Tag: maldives news

Two dead in Addu City link road accident

Two men died yesterday after their motorcycle collided with a pickup on the link road of Addu City.

Police identified the deceased as Hussain Juman Ali, 18, and Ibrahim Aswad, 27, both from the Hithadhoo island of the southernmost atoll.

The accident occurred in the causeway linking Hithadhoo and Gan, police said. The 60-year-old driver of the pickup has since been taken into police custody.

Numerous accidents have occurred on the link road, including an incident involving the Afghan national football team’s bus during the recent AFC Challenge Cup. Many more have resulted in fatalities on the 14km causeway – the longest road in the country.

Likes(1)Dislikes(1)

President Yameen presents awards to winners of surf competition

President Abdulla Yameen attended the award ceremony of the ‘Maldives Open 2014’ surf championship yesterday at the Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi resort. ‎

While President Yameen presented ‎awards to the winners of the ‘Men’s Open’ category, Tourism Minister‎ Ahmed Adeeb presented awards for the winners of the ‘Men’s ‎Bodyboarding’ category.

Awards for the winners of the ‘Women’s ‎Shortboarding’ category were presented by the Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal.‎

Likes(1)Dislikes(0)

MNDF celebrates anniversary with variety show

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) celebrated its 122nd anniversary with a variety show titled ‘Sifa Ufaa’ at the Kalhuthukkala Koshi barracks in Malé.

The show was held for three nights starting from Thursday, September 4 with President Abdulla Yameen attending on Saturday night (September 6).

The show featured comedy sketches and music from the Cops band as well as drama and dance items.

On the final night, Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim launched a soundtrack album of a film called ‘Haadharu’ under production by the MNDF.

According to the military, the film would be about security threats such as the attempted coup on November 3, 1988.

Likes(1)Dislikes(0)

Bank of Ceylon to provide loans for reclaiming land in Hulhumalé

Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has decided to provide a lon of US$30 million to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to reclaim land in the island of Hulhumalé.

HDC Chairman Hassan Ziyath has told local media that the agreement on the matter will be signed within the week.

He revealed that the loan will be paid back within a five year period at an interest rate of 8 percent. The bank is also offering a grace period of two years.

Ziyath stated that physical work to reclaim land in Hulhumalé will commence in early October. The work has been contracted to Belgian company Dredging International.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Track area unsafe for swimming, warns EPA

The track area in Malé is unsuitable and unsafe for swimming, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has warned.

EPA Assistant Director Ibrahim Naeem told newspaper Haveeru yesterday that analysis of the seawater has revealed the presence of bacteria, waste, and oil.

Swimming in the track could cause skin diseases and infections, he warned, adding that the EPA has asked the relevant authorities to close the area for swimming.

He noted that school children also used the track, which is the only area in the capital available for swimming by the public apart from the artificial beach.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

“Hope Rilwan is found safe and sound”: Gayoom

Former President and leader of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has expressed his hope that missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla will be found “safe and sound”.

Speaking at a press conference held on Sunday on his return from a seminar in Samoa, Gayoom responded to media queries regarding Rilwan, believed to have been abducted 30 days ago.

“I believe the government is conducting a lot of work to find him. No government body has been negligent in this work. They are speedily conducting the investigation. God willing, this matter will be solved at the earliest, and he will be found safe and sound,” Gayoom stated.

“Our party is also looking into this matter very closely. Our party has even released a press statement expressing our deep concern on the matter. We said (in the statement) that we hope is found safe and sound,” Gayoom continued.

Meanwhile, Rilwan’s family and friends have approached all major political parties including ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoorere Party (JP) and main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) requesting meetings and cooperation in efforts to find the 28-year-old journalist.

While the group reports that they have met with the MDP and JP, who have both pledged to offer assistance, the PPM has so far failed to respond to the request.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Robbery at Gemanafushi petrol shed

The administrative offices of the ‘Unlimited Fuel’ petrol shed in the island of Gemanafushi in Gaafu Alif Atoll has been broken into, and over MVR25,000 (US$1,620) has been stolen from the scene.

Police have stated that they are investigating the matter, confirming that the case was reported to them at 8:10pm on Sunday.

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Missing journalist’s family concerned over slow progress in search

Missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla’s family has expressed concern over slow progress in the Maldives Police Service’s three-week long search.

The police released a statement on Thursday night claiming it had questioned 318 individuals, interrogated 111, searched 139 locations in Malé’s suburb island Hulhumalé and searched 267,197.5 square meters of ocean.

“These are just statistics. We want to find him. We want the police to tell us if they have leads, if there is progress,” Rilwan’s brother Moosa Rilwan told Minivan News today.

“We want to know what the results of these extensive searches are. It’s been a month, my family and I fear for his life,” Moosa said.

Rilwan was last seen boarding the Hulhumalé ferry on August 8 at 12:55am. Evidence gathered by Minivan News suggests Rilwan was abducted.

Abduction

Eyewitnesses told Minivan News they saw a man being forced into a car at knifepoint in front of Rilwan’s apartment building at the time he is expected to have reached his house. The abductors dropped the knife and eyewitnesses reported the incident to the police. Minivan News understands the police confiscated the knife from the scene.

The police have said they took in two cars and have conducted forensic tests. Samples have also been sent abroad for further tests. Meanwhile, four individuals’ passports have also been withheld in connection to the case.

According to Moosa, the police have so far refused to publicly comment on whether there is a connection between the abduction and Rilwan’s disappearance.

“If the incident is not connected to Rilwan’s disappearance, who was abducted? What did the police do on the night after the abduction was reported? Why have they taken in two cars in relation to Rilwan’s disappearance?” Moosa questioned.

“Why have the police withheld passports? Have they been questioned? Are the police not afraid these men may go into hiding in the country?”

The police’s statement raises more questions than answers, he added.

Extensive search

According to the police, a specialist crime command team consisting of police officers from the intelligence department, forensics department, marine police specialist operations and divisional operations are working around the clock on the case.

The team is analysing 719 hours of CCTV footage from 101 cameras at 48 locations along the route Rilwan is believed to have traveled in Malé on the night of his disappearance.

Police are also investigating 638,000 cellphone numbers that have hit cell towers along the same route, the statement said.

Some 18 vessels in Hulhumalé lagoon including Safari boats, all of the beach area and empty lots in Hulhumalé, eight houses in Malé’s, four locations and the waste dump in Malé’s second suburb island Villingili were also searched, the police said.

Rilwan’s family will continue to support the police in the search, Moosa said.

The Human Rights Commission has also released a statement noting that it had yet to be updated on the authorities’ attempts to locate the missing journalist, despite having made a request for information more than two weeks ago.

Pressure up

An Avaaz petition has been launched calling on the Maldives government to expedite the search to find Rilwan and to guarantee a safe environment for all journalists, human rights defenders and bloggers in the Maldives.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has tabled the case with the People’s Majlis Security Services or 241 committee.

Minivan News understands Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer, Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed and Minister of Defense and National Security Mohamed Nazim were summoned to the confidential committee hearing on Thursday.

Rilwan’s friends and family have also gathered 5000 signatures on a Majlis petition calling on the parliament to press for a thorough and speedy investigation.

The family has offered MVR200,000 (US$ 12,945) for any information on Riwlan’s whereabouts.

Maldives media have also called for a speedy investigation in a joint statement and have met with the Commissioner of Police, MPs from the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives and MDP, Prosecutor General and Majlis Speaker Abdulla Maseeh regarding the case.

International organisations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Project Journalists (CPJ) and the UNHCR, have expressed concern over Rilwan’s disappearance.

Likes(2)Dislikes(1)