Tag: male

Adhaalath Party opt out of presidential race for sake of “national stability”

The Adhaalath Party (AP) will not be nominating a presidential candidate in the upcoming elections for the sake of “national stability”, the party president was quoted as saying in local media.

AP President Sheikh Imran Adbulla claimed that if the party were to declare a candidate for the presidential elections it could throw the country’s political situation into turmoil, local media reported.

“We have decided not to put forth a candidate and form a coalition. Our hope is not to form a coalition with just one party, but a coalition made with many parties,” Imran was quoted as saying in local newspaper Haveeru.

Imran said that the party’s committee will have to submit a report in two months in regard to the coalition arrangement.

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Maldivians warned of influenza threat in India

Maldivians travelling to India have been warned by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) about the spread of influenza in the north of the country.

HPA’s Epidemiologist Dr Aishath Aruna told Sun Online that the virus had been misreported in local media as swine flu. Instead, influenza H1N1 is not swine flu and is less dangerous.

So far 450 people have been affected by influenza in Rajasthan in northern India, of which 94 people have died from the virus.

Local media reported that most of the deaths have been pregnant women and that the chances of the virus spreading to other parts of the country are high.

Dr Aruna told local media that influenza H1N1 virus had been observed in the Maldives since 2010, and that the virus prolongs and intensifies the symptoms of common colds.

Maldivians visiting India are advised to avoid crowds, wash hands with soap frequently – especially after coughing or sneezing – and make sure to receive vaccinations should your doctor advise you to.

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Dead body found between Villimale’ and Gulhi Falhu

A dead body has been found in the sea between Villimale’ and Gulhi Falhu today (February 13), local media has reported.

Authorities are currently searching for a German tourist who went missing on Sunday after jumping into the sea from an anchored yacht near Male’.

According to local media, police confirmed a body had been found in the sea but refused to disclose any further details.

Local newspaper Haveeru reported that the missing man jumped from the yacht MY Enok to conduct some repair work.

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Nasheed “seeking advice” in Indian High Commission following court order for his arrest

Police have been issued a court order to produce former President Mohamed Nasheed at the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court ahead of his trial, scheduled at 4:00pm today.

The former President, who is due to attend a hearing regarding his detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012, was inside the Indian High Commission at 1:00pm this afternoon following the announcement of the court order.

Police had set up barricades around the High Commission area at time of press.

Police Spokesperson Sub Inspector Hassan Haneef today confirmed that police had received an order to produce the former president at the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court.

“We have received the order and we will be trying to carry it out in accordance with the Maldivian constitution and the order itself,” Haneef said.

The court summons follows Nasheed’s failure to attend his previously scheduled trial hearing at Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court on February 10.

The former President was on an official visit to India after being granted permission to depart the country by the court. Despite his permitted travel period expiring on February 9, Nasheed arrived back in Male’ on February 11.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed at 1:00pm said the former President was inside the Indian High Commission in Male’, “seeking advice” after news of the court order calling for his arrest was made public on Tuesday night.

“He went to the hospital in Male’ this morning and then returned back to his home. After a few minutes he went to the Indian High Commission with a couple of MDP MPs.

“[Nasheed’s] lawyers are not around at the moment, but from what I know they are attempting to appeal the order at the High Court,” Rasheed said.

Last night Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members camped outside the former President’s residence in order to prevent police from entering the narrow street where Nasheed lives.

MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor claimed  police had intended to arrest Nasheed in secret in order to present him at his court hearing today.

“They [Police] were going to pounce on Nasheed, but we received intelligence about it and let people know what was happening,” Ghafoor said.

“This is pre-2008 procedures. At least one hundred people were outside Nasheed’s residence last night throughout the night,” Hamid told Minivan News today.

Minivan News observed crowds of supporters still filling the street this morning at around 10:30am.

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1:15pm: The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have issued a statement condemning the arrest warrant for Nasheed.

“The MDP reiterates its belief that the arrest warrant and the charges against him are politically motivated and calls on the international community to remain vigilant and immediately intervene to ensure a free and fair trial for President Nasheed,” the party said.

“President Nasheed’s legal team was informed by the Maldives Police Services that the court order was issued to arrest President Nasheed and summon him to the court on 13 February 2013. However, the court has not yet informed him or his legal team of the scheduled hearing.”

1:39pm: Maldives Police Service (MPS) were standing outside the Indian High Commission building in Male’.

The second hearing of the case was scheduled on 10th February 2013 while President Nasheed was on an official visit to India and was unable to return to Male’ due to a medical emergency.

The lawyers informed the court in writing as stated in the court’s regulations. According to the regulations, if the accused is unable to attend the hearing and after informing the court, documentation must be provided to the court within 2 working days.

While time frame to produce the documents has not even passed, and when the documents were being processed, the court issued an arrest warrant on President Nasheed on 11th February 2013. The courts also have an option to fine the accused (MVR 75) for failing to appear before court.

1:59pm: ‘MDP News’ Twitter feed shows woman being apprehended by police outside the High Commission building.

“This highlights, once again, how biased the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court is against President Nasheed. This illegal court has no interest in the rule of law, it exists merely to serve the political aims of its paymasters. This trial is a thinly veiled attempt by Dr Wadeed, in cahoots with his friends in the judiciary, to prevent President Nasheed from contesting in the upcoming presidential elections. The regime is fearful of President Nasheed’s popularity, so they are pulling out all the stops to prevent his name appearing on the ballot paper. These forceful measures by the Court are contrary to their usual practice,” said MDP MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

2:43pm: Indian media ‘Times Now Live’ asks: “Will India protect Nasheed?”

3:30pm: Nasheed has tweeted confirming that he is seeking refuge in the Indian High Commission: “Mindful of my own security and stability in the Indian Ocean, I have taken refuge at the Indian High Commission in Maldives.”

Minivan News observed around 200 people gathered near the police barricades. The crowd appeared non-violent but the atmosphere was tense.

3:54pm: Indian media is reporting the Indian government as denying that Nasheed has sought refuge.

4:05pm: Minivan News has observed a police officer armed with a rubber bullet gun deployed outside the High Commission.

4:10pm: MDP MP Ghafoor has said Nasheed is discussing “a transition arrangement, where we can have a free and fair election in September.”

“We have a scenario now we can’t move ahead without a mediator. We prefer India because it is our neighbour and a democratic nation,” he said.

4:23pm: Minivan News understands that no formal request for refuge or asylum has been made at this stage.

4:26pm: An appeal hearing was cancelled after a summoning chit was not able to be delivered to Nasheed.

4:27pm: Riot police appear to have pulled a man out of the crowd and arrested him.

4:49pm: MDP MP and spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor has said he was not aware how long the former president planned to remain in the Indian High Commission building.

“This is the safest place for him to be until a solution is found,” he claimed. “I would speculate that a transitional arrangement for fresh elections is being sought.”

Without providing specific examples of how Nasheed’s life was in danger, MP Ghafoor contended there had been threats against the former president going back to when he was first elected in 2008.

“Right now we have militarised Special Operations (SO) police officers running the show. I do not believe [Nasheed] is safe,” he claimed. “50,000 MDP members do not trust the police either.”

After Nasheed was previously taken into police custody ahead of a court hearing back in October 2012, the former president was not reported to have been physically mistreated by authorities during his transfer to Dhoonidhoo detention facility.

President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad said at the time that despite allegations raised by the MDP concerning the alleged use of excessive force by police to seize the former president, authorities had insisted officers had acted with restraint.

“I’m told [Nasheed] asked for a box of cigarettes [in custody], a request that [officers] granted.  He was given Benson and Hedges as I understand,” Masood previously told Minivan News.

Ghafoor also alleged that SO officers also this week entered the home of Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid in what he claimed was an attempt to intimidate the Majlis representative.

Speaker Shahid was not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

The Maldives Police Service has vehemently denied allegations it had threatened Shahid in a statement published Saturday (February 9).

5:16pm: Nasheed’s trial hearing scheduled for 4:00pm today has been cancelled after he failed to attend at the specified time.  The Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) confirmed the cancellation. It has yet to be rescheduled.

5:37pm: Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel has tweeted accusing India of meddling in Maldives’ internal affairs:

5:43pm: RaajjeTV reports that the government is to begin negotiating with the Indian High Commission.

5:53pm: President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad has said there has been no contact between the government and the Indian High Commission in Male’ today.

“All I know right know is that Mr Nasheed is in a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Dnyaneshwar M Mulay,” he said. Masood added that a message had been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming a meeting between former President Nasheed and the high commissioner was taking place.

6:16pm: Local media has reported that the Indian naval vessel ‘Kalpei’ has arrived in the country as part of a joint operation being conducted with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The ship is said to be taking part in a five day maritime security program that will see it help patrol the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), according to the Sun Online news service.

6:58pm: Mohamed Aslam, former Minister of Housing and Environment in Nasheed’s government, has confirmed that the opposition MDP’s National Council has today approved taking “direct action” against the government.

Aslam said the term ‘direct action’ related to a wide programme of civil disobedience, rather than one specific strategy. “The whole situation is very fluid right now. Nothing will be ruled out,” he said.

“What we are demanding is a transitional government, as well as free and fair elections that would include [former President] Nasheed.”

Aslam claimed that following a march in the capital conducted by MDP supporters on Friday (February 8), there remained widespread public support for Nasheed to contest elections scheduled for September this year.

However, he stopped short of declaring the day’s developments a “turning point” in the party’s calls for early elections. “We always hope that we have reached a turning point, whether it is today or tomorrow,” Aslam said.

7:19: WikiLeaks tweets that Nasheed has done a ‘Julian Assange’ – a reference to the whistleblowing website’s founder who sought refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden.

7:30pm: Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ibrahim Muaz Ali has told Minivan News that it will not be seeking discussions with the Indian High Commission in Male’ over Nasheed’s presence on its property today.

“We have contacted the commission today. [Indian] Officials confirmed [Nasheed’s] presence and that he had come for a meeting with the high commissioner,” the spokesperson added.

Muaz said that although Nasheed had appeared to have deliberately sought to avoid his trial hearing today, the Foreign Ministry “did not think” there was a need to hold talks on the matter with Indian officials.

7:40pm: Reports on social media suggest that Nasheed’s luggage has been transferred to the Indian High Commission building in Male’. Photo by Ranreendhoo Maldives.

10:10pm: Minivan News has observed more people beginning to gather at the barricades. Crowd is chanting “money money, yes sir” and “baaghee Waheed, hang him”.

One glass bottle has been thrown over the barricade by protesters. Police look like they are preparing to charge.

10:15pm: Bottle was allegedly thrown from Majeediyya School. Police have now entered the crowd.

10:23: Minivan News observed around 700 to 800 hundred people currently at the barricades.

10:25: Former President Nasheed has called for President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik to step down from office and an interim arrangement to be established that would oversee a free and fair presidential election in the Maldives.

“The events of the past year – the mass arrests, the police brutality, the politically motivated trials – demonstrate that Dr Waheed cannot be trusted to hold a free and fair election. Waheed should do the right thing and resign from office. An interim, caretaker government should be established that can lead the Maldives to genuinely free and fair elections, in which all candidates are freely able to compete,” President Nasheed said.

President Nasheed labelled his ongoing trial “a politically motivated sham” and said the Hulhumale’ Magistrates Court – established to hear his case – was illegal and created “with the sole purpose of disqualifying me from standing in the presidential elections.”

President Nasheed said he could not hope to be afforded a fair trial and accused Waheed of “ruling down the barrel of a gun.”

President Nasheed added that “the fate of Maldivian democracy hangs in the balance” and said that “the Maldivian people must not be robbed of their democratic right to elect a leader of their choosing.”

10:42pm: Minivan News has observed around 1,500 now gathered on Sosun Magu.  MDP representatives have vowed to be there “every night” while Nasheed remains in the high commission building.

11:15pm: Several MDP MPs have pledged a first-round victory for Nasheed. Speakers addressing the crowd can be heard from the other end of Sosun Magu, however there is near silence outside the Indian High Commission on Ameer Ahmed Magu, Minivan News has witnessed.

Only the shards from two smashed bottles thrown at police earlier in evening indicate any sign of conflict, while further up Ameer Ahmed Magu, a handful of officers are stationed across the road from the high commission.

11:55pm: Minivan News has observed protesters throwing bottles at police.  Temporary barricades were also hurled at officers as protesters tried to make their way up to the People’s Majlis from Sosun Magu.

11:57pm: Protesters trying to make their way to parliament are met by police charges.

February 14, 00:01am: Protest is officially announced at an end for the night.

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Project to improve Maldives’ education system launched

A project to review and improve the education system in the Maldives has been initiated by the National Institute for Education (NIE).

The ‘Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Curriculum Reform’ will be a seven year-long project to be carried out with the assistance of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), local media reported.

Speaking at a ceremony to launch a baseline survey planned to be conducted under the project initiative, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Education Azleen Ahmed said the survey is to understand the impact the newly planned syllabus will have on teaching and learning.

“The purpose of such an initiative, taken up with the support of UNICEF, is to understand the current situation of the education system in the Maldives, and to understand the impact the newly planned syllabus will have on the children.

“At the end of the survey, we will know the changes that we require to bring to the new syllabus, and also to the education system as a whole. We will also be able to identify the problems with the current education system, and also the difficulties faced by children while learning,” Azleen was quoted as saying in local media.

Data for the survey will be collected from children of grades 4, 7 and 9 from schools across the country, local media said.

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Islamic Ministry claims Christians, Freemasons secretly working to “eradicate” Islam in the Maldives

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has warned that Christians and Freemasons are working to “create doubts” on Islam within the hearts of young Maldivians.

Local media reported the Islamic Minister as claiming there is a “strong psychological war” conducted by “various Christian organisations” to “wipe out” Islam from the Maldives.

Shaheem further claimed that the Freemasons – a secretive society originating from Europe – was carrying out activities “in secret” within the Maldives.

Shaheem was speaking at a ceremony to mark the 886th anniversary of the Maldives’ conversion to Islam from Buddhism, in accordance to the legend taught in Maldivian schools.

“Various Christian organisations and missionaries are strongly involved and active in our society. They are working within us and outside, trying to create doubts on Islam within the hearts of young people,” Shaheem declared.

“We have got a lot to do to strengthen Islamic faith through the national curriculum. We have to clarify the doubts being cast in the hearts of young generation. We can only overcome this through unified collaboration,” the Minister added.

President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik meanwhile expressed similar sentiment to the Islamic Minister, asking the public to be cautious of activities being carried out to allow other faiths into the country.

Waheed said the Maldives had remained an independent and sovereign nation because it was a “100 percent Islamic state”, and that the “unity and brotherly bond” between people was the result of Islam.

“It saddens me to say that despite the existence of such a bond, today we’re seeing a little weakening of that bond. We need to seriously think about this, especially when the introduction of multi-party politics has resulted in deterioration of familial bonds and social well being,” he said, in his address.

Waheed said it was important for people create love towards Islam and strengthening Islamic faith, as the country celebrates the day the Maldives embraced Islam.

President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad meanwhile told Minivan News that the government had not been made aware that undercover Freemason organisations or Christian missionaries were operating in the country in an attempt to undermine Islam.

Massod added that the matter would be better forwarded to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs for clarification.

“We try to keep out of these matters,” he said.

Sheikh Shaheem and leader of the government aligned Adhaalath Party, Sheikh Imran Abdulla, were not responding to calls at time of press.

The story of how Maldives embraced Islam

The legend of how the nation converted to Islam is one that is still taught to children studying in Maldivian schools.

According to the story, an evil demon named ‘Rannamaari’ appeared from the sea on the first of every month, and would only leave the islanders alone after the sacrifice of a virgin girl.

Every month the islanders selected a girl to be sacrificed for the demon, only to discover her body on the beach the following morning.

This continued until one day a Muslim traveller named Abul Barakathul Yousuful Baru Bary arrived in Male’ and happened to stay in the house of the next virgin girl selected for sacrifice.

As he saw the whole family weeping in sorrow he asked what was going on, and learnt about the procedure..

He then decided to disguise himself as the virgin girl and go to the temple instead. The following morning the islanders found him alive and reciting the verses of the Quran.

The King and his people were impressed that the demon never appeared after that incident, and decided to embrace Islam from that day onwards.

The story itself is now dismissed by the young generation as a myth, with many people believing instead that it was the King himself allegedly raping and murdering the virgin girls every month.

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ACC temporarily halts construction of new IGMH building

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered a temporary halt to the construction of 10-story building to be utilised by Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

Local media reported that the ACC are currently investigating a matter concerning the project’s handover to AMIN Construction at an excessive cost.

President of the ACC Hassan Luthfy said a complaint had prompted investigations into the matter, adding that construction on the project will be resumed once the commission had finished its investigation.

“We received a complaint that the project was handed over a second time with an increase in cost. The commission is currently summoning and questioning the relevant parties,” he said.

“We are investigating how it has happened and the reason for an increase in the cost. We will make a decision regarding the issue very soon,” Luthfy said.

The building was commissioned by the government to alleviate space constraints in the hospital, which was gifted to the Maldives by the Indian government.

Last month IGMH struggled to deal with the influx of patients prompting concerns as to whether the hospital was large enough to cope with the demand for medical care in Male’.

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All murderers involved in 2012 murder cases found: police

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) have claimed that all murderers involved in cases last year have been found, local media reported.

In a promotional video uploaded on YouTube, police claimed that murderers who killed MP Dr Afrasheem Ali, lawyer Ahmed Najeeb, Police Lance Corporal Adam Haleem and Ayyube in Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaalu Atoll had all been found.

Local media reported that trials against some of the murder suspects are still ongoing in court, whilst others have been convicted and sentenced to death.

Cases related to theft increased last year and the seizure of drugs by MPS had reached a record high, police claimed.

Other figures from the video, as reported by local media, stated that 29 brothels have been closed down, while cases related to domestic violence against women and children sent for prosecution had increased and organised crime had been “controlled”.

In an effort to reduce crime, the Crime Prevention Department will now operate under the Public Affairs Department, local media reported.

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Tourism budget for 2013 increased by MVR 60 million

The tourism budget for 2013 has been increased from MVR 20 million (US$1.2 million) to MVR 80 million (US$5.1 million), local media has reported.

The budget increase follows criticism from the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), which last month called for the government to reconsider the MVR 20 million budget allocated for tourism marketing in 2013.

The initial sum of money allocated was the lowest in eight years, according to a statement from MATI, which highlighted concerns that the Maldives’ economy was mostly reliant on tourism.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb told local media that the ministry had initially requested a budget of MVR 200 million (US$12.9 million) to carry out tourism promotion for the year, however parliament had “erased a zero” from the figure when finalising the budget.

Adheeb noted that while tourism promotion is expensive, the revenue generated from the industry “drives the entire engine”.

“When we put down MVR 200 million, the government authorities don’t actually realise the priority that this requires. Parliament erased a zero from the MVR 200 million we proposed, and gave us MVR 20 million,” he told Sun Online.

“Then we had to work in all other different ways, and now the Finance Minister has committed to give us MVR 60 million more.”

Adheeb claimed that government institutions did not realise the importance of promoting tourism.

In 2012, the ministry set a target of welcoming one million tourists into the country.  It was allocated a MVR 70 million (US$4.5 million) budget to conduct marketing activities to help achieve that goal.

Figures released last month revealed that the tourism ministry failed to reach the one million mark by roughly 42,000 arrivals.

Despite the political turmoil that enveloped the country at the beginning of 2012, the figures showed that there had been a 2.9 percent increase on the total number of arrivals in 2011.

Tourism promotion efforts last year included a US$250,000 (MVR 3.8 million) advertising deal to promote the tourism industry on the BBC and a £93,000 per month (US$150,000) contract with public relations group Ruder Finn in an attempt to improve the country’s image following political unrest in 2012.

Despite the increased expenditure, tourism growth slowed to just 0.7 percent in 2012, compared to 15.8 percent in 2010 and 9.1 percent in 2011.

The government’s forecast for economic growth in 2013 is 4.3 percent.

Adheeb told local media yesterday that the government had “re-set” its sights on reaching the one million arrival target in 2013, and said there were plans to participate in a number of fairs and promotions  to attract more publicity.

“If we can fully establish the Maldives brand, we can promote Maldives and subsequently increase room rates. Every single dollar we spend on marketing will give a large amount of money in return,” he said.

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