-backed CoNI concluding that President Waheed’s coalition government – which includes the PPM – had come to power legitimately, it would not back the MDP’s calls for the present administration to be removed.

Nihan added that, while continuing to support the present coalition government, many PPM supporters believed that the party presently represented one of only two political ideologies in the country. These philosophies he said were those of PPM founder former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and former President Nasheed and the MDP.

Nihan claimed that the majority of the country’s smaller parties, including those choosing to side with President Waheed in a pre-election coalition, were all rooted to former President Gayoom and his “political wisdom”.

“Strange bedfellows”

Nasheed also addressed the recent addition of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to the President Mohamed Hassan Manik’s coalition – which includes his Gaumee Ittihad Party (GIP) and the Adhaalath Party (AP) – and it’s incompatibility with a democratic presidential system of governance.

Nasheed expressed his happiness about Gayoom’s statement that coalitions do not work because they are not in line with a presidential governing system and are instead more reflective of a parliamentary system.

“I am very happy that President Gayoom – [who is] no doubt is the most experienced political leader [in the nation] – has been very clear about how inefficient for democratic policies the formation of coalitions are in a presidential system,” said Nasheed.

Nasheed noted that the Adhaalath Party and Sheiks’ extremist views will pose difficulties for the GIP-led coalition. Although the DRP are billing themselves as a moderate party, they will not establish the national ‘bastion of tolerance’ they claim to be purporting, Nasheed said.

The former President believes the coalition is a “hodgepodge” mix of ideologies, not politics and these “strange bedfellows” cannot achieve anything.

DRP disintegration

Nasheed stated that the alliance between GIP and DRP is only agreement between the two individual and not reflective of grassroots DRP supporters. He believes that DRP leader Thasmeen Ali and Waheed had no other choice and formed the coalition out of sheer necessity.

He also stated that the recent coalition has not produced a “third ideology” and that only two ideologies exist in the Maldives.

During door to door campaigning, the MDP has noticed that DRP grassroots support is disintegrating. They are either merging with PPM or joining MDP, according to MDP Press Director Mohamed Zuhair.

Additionally, Zuhair discussed the distinction President Nasheed made between other parties and MDP. He highlighted that MDP policies are formulated by consulting every household to asses the Maldivian people’s needs. This is followed by holding consultative seminars, with the feedback passed to the party’s ‘organs’ for discussion, then to policy committees, with the process culminating in an announcement.

“None of the other parties have this method,” said Zuhair.

“So far three policies have been announced, and the fourth – agrobusiness – will be announced tomorrow,” he continued.

“MDP is focusing on policy issues, having to ‘go out on the road’ and stage protests to ensure free and fair elections will change the entire dynamics of the campaign. We are hoping it doesn’t come to that,” said Zuhair.

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Fioyree Island suffers storm damage due to bad weather

Ongoing stormy weather in the Maldives has damaged another island in the south, Fiyoree, located in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll.

Fiyoree has suffered storm related damage, including flooding, fallen trees and roofs of some homes have been blown off by strong winds, reports local media.

Fiyoree Island Council President Mohamed Ahmed told local media that Sunday’s (May 12) bad weather had also destroyed yam crops planted in preparation for Ramadan and flooded parts of the island.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) is working to drain the flooded areas, including the yam farms.

Since 2009, Fiyoree has been visited by “several groups” conducting surveys on flood prevention in the yam-growing areas, which flood each time there is heavy rain, according to Ahmed. He expressed concern that despite four years of surveys, a drainage system has not yet been established on the island.

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Maritime surveillance system launched with US assistance

A maritime surveillance system to monitor and identify vessels operating within Maldivian territorial waters has been established with the assistance of the US government.

The surveillance system will be used to collect data from seven Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) installed along major Maldives shipping channels and is a commercial system consisting of shore based receivers and transponders.

US Ambassador for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Michele J Sison, spoke at the handover ceremony for the Maritime Surveillance System in Male’ on Thursday.

“As the Maldives seeks to become a greater contributor to maritime security in the region, these systems will increase their capabilities and open up even further opportunities for cooperation with its international and regional partners,” Ambassador Sison said.

The system will greatly enhance Maldives’ maritime domain awareness and increase its contribution to regional maritime safety and security, the US Embassy said in a statement.

“The AIS system provides data used to identify ships and their positions and allows for a common operational picture so that operators may view the information from all of the sensor sites,” the Embassy added.

During the launch ceremony Thursday (January 31) Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim called the system a “major boost to national security” and “the beginning of the many tasks ahead,” reports Haveeru.

Nazim also discussed the importance of “maintaining close ties” with India and Sri Lanka for the protection of Maldivian territorial waters and that the system will benefit neighboring countries in the Indian Ocean, according to local media.

The surveillance system will improve situational awareness by enabling the identification of and communications with vessels operating inside territorial waters, according to Head of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Communication Electronics Information Technology Service, Lieutenant Tholhath Hassan.

The seven strategic locations for the system include Villi-Male, Uligan Island in Haa Alif Atoll, Maafilaafushi Island in Kaafu Atoll, Kahdhoo Island in Laamu Atoll, Kaadehdhoo Island in Gaaf Alif Atoll, Gan Island in Seenu Atoll, as well as Fuvahmulah Island in Gnaviyani Atoll.

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MNDF launch basic diving course for international military personnel

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has initiated a basic diving program to be used by international military personnel, local media have reported.

Entitled ‘MNDF Coast Guard Basic Diving Course’, Defence Minister Colonel Mohamed Nazim told local media that the course is the first to be organised by the MNDF and used by foreign ministry personnel.

“The first course will include personnel from the Indian Coast Guard, Sri Lankan Navy, Nepalese Special Forces, and 12 personnel from MNDF. I believe that this course will be successful in every way, and that more countries will participate in the future,” Nazim was quoted as saying in Sun Online.

Lieutenant Mohamed Shareef of the MNDF coast guard told members of the press that the diving course will continue for a period of two months, during which participants will learn how to appropriately handle situations they may face underwater.

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Maldivian ship’s captain threatened with drowning over unpaid salaries: crew member

Indian crew members aboard a Maldivian cargo vessel docked in Dubai have threatened to drown the ship’s captain over unpaid salaries, fellow workers have alleged in local media.

Six of the Maldivian crew aboard the Waadhee Progress vessel, currently docked at a harbour in Dubai, claim to have been continuously threatened by Indian crew members for the past three months.

A crew member told the Sun Online news agency yesterday (January 4) that the foreign nationals working on the ship were unhappy with the situation as they had not been paid for an entire year.

The crew member further alleged that the foreign crew had threatened to drown the ship’s captain if the alleged issue of outstanding salaries were not paid by the end of today (January 5).

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that authorities were looking into the matter, but had received little information on the vessel’s situation at present.

A crew member working aboard the Waadhee Progress has told local media that due to the vessel’s current location, it was hard to clarify the exact situation on-board.

He further alleged that an assault between the foreign crew on a previous occasion had left a fellow employee with stab wounds.

“We also haven’t received our salaries for as long as [the foreign crew]. They are threatening us. They carry knives and iron bars. The last thing they said was that the captain will be drowned if the salaries are not paid by the end of tomorrow,” the Maldivian crew member claimed.

“We are scared, haven’t even been sleeping. The company has said that they have contacted the coast guard and the police and they are looking into it. But we are still in the same situation. We have, sort of, been hijacked.”

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Spokesperson Colonel Abdul Raheem said that the country’s coastguard had received no information regarding the incident at present.

“This matter will probably be taken up by the respective foreign ministries in Dubai and Maldives. I should imagine the Transport Ministry will also be looking into the matter,” Raheem told Minivan News.

The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) was not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press.

State Transport Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that he was still involved in “airport matters” when contacted today, and was unable to comment on the issue, forwarding Minivan News to other sources in the ministry.

Meanwhile, an official from Waadhee Shipping and Trading – the company who own Waadhee Progress – told local media that the company had been informed of the situation and were looking into it.

Minivan News was awaiting a response from the company at time of press.

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Opposition expresses concern at defence spending hike in 2013 budget

Additional reporting by Ahmed Naish.

Budget Review Committee Member and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed has revealed his party held “concerns” over the level of increased defence spending in the recently approved 2013 budget.

The 2013 state budget included a 14 percent increase to the 2012 defence budget that stood at MVR 797.9 million (US$51.7 million).

Amidst attempts to reduce the state’s budget deficit, MVR 130 million (US$8.6million) had been allocated to defence spending, bringing the total to MVR 930.9 million (US$60.3 million) for this year.

Authorities claim that the increased spending for the year is needed to cover additional duties such as the transfer of aviation security under the Ministry of Defence.

Through the budget review committee’s evaluation of the state budget, MP Nasheed claimed  that he and other members of the MDP had raised questions regarding the increase in the defence budget.

“While we understand national security is paramount, we did find the 14 percent increase to the defence budget a bit fishy,” he claimed. “We [MDP budget review committee members] raised questions regarding our concern over the increase, but unfortunately we do not have the majority on the committee.”

In order to reduce the budget deficit, the budget review committee made cuts of MVR 1.6 billion (US$103.7 million) to the MVR 16.9 billion (US$1 billion) state budget proposed by Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad. Parliament eventually passed an amended MVR 15.3 billion (US$992 million) state budget.

According to the Budget Review Committee report, the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) advised the committee to reduce total expenditure to MVR 15 billion and attempt to reduce public debt.

Despite the recommendations, Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim this week defended the MVR 130 million increase,  telling Minivan News that the money was needed to accommodate the newly established Aviation Security Command.  The operations have been put under the Ministry of Defence and National Security.

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik announced the establishment of the Aviation Security Command On Tuesday (January 1) in order to formulate aviation security policies and procedures.

Aside from undertaking new responsibilities under the Aviation Security Command, Defence Minister Nazim said additional improvements for Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) personnel welfare were also being sought.

“We are also looking to improve accommodation for MNDF personnel, and we will be looking to open an operating theatre and Intensive care unit in the military hospital,” said Nazim.

When asked as to why the military hospital needed to be expanded given the size of the MNDF, Nazim said that uniformed personnel waiting in line to receive treatment at the other two hospitals in Male’ wasted valuable service time.

“The hospital is not just utilised by the military, it is also used by the police force and immigration and customs officers,” he added.

When addressing the issue of increased defence spending within the budget, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP and budget review committee member Dr Abdulla Mausoom said that national security was an important consideration needing to be made.

“You are talking about national security, and now aviation security for a whole country. Yes the budget is more than reasonable. The DRP is under no influence from the government and this time we are not concerned over the increase in the defence budget,” Mausoom said.

New uniforms and new accommodation for MNDF

Speaking at a ceremony on Monday (December 31, 2012) to unveil new uniforms for naval officers, Defence Minister Nazim said that efforts were underway to arrange accommodation for more officers at MNDF centres.

“Equipment has been purchased to arrange accommodation for officers. After the repairs, more officers will get accommodation in the next three months,” Nazim was quoted as saying.

The new accommodation would be provided at the MNDF Bandaara Koshi and Kalhuthu’kala Koshi in Male’, Nazim said.

Nazim said that efforts were also being made to arrange for low cost medical treatment for MNDF officers and their families overseas.

Providing accommodation to MNDF officers was discontinued as part of cost-cutting measures implemented by the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

During last month’s budget debate, parliament’s Majority Leader, MDP MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, criticised the Finance Minister for failing to mention in his budget speech plans to hire 864 new police and army officers.

MP Solih, parliamentary group leader of the MDP (MDP), noted that the wage bill would shoot up 37 percent in 2013 compared to the previous year.

Echoing the concerns of the parliamentary group leader, MDP MP Eva Abdulla revealed that MVR 6 million (US$ 389105) was added to the budget of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) following the controversial transfer of presidential power on February 7.

Former President Nasheed has alleged that he was forced to resign from office under “duress” in the wake of a police mutiny on February 7. Eva raised concerns that the police and army have hired 250 and 350 new staff respectively under the new government.

Consequently, both institutions found to have spent more than MVR 75 million (US$4.8 million) in addition to the approved budgets for 2012, she claimed.

Eva observed that the increase in the government’s wage bill of 37 percent was approximately MVR1.7 billion (US$110 million), which was also the amount allocated for harbour construction in the 2013 budget.

These funds should instead be spent for “harbours, education, sewerage and housing,” she argued.

Defence budget breakdown

Of the MVR930.9 million assigned for the military, MVR 805.4 million (US$52.2 million) is to be spent on military defence and MVR 125.5 million (US$8.1 million) on civil defence, according to the defence budget proposal last month.

Moreover, defence expenditure under the Public Sector Investment Projects (PSIP) include MVR 3.1 million (US$201,000) for the construction of a troops accommodation building in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo and MVR 1.9 million (US$123,216) for a military barracks in Laamu Kadhdhoo.

Following the controversial transfer of presidential power in February, where sections of the police and military mutinied against the former government, an allowance of military personnel pending for more than two years was disbursed in a single payment by the Waheed administration.

Local media reported at the time that some officers had received over MVR6000 (US$390) in accrued allowances, although a total figure spent on the pay out, or how many officers received the allowances, was not stated.

MVR 1.1 billion has been budgeted to pay salaries and allowances for 7,108 personnel in the uniformed bodies.

The figure in the 2012 budget was MVR 999 million for 6,244 army and police officers.

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Audio of officer admitting to planting beer at MDP protest “edited”, claims MNDF

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has issued a statement challenging claims made by private broadcaster Raajje TV, which aired a voice recording of a MNDF officer stating that beer cans discovered during the police dismantling of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s protest camp had been planted by security services.

‘’We do not believe the audio is a voice recording of a MNDF officer that was in  the area that day,’’ the MNDF said in the statement. ‘’We believe that the voice has been edited.’’

MNDF said it condemned attempts to slander the MNDF.

In the voice recording released by Raajje TV, the MNDF officer admits taking beer cans to the area and keeping the beer cans inside a box in the area. He also says that the beer cans were cold when then they were taken to the area.

CEO of Raajje TV Abdulla Rafeeq told Minivan News that the voice recording was “100 percent valid” and “the voice of a member of the armed forces”.

‘’In our news we did not mention whether it was a MNDF officer or Police officer, we only said it was a member of the armed forces,’’ Rafeeq said. ‘’We did not edit the voice recording but we changed the voice to keep the source anonymous.’’

‘’There are other officers of the armed forces that have witnessed the incident,’’ he said. ‘’This officer that gave us the interview said he just could not ignore the matter knowing all this.’’

On March 19, Police and MNDF officers entered the MDP’s protest camp and demolished all evidence of it, taking down the podium, tents, yellow flags, and even repainting the seawall to remove anti-government slogans.

Media was initially ordered to leave the area, but was subsequently readmitted. Police then claimed to have discovered beer cans, homemade alcohol and condoms.

The MDP has since accused the police and MNDF officers of planting the items to discredit the MDP.

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Media accuses MNDF of abandoning Supreme Court guard duty

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has not confirmed whether a decision was made last night to withdraw MNDF officers providing security to Supreme Court and High Courts, following allegations in the local media today.

MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News that he had seen the media reports but was unable to confirm whether the claims were true.

‘’I have seen the media reports and tried to clarify the details of what happened,’’ Major Abdul Raheem said. ‘’But I have been unable to make sure it is true or incorrect.’’

State Defence Minister Muiz Adnan said he had no any information about the matter.

Judicial Services Commission (JSC) Chair and Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed refused to comment on the issue.

Local media reported that at 7:00pm last night MNDF officers watching over the outside gates of the Supreme Court left with the key to the gate.

Newspaper Haveeru reported that the keys were handed back to the Supreme Court last night and informed that they were taken by mistake.

This afternoon, the paper quoted an official of the JSC saying that MNDF officers had been watching the Supreme Court today.

“Around 10 people gathered outside the court and started shaking the east side gate. They left when the lock was broken,” the official told Haveeru.

Five hours after the MNDF officers left the court a group gathered outside the court and broke the lock of the court’s east gate, the paper reported.

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MNDF searching for army deserters

An undeclared number of servicemen have deserted the armed forces and are subject to penalty according to the Armed Forces Act. The servicemen are currently being searched for by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The search is being considered a special operation under the Armed Forces Act, reports Haveeru.

The decision to take action against servicemen who leave service without permission or warning was made last year by the Defence Ministry, which cited the Armed Forces Act as point of reference.

Article 32(b) states that a serviceman is deemed absent without leave where he fails to report for work for 14 days without authorisation, or where he fails to report to work or objects to report to work where an order is given in accordance with the Act by a superior in an emergency.

The act outlines penalties including arrest of various duration, fines, termination of service, institutional proceedings, and others outlined in subsequent regulations.


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