Tag: maldives news

US Islamic scholar Yasir Qadhi to visit Maldives

US Islamic scholar Yasir Qadhi has annnounced he will be visiting the Maldives, with the Islamic ministry confirming that he will be both lecturing and delivering the Friday sermon during March.

“I will be coming down to your beautiful islands in a few months insha Allah! I will be delivering some lectures in Male and giving the khutbah,” explained the Saudi-trained scholar via his Facebook page.

“I have heard so much about your country (and one of my good friends from the University of Madinah was from Maldives as well!),” he explained before inquiring which of the country’s islands was most suitable for Muslims.

Qadhi – currently teaching in Memphis, Tennessee – has been described by the New York Times as “one of the most influential conservative clerics in American Islam”.

Recent months have also seen Canadian scholar Dr Bilal Phillips and Turkish author Harun Yahya travel to the Indian Ocean archipelago to deliver religious lectures.

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Muslim World League to establish Islamic Centre in Hulhumalé

The Muslim World League (MWL) is to establish an Islamic centre in the Maldives, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has announced.

The Makkah-based NGO’s Deputy Secretary General Dr Adil bin Ali met with Shaheem today, with the minister telling local media that the Islamic Centre was to be based in Hulhumalé.

Haveeru reported that Shaheem had praised President Abdulla Yameen’s efforts to enhance ties with fellow Islamic states, calling the establishment of an MWL office in the country “a great achievement”.

The world league – founded in 1962 – currently operates centres in 21 countries throughout the world with the aim of “propagating the religion of Islam, elucidating its principles and tenets, refuting suspicious and false allegations made against the religion”.

The organisation currently has an office in the Islamic Centre in the Maldives capital, Malé.

Shaheem was reported as telling Haveeru that Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz had ordered Saudi institutions to work with the Maldives following his trip to the country earlier this year.

While the prince donated MVR18.4 million (US$ 1.2 million) to a mosque project with plans to build 10 mosques in the Maldives in October, a delegation of Saudi officials and businessmen visited the country last week to assess the means through which the kingdom can assist in developing the Maldivian economy.

“Maldives does not just want Islamic projects, but wants investment from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries,” said Shaheem during the visit.

After being invited by Shaheem in January, the Saudi Arabian Muslim Scholars Association agreed to provide a grant of MVR1.6 million to assist in the provision of Islamic education in the Maldives. The Yameen administration has pledged to enhance Islamic education during its term, introducing Arabic lessons in some schools this year.

Haveeru reported today the MWL deputy secretary general will meet with President Yameen during his visit, and will also give a lecture in Malé’s Islamic Center about lessons learnt from Prophet Mohamed’s life on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi – the festival of the birth of the Prophet.

In his message to mark the occasion today, President Yameen urged the people to emulate the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed tweeted a message saying “we must visit the teachings of Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) on discourse and respect for diversity in Islam”, while former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom said “we must rededicate ourselves to follow his sublime teachings”.


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Police Commissioner notes “huge decline” in crime in 2014

Police Commissioner Hussein Waheed has delivered a New Year message to the public, calling upon all Maldivians to work together to ensure the safety and peace of the community.

“The numerous and arduous work done by Officers of all ranks in the year 2014 has resulted in a huge decline in crime across the country. The Maldives Police Service firmly resolves to carry on with the noble work to make this year as productive and as rewarding.”

“The Maldives Police Service stands ready to safeguard the people of the Maldives and their interests, to uphold the law and taking steps to prevent youth from getting involved in crime,” continued the message.

While President Abdulla Yameen has claimed his administration has brought peace to all parts of the country, which had been riven by political turmoil, the opposition has accused the government of failing to protect citizens.

Although police statistics appear to reveal a drop in all reported instances of serious crime, 2014 saw a series of high-profile crimes including the murder of five individuals, four of which came as a result of gang violence in the capital Malé.

Additionally, a number of politically motivated abductions remain unresolved by authorities, while Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan has been missing – believed abducted – since August 8.

“The youth of the nation should be determined to work even harder to build a better nation for their future, as well as the community as a whole. They should strive to avoid crime and criminal behavior and see it as their civic responsibility,” said Police Commissioner Waheed.

2014 saw the introduction of a number of ‘Blues for Youth’ camps held across the country by the police, with the aim of broadening the role of youth in national activities, preparing them for the job market, and facilitating opportunities to strengthen assertiveness.

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Fisheries Ministry to set up stricter fines for turtle hunting

The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has revealed today that it is working on setting up stricter fines of up to MVR10 million (US$650,000) for the illegal capture of turtles and tortoises.

Senior research officer Adam Ziyad told Haveeru that the regulation would allow the ministry to penalise offenders who illegally capture turtles and tortoises, adding that the regulation had been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for legal advice.

The government’s response came after local environmental NGOs Ecocare and Bluepeace condemned images circulating on social media showing a turtle being cut in half, demanding an immediate response.

Also speaking at the press conference today, Director Hussein Sinan said that current procedures required the police to file the cases as criminal offenses, leading to a court case which often does not yield results due to difficulties in obtaining testimony from offenders.

However, with the new regulation in place, the fisheries ministry would have the authority to punish the offenders.

Speaking to Minivan News yesterday, Bluepeace Executive Director Ali Rilwan said that the main obstruction to preventing such instances was poor coordination between the ministry of fisheries and the Environmental Protection Agency – a regulatory body under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

According to the existing fisheries regulations, the “catching, fishing, collecting or killing” of sea turtles is illegal throughout the country. The collection of sea turtles and eggs is also illegal, but only in 14 of the country’s 1,192 islands.

Source: Haveeru

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Foreigners barred from cashier jobs as President promises work for Maldivians

Economic development minister Mohamed Saeed has told local media that it will be illegal to hire expatriate workers as cashiers from April 2015.

“A large percentage of the Maldivian youth is unemployed and looking for employment,” Saeed told Haveeru. “All they need is support and guidance”.

Saeed’s announcement closely follows comments made by President Abdulla Yameen yesterday noting that new economic opportunities were being created for Maldivians, not foreign workers.

“This is not to say anything of disrespect to any neighboring or foreign countries,” said the president. “But these jobs are created by the Maldives. Be it in the tourism industry, from hotel industry work to refrigerator work, these jobs are not created for foreigners, but for the Maldivian Youth.”

Yameen’s comments came during the graduation ceremony of the ‘Dhasvaaru 2014’ vocational training programme yesterday evening (December 30).

“The government’s current policy for strengthening the economy is working towards the theme ‘Maldivian work for Maldivians’. The economy is creating jobs, the economy is filling those jobs with Maldivians. This will result in a sound economy,” said the president.

Youth employment has been a major focus of the Yameen administration, which has pledged to create 94,000 new jobs during its five year term.

Economic development minister Saeed is reported to have told Haveeru today that authorities will stop issuing quotas to foreign workers for work as cashiers, after having received a number of complaints.

During yesterday evening’s ceremony, President Yameen reminded the graduates that their job security entirely depended on their work ethic, enthusiasm, and competence – noting that these qualities must be self taught.

“Even if you know how to do the work very well, even if you are very skilled, you will still have to develop proper work ethics on your own.”

Local youth-led NGO Democracy House states unemployment among the youth (aged 15-24) may be as high as 43 percent.

Youth employment

A recent Democracy House publication, however, highlighted a “disconnect” between the current school curriculum and life skills, noting that many were “not able to handle adult responsibilities after we leave school.”

While the government has established a youth unemployment register with 13,000 individuals, youth minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal has reported receiving complaints from businesses about individuals failing to attend interviews and quitting jobs within a few weeks.

Earlier this month, Maldives Airports Company Ltd head Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem told a Majlis committee that difficulties with local staff had resulted in a dependence on foreign employees, and even military assistance, to keep the international airport running.

After being summoned to the government oversight committee regarding the company’s failure to replace foreign staff with local employees, Saleem informed MPs that 500 employees were currently on leave.

“We loaded and unloaded cargo three times with assistance of army personnel. I don’t think any of you know this. Our employee attendance is low. The process of letting go an employee, so complicated. The foreigners are there to bridge all this,” explained Saleem.

Shortly after his appointment as home minister late last year, Umar Naseer mooted the idea of national service for the country’s youth in order to instill discipline, as well as suggesting that many jobs carried out by foreign workers could be done by locals.

“There is no task too menial or lowly for a Maldivian,” said Naseer at the launch of a ‘Blues for Youth’ camp – organised by the police with the aim of preparing adolescents for the job market.

“None of the work currently being conducted by foreigners in this country is either lowly or dirty work. It is not something that we Maldivians cannot do,” said the home minister.

The 2014 census showed the expatriate population to be 58,683, although Minister of Defence Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim – who also heads the immigration department – has said the real figure is more likely to be double this amount.

As part of the government’s drive to reduce undocumented workers in the Maldives, Nazim’s department has deported or repatriated 7,962 undocumented foreign workers so far this year under a voluntary departure programme.


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“There is no task too menial or lowly for a Maldivian”, says Home Minister

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Police arrests 18 foreigners for gambling

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has arrested 18 foreigners found gambling in Malé.

A police statement said a court warrant was obtained before the arrests were made from a house in the Maafannu ward in Malé. All of those arrested were Bangladeshi nationals.

The MPS said that large sums of money were discovered after searching the house and that the case is now being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department.

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Police urge citizens to be wary of rising cyber-crime and fraud

The Maldives Police Services (MPS) has urged all citizens to be wary of cyber-crimes and the increasing prevalence of money-grabbing scams.

Speaking at a press conference today, MPS Drug Enforcement Department head Superintendent Ahmed Shifan said that cyber-crime has become an “emerging and trending” issue, with a separate police unit tasked with dealing with the problem.

Local media reported yesterday (December 30) that the Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem was claiming his official twitter account had been hacked and that all tweets posted after 11pm on December 29 were not posted by him.

Shaheem’s account showed one post after 11pm which reiterated his previously expressed discontent towards the Tourist Arrival Countdown Show which, at the time, was to feature Jamaican dancehall artist Sean Paul.

Sean Paul has since cancelled his appearance in the show, citing security concerns after a death threat appeared on Youtube last week. Religious religious groups within the country also called for the performance to be stopped.

In a press statement released today, the police also urged citizens to be more vigilant towards scams and embezzlement.

While revealing that two or three such cases are filed every week, the statement also said that such cases were difficult to proceed with because such criminals are often hard to trace.

The statement said that some of the most commonly reported cases were those where customers put in more money than was paid when getting mobile phone reload or ‘raastas’ services, and when scammers promised to provide gifts for money.

Police requested that people not hand money to anyone communicating through unknown phone numbers or individuals who promise monetary profits in return. They also urged shop keepers to dial in mobile phones of customers themselves.

People were asked to report any suspicious requests and to carry out monetary transactions more carefully.

Statistics provided by the police show that 374 embezzlement cases have been reported this year, compared to 391 in 2013.


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Former President Maumoon “saddened” over Judge Shujoon’s resignation

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has expressed sadness over the resignation of Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon.

A tweet posted yesterday by the former president read that he was “saddened by the resignation of Judged Aishath Shujoon one of the first two women judges I had pleasure of appointing in 2007”.

Haveeru reported Shujoon gave her letter of resignation to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Monday (December 29).

Shujoon, a founding member of Maldivian Democracy Network, was recently re-elected to UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment.

Earlier this month, the seven member Civil Court bench condemned the removal of two Supreme Court Judges, including the chief justice, saying the JSC was “forced” to deem the two judges unfit for the bench through an “unconstitutional” amendment to the Judicature Act.

A subsequent case challenging the decision was removed from the Civil Court’s jurisdiction by the Supreme Court.

In February, JSC launched an investigation into Shujoon after she announced on state television that she was once offered a US$5 million bribe, which she refused.

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Police prepare for ‘Tourist Arrival Countdown Show’ as revised lineup announced

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) have said today that it is prepared for any event which might unfold at the ‘Tourist Arrival Countdown’ show held in Malé tonight.

Central Operations Command’s Deputy Head Superintendent Abdulla Shareef said that all security measures for the New Year’s Eve show held at the National Stadium have been arranged.

“All roads surrounding the National Stadium and leading up to it will be blocked for vehicle entry from 6.30pm tonight. We request all individuals wishing to watch the show to walk to the National Stadium,” said Shareef.

Shareef’s statements comes after Jamaican dancehall artist Sean Paul cancelled his scheduled appearance at the show, citing security concerns.

Tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb has today announced that the show will now feature Indian artists Salim and Sulaiman Merchant.

Sean Paul’s cancellation followed the posting of an online death threat against the singer last week, as well as calls from religious groups within the country to stop the performance.

“Unfortunately, the world has reached a point where cyber threats must affect real life decisions,” read a message posted on the artists official Facebook page yesterday (December 30).

Meanwhile, MPS confirmed today reports on local media that the service had searched a house and questioned an individual in connection to the video after obtaining a warrant yesterday.

Tourism minister Adeeb told Minivan News yesterday (December 30) that Sean Paul had decided to continue with the concert before pressure in Jamaica caused him to make the last minute decision to cancel.

The singer’s decision had come despite assurances from the President’s Office and the security services that the posted threat was a hoax.

Adeeb revealed on his twitter account today that the show will now include performances by Indian artists Salim and Sulaiman Merchant who arrived in the Maldives this morning.

The brothers – who perform under the name ‘Salim-Sulaiman’ – have produced music for several Bollywood hit films and come from a Muslim family in Gujarat.

Also speaking at the police press conference today, Drug Enforcement Department’s head Superintendent Ahmed Shifan said the police will not allow “illegal new year parties, especially those with illegal narcotics” to take place.

Shifan revealed today that the police arrested a 29-year-old man with 140 bullets of heroin while a 35-year-old Maldivian arriving from Sri Lanka was arrested with 30 “pieces of narcotics” which he had swallowed.

The past week has seen a large amount of alcohol confiscated in the Malé area, with police reporting seven individuals taken into custody within the last 48 hours after having being found in possession of alcohol on Hulhumalé.

Last weekend police confiscated 70 bottles of liquor and 70 cans of beer with a street value of MVR200,000 (US12,970) from Faamudheyrige in Maafannu ward in Malé.

Shifan had claimed that it was foreigners who are mainly active in Malé’s black market trade in alcohol, but said they received help from Maldivians, resulting in the confiscation of at least 400 containers of alcohol since December 1.


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