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President Yameen defends nomination of Maumoon Hameed for prosecutor general post

President Abdulla Yameen has defended the nomination of his nephew Maumoon Hameed to the vacant post of prosecutor general (PG), announcing his intention to nominate the lawyer to parliament for a second time.

Parliament rejected Hameed – son of former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed – on April 14 after the nominee fell three votes short of securing parliamentary approval.

Addressing supporters in the Feydhoo ward of Addu City last night (May 18), President Yameen insisted that Hameed was chosen based on competence and qualification rather than family connection.

“I don’t want in any case for the People’s Majlis to appoint Maumoon Hameed to the post of Prosecutor General  because he is my brother or a member of my family,” Yameen said.

“But even tonight, I want to say proudly, standing before the public, that yes, it is true, there are educated and competent persons in my family. They want to serve the Maldivian government and the Maldivian people. They will be brought before the law when they violate the law. I am sending Maumoon Hameed’s name [to parliament] this time as well.”

He added that he wished for parliament to approve “approve a trustworthy and experienced person as prosecutor general.”

Opposition members of the Majlis involved in the previous approval process have suggested that he had failed to meet the oversight committee’s assessment criteria, suggesting that he had shown a poor understanding of current legal issues concerning the country’s legal system.

Yameen observed that the nomination of his nephew has been the subject of criticism in the media, noting that the names of other applicants would be forwarded to parliament as well.

Earlier this month, the President’s Office invited applications for the PG post for a third time after too few candidates put forward their names.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz revealed this week that the applicants included four judges in addition to former Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa and state prosecutor Aishath Fazna Ahmed.

The PG’s post has been vacant since November following the resignation of Ahmed Muiz ahead of a scheduled no-confidence motion in parliament.

The criminal justice system was meanwhile temporarily brought to a halt with the resignation on May 4 of Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem – who had been fulfilling the responsibilities of the PG – citing “obstruction” by the Criminal Court.

In the wake of Shameem’s resignation, state prosecutors refused to attend trials in the absence of both the PG and his deputy. However, the prosecutors resumed work after a week-long hiatus following a Supreme Court order last week.

18th People’s Majlis

Following parliament’s rejection of Hameed last month, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor suggested that the failure to secure a simple majority of 39 votes was down to either poor organisation on the part of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) or a sign of discord within the governing coalition.

“MP Gasim Ibrahim [Jumhooree Party leader] was openly lobbying against the PG nominee 30 minutes before vote but voted with PPM,” Hamid claimed, noting the conspicuous absence of a number of prominent government-aligned MPs for the vote.

Hamid predicted that Maumoon Hameed’s name would be resubmitted to the newly-elected parliament as the Progressive Coalition secured a comfortable majority in the March 22 polls.

Tension has however arisen between the PPM and coalition partner JP over the post of speaker. While Gasim announced his intention to stand for the post, President Yameen said the speaker should be a member of the ruling party as it won the most number of seats in the 18th People’s Majlis.

The Progressive Coalition won a combined total of 53 seats in the March 22 parliamentary polls, well above the simple majority of 43 required to approve presidential nominees and pass legislation.

In his speech last night, President Yameen strongly criticised the outgoing parliament, reiterating the importance of parliament’s cooperation for implementing the government’s policies and carrying out infrastructure projects.

“I want a member of our party to become speaker of the People’s Majlis in this term. I don’t want a member of another party to hijack our party,” he said.

Speaking at the function, former President Gayoom also said that the PPM needed to ensure public backing for the government.

“The government needs the sincere support of the Maldivian people at this time. We can provide that support to the government by increasing the number of members in our party,” he said.

The PPM leader launched a recruitment drive to increase party membership earlier this month.

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Family Court rules baby cannot be separated from German mother

The Family Court has ruled that the baby of Ahmed Sharuan and Tanja Sharuan cannot be separated from the mother.

The verdict last week however stated that the court cannot rule on child custody as the couple is still legally married.

In March 2014, Ahmed Sharuan was accused by his wife Tanja Sharuan of abducting the couple’s baby from her home in Zurich.

The Family Court subsequently released an injunction ordering the father to return the child to the mother. Sharuan appealed the decision at the High Court.

However, the High Court upheld the decision of the Family Court on March 20, and on March 24 Sharuan returned the baby to the mother in the presence of police.

Tanja also launched an Aavaaz petition at the time, seeking support for her cause while claiming that Sharuan was accusing her of attempting to raise the child as a non-Muslim despite her conversion to Islam.

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Vice President pledges to raise teachers’ pay once state income increases

Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has stated that the government will review and raise teachers’ pay once the state income increases.

Speaking at a meeting with the school management staff of several atolls held in Nasandhura Palace Hotel on Sunday, Jameel also spoke of the policies for teachers which the current administration has introduced since it assumed office in 2013.

In addition to increasing the amount of pay that teachers can earn during overtime working hours, the government also introduced a scheme in which teachers can pursue studies while on pay leave, Jameel said.

He described the teachers work as a service done “in national spirit”, stating that they continue to work with extremely low wages, adding that the services are so valuable that it cannot ever be repaid.

“At the moment, there is no additional income to the state budget. However, I am aware of how to develop the Maldives. While we introduce huge plans and talk about needing accountants and hundreds of doctors or other professionals, the truth is that it all rests in your hands,” he told the education professionals.

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MJA to hold executive committee elections in June

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has announced that it will be holding its executive committee elections on June 2.

The association has attempted to hold the elections on two previous instances, with each attempt halted due to disagreements on procedural matters between its members.

MJA President Ahmed Zahir said that he is hopeful that the election can be successfully held this time.

“Our intention has always been to hold a successful election. Even on the previous two tries, we tried to complete it. However, some of our members had various reservations. We have tried to address them this time around, and so are hopeful that it can be successfully concluded,” he said.

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India and Maldives cultural ties go from “strength to strength” as cultural center expands activities

The relationship between India and Maldives has been going from “strength to strength” over the past year, stated officials from the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC)

According to the ICC, the centre will increase its outreach with the new services on offer in order to reinforce the positive relationship.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new Library at the ICC yesterday (May 17), the High Commissioner of India H.E Rajeev Shahare stated that the recently completed elections would aid the good relations.

“The people of India have spoken,” remarked Shahare, “it has happened in the entire South Asian region. We’ve had elections, including in the Maldives. I think the trend, what we see is, very well entrenched in democratic practices,” reported Haveeru.

The collection at the new library will be of use to all ages, from the young to the old, an ICC spokesperson explained. The Facebook page and social media will also be used as a platform to engage the local community, they added.

As well as the library, the ICC already offers a range of classes free to the public, including tabla, Kathak dance and yoga.

The centre was inaugurated in Malé in July 2011, with the primary objective of fostering the cultural ties between India and Maldives.

In the same year, India and the Maldives have agreed to begin implementation of an agreement on co-operation in development projects signed in 2011 titled the “Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development”.

The agreement, signed during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed, mandates the establishment of a joint commission to oversee projects implemented under the programme, and a minimum of one annual meeting of the said commission.

In addition, President Abdulla Yameen recently stated that while the Maldives has “close ties” with China, “nothing will precede ties with India, which are far more precious”.

Yameen told Indian media during his recent official trip to the country, that he had assured its leaders that the bond between the two neighbouring countries is “heartfelt” and “based on sentiments”.

More recently, India’s Army Chief General Bikram Singh visited the Maldives – the visit was the first by a serving Indian Defense Chief since General Deepak Kapoor’s visit in February 2010.

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Maumoon Hameed among applicants for prosecutor general position

Four current judges have applied for the latest opening for the position of Prosecutor General (PG) according to local media.

The names reported include Criminal Court Judge Muhuthaz Muhsin, Drug Court judges Mahaz Ali Zahir and Abdul Sattar Abdul Hameed, as well as Baa Hithaadhoo Magistrate Court Judge Ummu Kulsoom Aboobakuru.

Additional applicants include the former Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa and state prosecutor Aishath Fazna Ahmed.

Prominent lawyer Maumoon Hameed has applied for the PG post for the second time, after being rejected by the People’s Majlis four months after he was first put forward by his uncle, President Abdulla Yameen.

The PG’s position has been vacant since former PG Ahmed Muiz resigned from the post prior to a scheduled no-confidence vote last November. The opposition MDP brought the motion after suggesting Muizz had failed to take action against security forces who mutinied on February 7, 2012.

Prior the full house’s failure to approve Hameed’s nomination, the Majlis’ oversight committee had recommended that Hameed not be approved for the position, with committee chair Rozaina Adam telling Minivan News that the nominee had failed to meet the group’s assessment criteria.

The recent resignation of the acting prosecutor general Hussain Shameem has thrown thrown the justice system into confusion, with both state prosecutors and courts unsure of the legal validity of ongoing trials.

Despite calls to reconvene the Majlis, the government has maintained that cases can continue until the 18th Majlis begins its first session later this month.

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Maldives “not prepared” for repercussions of collapsing Antarctic glacier

The Maldives “is not prepared at all” for the projected acceleration of sea level rise caused by the collapse of a glacier system in Western Antarctica, local environmental groups have said.

Two separate studies, by Nasa and the University of Washington, reported on Monday that unstable glaciers in the Amundsen Sea contain enough water to raise global sea levels by at least four feet, or 1.2 meters, in the coming centuries.

The melting of the Thwaites glacier – caused by warmer global temperatures – has begun and cannot be stopped even with drastic action to cut greenhouse emissions, scientists have warned.

The Maldives archipelago is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with 80 percent of its 1,200 islands lying no more than a meter above sea level.

The collapse of the glacier has prompted international concern for the future of the archipelago, with financial news organization Bloomberg advising readers to “take that Maldives vacation you’ve been promising yourself — before it’s too late.”

“The issue is very big, it cannot be ignored like this. The government is not doing very much,” Ecocare member Maeed Zahir said.

The unexpected acceleration of the rise in sea level puts both the land mass and the people of Maldives at risk, he said.

“Its not only about submersion, it is also about the livelihood of the people. There will be an alarming impact on fisheries,” he noted. “Health issues will also come under impact. When the tides and water flood the island there will be water borne disease.”

Contingency Plans

Meanwhile, environmental advocacy group Bluepeace has called on the government to make contingency plans immediately.

Bluepeace founder Ali Rilwan argued “elevated adapted islands” where islands are raised by three meters through reclamation or buildings are raised on three-meter high stilts are the only solution for the Maldives.

“We cannot depend on the outcome of the international negotiations,” he said. “We have to find our own survival.”

Other measures include creating water villages, he added.

The organisation has recently also called for better conservation and management of reefs, wetlands, sea grass beds, and coastal vegetation as global warming pushes the Maldives into “uncharted waters.”

Former President Mohamed Nasheed had previously suggested relocating the Maldivian population to higher ground.

He told the Guardian in 2008 “We can do nothing to stop climate change on our own and so we have to buy land elsewhere,” naming Sri Lanka, India and Australia, as possible spots for a refuge. “It’s an insurance policy for the worst possible outcome,” he added.

The Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Climate Change policy

The current administration’s policies on climate change have been hard to define.

The Environment Ministry has announced a number of initiatives to minimize the country’s dependence on fossil fuels, including a pledge to convert 30 percent of all electrical use to renewable energy, and the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme (SREP) set to “transform the Maldives energy sector.”

However, President Abdulla Yameen has also pledged to explore for crude oil in the Maldives as an alternative means of diversifying the economy and supplementing fuel supply.

Criticising Yameen’s policies, Rilwan said: “Politicans are always likely to focus on economic development. They are totally aware [of climate change] but because of short term political gain, they do not think of long term survival.”

The Thwaites Glacier

Researchers said that although sea level rise could not be stopped, it is still several centuries off, and potentially up to 1,000 years away.

Speaking to the Guardian, The University of Washington researchers stated that the Thwaites glacier acts as a dam that holds back the rest of the ice sheet. Once Thwaites goes, researchers said, the remaining ice in the sheet could cause another 10 to 13ft (3 – 4 meters) of global sea-level rise.

The latest report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that the effects of global warming are “Risk of death, injury, and disrupted livelihoods in low-lying coastal zones and small island developing states, due to sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and storm surges.”

The report projected sea level to rise between 0.22 and 0.44 meters by the mid 2090s based on projections of thermal expansion and melting of alpine glaciers.

In light of the Thwaites discovery, the rate of sea levels will double compared to the original IPCC predictions, glaciologist for the British Antarctic Survey Hamish Pritchard predicted.

Photo by Jim Yungel/NASA Photograph

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MMA denies US suggestion it has knowledge of terrorist funding

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has rejected claims by the US State Department that it has any knowledge of funds being used to finance terrorist activities abroad (May 11).

The MMA’s statement came in response to a report from the US government that the authority believed funds from the Maldives were being used to sponsor terrorist activities.

“The MMA has neither received nor communicated any information regarding confirmed operation of terrorist financing activities,” said the MMA.

The US Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 claimed that criminal proceeds were coming from hawala systems (informal money transfer networks) to transfer money between islands.

“Maldivian authorities believe that funds are currently being raised in Maldives to support terrorism abroad; however, there is no reliable information regarding the amounts involved,” read the US report.

“While no official studies yet have been conducted, the Maldivian Central Bank believes that criminal proceeds mainly come from domestic sources, as a large percentage of Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) are related to Maldivians,” it continued.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has today cited the US report as evidence that the government is not doing enough to combat terrorism.

“The Maldivian Democratic Party strongly condemns the government’s failure to bring an end to terrorist and extremist activities as funds are raised in the Maldives to fund terrorism abroad,” read a press release today.

The party suggested that examples of Maldivians engaging in extremism and terrorism was on the rise, suggesting the government was not doing enough to resolve organised criminal activity in the country.

In response to the US report, the MMA has contended they have not received any confirmed suspicious transaction reports related to terrorist financing in the Maldives through formal or informal money transfer networks.

The authority also expressed confidence in the industry’s framework for preventing such operations, adding that any companies that are under their supervision are subject to the Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) obligations.

AML/CFT legislation drafted by the MMA was passed by the People’s Majlis last month and ratified by President Abdulla Yameen on April 13.

The new law introduced rules governing financial transactions and the inflow and outflow of money from the Maldives.

“We are pleased to note that most of these financial institutions have internal policies, procedures and programs to implement those obligations,” the MMA statement added.

The US State Department had further noted growing concern since 2010 “about the activities of a small number of local violent extremists involved with transnational terrorist groups”.

“There has been particular concern that young Maldivians, including those within the penal system, may be at risk of becoming radicalized and joining violent Islamist extremist groups. Links have been made between Maldivians and violent extremists throughout the world,” the report stated.

The department also suggested that the Maldives has few laws which effectively control the movement of people and money into and out of the country, adding that due to its “sprawling island geography and insufficient technological capabilities” the coastguard could not effectively patrol the territory.

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Maldives must ensure it does not become hub for people smuggling: Defence minister

With additional reporting by Lucy Lovell

The Maldives should take precautionary steps to ensure that it does not become a hub for people smuggling, Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim said on Sunday.

“This smuggling of people is done by garnering a lot of financial aid. People smuggling has become a huge business globally.”

“We must do all necessary to inhibit people smuggling through the Maldives,” said the minister.

Despite the recent introduction of legislation to address the country’s longstanding problems with human trafficking, doubts persist over implementation, as well as the law’s capacity to prosecute human smuggling – different to trafficking in that individuals give a measure of consent to be transported illegally.

Speaking at the inauguration of a workshop titled ‘Capacity Building for Front line Investigation and Border Control Officers to Combat People Smuggling’ – which started in Kurumba Island Resort on Sunday – Nazim spoke of the important role that can be played by immigration and police officers to prevent people smuggling.

He further stated that the immigration cell established at the Immigration Department needs to further develop and function more strongly in the future.

“We in the Maldives do not want anyone to use our borders to illegally cross into other countries. Even quite recently, we came across some Syrians who used the Maldives as an intermediary to travel onto another country.”

“We must ensure that the Maldivian border is one which is safe and protected, and that people are aware of this security,” added Nazim during the event organised by the International Organisation for Migration, and the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Smuggling concerns

The defence minister – also in charge of the immigration department – announced plans to apprehend and deport all undocumented foreign workers from the capital Malé within four months.

Local NGO Transparency Maldives recently estimated that the number of migrant workers in the country could number as many as 200,000 – a figure that amounts to two thirds of the country’s population.

The Maldives’ first anti trafficking legislation was ratified by President Abdulla Yameen in December last year, receiving a mixed responses from the Human Rights Commission Maldives (HRCM).

Assistant Controller Ali Ashraf from the HRCM described the new legislation at the time as “an excellent piece of work”, though he noted that the failure to include the category of smuggling in the act made it very likely that offenders would be able to evade prosecution.

“The definition of trafficking can be twisted so easily,” warned Ashraf.

The HRCM has also raised the issue of Syrian refugees – mentioned by the defence minister today – using the Maldives as a transit point back in November 2013.

A leaked document from the immigration department, obtained by Minivan News last year, that the Maldives status as a tourist hub granting free visas upon arrival to over one million tourists a year, made it increasingly attractive as a transit destination

Previous case studies on several refugees appeared to reveal inconsistencies with the immigration department’s decisions, with similar refugee cases receiving different verdicts from Maldivian authorities.

HRCM member Jeehan Mahmood argued that the government’s inconsistencies resulted in discriminatory practices inappropriate to a country aspiring to uphold its human rights obligations.

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