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No US base says Blake, as US, UN diplomats visit Male

The US has reiterated that it has no intention to establish a base or military presence in the Maldives, after a leaked Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the two countries’ militaries sparked local speculation in April.

Former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, now Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake, told the Press Trust of India that the agreement referred to joint military exercises and not a future base-building endeavor.

“We do not have any plans to have a military presence in Maldives,” Blake said, echoing an earlier statement from the US Embassy in Colombo.

“As I said, we have exercise programs very frequently and we anticipate that those would continue. But we do not anticipate any permanent military presence. Absolutely no bases of any kind,” Blake said.

“I want to reassure everybody that this SOFA does not imply some new uptick in military co-operation or certainly does not apply any new military presence. It would just be to support our ongoing activities,” he said.

A recently leaked draft of the SOFA, obtained by Maldivian current affairs blog DhivehiSitee, extensively outlines  provisions and immunities for US personnel and contractors in the Maldives, and mentions both ‘Agreed Facilities and Areas’ – detailed in a separate and unreleased ‘annex A’ – and all rights “that are necessary for their use, operation, defense or control, including the right to undertake new construction works and make alterations and improvements.”

However Blake and the US Embassy in Colombo maintained that the SOFA was a standard agreement for joint military exercises of which the US had signed more than 100 with countries around the world.

“I haven’t seen the draft agreement. So I can’t comment. But we are in the process of negotiating one now. These are standard text round the world, nothing very secret about them,” Blake told PTI.

We have status of forces agreements with more than 100 nations around the world. And these are basically agreements we have with partners where we have significant military activities, typically exercises,” he said.

“So for example, with Maldives we have Coconut Grove, which is an annual marine exercise. So the status of forces agreement helps to provides framework for those kinds of cooperative activities. They are desirable things to have. But it does not in any way signify an expansion of our military presence or some major new development in US-Maldivian military co-operation. It’s simply more of a framework to provide for [ongoing] co-operation,” Blake said.

He also revealed the US would be announcing a “quite substantial program” to help provide for free and fair elections in September.

“For example, we will be implementing civic and broader education program in several of the voter areas, we would helping with the dispute resolution, training for community leaders, we would be training staff at the election complaint bureaus, we will be doing training on social media and how to do social media to encourage voter registration,” Blake said.
“We would be doing some training for the Maldivian police service on election law and we would be doing capacity building for community based organizations, particularly about voter education and voter registration,” he added.

US, UN diplomats visit Male

US Ambassador Michele Sison and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez Taranco are currently visiting the Maldives and have met with key political and civil society leaders ahead of the September 7 elections.

Speaking at an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally, former President Mohamed Nasheed declared that he had met with both, who “agreed that foregoing an investigation of the senior officers among the police and military who were involved in the events of February 7, 2012 would not be a good thing either for Maldivian democracy, rule of law or the upcoming election,” Nasheed told the crowd of MDP supporters.

He added that progress towards stability and fair elections would be forestalled by the lack of such an investigation.

“We are not asking for an investigation of all police and army officers. We are talking about a few people. About 10 or 12 people,” he said.

Nasheed expressed confidence that “criminal investigations” would take place into unlawful acts or criminal offences committed by mutinying police and military officers on February 7, 2012.

A US Embassy Spokesperson confirmed to Minivan News that Ambassador Sison was visit the Maldives and had met with Nasheed “as part of our normal bilateral relationship, to meet with government and civil society leaders as well as visit US Embassy initiatives such as our Access English language microscholarship program. She arrived yesterday and will depart today.”

During her meeting with Nasheed, “Ambassador Sison reiterated her support for the implementation of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) report and its recommendations, including investigations into allegations of abuse.”

Nasheed informed a previous US delegation on January 31, consisting of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Vikram Singh and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jane Zimmerman, that the government had made no move towards acting on the recommendations made in the report, which included holding police accountable for widely videoed brutality surrounding what it termed a legitimate transfer of power in February 2012.

Meanwhile yesterday (May 8, 2013) the Prosecutor General filed the first charges against two police officers for allegedly assaulting MDP MPs ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik and Mariya Ahmed Didi on February 8, 2012 during the brutal police crackdown.

Local media identified the accused as Mohamed Waheed from the island of Thinadhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Ibrahim Faisal from Machangolhi Rausha of Male’.

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Maldives launches US$3.38 million eco-tourism wetland conservation project

With the launch of a US$ 3.83 million eco-tourism wetland conservation project, the Maldives continues to push forward with climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, aiming to serve as a model for small island states.

The Environment Ministry eco-tourism initiative will create wetland conservation areas and enhance drainage systems on Hithadhoo Island – an administrative district of Addu City – and on Fuvahmulah Island, in the far south of the Maldives.

The project aims to address climate change impacts by mitigating flooding and erosion due to storm surge, enhance fresh water security, as well as create economic benefits from these sustainable conservation initiatives. Additional mitigation and adaptation components of this Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) supported project include coral reef monitoring in Kaafu Atoll, and rainwater harvesting on Ukulhas Island in Ari Atoll.

“This is the first such project in the Maldives with a conservation plan to develop eco-tourism on an inhabited island. Developing a firm and systematic plan to manage and gain economic benefits from these wetland areas could play a vital role in changing the interpretation of the people regarding them,” Environment Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela told local media during the project’s inauguration ceremony yesterday (May 7).

“We strongly believe that the environment is the only asset that the Maldives has to market ourselves to the international community,” Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen said while speaking at the project launch.

“Our beauty, whether it is underwater, above water, or wetlands, these are all God’s blessings, nature’s blessings. Unless we know how to look after God’s blessings they will disappear,” he added.

The Vice President also thanked the international community and project donors for recognising that the Maldives has been a minor contributor to global pollution, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, but has “quite unfortunately become a victim” of the resulting climate change impacts.

“I sincerely support the world community for lending support to the Maldives because we believe this is the only way we can make our land, our assets economically viable, and sustainable,” stated Deen.

He emphasised that once the environment has been degraded, it is not possible to restore to its original pristine state, therefore properly implemented environmental conservation can also develop the Maldives’ economy.

Deen noted that the Maldives’ environmental policies have “never changed” and the current government are also “strong environmentalists”, akin to former President Maumoon Gayoom and former President Mohamed Nasheed.

“The Government of Maldives will assure you that the environmental policy maintained by the last two presidents is still maintained,” he stated.

Community-based conservation

The Wetlands Conservation and Coral Reef Monitoring for Adaptation to Climate Change (WCCM) project will be implemented in three phases over 18 months, to be completed in September 2014.

Phase one consists of developing a conservation plan, designing an eco-tourism methodology, and improving water drainage systems. During phase two, eco-tourism facilities will be established in addition to continued water drainage “system rehabilitation”. Phase three includes commissioning a RAMSAR (convention) wetland and national park with eco-tourism.

“The idea is that these are terrestrial wetlands, in the vicinity of the community, so we are trying to manage these protected areas with the help of the community,” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environment and Social Safeguards Coordinator Ibrahim Mohamed told Minivan News yesterday.

Mohamed explained that the nearby communities will be the main implementing partners managing the wetland areas and local NGOs are hoped to contribute as well. A “pool of people” will be trained to manage the areas and act as tour guides.

“There will be a visitor centre and a fee and go into the area accompanied by tour guides, it’s going to be like a national park,” said Mohamed.

“These are very beautiful places, that you will immediately sense are very different from the rest of the Maldives, given the [large] size of the islands and the unique way they are connected.

“In Fuvahmulah there are huge fresh water bodies, swampy areas in the depressions of the islands. While the Hithadhoo wetlands are a huge area with mangroves. There are so many birds here, you will always see so many,” he added.

Spanish company Hidra has been hired to prepare the phase one components over the next five months, including the community-based wetland management plan, for which extensive public consultations – including students – are being conducted.

“Then we will start the civil works, such as making the nature trails, visitors center, and bird watching areas,” said Mohamed.

Public private partnerships

The coral reef monitoring component of this conservation project will involve partnering with resorts in Kaafu Atoll, explained Mohamed. They will be trained by the Environment Ministry to monitor water surface temperatures, erosion, biodiversity, bleaching, impacts on fish, as well as “fish landings” to determine where fish being brought to the resorts are caught.

The goal is long-term monitoring of reefs nationwide, however this project will begin by looking atfive. Currently coral reef monitoring is limited, because it primarily focuses on bleaching and is only conducted twice annually, in accordance with the monsoon and dry seasons, according to Mohamed.

“We have started developing the database and the [monitoring] protocols, which have been peerreviewed by international reef ecologists,” said Mohamed.

“The idea is that over 10 to 15 years we will know what is happening to the coral reefs, so that we can determine the impacts from climate change,” he added.

“Exemplary example for small island states”

Mohamed stated that the overall goal is for these wetland and coral reef areas – and the entire nation – to be protected and developed sustainably to become biosphere reserves.

He further explained that the idea behind this CCTF project is for the Maldives to become an exemplary example for other small island states.

“This project can be replicated anywhere in the world, all small island countries can utilize [what the Maldives has developed],” he added.

The holistic approach to wetland and coral reef conservation is necessary because the components are “so interrelated”.

“If you don’t properly manage waste there will be impacts on coral reefs, etc.,” noted Mohamed.

The CCTF serves as the “main umbrella” under which there are three projects in the Maldives: the WCCM, clean energy for climate mitigation, and solid waste management. The WCCM in particular is supported with donated funds from the European Union and Australian Aid, and managed by the World Bank.

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Maldives expects flooding due to storm surges

The Maldives Meteorological Service (MET) has warned that high storm surges due to current poor weather conditions could cause flooding nationwide, reports local media.

Flooding due to storm surges during high tides, as well as heavy rain accompanied by strong wind and thunder, can be expected throughout the atolls, said a MET weather forecaster, according to local media.

“Flooding has not yet been reported from any region, but it can be expected in this bad weather,” he said.

The northern and central atolls can expect the worst weather, however heavy rain, thunder and rough seas will likely be experienced in all regions.

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‘Fisherman’s Community Centre’ established

A Fisherman’s Community Centre has been established on Gan Island in Laamu Atoll to provide information on the location of schools of fish and bait.

The Maldives Fishermen’s Association and Maizan Electronics established the centre, which was inaugurated by Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shafeeu May 1, reports local media.

Chairman of Fishermen’s Association Maizan Ahmed Manik told local media that the centre will help reduce the cost of fuel for fishermen, however the information provided via satellite requires a daily fee of MVR 116.66 (US$7.57) or MVR 3,500 monthly (US$ 226.98).

The centre will also offer training programs for vessels that travel outside Maldivian territorial waters, and seek solutions for the challenges those fishing boats, Manik said.

He also announced that a similar centre will be established in Huvadhoo Atoll, on a still to be determined island with the largest population of fishermen.

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Local NGO launches child abuse prevention website

Maldivian NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) launched the website for HOPE Campaign against Child Abuse and announced its partnership with telecommunications company Dhiraagu for an upcoming fundraising road race event on May 7.

The website will provide “easy access” to information in four key HOPE Campaign areas in both Dhivehi and English. The campaign is focused on helping children ‘heal’, the importance of ‘outreach’, ways to ‘prevent’ abuse, and how to ‘empower’ children against abuse.

To support the NGO’s advocacy and awareness efforts, ARC will hold a “run to make a difference road race” in partnership with Dhiraagu, with 100 percent of the proceeds used for child protection programs.

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Sheikh Ilyas again summoned to Parliament Committee; says MPs “ignorant of Islamic ways”

Parliament’s Penal Code draft committee has once again decided to summon Chair of Adhaalath Party Religious Council and member of Maldives Fiqh Acadamy Sheikh Ilyas Hussain, after he failed to attend the committee’s previous summons.

The committee stated that it has asked Sheikh Ilyas to attend a committee meeting on May 15 regarding a sermon he gave at the Furugan Mosque in March titled “The Purpose of Islamic Shariah”.

In the sermon, Ilyas swore to God that the Penal Code was intended to destroy the religion of Islam. Calling the penal code “a trap made by the West” to eradicate Islam in the name of Muslims, Ilyas alleged that it did not have penalties for fornication, theft, corruption, forgery, or robbery. He further claimed the code stipulated that if a person claimed they were intoxicated when committing a crime, then they would not be subjected to punishment.

After the initial decision to summon Ilyas, Penal Code Committee Chair Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza rejected the Sheikh’s claims and stated that “[Sheikh Ilyas] has told the public that there are some provisions in the Penal Code that are not in it. We want to bring him and have a chat and inform him about the provisions that are there in the Penal Code.”

“MPs summon me as they are ignorant of the ways of Islam”: Ilyas

Upon being summoned to parliament again, Sheikh Ilyas told local media that the committee continued to summon him only because they were ignorant of the Islamic way regarding the matters he had raised.

Ilyas stated that the parliament members who sat in the committee had insisted that the Penal Code did not have any clauses against Islamic principles, but only because none of them possessed sufficient religious education to understand the reality. He added that he will would explain the matter to the MPs through verses of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet when he attends the committee meeting.

Ilyas further stated that the bill has a number of clauses which contradicted the penalties defined in Islamic Sharia, and that it had many “deceptive clauses”.

“I will strip the MPs naked”: Ilyas

Sheikh Ilyas was also reported in local media as stating that he would “strip the MPs naked” if he is summoned to the Penal Code Committee.

“I am willing to attend the committee. I will not be called Sheikh Ilyas if I fail to strip them naked. What will they prove? Who gave these people the right to take out the penalties defined in the Quran and categorise them into Part 1 and Part 2?” Ilyas stated.

Ilyas also called on all Maldivian media to broadcast the committee meeting which he is to attend live on TV.

Ilyas made the comments at the gathering held by Adhaalath Party and the National Movement at the Artificial Beach on April 30.

The Adhaalath Party has previously alleged that the parliament committee had added a clause to the Penal Code after Sheikh Ilyas gave the sermon in the Furugan Mosque, and accused the committee of orchestrating a cover up.

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President abolishes gender department

The Department of Gender and Family Protection Services has been abolished by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.

The department, formerly administered under the Ministry of Gender, Family and Human Rights asits activities related to children, women, people with special needs, and families, are now conducted by the Gender Ministry, according to the President’s Office.

The announcement of the department’s elimination (May 6) comes a day after Waheed met with the United Nation’s Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children Marta Santos Pais.

During the meeting Waheed emphasised his commitment to promoting and protecting children’s rights as well as ending all forms of violence against children.

He said a special committee has been established to “reform and strengthen” the government’s framework for protecting and advancing the rights of women, children, special needs individuals, and senior citizens, as well as promoting gender equality.

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Nasheed contests JSC’s claim that Supreme Court ‘ruling’ and ‘counsel’ carry equal legal weight

The High Court has granted former President Mohamed Nasheed additional time to respond to procedural matters raised by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) in the case submitted by his defense counsel, challenging the legitimacy of the three-member bench appointed by the JSC to his trial at the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court.

The JSC, raising procedural issues, stated that the High Court does not have the jurisdiction to preside over the case submitted by the former president’s legal team.

Nasheed and his counsel stated several times during today’s hearing that the JSC’s procedural points were not completely clear.

The High Court judges panel gave Nasheed’s lawyers the opportunity to ask the JSC’s legal representation for clarifications, while posing additional questions regarding the same issue themselves.

They then stated that it was unclear why the JSC had asked for the counsel of the Supreme Court in deciding the composition of the bench, and the justification under which the JSC considered the Supreme Court’s counsel to be of the same legal weight as a ruling of the court.

In responding to the questions posed to them, the JSC revealed that the names of the magistrates they had sent to the Supreme Court for their counsel were not the names nominated by the Hulhumale Magistrate Court.

The High Court bench questioned JSC if there it is a procedure in place which allows the assignment of judges for specific cases.

The JSC responded that there were certain circumstances in which judges can be assigned for specific cases, adding that the commission had done so previously in certain cases.

The bench further asked the JSC several times as to whether they considered the Supreme Court’s ‘counsel’ a ‘ruling’. The JSC’s legal team confirmed that they did.

The JSC’s legal representation stated that the Hulhumale’ Court Bench had been established under the counsel of the Supreme Court, and that this held the weight of a Supreme Court ruling.

Nasheed’s legal team contested this, stating that ‘counsel’ and a ‘ruling’ of the Supreme Court cannot be considered to hold the same strength.

Upon receiving answers for some of the questions posed, Nasheed’s lawyers requested for more time to prepare a response, which the bench granted.

In concluding the hearing, the High Court judge’s bench stated that the next hearing of the case would be arranged in the near future, at which Nasheed’s legal team is expected to respond to the procedural matters raised by JSC.

The bench added that in an additional hearing which will be held closely following the next one, the High Court will reveal its ruling on the same matters.

JSC’s request to expedite case

In April, the JSC sent a letter to the High Court requesting that the case be expedited.

The letter was signed by JSC Vice Chair Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi, and it was later revealed that it had been sent without consultation with other members of the commission.

JSC member appointed from among the public, Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman, told media that he believed the letter was sent under orders of JSC Chair Adam Mohamed, adding that the Chair did not have the authority to make such decisions without consulting the commission members.

“I believe that whoever advised for this letter to be sent has done so with the intention of influencing Nasheed’s case to be concluded in a particular way,” he had said at the time.

Shuaib’s contention was later backed by Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid, who also sits on the commission.

However, JSC media official Hassan Zaheen stated that he did not believe that sending the letter would exert any undue influence or pressure, even though the JSC is currently looking into disciplinary matters concerning the Chief Judge of the High Court. He added that similar letters had been sent in the past at the discretion of the JSC Chair.

The case in question is one filed by the defense counsel of Nasheed, challenging the legitimacy of the panel of judges presiding over the case against him for the arbitrary detention during his administration of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

Nasheed and his party contend the case is a politically motivated attempt to convict and prevent him from contesting in the upcoming September 7 presidential elections.

Lawyers representing the JSC has even previously requested the High Court dismiss the case, contending the court did not have the jurisdiction to preside on the matter.

Upon accepting the case, the HIgh Court issued a stay order on Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court to suspend all criminal trials concerning the arrest of the judge until a ruling on the legitimacy of the bench is issued.

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Hospital infested with rats and cockroaches: IGMH staff

A rat and cockroach infestation are the latest in a series of problems faced by the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), reports local media.

The hospital has become infested with rats, which are seen “scurrying about the wards”, a doctor working at IGMH told Haveeru on condition of anonymity.

“There are a lot of rats in the wards. We see them scurrying about. That has become a common sight, especially in the evening,” said the doctor.

“The pantry room is a rat nest, [but] it’s not only the rats. We’ve got a big cockroach problem too,” an IGMH nurse told local media.

“People come to tackle the plague of rats. But we don’t see the numbers receding,” she added.

A nurse recently found a live rat inside a plastic bag containing her breakfast, which was delivered from the hospital canteen. The incident was reported to the Health Protection Agency.

Despite numerous customer complaints about the canteen’s hygiene standards, a top official from the canteen denied any rats ever being present in the eatery, while speaking to Haveeru.

Due to severe budgetary constraints IGMH has faced numerous operational challenges. Major grievances have included overcrowding, as well as a lack of medicine, medical equipment, and maintenance.

IGMH Media Coordinator Zeenath Ali acknowledged the mounting complaints while speaking to local media and made assurances that the hospital was “on top of the problem”.

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