A state funeral was given last evening in Raa atoll Alifushi for the corporal who was shot dead during a training exercise yesterday at Laamu atoll Kadhoo. The funeral was attended by the corporal’s family, state officials and heads of the armed forces, reports Haveeru News.
The body of Corporal Ibrahim Shaukath, 32 of Shabaana/Raa atoll Alifushi was buried at the island’s cemetery following the Taraweeh prayer, said during Ramadan, and a seven-gun salute.
President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday sent his condolences to the corporal’s family, and assured the late Shaukath’s father that a full investigation of the incident was underway.
The President told Shaukath’s father that he was “deeply shocked and saddened” when told of the incident.
Shaukath was completing Body Guard training in preparation for November’s South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation when he was shot in the head in the late morning of Sunday, August 28. Military officials have said the soldiers were using live ammunition, and that it was not unusual.
A Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer has died in a friendly-fire incident during bodyguard training at the Kadhoo facility in Laamu Atoll.
32 year-old Corporal Ibrahim Shaukath was shot in the head and was taken to Laamu Gan Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:50am.
The MNDF stated that live ammunition was used in the training program, intended to train bodyguards for the upcoming SAARC Summit to be held in Addu.
MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News that a joint investigation by police and the MNDF had been launched into the investigation of the death.
“It is too early to say how the incident occurred because the investigation is ongoing,” Abdul Raheem said.
Asked whether officers were required to wear helmets during training requiring the use of live ammunition, Abdul Raheem responded that “during some training, the officers will be equipped with different weapons and tools and I am not sure whether in this training the students were told to wear their helmets,’’ he replied.
A state funeral for Shaukath will be held on his home island of Alifushi in Raa Atoll.
“The family requested we conduct the funeral on Alifushi, so we decided to do so,’’ Abdul Raheem said, adding that senior officers of the MNDF would attend.
He said that the MNDF flag would be hoisted half-mast for three days in mourning of the incident.
“The whole MNDF force is with the family of Shaukath and our prayers are with him and his family,’’ Abdul Raheem said. “It was a very regrettable incident.”
Local media meanwhile reported that Shaukath died immediately when the bullet went straight his forehead.
Defense Minister Thalhath Ibrahim, Chief of Defense Force Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel and Vice Chief of Defense Force Faruhath Shaheeru and MNDF Nothern Area Commander Brigadier General Ahmed Mohamed will attend the funeral.
The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) sent condolences to Shaukath’s family and called for an independent investigation to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future, alleging that existing safety measures during training exercises were “questionable”.
Officers from the Air Wing of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) participated in the 2011 Pacific Air Rally this week in Colombo. The event is held every two years, but this is the first time it has been held in Sri Lanka, Haveeru reports.
The rally, hosted by the Pacific Air Command of the US Air Force and the Sri Lanka Air Force, took place at the Ratmalana and Ampara Air Force bases between August 22 and 26.
MNDF forces participated in the Command Post Exercise, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief coordination between participating countries.
Parliament’s National Security Committee has voted in favor of signing a memorandum of understanding with the UN to send Maldivian soldiers to UN conflict zones for peacekeeping operations.
According to the parliament, all the members of the committee were present at the meeting last Monday when the voting was held, including Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam, Peoples Alliance Party (PA) MP Abdulraheem Abdulla and DRP MP Mohamed Nashiz.
The committee will now submit the matter to parliament for approval.
On April 5, the cabinet decided to sign a memorandum of understanding with the UN to deploy Maldivian soldiers to UN conflict zones, noting that it would be important for the Maldives to contribute to these international efforts to ensure that every country, society and individual had the opportunity to live in peace and security.
The decision was then sent to the parliament for approval, and the parliament voted in favor of sending it to the National Security Committee to examine the issue further.
According to 243[b] of the constitution, “if the President, as Commander in Chief, authorizes or orders the employment of the military service in defence of the republic or as part of an international undertaking, the President shall without delay submit the authorisation to the People’s Majlis. The People’s Majlis may at any time approve the authorisation, or revoke the authorisation.”
Speaking on the matter in parliament, opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP, Ahmed Mahlouf, said the issue was concerning.
“This is no joke, this is a very serious issue,” he said. “I do not think any honorable member would want to send some Maldivians abroad to their deaths.”
Mahlouf said death was a real possibility in peacekeeping operations. He also noted that it was possible that terrorists would target the Maldives if Maldivian soldiers were sent to participate in peacekeeping operations.
Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf also expressed concern over the issue and called on the government to withdraw the decision.
Salaf at the that time claimed that any Muslim who assisted non-Muslims in a war against Muslims would themselves be branded infidels.
“Muslims will be obliged to treat him as a non-Muslim in all ways, such as if dead, burying without enshrouding the body, burying the body with other non-believer, and when dealing with inheritance matters the terms and condition that applies to a non-believer who dies in a war against Muslims will be applied to him,” the NGO said.
Police are searching for two tourists who reportedly went missing on the Adaaran Hudhuranfushi resort on Lhohifushi Island.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that police had received a report of the missing tourists, but could not provide any further details.
Local newspaper Haveeru has reported that the missing couple were Japanese, however this was not confirmed by police.
The two tourists were reported to have been last seen at dinner on Tuesday night, but it was believed that had not returned to their villa afterwards, Haveeru reported.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) is on standby to begin a search effort at sea if police and resort management were unsuccessful in locating the guests.
“We’re usually tasked to search for people who go missing while they’re at sea. We’re ready to search the resort’s lagoon if the police fail to find them from the island,” an MNDF official said.
Minivan News contacted the resort to clarify the story but was referred to its head office in Male, which had closed for the day.
The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has donated Rf100,000 (US$6,485) to assist victims of a fire incident in Galolhu Saamiliyya in May this year that left its residents homeless.
The donation was handed over to the displaced families at a special ceremony at the MDP main office.
According to the party’s website, five families and one individual were living in the house in the capital Male’ when the fire broke out.
A total of Rf112,465 was raised and distributed to the victims of the fire incident.
After the incident on May 26, both the landlord and his tenants were left homeless and were temporarily relocated to the Social Centre, a building mostly used for sporting purposes and other recreational activities.
Male’ City Council told local media at the time that the council would provide all assistance possible to those affected by the fire, including financial assistance.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) meanwhile provided the homeless victims with blankets, mattresses and other necessities to make the place adequate for a temporary shelter.
Although the list of homeless people initially had 39 names on it, it was later revised, Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News at the time.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has destroyed a broken missile that washed up ashore last week on the island of Goidhoo in Noonu Atoll.
An MNDF expert was dispatched to the island to study the missile, who determined that it was a naval missile.
As the expert believed the broken missile could still pose a danger depending on the way it was handled, the missile was safely disposed of around 4.15pm yesterday.
Four MPs of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) breakaway Z-faction were forcibly removed from the chamber today after Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim invoked the Speaker’s authority to evict disruptive MPs by force from the parliament floor.
Z-DRP MPs Ahmed Mahlouf, Ilham Ahmed and Ali Arif were forcibly taken out of the chamber by MNDF officers while MP Ahmed Nihan left of his own accord.
All four MPs had been ordered to leave by the Deputy Speaker after repeatedly advising disruptive MPs to return to their seats.
“I believe we have to find a solution to Majlis sittings being stopped because of this issue,” Nazim said this morning when Mahlouf refused to leave after about 15 minutes. “I intend to go ahead with getting the MP out under article 54(g). I am adjourning the sitting to do this.”
MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) cheered and applauded the decision. The ruling party MPs had bolted the chamber doors and refused to let opposition MPs leave yesterday.
Article 54(g) of the parliamentary rules of procedure states that the Speaker has the authority to expel an MP who refuses to leave the chamber despite the Speaker’s ruling “in a way that does not undermine the sanctity of the People’s Majlis.”
Crowds of activists and supporters of both parties had gathered outside the parliament building to continue yesterday’s protest. However police had cordoned off the area and used pepper spray to control confrontations between rival supporters.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News that while “a few people were temporarily detained,” the scuffles and disturbances were not serious and no one was arrested.
Today’s sitting was meanwhile adjourned a number of times to evict the Z-DRP MPs. However following the expulsion of Vili-Maafanu MP Ahmed Nihan from the chamber, proceedings went ahead smoothly with the exception of disruptive points of order raised by some opposition MPs, notably People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed.
The Z-DRP MPs had contended that a sitting held last week to approve the composition of committees was “unlawful” as MPs were informed via text message just two hours before it began at 8.30pm.
10.00am: MNDF officers have reportedly entered the chamber and are pleading with MP Mahlouf to leave the chamber.
10.30am: Police have used pepper spray to control protestors and arrested some activists. Male’ City Councillors are reportedly among the crowd.
10:40am: Nazim’s party, minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA), alleged yesterday that the Deputy Speaker suffered an injury in a scuffle with Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs yesterday. “We consider this a criminal offence carried out by some members belonging to MDP and we condemn the act in the strictest of terms. We call on the authorities to investigate the matter,” the party said in a statement. Haveeru published a photograph of a cut finger. Nazim’s explained that his finger was caught between his desk and a chair placed by an MDP MP to block him from leaving the Speaker’s chair.
10:57am: MP Mahlouf has been removed from the chamber by MNDF officers on orders from Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim.
11:50am: Majlis sitting has been adjourned again shortly after it began when MP Ahmed Ilham was ordered to leave the chamber but refused to comply with Deputy Speaker Nazim’s order.
12:10pm: Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf has told Minivan News that the Deputy Speaker called out his name and ordered him to leave the chamber when he raised a point of order to inquire about some documents missing from his desk.
”I left an agreement and some very important documents on my desk last night and when I came this morning it was missing, so I took point of order to ask about it,” he said.
Mahlouf said that Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers came inside the chamber and “dragged me outside using force.”
“Later while I was standing outside, MDP MP Ali Waheed (former DRP deputy leader) came at me, spit in my face and hit me on the face,” he claimed.
12:16pm: MNDF officers have reportedly removed Ilham from the chamber.
12:33pm: MP Ali Arif has also been removed by MNDF officers after he refused to leave the chamber when ordered by Deputy Speaker Nazim.
1:10pm: Majlis sitting has resumed at 1pm without the three evicted Z-DRP MPs. Deputy Speaker Nazim is proceeding with the agenda items. Debate on the government’s proposed amendment to the Import-Export Act of 1979 has begun. The amendment bill is being presented to the floor by MDP MP for Maafanu South Ibrahim Rasheed.
1:42pm: Deputy Speaker Nazim has repeatedly appealed for calm after Z-DRP MPs Ahmed Nihan, Abdul Muhsin Hameed and PA MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla raised points of order to protest the removal of opposition MPs by force. MP Ibrahim Muttalib resumed speaking in the debate but a number of opposition MPs are on their feet in protest. “I don’t believe I can continue speaking in this environment,” Muttalib has said.
1:45pm: Deputy Speaker Nazim has ordered Nihan to leave the chamber and adjourned the sitting.
2:00pm: The sitting has resumed after Nihan left the chamber without being escorted out by MNDF officers.
3:30pm: Today’s sitting of parliament has just concluded. Debate on the proposed amendment to the Import Export Act was completed while preliminary debate began on the Business Profit Tax Bill.
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has denied media reports suggesting that Chief of Defence Forces Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel offered unsolicited legal advice either to the Speaker of Parliament or other MPs.
A press statement issued yesterday explains that Major General Jaleel met with some MPs on Sunday upon request by Speaker Abdulla Shahid.
“The MNDF did not offer legal advice at the meeting either to the People’s Majlis or the Speaker,” it reads. “However the Major General received legal advice before he went to the meeting. The law obliges MNDF to protect the People’s Majlis and other state institutions.”
It adds that MNDF “would not do anything to obstruct the proceedings of parliament.’’
MNDF Spokesperson Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News that the document containing legal advice leaked to the media had been produced by the army’s legal department several days ago.
He stressed that legal advice was not given either to MPs or Speaker Shahid during Sunday’s meetings.
In the past few days, several media outlets have reported that the leaked document, signed by the head of MNDF legal department Major Zubair Ahmed Manik, was offered as legal advice to Speaker Abdulla Shahid by the MNDF.
The document states that the army has legal authority to remove any MP that refuses to leave the chamber after being ordered to do so by the Speaker.
Speaking to press on the day before, Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf claimed that the involvement of the MNDF signified “a deal made between President [Mohamed] Nasheed, Speaker Abdulla Shahid and DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to destroy us.”
Z-DRP MP Ahmed Nihan meanwhile told Minivan News yesterday that MPs “felt intimidated” following the MNDF’s legal advice.
“The Speaker has the authority to take other actions against MPs who do not follow the regulations, such as cutting an amount from their salary,” he said. “Now this country is becoming like Myanmar [Burma] has been in the past years – the Maldives is bit by bit turning to a military rule.”
At the beginning of yesterday’s sitting, Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed raised a point of order demanding to know which law authorised MNDF officers to enter the chamber and “drag MPs away.”
Deputy Speaker Nazim replied that he was aware of the meeting between the Speaker and the Chief of Defence Forces.
“MNDF [officers] will not enter the Majlis chamber without the permission of the Speaker,” he said. “The Speaker does not intend to give permission and I will not do it either.”
Meanwhile local daily Haveeru reports today that the Labour Party of MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem has asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate Major Jaleel and take measures against the army chief.
The Labour Party claims that Jaleel “gave warnings to MPs” and spoke to them “in threatening tones.”
The party’s letter to the ACC states that Jaleel’s behavior was “a clear proof of a plan to bring an iron-fisted military rule to the Maldives.”
The Labour Party requested the ACC to investigate the “motive and purpose” behind Jaleel’s alleged threats of the possible use of force against MPs.
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