Tag: maldives

Maldives elected chair of Alliance of Small Island States

The Maldives has been elected as the next Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) during a ministerial meeting in the Seychelles.

“The Maldives spearheaded the efforts to form AOSIS, following the first ever Small States Conference held in the Maldives in November 1989,” explained a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Formed of 39 low-lying coastal and small island countries, the alliance focuses primarily on issues of vulenerability – particularly in reference to the effects of climate change. It functions as a lobby group within the UN system, of which its members make up 20 percent.

Speaking at the 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Samoa in September, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – present at the first 1989 AOSIS meeting – called on Alliance of Small Island States to make climate change its “core issue of concern”.

2014 has been made the ‘Year of the Small Island Developing States’ by the UN as an opportunity for the international community to raise awareness of the challenges facings SIDs.

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We don’t wish anyone else to go through same pain: Rilwan’s family

The family of missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan have welcomed the decision of the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) to look into allegations of negligence related to the investigation of his disappearance.

“We do not wish for any other family to face the pain and suffering this family has gone through in the past 95 days since Rilwan disappeared,” said the family in a press release today.

Pointing out that the suspected abduction of Rilwan was the first such case in the country’s history, the family said it was essential for the community that the investigation be trustworthy

“Police are reluctant to investigate to the extent that it leaves room to doubt their intention,” continued today’s statement.

While one suspect remains in custody in connection with the August 8 disappearance, Home Minister Umar Naseer has said last week that some cases cannot be solved, drawing parallels with missing Malaysian flight MH370 and the JFK assassination.

Naseer had acknowledged that gangs were involved before offering contradictory statements suggesting it could not yet be determined whether Rilwan’s disappearance was voluntary or enforced.

A private investigative report commissioned by the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) in September ruled out suicide or voluntary disappearance, concluding radicalised gangs to have been the most likely culprits.

Both Naseer and Police Commissioner Hussain Waheed have taken aim at civil society and the media, as well as friends and family of the missing journalist, suggesting vital leads had been lost due to leaked information.

Accusations of a lack of respect shown to the family formed part of the complaint lodged by the family with the police watchdog.

“While the [MDN] report was not compiled with any involvement of the family, police making such allegations against the family are against professionalism of the police and rules for dealing with people who request the police’s service,” the family explained.

Repeated attempts to obtain information on the investigation prompted one police official to tell a family memeber: ‘There’s no further information to give even if you come every day made up like that wearing a burqa’.

PIC Chair Fathimath Sareera Ali Shareef told Minivan News last week that the case was like none the commission had ever received.

Other allegations made by the family suggest police did not properly consider a reported abduction outside Rilwan’s Hulhumalé apartment, previous kidnappings by gangs, and reports that he was followed and threatened as evidence indicating he may have been taken.

It is also alleged that officers in charge of Hulhumalé police station refused to authorise a request by colleagues to search a car stopped the same night, despite potential links with the reported abduction.

Police Commissioner Waheed has rejected accusations of negligence.

“I don’t believe any slips have been made in the investigation which would justify the accusation. But there are lessons to be learned with every investigation. We are learning the lessons,” he told Haveeru late last month.

Attempts to bring pressure to bear through elected representatives failed last month after the People’s Majlis rejected a petitions signed by over 5000 people for as yet unclear reasons.

Groups from across civil society have called for the search for Rilwan to be expedited, with Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) adding its voice today.

“The Centre for Independent Journalism stands in solidarity with our colleagues in the Maldives and urges you to ensure that an independent and unbiased police investigation takes place; that those responsible for the disappearance are brought to justice; and that Ahmed Rilwan is returned home to his family and friends,” read a CIJ statement.

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Chinese documents show silk route was discussed with India: Foreign ministry

The Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims there is evidence that the Maritime Silk Road was discussed during Chinese President Xi Jinpeng’s visit to India in September.

“Publicly available documents clearly indicate that the maritime silk route was one of the points of discussion during the Chinese Presidential visit to India,” read today’s press release.

Controversy over the issue began last weekend after India rebutted suggestions made in the Majlis by foreign minister Dunya Maumoon that it had discussed participating in the proposed trade route.

The ministry today referred to a press release from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated September 18, which detailed the talks between the heads of state before including what appear to be unattributed quotes from President Xi himself.

“Both sides should accelerate the construction of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, conduct cooperation within the frameworks such as the Silk Road Economic Belt, the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to promote the process of regional economic integration and connectivity,” read the Chinese foreign ministry press release.

However, comments from the Indian minister of external affairs released by the Indian High Commission in Malé on November 7 stated the issue “was neither raised nor discussed” during President Xi’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A 28 point official joint statement released at the conclusion of the September visit also failed to mention the silk road initiative. The statement has not been published by the Chinese foreign ministry.

Shortly after India’s rebuttal, the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded by noting Dunya’s “concern if her choice of words had led to any confusion”.

Today’s statement from the ministry followed the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) announcement that it would bring a no-confidence motion against the foreign minister in the Majlis, as well as calling on the speaker to prosecute her under the Privileges Act.

“The people of Maldives is gravely concerned with MDP and MDP sympathetic media pushing forward the interest of a foreign country while ignoring the Maldivian interests,” added today’s foreign ministry statement.

Minister at the President’s Office Ibrahim Shareef, yesterday explained that the “false” allegations spread by the opposition were being shared with both the Indian and Chinese governments.

“Everything they write, be it written in Dhivehi, have been translated and shared with the relevant authorities.I think it is about time they start preparing responses to the international community, which is going to demand answers soon,” explained Shareef.

Fellow cabinet member Dr Mohamed Shainee had told the media on Sunday November 9 that the Indian response to the comments were not necessarily indicative of the government’s view.

“We saw the news recently where the minister of a neighbouring country said something and it was said that it wasn’t the government’s view but the view of an individual minister,” said Shainee during a Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) press conference.

Minivan News was unable to obtain comment from the Indian High Commission today, with official procedures requiring approval from New Delhi before the issuance of public statements.

The PPM had accused the opposition of twisting the story in order to harness attention from the international community and to divert attention from the one year anniversary of President Abdulla Yameen’s term.

Yameen has responded favourably to urgings from the Chinese government to join the Silk Road scheme, which seeks to create both land and maritime trade routes linking China to the east coast of Africa and the Mediterranean.

Today’s foreign ministry statement concluded by reiterating that Yameen’s decision to participate was taken with the aim of protecting Maldivian sovereignty while ensuring that national and regional security would be considered.

“[A]s Maldivian national security is closely linked to the Indian Ocean’s security, the government will engage in discussion with all relevant nations before making decisions which might endanger the security of the region.”

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Is the government protecting the youth from drugs?

Sunday will mark 100 days since Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan disappeared. As friends and family continue to hope for his safe return, some of Rilwan’s best work will be re-published as a reminder of his talents and dedication to his profession.

This article was originally published on April 23, 2014, following the arrest of 79 young people during the Anbaraa music festival in Baa Atoll.

Last weekend’s raid of the Anbaraa island music festival was defended by police as being part of law enforcement efforts to “safeguard youth and the society from dangers of drugs”.

But how successful are the current methods in keeping the youth away from drugs?

Beginning with soft drugs in the seventies, and later with the introduction of heroin around 1993, the drugs issue became a national epidemic in the nineties with the number of drug-related offenses increasing rapidly since that time.

The National Drug Use Survey (NDUS) of 2011-2012, conducted by the UNODC, revealed that there were 7,496 drug users aged between 15 and 64 years in the Maldives. According to the survey, 72 percent of the drug using population was under the age of 24, and 48 percent of the drug users in the capital Malé were between 15 and 19 years.

A 2003 Rapid Situation Assessment by the Narcotics Control Board revealed that the age at which young people start using drugs ranged between 10-27 years (a mean age 16.8 years).

Those young people are often arrested and sentenced to long periods in prison, while more and more join them in becoming frequent users and addicts.

It has been suggested that Maldivian prison population could be reduced by up to two-thirds if the government would decriminalise the offence of drug use, and propose mandatory rehabilitation.

Rehabilitating rehab

The NDUS report said the Maldives’ response to the drug problem appeared to be skewed heavily towards the criminal justice system rather than health and social welfare systems.

Considering this, the report proposed turning this around by approaching the issue from three broad angles – supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction.

One key achievement in this change was the Drug Act, introduced in 2011 with provisions for treating drug users instead of opting for incarceration. Under the Act, the National Drug Agency (NDA) has been mandated as the lead agency dealing with all issues related to drug prevention, harm reduction, and treatment.

A Drug Court was also formed under the new act as part of a policy shift away from taking a punitive approach against small-scale drug offenses.

Earlier this month, the NDA reported that 101 offenders have completed their drug rehabilitation programme. But how successful is this programme?

Mohamed Shuaib, the CEO of ‘Journey’ – a support NGO for recovering addicts – said the rehabilitation programme in the Maldives had failed completely.

“Three months later they start using again. While a lot of money is spent on these programmes, right now it is just a small prison. There is no good treatment programme there,” he said.

He highlighted various failures ranging from the programme’s structure and staffing capacity, to unrepaired damages at the buildings and the lack of capacity in the programme itself.

Mohamed Rashad – the 24-year-old found dead after a heroin overdose on April 1 – is a testament to this failure. He passed away within 24 hours of being released from the Himmafushi drug rehabilitation centre.
A full programme

Earlier this month, the Drug Court’s Judge Mahaz Ali Zahir said that the NDA had informed the court that one of its centres was full in April last year. Again this month the second centre in Maafushi was also reported to be full.

“People in prisons who have been sentenced to rehabilitation are also waiting for such an opportunity. If this stays this way the [expected] result of [establishing] the Drug Court will not be seen,” the judge has said.

Judge Mahaz called on authorities to speed up the process of sending cases to the court, stating that out of 1,616 cases only 19 were submitted within a month of the incident.

Fathimath Afiya, the Chairperson of the Society For Women Against Drugs (SWAD) said the rehabilitation programme currently only existed “just for name’s sake”.

“We visited the [rehabilitation center] place for an assessment just around the time the new government came to power. And it is true, the programme is there just for name’s sake,” she said.

“There is no stable programme. The place is full. There are so many issues. While the Drug Court is sending more and more people, there is no stable programme for them.”

Afiya said the government had started taking action regarding the issue now, and that SWAD was closely following it.

“SWAD is lobbying to work towards a long term strategic solution, based on a strategic action plan and prevention policy. The government is listening to our recommendations and bringing small changes already.”

She said the importance of following a systematic plan is to work realistically towards a solution instead of having every new government introducing something new with each new term.

Long term reform

Journey’s Shuaib also noted the importance of having a long term plan to addressed the issue.

“There have never been any research and evidence based prevention programmes in the Maldives. It is always an ad hoc approach. Our outreach teams have observed that there are a lot of new users now.”

Shuaib said prevention is of the utmost importance and, since children start using drugs, parental guidance and providing children with information will help them make the right choice.

“Even in the US their policy was using guns and force but it did not work. So now they are reforming their drug policy to focus on prevention. Prevention is more important. Young people who were using hash oil three or four years back are now using heroin,” Shuaib said.

Speaking to Minivan News, one recovering heroin addict said the programme ‘s failure could be connected to the Drug Act itself.

“Every one at the programme does not always want to deal with their issue. Many  just don’t care about it and are there only because they have been ordered to do so. This makes things harder for those of us who genuinely want to get better,” he said.

While Minivan News was unable to get a comment from NDA regarding the issue, all NGOs expressed hope that the programme can be saved, with the agency currently taking steps towards reform.

Supply, demand, and harm

In terms of supply reduction, drugs confiscated by the Maldives Customs Service while being imported to the Maldives in 2013 include 6.98 kg of heroin and 10.73 kg of hashish oil, while the numbers in 2012 were 4.12 kg of heroin along with 8.39 kg of hashish oil.

This is relatively small amount compared to what is being imported to the country, considering the huge demand. The 24 kg of heroin seized by police last month gives an idea of the true scale of the problem.

Last year police dealt with 38 cases of buying and selling of drugs and 130 cases of trafficking drugs, while there were 2,139 drug use cases and 833 possession cases. Even less is done with regards to major drug dealers.

With regards to large-scale drug dealers, previous attempts by former President Mohamed Nasheed to apprehend some of the nation’s most prominent drug dealers failed to bear fruit. Among them, Adam Naseer was found innocent by the Criminal Court despite police finding over MVR6 million (US$461,500) in cash and drugs just outside his home.

In  June 2011, police arrested another ‘top dealer’ Ibrahim ‘Shafa’ Shafaz, finding 896 grams of illegal drugs in his apartment.  This February he left the Maldives for ‘medical treatment’ and has appealed his eighteen year jail term to the High Court from abroad.

While NGOs seem hopeful about fixing the rehabilitation program, a complete change in policy and approach to the drug issue is needed to protect the youth from drugs.

These examples only provide further evidence – if it is needed – that a more efficient way must be devised, moving away from the criminal justice system approach, towards a method based more closely on supply, demand, and harm reduction.

Mohamed Rashad – the 24-year-old found dead after a heroin overdose on April 1 – is a testament to this failure, passing away within 24 hours of being released from the Himmafushi drug rehabilitation centre.

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MDP criticises proposed 2015 state budget as “aimless”

The proposed MVR24.3 billion (US$1.58 billion) 2015 state budget is not aimed at delivering the promises made in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s manifesto, says the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

MDP Vice-Chair Ahmed Ali Niyaz said today that the party’s budget committee had researched the proposed budget and concluded it to be “aimless”.

“The current government has submitted a budget like those for Maumoon’s regime which serves for administrative purposes alone,” said Niyaz.

Niyaz added that the MDP had submitted programme budgets under a strategic action plan during its time in office.

The party’s MP for the Gan constituency, Fayyaz Ismail also accused the government of manipulating the methodology for calculating the country’s GDP in order to show a double digit figure.

“Given the high expenditure of the budget, if the income generating measures fail, the budget deficit might increase to MVR5 billion (US$330 million),” said Fayyaz today.

While presenting the 2015 budget to the parliament for approval last week, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad stated that the estimated budget deficit 2015 would be MVR1.3 billion (US$84 million).

“If the government fails in gaining supplementary loans it might have to resort to printing money which would severely harm the country’s economy,” continued Fayyaz.

The printing of money to cover government expenditure has elicited concern from successive Maldives Monetary Authority governors, as well as the World Bank.

Jihad had noted that MVR3.4 billion (US$ 220 million) would be raised from new income generating measures including the introduction of a green tax, and acquisition fees from the investments coming under the new Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act.

MDP Budget Committee Chair, Hussain Amru today called such expectations “unrealistic”.

“If the government is looking to raise MVR1.5 billion (US$100 million) as acquisitions fees at a rate of 10 percent of the total investment, it suggests that the government expects MVR15.3 billion (US$ 1 billion) in investment,” stated Amru .

The single biggest investment in the country to date was the ill-fated MVR7.6 billion (US$ 500 million) deal with India’s GMR group for the development Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) in 2010. A Singapore court of arbitration is currently evaluating the amount owed by the government for the wrongful termination of the deal in November 2012.

The MDP today listed the programmes announced by the government that were not accounted for in the 2015 budget, which included the proposed Kulhudhuhfushi airport, subsidies for fishermen and agricultural workers, and the promised flats for newly wedded couples.

“MVR100 million (6.51 million) has been allocated for conducing the feasibility study of the Malé-Hulhulé Bridge,” said Amru. “However the government informed us that the feasibility study was conducted with grant aid from the Chinese government. Where is the 100 million going to?”

The party said they had submitted their report to the parliamentary group, which would raise these concerns during the budget review process.

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Police tell Malé City Council removal of replanted trees was lawful

Police have informed Malé City Council that no action will be taken against the Maldives Road Development Corporation (MRDC) in relation to the removal of trees planted by the council last week.

A letter given to the council explained that the state-owned company had acted on the orders of the housing ministry, which was the highest authority in the country for environmental matters.

Around 25 areca palm trees – donated by the Indian government in 2011 – were cut down late last month by men alleged to have been off-duty Special Operations police officers, although police have denied this.

Opposition politicians have told local media the trees had been used by the Maldivian Democratic Party – which holds a majority of seats on the council – to curse President Abdulla Yameen.

Subsequent efforts to replace the trees were stopped by the MRDC last week, before the cabinet announced it was to remove control of the city’s streets from the council’s jurisdiction.

Council members have suggested that the government is infringing on services designated to the council under the 2010 Decentralisation Act.

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India to conduct third medical camp this year, in Huvadhoo atoll

Indian doctors arrived in the Maldives yesterday (November 9) in order to conduct medical camps in Huvadhoo Atoll.

Four specialists from the Indian Defence Force will be conducting the camps in Gaafu Alif Villingili and Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo between November 10 and 16.

“This will greatly benefit the people of these islands and will assist in providing specialist medical assistance to the people of Maldives,” read a press release from the Indian High Commission in Malé.

This is the third medical camp organised by India this year, with previous visits bringing medical services to more than 3000 people. Additionally, an’eye camp’ conducted during the India- Maldives ‘Dosti-Ekuverikan’ friendship week offered free consultations to more than 500 people.

This team comprises 5 specialist doctors – with members from Malé’s Senahiya military hospital – in fields including Orthopaedics, Internal Medicine, ENT, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

As well as offering consultations in regional health centres, the team will conduct minor operative procedures if needed.

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Can decentralisation take root in the Maldives?

The uprooted trees and flooded streets of Malé in recent days seem to have laid bare the continuing tensions between local and central government in the Maldives.

After the central authorities last week removed the city council’s jurisdiction over the roads of the capital, senior figures from both the government and opposition have made the legal case for and against the decision.

Friction between the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) dominated Malé City Council and successive governments has left the local authority with just 5 of the 22 public areas granted to it after its establishment in 2010.

Attempts to replace the trees – allegedly cut down by off-duty police officers – were thwarted by the state-owned Malé Road Development Corporation last Wednesday, who police allowed to continue despite councillors’ calls to uphold the Decentralisation Act.

While the former Speaker Abdulla Shahid has suggested the cabinet has violated the law in taking over maintenance of the capital’s roads, Attorney General Mohamed Anil suggested that the move was compliant with both the Decentralisation Act and the Land Act.

The President’s Office have said the council had failed to deal with the recent floods, although the council continues to point out that it has received less than half the funds allocated to it from the 2014 budget.

“We don’t even have an account in which to put money,” explained Deputy Mayor Shifa Mohamed.

After his ministry gave orders to tear down the areca palms planted along Malé’s main thoroughfare last week, the housing minister added to the confusion today by suggesting the council would be irresponsible to challenge efforts to make the capital greener.

Others suggest that the real roots of the issue lie with a government unwilling to cede power to local authorities, resulting in what some have described as decentralisation in name only.

Policy

“They don’t believe in the concept,” suggested Shifa. “Instead of facilitating decentralisation, they are trying to show that it can’t function.”

Defending the government’s action, President’s Office Spokesman Ibrahim Muaz has said that the decision regarding street maintenance was consistent with its policy of utilising state land for social purposes.

Authority over the city’s mosques will soon revert to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, leaving the council with control over only Malé’s burial grounds – completing the steady removal of land since the fall of the MDP government in 2012.

While the current administration has previously called on local authorities to cooperate in order to bring development to the people of the country, the provisions of the flagship Special Economic Zones Act appears to make such acquiescence redundant.

The yet-to-be-specified SEZs – designed to attract foreign investors with deregulated territory – will render local authorities powerless

“There will be consultations with the local councils, but the decision making power will be here because we want to take decisions very fast and we want development as soon as possible,” tourism minister and Chairman of the SEZ investment board Ahmed Adeeb has previously explained.

In the same interview, Adeeb made clear that his government does not feel decentralised authorities are currently suited to aid the country’s development.

“Land, labour, and capital – the central government and the regional governments are fighting for it as we don’t have enough resources even for the existing government to cover the budget deficits,” he explained.

“I believe when there’s enough economic activity we can give more powers to the councils.”

The ‘begging system’

The MDP’s claims that its political opponents are attempting to sabotage the decentralisation project in favour of maintaining a Malé-centric ‘begging system’ began before the ink had dried on the 2010 Decentralisation Act.

Following its failure to win a majority in the 2008 parliamentary elections, the MDP government had to accept a version of its decentralisation bill without the structural and fiscal provisions it had originally planned for.

The rejection of over 300 proposed amendments by the opposition-controlled house – including attempts to restore the provincial model on which the scheme was based – prompted MDP MPs to walk out of the Majlis prior to the bill’s passage in April 2010.

Subsequent amendments increasing the number of councillors were described by the party as “economic sabotage”, leaving the country with a system the UNDP has described as a “major barrier to fiscal consolidation”.

Since assuming power, the same political groups have moved to reduce the recurrent costs of a system that had grown to an estimated US$64 million per three year term.

Meanwhile, the 2014 UNDP Human Development Report pointed out that harmonising laws – a problem typified by the legal wrangling in/over the streets of Malé – remains a key challenge facing the decentralisation transition.

[T]he Decentralization Act identified land management as a core responsibility of the councils. However, this contradicts the Land Act, which provides that the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure manage land distribution. Similarly, the Decentralization Act and the Constitution make provision for fiscal decentralization, revenue generation and management of own revenues by councils. This contradicts the Finance Act, which mandates all revenues collected from any Government body be deposited in the Government’s central public account.

– Maldives Human Development Report 2014

Empowerment

Among the objectives envisioned in the Decentralisation Act are the empowerment of people and the creation of an environment conducive for peace and prosperity.

However, a report into the process by UNICEF in 2013 suggested that the political wranglings at the center of Maldivian government have left the islands worse off than before decentralisation was introduced.

“Local Councils are now less empowered than they were in 2008 which was when they officially had even less functions and revenue raising powers,” concluded the UNICEF report.

“More importantly the above arrangements mean that Council finances are micro-managed from the centre. So Councils have almost no autonomy to prioritise and manage their resources. There is, thus, basically no fiscal decentralisation.”

Decentralisation advocate Salma Fikry argues that the central government has little interest in genuine devolution of powers, preferring ‘deconcentration’ which allows for dispersed administrative powers without real financial autonomy.

“I do agree that Island Development Committees were doing better work, but the underlying truth was that the government could choose who to support and who not to support,” said Salma.

She suggested that the desire for decentralised government stemmed from the realisation in the atolls of disparities in regional service provision – another issue highlighted recently by the UNDP.

The central government will not allow for revenue raising measures at the local level as this would reduce political leverage, she explained.

The UNICEF report further noted that political partisanship and overstaffed local authorities had resulted in “political bickering” between council members, “stalemates”, and “no decision making”.

Malé Deputy Mayor Shifa also suggested that the problems with the current government stemmed from political rather than practical reasoning.

“Just because it is done by the MDP, they will destroy it.”

UNICEF concluded that the decentralisation process in the Maldives had been “rushed”, noting that such far-reaching changes can take decades to implement successfully.

During the time it took to compile the 2013 report  a new level of provincial government was introduced and subsequently abolished within two years, with UNICEF noting the subsequent “confusion at all levels of government”.

Observing recent events in the capital, it appears that the Maldives decentralisation experiment will continue to struggle to take root and may well be washed away in the next political downpour.

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MP Nazim returns to Maldives, passport confiscated by immigration

The department of immigration has confirmed that the passport of former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim has been confiscated following the MP’s return to the Maldives yesterday (November 8).

Despite the Criminal Court ordered travel restrictions be placed on the Dhiggaru MP late last month, Nazim was able to leave the country the same day.

While abroad, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) member has been at the centre of controversy regarding his alleged attempts to smear party deputy leader and Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb.

Nazim’s passport will be held until November 21, in accordance with the court order. Police have not revealed the nature of the charges facing the MP.

After a recent audit report implicated Adeeb in a US$6 million corruption scandal, the minister revealed that he had been threatened by Nazim as a result of his failure to support him for re-election as deputy speaker in May.

“But I didn’t believe the threats because the auditor general is someone I respected,” Adeeb told media after the report’s release.

“I believed up until the report was released yesterday that he would not compromised. Nazim threatened me very recently as well before he left for Malaysia.”

Adeeb expressed dismay at reports that his party colleague had attempted to link him with the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

“I am saddened that former Majlis Deputy Speaker asked different journalists to write, implicating me in the case to divert focus, as the case was being investigated by police,” said the deputy leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) yesterday.

He told journalists that Dhiggaru MP Nazim had suggested to the media that Rilwan was abducted in relation to his work on the Dhaalu Maagau case – also featured in the recent audit report.

Rumours of Nazim’s attempts to have Adeeb linked with the disappearance of Rilwan on August 8 first appeared in an independent report commissioned by the Maldivian Democracy Network in September.

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