Tag: maldives

DQP calls on government to stop prostitution

The Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) led by former Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed has called on the government to take adequate measures to prevent prostitution in the Maldives.

‘’Prostitution has spread widely across the Maldives in the guise of health clinics and massage centres, to an extent that the citizens should be very concerned,’’ the DQP said in a statement.

‘’There is the chance people will say that prostitution is being conducted with the assistance and support of the government if the government remains silent on the issue instead of taking any action.’’

The DQP claimed the government supported prostitution, referring to video clips allegedly of senior government officials leaked by a blackmail ring prior to their arrest earlier this year.

The party also claimed the government was “keeping its eyes closed” on the issue despite prostitution being haram under Islam, which it claimed showed that the current government was not prioritising Islam in the country.

‘’We call on the government to take immediate measures to stop this and to prevent the society from falling into an illness,’’ the DQP said in its statement. ‘’We condemn statements from the government that these are not issues the government has to investigate.”

The statement also referred to the recent investigation by Sun Online journalists in which the journalists solicited girls in massage parlours.

Police arrested two Maldivian males and two Thai females for involvement in a beauty salon in Addu, for allegedly being involved in prostitution. The Addu Court extended the detention of the four arrested.

Press Secretary for the President’ Office Mohamed Zuhair did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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“Government can only be as good as its opposition,” says Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General

The Maldives “throws up all the challenges of consolidating a transition to multi-party democracy,” Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba observed this morning at the opening of the Commonwealth’s regional workshop on parliamentary cooperation.

The aim of the workshop, she said, was to help create a constructive partnership between government and opposition parties in each participating country.

“While they may be political adversaries, they share a common national responsibility and obligation of nation-building and advancing the prospects of real development – human, political, social and economic — of the people of their respective countries,” she said.

“This can only be achieved if the political system works constructively for the welfare of all, not if it creates or exacerbates ruptures in society.”

Government and opposition have to see themselves as partners, Masire-Mwamba said.

“Government must acknowledge that there needs to be democratic space for the opposition to function and to enable other viewpoints to exist. Indeed it is often said that government can only be as good as its opposition – thus the role of opposition is a very real one in holding governments accountable and ensuring they deliver.

“On the other hand, oppositions also need to be constructive, using the democratic space provided responsibly to raise legitimate dissent where this is required, without becoming needlessly disruptive,” she suggested.

The Maldives’ consolidation of its hard-won democracy has been “long and bumpy”, Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid noted, also speaking at the opening of the workshop.

“The state has spent the better part of the last three years struggling to demarcates the roles prescribed under the new constitution. It has been three years of exceptional experience for all of us,” he said at the launch of the event, which will run until June 15 at Traders Hotel in Male’.

“The perception of political parties injected a new paradigm into Maldivian politics. There is no simple formula to build a healthy rapport between political parties. The concept of a government with a legitimate opposition in the political spectrum was one that was hard to grasp for many,” Shahid said.

“We have had situations where some thought that the new democracy in the Maldives was too much for the very small and widely spread out society. We have instances in which some questioned whether democracy and the party system was te best form of governance for us. We have had instances when almost all hope was lost.

“It is to the credit of the leadership and the people of this nation that we have been able to sort out these challenges and resolve many of the encounters we have come across.”

The workshop is jointly organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and hosted by the People’s Majlis in the Maldives.

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India to grant essential commodities to the Maldives

The Indian government yesterday approved the supply of a list of essential commodities requested by the Maldives government for the remainder of 2011, the Foreign Ministry has said.

According to the ministry, the government of India has approved exports of essential food commodities such as sugar, eggs, potatoes, onions, dhal, and wheat flour.

‘’While these commodities have been approved for a period of three years, construction materials such as stone aggregate and river sand have been approved for a year,” stated the ministry.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is still waiting for the authorisation of rice from the Government of India.’’

Alongside India, the Foreign Ministry said that the government of Bangladesh had also authorised the export of stone aggregate to the Maldives resulting from negotiations held last year.

‘’During the recent visit by Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem, the matter was expedited by Bangladeshi authorities,’’ the foreign ministry said. ‘’The Bangladeshi Government had requested the State Trading Organisation (STO) to conduct a feasibility assessment to work out the details between the two governments.’’

In his recent visit to Bangladesh, Naseem signed a memorandum of understanding “Concerning Placement of Manpower” with Bangladeshi government.

Officials at the Foreign Ministry claimed at the time that the MOU will help preserve the rights of the Bangladeshi labourers in the Maldives.

Amidst pledges of increased commodity supplies, The King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has granted 5 scholarship opportunities to the Maldives.

The Rector of the University, Dr Abdulla Al Usman noted that the scholarships will be available for the upcoming academic year during a meeting with Adam Hassan, the Maldivian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

”The scholarships granted by King Saud University are for postgraduate studies, and according to Dr Al Usman there were no specific allocations for either Masters or PhD,” the foreign ministry said.

The ministry also said that King Saud University is one of the oldest Universities in Saudi Arabia, with courses are available in the fields of engineering, sciences, food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, Applied Medical Science and Nursing amongst others.

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Salaf to research and determine “the right president” for 2018

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf has issued a press statement calling on Maldivians to be patient while the NGO researches possible candidates that may run for the Presidential elections in 2018, and determine whether he is the right person to rule the country.

Salaf claimed that the presidential pledges candidates make during the campaigns are “nothing but poems”.

Salaf said that politicians and all the country’s democratic and irreligious systems had been unable to direct the Maldives towards a safe harbour.

‘’Those who are trying to change the laws concerning religion to destroy the country, have been granted more protection than Maldivian citizens,’’ Salaf said in the statement.

‘’We would like to announce that it is not something that Salaf will tolerate.’’

The NGO claimed that there were people in the Maldives challenging Islamic Sharia, criticising the religion of Islam and calling for the permitting of alcohol, homosexuality, and fornication.

‘’We are preparing for 2018. We will scan everyone that may run for the Presidential Elections and will advise the citizens about the right person,’’ said President of Salaf Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Ibrahim.

‘’We will form a committee and they will obtain information on figures who will run for the elections.’’

He said the NGO would  write letters to all political parties and request they inform Salaf about their presidential candidate and provide profiles, as well as information on the the services they have provided for Maldivians.

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Two-year-old discovered dead in Raa Atoll lagoon

Health officials on the island of Maakurath in Raa Atoll have confirmed the death of a two-year-old boy whose body was discovered in a lagoon this morning, according to press reports.

Haveeru reported that the boy had no pulse by the time he arrived at the island’s health centre and had an undisclosed foam coming from his mouth and nose.

The young boy was believed to have been discovered by his mother.

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Police free Bangladeshi man tied upside down in Hulhumale’

Police have found a Bangladeshi man tied upside down inside a Hulhumale’ home, newspaper Haveeru has reported.

Haveeru reported that the man was beaten up badly when he was discovered by police, who have since arrested nine expats in connection with the case.

The report claimed that the man was unconscious upon arriving at hospital and was suspected of having been held in the house for several days.

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Addu Court extends detention of four suspects facing prostitution charges

A court in Addu Atoll has extended the detention of four persons arrested for alleged involvement in illegal prostitution.

Three of the four suspects were arrested inside a salon named ‘Talk More’ that is based in Addu, while they were allegedly engaged in sexual activity.

Local media reported that the fourth suspect to be arrested in connection with the case was the owner of the salon.

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Police confirm investigation into family sexual abuse allegations

Police have confirmed they are investigating allegations that a man currently being held in custody had sexually abused underage female relatives from his wife’s side of their family.

A police spokesperson told Minivan News that a man had been arrested after police received reports that he had sexually abused minors, whom local media claim are nieces of his wife that were under 16 years of age at the time that the abuse was alleged to have taken place.

According to newspaper Haveeru, the suspect, said to be living in Male’, had been handed over to police by family members for allegedly sexual abusing three nieces and his sister-in-law. The report claimed the suspect was attacked by family members on a boat in Male’, where he works as a captain, before being taken to police.

An unnamed relative of the family involved in the investigation reportedly told the family that the allegations related to a number of incidents thought to have occurred over years.

The police spokesperson was unable to reveal any additional regarding the alleged victims or if police would be relying on any forensic evidence or witnesses as part of their investigations.

“At present investigations are continuing and this is the only information we can release right now,” he said. “More details will be announced at a later date.”

The suspect at present  remains in police custody, police added.

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Commonwealth holding cross-party workshops in Maldives

Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba is visiting the Maldives for a workshop to be held on government and opposition cooperation.

The regional Commonwealth workshop on ‘Government and the Opposition – Roles, Rights and Responsibilities’ will be held in the capital Malé from June 13-15.

Masire-Mwamba visited President Mohamed Nasheed who discussed the progress the country was making towards consolidating democracy, and said that his government is open to advice and suggestions about how this could be enhanced.

Masire-Mwamba also visited Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem, who said the Commonwealth could help to raise greater awareness of the challenges faced by small island developing states, and their particular vulnerability to global economic and environmental pressures.

Masire-Mwamba also held talks with the Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Abdulla Shahid, who is hosting the regional workshop, and said it would provide a platform for the cross-fertilisation of ideas and the exchange of experiences across the Asian members of the Commonwealth. In her meeting with the opposition leader, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Masire-Mwamba discussed the consolidation of political and democratic reforms in Maldives, and the role that an effective Opposition can play in a robust democracy.

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