Tag: MPs

MPs to receive special protection from MNDF security force

Parliament members are to receive security from Maldives National Defence Force’s (MNDF) Special Protection Group (SPG) starting this year.

Spokesman for MNDF Colonel Abdul Raheem told local media yesterday (January 2) that a security arrangement with the SPG would be available to MPs in Male’ should they request it.

According to local media, the SPG is made up of 178 specially trained military personnel.

Until now, the SPG has been responsible for the security of the President, Vice President and other well-known figures political and legal figures in the country.

However, under Article 105 (b) of the constitution, state security services are to provide protection and safety to members of parliament.

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Islamic Ministry denies religious pressure on murdered Afrasheem, while police seek foreign help with case

Police have revealed that they are seeking international expertise in solving the case of the murder of moderate scholar and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Dr Afrasheem Ali.

Police declined to provide any further details about the international help they are seeking, saying instead that they would provide information once the international actors arrived in the country.

Police also confirmed that they had arrested an additional suspect in relation to the murder case, once again declining to identify the arrested “due to the nature of the case”.

Four people have already been arrested in relation to the case, one of whom is female. The criminal court has extended the detention of all four detainees by 15 days.

Although the police have not yet identified any of the arrested individuals, lawyers representing “front-line activists” of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have confirmed that Mariyam Naifa and Ali Hashim were arrested in relation to the murder case.

The party has alleged that the arrests are politically motivated.

Afrasheem “not forced to apologise”: Islamic Minister

Prior to his murder on Monday October 1, Afrasheem had made his last public appearance on a live talkshow on TVM titled “Islamee Dhiriulhun” (Islamic Living).

In his last words, Afrasheem said that he was deeply saddened and asked for forgiveness from citizens if he had created a misconception in their minds due to his inability to express himself in the right manner.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed was quoted in local media as saying that the Islamic Ministry had not forced Afrasheem to offer a public apology for anything in his last television appearance.

Shaheem went on to say that Afrasheem had been given the opportunity to appear on the show following a series of requests by the murdered scholar. He said that Afrasheem had asked for the opportunity on Monday’s program, and so the previously arranged guests had been replaced with him.

Shaheem also said that Afrasheem had visited the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on Monday afternoon, requesting a discussion on the topics to be covered in the talk show.

Shaheem furthermore said that in this meeting, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Gubadh AbuBakr, Afrasheem and himself had spoken about how religious disagreements had led to rifts between close friends, and said that he wanted to “escape from all of this”.

“[Afrasheem] said that he wanted everyone to know what his viewpoints were. And [he] wanted to share this on a channel watched by the largest audience, “ said Shaheem, sharing his discussion with Afrasheem in their last meeting together.

“I think this is a highly esteemed position that Allah has granted [Afrasheem] in timing this program in the midst of all that happened that night. It is fate that the show was arranged for the very night,” Shaheem said.

“Looking at the attack as a whole, it must have been planned for days and days. There’s no other way it could have been carried out under such secrecy,” Shaheem commented.

Shaheem said that he had no knowledge of anyone bringing about a situation where Afrasheem might have been forced to offer a public apology for his views.

Contradicting views on religious matters

Afrasheem’s moderate positions on subjects such as listening to music had previously attracted criticism from more conservative religious elements, who dubbed him “Dr Ibilees” (“Dr Satan”).

In 2008, the scholar was kicked and chased outside a mosque after Friday prayers, while more recently in May 2012, the religious Adhaalath Party released a statement condemning Afrasheem for allegedly “mocking the Sunnah”.

“After speaking to everyone, Afrasheem himself said that he was willing to apologise if the problem was in his statements. That he wanted to make clear what his stands were if he were to speak at any forum or place. That he does not call for wrong beliefs or things,” Shaheem explained.

Regarding the contradicting views on religious matters that had led to criticism of Afrasheem by other local scholars, Shaheem said that Afrasheem had approached him to find a solution.

“(Afrasheem) himself came to me and said Usthaz (scholar) Shaheem, you are the one person who can do this. So help me become one with everyone else. And so, it was under his request that the scholar’s dialogue was organised,” Shaheem was quoted as saying in local media on Sunday.

Although Shaheem said that at the end of the meeting the scholars were “happy with Afrasheem”, local media reported last month that the meeting had ended without reaching a general agreement.

At the time, Shaheem had said that the main focus of the meeting were the disagreements between Afrasheem and other local scholars on certain religious issues.

He had also stated then that the scholars involved had been unable to reach a consensus at the end of the meeting, and that he hoped Afrasheem would align his views with that of the other scholars.

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Police send case concerning MDP MPs Hamid and Bonday to Prosecutor General

Police have sent cases concerning opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs Hamid Abdul Ghafoor and Ibrahim ‘Bonday’ Rasheed to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

An official from the Prosecutor General’s Office has confirmed to matter to local media today and has said the PG Office was currently researching the case.

Local newspaper ‘Sun Online’ reported that police have requested to press charges against MP Hamid for obstructing police duty and requested MP Rasheed be charged for obstructing police duty, assaulting police officers, threatening and creating unrest.

On August 4, Ibrahim Rasheed was arrested and the Criminal Court placed him under house arrest for five days on charges of threatening and attacking a police officer and obstructing police duty.

According to a statement issued by the MDP, Rasheed was taken into custody at 12.30am from a popular cafe in the capital Male’ by “20 militarised police.”

“MP Ibrahim Rasheed was arrested under a warrant obtained by the police relating to an incident two days back on 30 July when it was reported that the MP was ‘bitten’ on his back by a policeman in the process of being arrested while participating in a protest rally,” the statement said.

Photos surfaced on social media showing bruises on the MPs’ back and the prescription letter from private hospital ADK where he was treated.

On July 22, Hamid Abdul Ghafoor was arrested after he broke through the police barricades near the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

“We warned him and let him go as he first broke through the police barricades. We arrested him for obstruction of police duties after he broke through again,” police said in a statement.

In a statement following Hamid’s arrest, the MDP said Hamid and other protesters were arrested in violation of the laws stipulated under the constitution and international covenants Maldives is party to.

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Five MPs will join DRP when parliament resumes, claims DRP Deputy Leader

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader and Spokesperson Ahmed ‘Mavota’ Shareef has claimed that “four or five” members of parliament will join the DRP when parliament resumes.

Speaking at a DRP press conference, Shareef said next month there will be a ceremony to celebrate the joining of the new MPs, however he declined to provide further information.

Shareef also told the press that “about 1000” people had expressed interest in joining DRP in the future.

He further claimed that five “hardcore Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists” had joined the party.

DRP Parliamentary Group Leader and MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom today told Minivan News that he did not wish to disclose any information on the matter.

‘’Due to the current political environment in the country, MPs and supporters will keep shifting parties for the next three or four months,’’ Dr Mausoom said. ‘’It will go like that until the major political parties elect their presidential candidates.’’

Dr Mausoom predicted that after the major political parties elect their candidates, the shifting of MPs and supporters would settle.

Former MDP MP Abdulla Abdulraheem recently shifted to the DRP.

“I, on March 27, 2012, have decided to rejoin DRP as the principles of MDP contradict the principles I believe in,” he claimed. “I’m quitting MDP and resigning for the DRP as I know the party will always welcome me,” Haveeru quoted him saying during the signing ceremony at the DRP office.

Earlier this month MDP MP for Fuvamulah central constituency Shifaq Mufeed joined former President Maumon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

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MPs ban Israel flights, but withdraw resolutions against Pillay, GMR, SAARC monuments

MPs passed a resolution on Wednesday preventing Israeli national airline El Al from operating scheduled flights to the Maldives until Majlis’ National Security Committee completes further investigation into the matter.

El Al had applied to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in May 2011 requesting permission to fly to the Maldives starting in December 2011.

The demand to ban Israeli flights was a key issue that united opposition parties and was used to spark protests against Nasheed’s administration in the last weeks of his presidency. Nasheed resigned from office on February 7, but later claimed he had been deposed through a coup d’état.

The opposition also called for the eviction of Indian infrastructure giant GMR, granted a contract by Nasheed’s administration to manage and develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA). Further demands included a call to condemn UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay for her suggestion that flogging be abolished in the Maldives as a punishment for extra-marital sex, and the removal of “idolatrous” SAARC monuments from Addu City

However Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakr on Wednesday withdrew the Majlis petition against Pillay.

On April 2, Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed also withdrew a resolution calling on the Majlis to prevent GMR from taking over the management of duty free shops and bonded warehouse from local businesses.

Riyaz also withdrew a resolution calling on the government to remove SAARC monuments from Addu City on the same day. Addu City Council had removed the monuments in January after a public furor.

Ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor said he was “at a total loss” since then-opposition “had picked such a fight with us over these matters.”

“They made these issues out to be a threat to national security, and now these issues have disappeared without a trace. This is just cheap and dirty politics,” Ghafoor said.

December 23 demands

Speaking to MDP supporters at a rally on Wednesday evening, Nasheed observed that the then-opposition’s rallying cries had died once they took power.

“I will always remember, at the last moment of the coup, a police man was shouting out, ‘My father built that airport at Hulhule,’ [complaining] that I had sold that airport to outsiders, that the police were there [protesting] to retake that airport,” he said.

Nasheed said his policies had been for the benefit of the ordinary citizen and “no one can take the airport away, whether it’s GMR or India or another country.”

“I want to tell that policeman and other police officers who brought about the coup, when the current administration eventually decides to allow Israel flights to land at the airport, it is for the benefit of the economy. Even though they polluted your hearts for political gain, you are now seeing all of their poems turning to mere lullabies,” he said.

The PPM, DQP, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhooree Party (JP) and Madhanee Ithihad (Civil Society Coalition) organised a well attended ‘Defend Islam’ rally on December 23 demanding that Nasheed prevent Israeli airlines from operating flights into the Maldives, remove “idolatrous” SAARC monuments and apologise for Pillay’s comments.

The ‘December 23 coalition’ accused Nasjeed of being “non- Islamic”, and said the decision to handover airport to GMR undermined Maldives’ sovereignty.

When Nasheed arrested Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed in January 2012, the coalition called on the police and military not to obey Nasheed’s orders and pledged allegiance to Nasheed’s VP Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

On February 7, Nasheed publicly resigned from office after elements of the police and military staged a mutiny, and Waheed was sworn in as president on the same day.

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Supreme Court rules in favour of Gayoom appointees to the former parliament

Supreme Court has ruled in favour of eight appointees to the 16th parliament on 13 March 2012, citing that their removal was unconstitutional and ordered the salaries of these appointees be paid from the time of their removal until the new parliament convened.

Formerly, the Maldives’ parliament had eight appointees to the parliament by the president, according to the old constitution. When former President Mohamed Nasheed was sworn in to the office, he removed the eight MPs appointed by his predecessor Gayoom and replaced them with his own set of appointees. This was before the parliament was elected under the new constitution. The election took place on March 9, 2009.

The removed appointees argued that their removal was against the newly ratified constitution of 2008’s article 294 and had initially filed the case in Supreme Court on 12 November 2008, by MP Rozaina Adam and MP Ahmed Mahloof, both who are currently sitting elected MPs.

The article 294 clause (a) of the constitution which is under the ‘Transitional Matters’ chapter states: “The People’s Majlis [Parliament] in existence at the commencement of this Constitution shall continue until such time as the first elections of the People’s Majlis under this Constitution are held, and election of members and assumption of office by the members.”

However the case was later sent to the Civil Court and the court ruled in favor of Nasheed’s government stating the president had the authority to remove the members and appoint his own until the first parliamentary elections is held under the ratified constitution.

The case was later appealed in the High Court on January 4, 2009. The High Court also supported the Civil Court’s verdict and upheld the ruling on 08 February 2009.

The parties then filed to appeal the case to Supreme Court on April 12, 2009.

In the Supreme Court Ruling, a 3 to 2 majority decision was reached by the five member bench which consisted of Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain, Justice Abdullah Saeed (former interim chief justice), Justice Abdullah Areef, Justice Ali Hameed Mohamed and Justice Dr Ahmed Abdullah Didi.

Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and Justice Abdullah Areef had a deferring opinion which was in support of the High Court Ruling.

Nasheed removed the appointees on 11 November 2008, just a few hours after he was sworn in.

With the Supreme Court ruling, the 8 MPs will now be paid the salary of an MP from the time of their removal until the next parliament was elected on May 9, 2009.

According to the parliament secretariat, salary of an MP at the time of the removal of appointees was RF 62,500 (USD 4053).

If the former MPs are to be paid according to the Supreme court ruling, they are entitled to get the salary of seven months which would be counted from the day they were removed (11 November 2008) to the convening of the first session of the 17th parliament (27 May 2009).

This means each of these parties would receive a sum of RF 437,500 (US$28,372).

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Comment: Maldivians helping 700,000 non-Muslims go to hell every year

As all of us know very well, we Maldivians are a pious Muslim community who have it enshrined in our constitution that to be a Maldivian necessarily means to be a Muslim. If we give up our Muslim identity, our rights as a Maldivian citizen are taken away automatically.

How this has been accommodated within the framework of the International Convention on Human Rights (of which we are a signatory) is still a mystery to me. For it says that every human being has the right to the freedom of conscience. And what is freedom of conscience if we cannot choose our religion?

Recently I found myself discussing the issue with some friends and we thought of a scenario where a Maldivian waiter is serving non-Muslims in a resort. The waiter will serve all alcoholic beverages that the guests (referred in this article as non-Muslims) request for. He will also catch glimpses of them wearing bikinis and frolicking about in the white sandy beaches. And yet, he himself is strictly prohibited from any such behavior, not only because of his job description as a waiter, but because, if he chooses to engage in any of these activities he is facilitating his guests with, he will find himself a criminal. I told my friends that I found this contradiction a bit troublesome. I understand that some Maldivians justify this state of things by citing various reasons.

Even though the Maldivian constitution was last revised as recently as 2008, it clearly states that a Maldivian citizen can only be a Muslim. And from this follows other laws and regulations which prohibit Maldivians from consumption of alcohol and any other behavior that is deemed outside of the Muslim moral code. And tourism regulation in the country is perhaps a good example of this. We facilitate tourists to travel thousands of miles and spend as much dollars to travel to the beautiful islands of the Maldives (of which we are the inhabitants) and do things we believe will only take them closer to hell; drink alcohol, engage in sex outside marriage, wear revealing clothes in public, etc. So we have a situation where we ourselves refrain from the bad things but actually help others who do not belong to our community to do these very sinful things. The same laws of the land has different provisions to different persons, and while some laws describe us as having certain unalienable rights, others deny us those very same rights.

I have often thought of bringing this up with the MPs that represent the community I live in, who are individuals vested with the responsibility to scrutinize the laws of the country so as to make them more compatible with our beliefs and outlook. However, after seeing them on TV recently and hearing them speak on the radio, I have come to the conclusion that a majority of these MPs will not warm up to such an idea. I find some of them highly insular and provincial. And sometimes I wonder what they are trying to achieve by being in the parliament.

A friend recently commented that ‘Maldivians are the niggers of this country’, encapsulating the feelings I have tried to state above. He was referring to the black Americans in USA who were deprived of even the basic human rights until the Civil Rights Movement. It is one thing to have attitudes about things, but it is quite another to enshrine them in the highest code of regulation for a community, the Constitution.

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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MDP MP calls on Speaker to use armed forces to control parliament

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Mustafa has sent a text message to the Speaker of the parliament Abdulla Shahid calling on him to invoke his authority to use armed forces to control MPs that disrupt parliament meetings.

In the text, he tells Shahid that Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MPs were making plans to delay passing the amendment presented by the government to the Import/Export Act, which he said will decrease prices of goods in the market.

”This amendment presented by MDP MP Ibrahim Rasheed, after spilling blood in the parliament as you will recall, will decrease the prices of all types of food items and construction materials and other basic products that citizens need,” Mustafa explained in the text. ”The amendment will cut Rf 1700 million from import duties.”

Mustafa said the PPM MPs were concerned that if the amendment was passed it would “benefit the citizens and MDP will gain more support.”

”Many businessmen in the country are waiting for the day that this amendment gets passed and ratified by the President,” he said in the text he sent to Shahid. ”Due to these reasons I believe that you should invoke the authority to use armed forces to get disruptive MPs out of the parliament’ chamber.”

He said the citizens would not accept the work of the parliament coming to a halt due to a political game.

However, PPM Media Coordinator and MP Ahmed Nihan said that the PPM was not concerned that the amendment might get passed.

”PPM is concerned that the MDP MPs are demanding to hold the parliament meeting with Independent MP Ibrahim Abdul Hameed present, who was recently sentenced and his seat is supposed to be vacant,” Nihan said. ”What if later at some point the High Court and the Supreme Court upholds the lower court’s ruling and declares that his seat is vacant?If that happens, then another issue will be raised – how do we know if the votes he gives now are valid?”

Nihan said according to the constitution the seat should be vacant.

”Mustafa and Reeko Moosa Manik claim to know things the KGB, MOSSAD and CIA do not know. They say whatever comes to their mouth,” he said. ”There will be no one on earth who believes what they say.”

Nihan said that the reason the PPM did not support GST was that it would increase the prices of goods at the market.

In July this year four MPs of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Z-faction, who are now MPs of PPM, were forcibly removed from the chamber 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.

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MDP MP attacks committee allowance protesters for invading MPs privacy

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Musthafa has said that protesters against MPs committee allowance have invaded the privacy of MPs and violated MPs privileges, after the protesters put up posters of photos of MPs with their personal mobile phone numbers.

“MPs have been subjected to disturbances from citizens that hate them, and publishing the personal mobile number of MPs invades the privacy and privileges of MPs,” Musthafa said. “They have invaded our personal life by doing that.”

Musthafa said he had asked Speaker Abdulla Shahid to look into the matter, and said he was looking forward to hearing from the parliament.

“I think the parliament will issue a press release today, I am looking forward to it,” he said. “Shahid is currently abroad on an official trip so I sent him a text message to bring it to his attention.”

Musthafa said that some MPs have said they are unable to use their numbers any longer.

“One MP told me that he had been using his number for 12 years and the number was used for international relations as well, but he said now he has no other choice but to throw it away and get a new number,” he said. “How the NGOs acted on this matter is very disappointing, they could have done it a better way.”

He alleged that were “senior figures” behind the NGOs.

“MPs are members representing constituencies and become an MP with the consent of their constituency, so people should have at least some respect for them,” Musthafa said.

In the text message sent to Speaker Shahid, Musthafa said that it was very concerning that MPs personal contact numbers had been published on a poster with their photo in Majeedee Magu.

He told Shahid that the personal details of MPs could not be published without their consent, alleging that culprits had asked people to call and disturb the MPs.

“It is the legal duty of the parliament to find out the culprits, and they should be prosecuted and action should be taken,” Musthafa said.

Project Coordinator of Transparency Maldives Aiman Rasheed’s mobile phone and landline was not reachable and he was unavailable for comment.

Parliament meanwhile issued a press statement today noting that the constitution protected the privacy of individuals.

“Matters should be brought to MPs’ attention responsibly in a way that does not undermine their dignity and reputation or create difficulties in their personal lives,” it reads, adding that making MPs photos and contact information public “as a nusisance to them” was a “matter of concern.”

Noting that MPs had special privileges under the law, it continues, “any action that undermines MPs’ dignity can be seen as violating MPs’ privileges.”

The statement concludes by urging the public not to violate “social norms” in contacting MPs.

A Majlis media official confirmed to Minivan News today that only 19 of 77 MPs have written requesting that the lump sum of Rf140,000 not be desposited with their salaries. They include 16 MDP MPs, Independent MP ‘Kutti’ Mohamed Nasheed and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and his wife MP Visam Ali.

Last Monday Aiman told Minivan News that the campaign against the committee allowance will continue and there was hope for success.

“Today we presented the Finance Ministry 1365 letters signed by concerned citizens and eight cabinet members, plus high-profile people across the country,” he said at the time.

“We have made plans to continue the letter campaign and to make the citizens aware of the impacts of this committee allowance.”

MP salaries have increased 18-fold since 2004, according to a graph released by the NGO.

The committee allowance was Rf18 million, Rasheed said. “In comparison, the budget to combat drugs is Rf 14 million, the budget subsiding the fishing industry is Rf12 million, medical services Rf18 million and the budget for small and medium businesses is Rf16 million,” he said, adding that these areas would be impacted by the increased expenditure on MPs.

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