Tag: maldives

Pension reform bill defeated in Majlis

A bill proposing to reduce the eligible age for the Basic Pension was defeated yesterday in the People’s Majlis.

The amendment to the 2009 Pension Act would have brought the age at which Maldivians could receive the state pension down to 60 from 65 years of age.

Yoosuf Naseem, the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) MP for Felidhoo constituency, first introduced the bill last year. Yoosuf informed Minivan News that the bill was defeated by 38 votes to 27.

The current state pension is Rf2300 (US$149) a month. The country’s demographics suggested that the changes to the system could have added Rf138million (US$8.9million) to the governments financial obligations.

The government is forecast to be Rf9.1 billion (US$590million) over budget this year.

The bill had been criticised by the Capital Market Development Authority (CMDA), the pension industry’s regulator, as potentially damaging the country.

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Three police and an MNDF officer arrested for robbing expatriate workers

Police have arrested three police officers and a Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) officer after they allegedly robbed a large amount of cash from expatriate workers in a house near the State Bank of India (SBI) in Male’s Heniveru ward.

Newspaper Haveeru reported that one police officer was a member of the police investigations team, while another was a Special Operations (SO) officer.

Haveeru reported that the men entered the house and attacked and threatened the expatriate workers on Friday night around 9:00pm.

Two of the police officers were in uniform during the incident, according to Haveeru.

The paper reported that two police officers met one of the expatriates on the road and robbed him of his mobile phone, before heading towards the house the workers were living in.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today confirmed to Minivan News that a robbery was reported to police on Friday night.

Haneef said he could not confirm whether police officers and a MNDF officer were involved in the robbery.

‘’There were Maldivians involved in it,’’ he said, adding that this was all the information that he could share regarding the case at the moment.

Online newspaper Manadhoolive has also reported the same incident.

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Bangladeshi prostitution ring busted in Male’

Police have arrested five Bangladeshi men and three Bangladeshi women in a crackdown on a Bangladeshi prostitution ring.

The five were arrested last night after raiding Mahchangolhi Rauha house, a place allegedly used for prostitution.

Police conducted a special operation on Monday night and entered the house with a court warrant. There were four rooms in the house and police saw illegal sexual activities carried out in three of the four rooms when they attended the scene, police said.

According to police, officers discovered items used for sexual activities and lots of foreign and Maldivian currency.

Police said the investigation into the case had revealed that the money was obtained through prostitution.

Furthermore, police advised landlords to find out who the tenants were before renting out their houses.

In April this year, police arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals over alleged involvement in a prostitution ring on premises suspected of operating as brothels.

The suspects – four female and three male – were apprehended during raids by police officers inside Ranfaunu house, based in the Mahchangolhi ward of Male’ on 9 April.

Last October, a prostitution ring that had trafficked Sri Lankan girls to Maldivian resorts via Male’ for the past six years was busted by Sri Lankan police, and is now being investigated by local authorities.

Last Saturday police arrested four Thai women and one Maldivian man for involvement in illegal sexual activities inside a beauty salon in Male’.

In May, two people were arrested at the “New Age” beauty salon for sexual misconduct.

In April police arrested two Thai women and two local men on prostitution charges after raiding a Male’-based business called ‘Maldivian Care’.

In March police arrested five Thai nationals and three male Maldivians inside ‘Herbal Beauty Salon’, located on the second floor of Maafannu Sherrif.

Lots of beauty salons in Male’ have been closed on prostitution charges after the new government came to power.

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MDP national council pass motion to “do whatever it takes to bring down coup regime”

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) National Council passed a motion on Monday agreeing to “do everything it takes” to bring down the “coup regime” of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, by “all necessary means and sacrifices”.

The motion was proposed by the former chairperson of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), MDP constituency president of Haa Dhaal Nolhivaram constituency Ibrahim Waheed, and seconded by MDP MP Ahmed Sameer.

The motion stated that the initial three member panel of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI), which President Waheed formed to investigate the controversial transfer of power on February 7, had failed to include several “key facts” in its timeline. Despite the absence of these facts, the timeline revealed the transfer was a coup d’état, the MDP stated.

It also stated that the report composed by Mohamed Aslam and Ameen Faisal revealed that the government of MDP was toppled illegitimately, and alleged that the perpetrators of the coup had planned to harm President Nasheed.

The motion further stated that current President Mohamed Waheed Hassan had played a pivotal role in the coup, self-proclaiming certain powers which President Nasheed had not delegated to him as per article 117 (a) of the constitution.

The motion concluded stating that the National Council believed that necessary action needed to be taken to bring down the illegitimate government by all means and any sacrifices needed in the process, until a legitimate people’s government was installed in the country.

During the debate over the motion, several members of the national council claimed that President Waheed had come to power in a coup d’état, and the party should do whatever it took to bring down the regime and install a democratic  government.

Members of the national council expressed concern over recurrent  police brutality, and claimed that this had increased to such an extent that some police and MNDF officers had begun openly robbing people on the street.

Speaking in the debate, ousted President Mohamed Nasheed said that despite the MDP refusing to recognise the initial composition of the CNI, the latest timeline released by the initial three member panel of CNI also implied that it was a coup.

Former MP for Thimarafushi Constituency, Mohamed Musthafa, said during the debate that the party must be willing to make sacrifices to ensure that the “legitimate” MDP government was reinstated, and the democracy was  reestablished.

“Coming out on the street once a week to show our hands and dance about and then go home is not a solution. We need a solution by any means possible,” he said.

He further said that the MDP should not be scared if sacrifice also meant going to prison.

During the vote for the motion, the motion was passed unanimously by the 55 attending members of the National Council.

Earlier, fresh protests erupted following a MDP National Council meeting held right next to the police barricades near the swimming tracks after police raided the MDP’s protest camp Usfasgandu. The clustered meeting of 43 members of the council took the stand that “enough was enough” and that party should take to the streets to get their constitutional rights.

Immediately, 400 protesters gathered in the area to challenge the legitimacy of police and demand the return of Usfasgandu, saying that they had not done anything violent. The protests triggered a brutal police crackdown leading to arrests and injuries.

Speaking to Minivan News, MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said that the purpose of the motion meant that the party would stand firm and strong to defend the public rights.

“The National Council’s decision will be forwarded to a committee within the National Council, and they would decide how the party would act upon the motion. What I know is that we will stand strong to defend the public rights,” he said.

He also added that it was a part of party’s ongoing rally under the name of ‘Insaafuge Dhathuru’, translated as Journey to Justice, which began on February 17, just ten days after the MDP government was ousted.

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Maldives promotes Islamic tourism

The Maldives is pitching itself to the Islamic tourism market following a surge of interest in the destination from the Middle East region this year.

The Maldives registered a 77.8 percent increase in tourist arrivals from the region in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period last year, while traditional markets, including the UK and Italy, recorded steep declines.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and head of the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC), Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, highlighted the appeal of the Maldives as a destination for Islamic travellers during the recent World Islamic Tourism Mart (WITM) in Malaysia.

The event was held simultaneously alongside the Malaysia International Tourism Exchange (MITE) 2012, and the international conference on Muslim Tourism (InCoMTHU).

The MMPRC noted that during the conference, Jamal gave a presentation entitled ‘Maldives: A Perfect Destination for Muslim Travellers’.

“The Maldives is a perfect destination for these travellers as all the food items in the resorts are halal, apart from the pork and alcohol, and all the islands have mosques,” Jamal told Minivan News.

Alongside the Middle East, the MMPRC had identified Malaysia as a key emerging market, he said, with growth of 18 percent from January to May 2012, compared to the same period last year.

“Thirty percent of Malaysia’s population are Chinese and they are quite well off,” he noted, explaining that the existing adaptation of the resorts to accommodate the surge in Chinese
market growth would also attract guests from Malaysia.

A key appeal of the destination to the market was the isolation and privacy offered by resorts in the Maldives, Jamal explained.

“One of the unique things about rooms in the Maldives is that you can go seven days without seeing anybody,” he said. “Many resorts have rooms with private spas and pools – privacy one of the key market factors.”

One of the key drivers of the Middle Eastern market in the Maldives was increased investment from the region, he observed, particularly with the opening of properties such as Jumeriah.

“We’ve found that one of the best ways of building an emerging market is to get investment from that market,” Jamal said, explaining that this was also key to the early development of the Japanese market in the Maldives.

The introduction of Sharia-compliant tourism to the country, with the opening of a Lootah property expected in 2013, would build the appeal of the destination, Jamal said.

“There’s not much difference,” he explained. “One little thing might be that the prayer direction is indicated in the room, and designed so that people can pray inside. It’s a niche segment, and the Maldives is the perfect place to develop it as it has an open economy – just look at the blonde island.”

Tapping into emerging destinations was key to reaching the country’s goal of one million tourists in 2012, Jamal said, offsetting the decline in markets such as Italy, Spain and France due to the economic decline in Europe.

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MNDF to take action against officers found to have “violated laws” on Feb 7: Defence Minister

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers who are found to have violated the laws and regulation during the events leading to the controversial transfer of powers on February 7, will face disciplinary action, Defence Minister Ahmed Nazim has said.

Hours before former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation on February 7, uniformed police and 60-70 officers from the MNDF were seen by reporters and recorded siding with opposition protesters, and attacking the MNDF headquarters.

Video footage also shows rogue police, military officers and civilians, armed with stones and wooden sticks storming the state broadcaster’s compound prior to Nasheed’s resignation, using a firearm or some kind of explosive to break down the gates – later claimed to be a riot gun, in the former Commission of National Inquiry (CNI’s) preemptive report.

Nasheed’s party accuses police and MNDF officers of taking bribes from the then- opposition to oust Nasheed from power in a premeditated coup d’état, and have continued to vociferously challenge the legitimacy of the new coalition government of Dr Mohamed Waheed.

Both police and MNDF have meanwhile dismissed the allegations and refrained from commenting on their role in the alleged coup until the CNI completes its investigation into the February 7 events.

Disciplinary action

However, at a press conference on Sunday morning, Defense Minister confirmed an “internal inquiry” was conducted within MNDF to find information on February 7 events.

“I believed it is of great importance to find information about why the sequence of events which occurred inside MNDF took place – Because then only we can correct anything that has to be corrected based on the findings.” Nazim observed.

He noted final report complied following the internal inquiry is with him and it will not be made public as it is an internal matter and it may “influence” the CNI’s ongoing investigation.

When Minivan News asked whether any actions are to be taken against MNDF officers who were found to have violated the law on February 7 during the inquiry, Nazim responded: “Necessary disciplinary measures will be taken by us for any action committed by MNDF personnel, found to have violated the laws and regulations of the  MNDF.”

However, so far, no such measures have been taken.

“We have an internal disciplinary committee. The committee will discuss and provide me with the steps that can be taken. Further action will proceed based on the recommendations,” said Nazim, who himself is facing accusations of being at the centre of organising the alleged coup.

Defense Minister Nazim’s involvement

Nazim today acknowledged that he is a “target” of allegations and repeated that he did not wish to further comment on the subject until the CNI concludes investigation.

However he continued to lambast the MDP’s report, calling it “an imaginary story”.

Recalling his victory in the civil suit filed against MDP government after he was sacked from the military, Nazim further encouraged officers – whose names and pictures have been published in the report – to file defamation suits against the MDP.

In a recently published MDP report on the February 7 events, ex-colonel Mohamed Nazim and ex-deputy commissioner Abdulla Riyaz (now Commissioner of police) have been accused of recruiting police and army officers to join the opposition’s protest.

Meanwhile, the  timeline released by the government’s three-member Inquiry Commission also states that between 8:00am to 9:00am “some of the military who had come out of the building [MNDF head quarters] joined with the police, who were calling for the president’s resignation outside the headquarters at the time.”

The report further says that it was Nazim and Riyaz who entered MNDF headquarters as the violence escalated outside, and proposed Nasheed “should resign without any condition”.

“We told them these are non-negotiable conditions. These are not things up for further discussion. We assure the beloved Maldivians, military and police who are with us that, God willing, these things will happen this way by the deadline we have set for 1:30 today.” Nazim publicly announced on the morning of February 7, after coming out of the headquaters.

Asked on what grounds and on whose command he made a non-negotiable condition for Nasheed’s resignation, he commented: “The message I gave represented the sentiments of people outside. I gave their message on what they wanted.”

As some military officers were also seen outside with police and opposition protestors, Minivan News asked whether the message to unconditionally resign represented what that military officers wanted.

Nazim however replied, “We will know that after the investigation. We cannot blame any specific person.”

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Dr Didi sole candidate for JP presidency

The Jumhoree Party (JP) have announced that Dr Ibrahim Didi is the only candidate running for its newly-created position of party President, reports Haveeru.

Dr Didi joined the party earlier this month following his removal as President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) at the end of April.

Didi, alongside Alhan Fahmy, the MDP’s Vice President, was removed from his position after 95 percent of the party’s National Council voted in support of no-confidence motions against the pair.

Shortly before the pair switched parties it had been rumoured that Didi and Fahmy would insist on retaining their previous titles, requiring an amendment to the JP’s regulations.

The party has also been taking applications for the posts of Vice President, Secretary General, and Policy Secretary, reported Haveeru, although it did not list Alham Fahmy amongst the applicants for the Vice Presidency.

Hassan Shah, another recent arrival from the MDP, where he served as Secretary General, was said to have applied for the same position with the JP.

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DRP deputy leader interprets CNI timeline as evidence of “evil and dangerous plan”

Deputy Leader of the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) Ibrahim Shareef yesterday accused former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed of planning to murder members of the December 23 coalition during the unrest that led to Nasheed’s resignation in February.

“President Nasheed’s evil and dangerous plan has now been revealed to the people,” Shareef has been reported as saying.

MDP International Spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor called the claims “outrageous” and “irresponsible politics”.

Speaking at a coalition press conference at the Nalahiya hotel, Shareef said it was the presence of the police during the night of February 6 that thwarted the aims of those hired by Nasheed to kill members of the coalition.

The group, named after the December 23 protests, purportedly held to defend Islam against the policies of the Nasheed government, consists of former opposition parties and religious NGOs.

Shareef’s accusations appear to refer to the period during the night of February 6 when December 23 coalition and MDP supporters faced off at the artificial beach area with only a police line to separate them.

Shareef was unavailable for comment at the time of press.

A timeline chronicling the events that led to Nasheed’s eventual resignation on February 7 was released by the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) last week. The timeline was translated by Azra Naseem.

The CNI has recently been reformed following widespread concern over its impartiality and independence.

President Waheed announced that the reforms, which include the introduction of a Singaporean judge to act as co-chair and the inclusion of a Nasheed nominee, Ahmed ‘Gahaa’ Saeed, would be completed by June 15.

Despite the impending resumption of the CNI’s work, the commission’s original members decided to release a report based on their investigations so far.

This report claims that both the Home Minister at the time, Hassan Afeef, and then Nasheed himself ordered the Police Commissioner to remove the police from the area (sections 29 and 32 of the report).

The timeline went on to say that officers on the ground told both Afeef, who then told Nasheed that the “atmosphere was not good” (section 30).

Nasheed is then said to have repeated his request to remove police from the artificial beach area on the night of February 6 (points 34 and 40). This request was refused by officers in the area who insisted that they be replaced by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) (point 38).

The replacement MNDF forces were then asked to step down, according to the report, before violence erupted between the opposing protesters (points46 and 48).

Shareef suggested that these points prove Nasheed’s intentions.

“I’ve said this because Nasheed did plan to murder the members of the December 23 coalition. He hired people to carry out the murder and then ordered the Police to fall back,” Shareef is said to have told the press.

Shareef also alleged that Nasheed had planned to create conflict between the police and the MNDF in order to instigate bloodshed that would result in foreign interference in the Maldives’ internal affairs.

The CNI report provided little detail regarding this accusation, stating only that the leader of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), Dr Hassan Saeed, had received reports that the Indian Military were preparing to intervene.

“Deputy leader of the Qaumee Party announced to the public at the Republic Square that Dr Hassan Saeed had received assurances from the Indian High Commission that Indian military will not be coming to the Maldives,” read the report.

Ghafoor said that Shareef’s claims were completely without evidence.

“He should have been more careful and directed his accusations to a serious and credible report,” he said.

“We must remember that Shareef likes to get attention – nobody takes him seriously,” added Ghafoor.

The MDP released the report of its own investigations into the events on Saturday. Prior to its reformation, the MDP had refused to work with the CNI.

The MDP’s version of events had claimed that opposition figures were had plotted the overthrow of the government with the help of a police and army officer protest from as early as September last year.

The report claimed that coup conspirators then engaged in concerted efforts to cultivate an atmosphere of unrest and to conscript willing agitators from within the security forces.

The report names numerous figures within the security forces, including current Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim and Police Commissioner Abdullah Riyaz.

Government Spokesman Abbas Adil Riza described the release of the report as “terrorism” whilst the MNDF today threatened legal action against “those who make false claims about the Maldivian military, issue reports, and act in ways that causes loss of public confidence in this institution.”

Meanwhile the MDP have interpreted the CNI timeline as indicating that there had been a coup and that President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan should therefore resign.

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Two arrested in connection with the stabbing of Bangladeshi man

Police have arrested two Maldivian men who were allegedly involved in the stabbing of a Bangladeshi man last night at about 12:30am, while he was near Personal Computers, a computer shop in the Maafanu ward of Male’.

The names and identity of the pair arrested were not disclosed to the media but police said one man was 18 and the other was 19 years-old.

Police said they have confiscated the sharp weapon the assailants used near Maafannu Vakkaru house, with blood on it.

According to police the Bangladeshi man was stabbed in the neck from behind, and he was taken to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for treatment.

A statement police issued today said that the man’s condition was improving.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today told Minivan News that police have information that four persons were involved in the attack on the Bangladeshi man.

‘’We are searching for the other two involved,’’ Haneef said. ‘’We are not very clear on the motive behind the attack.’’

The stabbing is the latest in a wave of similar incidents across Male’, some of which have proven fatal.

Early last week, prominent Maldivian blogger and journalist Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed was left in a critical condition after his throat was slashed outside his house in Male’. A Bangladeshi man was also stabbed the same evening and suffered minor injuries.

On May 30, the dead body of 16 year-old Mohamed Arham was discovered by police inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhirasathul Islamiyya.

On May 31, 65 year-old Hassan Abubakur was found murdered inside his own house on the island of Maafaru in Noonu Atoll.

Police have arrested suspects for every stabbing incident with the exception of the attack on Hilath.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have condemned the attack on the journalist, describing it as having  “all the hallmarks of a targeted murder attempt.”

“Rasheed has made many enemies through his outspoken blogging. The authorities in charge of the investigation should not rule out the possibility that this was linked to his journalistic activity. He is a well-known journalist who has repeatedly been censored, arrested and threatened,” RSF said in a statement.
“The police must, as a matter of urgency, put a stop to the harassment of Rasheed and take the issue of his safety seriously. Any lack of response on their part will constitute a criminal failure to assist a person in danger.”
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