Several roads in the southeast of Male’ will be closed for the public for a special ceremony on Sunday ‘Dharubaaruge’ to mark the 44th Republic Day of the Maldives.
Some of the main roads that will be closed include fuel shed area on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, the area where Ameenee Magu and Boduthakurufaanu Magu meets, Moonlight Hingun, the end where Janavaree Magu and Buruzu Magu meets.
Police said any other road that has to be closed due to any reason will be closed, and thanked the people for their cooperation and apologised to the people for any inconvenience caused due to the closure of these roads.
Meanwhile, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has set up a huge stage at the Republican Square to perform a musical event as a celebration of Republic Day.
Former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed has also issued a statement sending greetings to all Maldivians.
The Maldives declared Republic on 11 November 1968, ending the 853 year-old monarchy. The monarchy was replaced by a republic under the presidency of President Ibrahim Nasir.
The official name of the country was then changed from ‘Maldive Islands’ to the ‘Maldives.’
On 15 March 1968 a national referendum was held on the question with 93.34 percent of those taking part voted in favor of establishing a republic.
Police have confirmed that six men from the island of Bilehfahi in Shaviyani Atoll have been arrested after they allegedly threw rocks at some roofs and disturbed the peace of the island.
According to a statement issued by the police, three 23 year-old men, a 21 year-old man, 24 year-old man and a 32 year-old man were arrested. Police did not reveal their identities.
Police said an operation was conducted by Shaviyani Atoll Police Station after police were informed that the group of men were throwing rocks at houses and were exploding plastic bottles in areas where people live.
Police received assistance and cooperation from the people of the island during the arrest of the six men, they said.
Following the arrests, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) issued a statement saying that the six arrested were MDP members and they were arrested to obstruct MDP activities conducted on the island.
The MDP called the arrests ‘unlawful’ and called on the authorities to release the six immediately.
People had been throwing rocks at a café shop owned by a MDP member in the island and when it was reported to police, police said they were too busy and they did not have time to investigate the matter.
MDP alleged that the arrest was a setup planned by the council and police, and that the men arrested had played aq lead role in decorating the island for the MDP’s upcoming tour of Shaviyani Atoll.
In the statement the party called on the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), Police Integrity Commission and Prosecutor General (PG) to investigate unlawful actions carried out by the police.
Police have raided the Palm Deck Garden restaurant in Male ‘, closing the business following the discovery of alcohol and sharp weapons inside the premises.
The police raided the restaurant last night at about 11:15pm, according to local media. Seven Maldivians and four expat waiters in the restaurant were arrested in the raid.
Police have told media that the restaurant was closed in a special operation that had commenced with the aim of lowering the crime rate in Male’ and make it more peaceful.
Sun Online reported that journalists in the area witnessed police bringing two machetes out from the restaurant.
Police also said a bottle and glasses containing alcohol were discovered inside the premises, and that police were now trying to obtain a warrant from the court to keep the restaurant closed.
In late October, police closed down the Jalapeno Restaurant in Male’ and arrested a number of people caught using alcohol in the premises.
Police reportedly discovered a number of alcohol bottles under the tables on the second floor of the restaurant in addition to packets containing hashish oil and heroin.
Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef did not respond to calls at time of press.
The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) has forwarded a case against former Police Deputy Commissioner Ismail Atheef for prosecution, following an investigation commission into its arrest of current Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel in January 2012, prior to the controversial change of government.
Dr Jameel was arrested under the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed following a request made by the President’s Office to police, to investigate allegations made by the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Deputy Leader that the then-government of Nasheed was working under the influence of “Jews and Christian priests” to weaken Islam in the Maldives.
The allegations were extensively documented in a publication released by the party, ‘President Nasheed’s devious plot to destroy the Islamic faith of Maldivians’.
The repeated release of Dr Jameel – also former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Justice Minister – by the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, led to the Nasheed administration’s arrest of Judge Abdulla.
PIC Deputy Chair Dr Abdulla Waheed told local newspaper Haveeru that the investigation had been concluded and that case sent to the Prosecutor General’s office to press criminal charges against the former Deputy Police Commissioner.
Dr Waheed told the paper that the arrest was unlawful as the procedure Atheef applied in arresting Jameel breached the Police Act.
When Dr Jameel was arrested and brought before the Criminal Court for extension of detention, Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed ruled that the arrest was unlawful and ordered his immediate release.
Earlier last month, the Chair of PIC Shahindha Ismail resigned from the commission saying that the members of the PIC were not working to achieve the objectives of the commission and that the commission had failed to hold the police accountable.
“What I’ve seen in the actions of institutions is that they have been giving a lot of space for the police to act with impunity,” she said at the time of her resignation.
The Criminal Court has extended the pretrial detention period of the two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of late MP and religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali by another 15 days.
According to local newspapers the pair was brought to the court on Friday.
Local media has identified the two suspects as Ali Hashim ‘Smith from the island of Dhidhoo in Haa Alifu Atoll and Hassan Humam from Male’.
Minivan News understands that another boy was arrested in connection with the case, who became a suspect after the police noticed that on the night of Afrasheem’s murder he wore the same colored shirt as caught on the CCTV footage near the area where Afrasheem was murdered.
According to sources the boy had not been released yet.
Afrasheem was killed on October 1. His wife discovered the body lying on the staircase of their home.
Immediately prior to his murder 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 during his last television appearance and disputed that there was any religious motivation in the death of the moderate scholar.
Evidence gathered so far includes recordings of phone conversations, forensic samples and over 300 hours of CCTV footage, which were being analysed at the police forensic laboratory with the help of foreign experts.
Three passengers were injured in a collision at sea between two speedboats near the island of Fonadhoo in front of Male’.
According to police, a speedboat en route to Club Rannaalhi Resort from the airport collided with a Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) vessel travelling from Male’ to Hulhumale’ around 10:30pm on Thursday night.
The Criminal Court has commenced the trial of four suspects charged by the Prosecutor General (PG) for their alleged involvement in the murder of 16 year-old Mohamed Arahm, who was found dead inside ‘Lorenzo Park’ earlier this year.
According to local newspapers, the state attorney raised murder charges against the four suspects.
Police have identified the accused as Mohamed Visham, 19, Mansoor Yousuf, 25, of Maavah Island in Laamu Atoll, Mohamed Sufyan, 19, of Gahdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, and Athif Rasheed, of Scenery View in Maafannu Ward of Male’.
On March 30, patrolling police officers discovered Arham, of Noree house in Haa Alif Atoll Hoarafushil, inside the park behind Kulliyathul Dhirasathul Islamiyya (Islamic College).
Sun Online reported that the state attorney told the Judge that on March 30 between 1:00am and 6:00am Athif, Visam and Mansoor went to the park on motorbikes with some other people.
The attorney told the judge that Visam, Sufyan and Mansoor entered the park and assaulted Arham, before leaving with Athif and some other people.
Arham was studying in grade nine at Dharumavantha School when he was killed.
The Education Ministry condemned the act and called for the investigation to be hastened, and those responsible found and penalised.
The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and police also condemned the killing.
Arham’s body was found with stab wounds in his neck, back and chest with blood all over his body and on the ground, as well as on the walls of the park.
His friends insisted that the assailants attacked him while he was sleeping inside the park that night.
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has warned more atolls could be affected by severe flooding that has damaged property and threatened ground water supplies on 24 inhabited islands across the Maldives over the last few days.
A NDMC spokesperson today told Minivan News that it was still assessing the level and cost of damage caused by heavy rains and strong winds that have slammed parts of the country, identifying ensuring clean water supplies as the most pressing challenge facing authorities at present.
The adverse weather has been linked to low pressure resulting from cyclone Nilam, which had been active in the Bay of Bengal.
However, disaster management officials said that the situation in the country had not changed drastically since yesterday, with no more islands as yet suffering from severe floods. Fears about the spread of diseases resulting from contaminated ground water have also so far proved unfounded, authorities have claimed.
Police and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers along with government authorities and local councils are presently continuing efforts to ensure the public are provided with sufficient drinking water and other vital supplies. Authorities are also said to have begun trying to assess the levels of damage from the flooding.
The government has itself announced that MVR 10 million had now been made available from a contingency component in the national budget to provide what it called “immediate relief” to stricken islands in need of supplies such as pillows, blankets, sheets and foods.
President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza today said that although the MVR 10 million provided by the Majlis would not be sufficient to cover the total damages sustained from the adverse weather, the funding was expected to ensure vital cleaning supplies and other items could be provided to stricken islands.
“Right now we understand that the [weather] forecast is expected to improve and we anticipate that the MVR10 million is sufficient to provide immediate relief like pillows and bed sheets, which are the main items damaged in flooding,” he said.
Abbas said that authorities were preparing to begin assessing the full extend of the damage from the adverse weather, but added that this process might not be completed for a few weeks.
Monsoon rain
The Maldives Meteorological Department meanwhile has said that the severe weather patterns resulting from the cyclone – which had now weakened – appeared to have eased to normal rainfall levels experienced in the country during the annual southwest monsoon or “wet season”.
Met Office Spokesperson Ali Shareef told Minivan News that while rainfall was still expected in the country’s central and southern regions, it would not be in the “extraordinary” levels that had fallen earlier in the week. Shareef added that forecasts had predicted that the adverse weather patterns would begin to clear by the end of Friday (November 2).
Hoarafushi
Of the 24 inhabited islands reported to have been adversely affected by heavy rain this week, Hoarafushi in Haa Alif atoll is deemed by the NDMC to have been most severely affected.
As of yesterday, 95 households were reported to have been flooded, affecting an “estimated 600 people.”
Disaster Management Centre Project Officer Hisan Hassan, present on the island today, said that heavy rains now appeared to have cleared up despite ever present cloud. The MNDF and other authorities had also begun a chlorination process on the island.
Hassan added that supplies of flour and sugar had also been received with “beneficiaries lists” presently being drawn up by authorities before they begin distribution. Flooded homes had also since been cleared of water, while the the island had not appeared to have suffered any significant “structural damages”.
Hassan claimed that due to the flooding, septic tank systems on the island, as well as ground water and wells, had been contaminated.
“It will likely take a few days for water to be drinkable,” he said. “Every house has been provided with two five litre bottles of water to meet demand.”
Hassan added that operations on the island were ultimately returning to “normal” with no severe injuries being reported by health officials.
“The health centre here is also ready in case a situation arises concerning outbreaks of disease,” he added.
Heavy rains that started in the late afternoon on Monday caused flooding of up to five feet, according to police. Thick torrential rains that started around 4:30pm on Monday reportedly lasted non-stop until dawn on Tuesday.
The MNDF Northern Area Command meanwhile launched efforts in collaboration with island councils on Monday to pump water from the affected northern islands, including Haa Alif Baarah and Haa Dhaal Hanimadhoo in addition to Hoarafushi. Hoarafushi, one the of the northernmost islands in the Maldives, has a population of over 2,000 people.
Severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall on Monday has forced several residents of Hoarafushi in Haa Alif atoll to evacuate their homes after flood waters damaged furniture and electrical wiring in 95 households.
Speaking to Minivan News today, Hoarafushi Island Council Chair Ahmed Mauroof said 95 households were flooded, affecting an “estimated 600 people.”
“The cost of the damage caused by flooding is expected to rise to millions,” Mauroof said, explaining that furniture and electronic equipment were damaged in the affected households.
While some families have since returned to their homes, Mauroof said the island council has provided housing and food for a number of islanders at a public building while others have found shelter with relatives.
The flood waters have now receded or been pumped out by the joint efforts of the island council, the island’s youth, police, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), officials of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) and staff from the nearby Manafaru resort, Mauroof said.
The joint efforts included putting up sandbags, moving furniture and other items to safe locations and pumping water from clogged roads, police said in a press release yesterday.
Heavy rains that started in the late afternoon on Monday caused flooding of up to five feet, according to police. Thick torrential rains that started around 4:30pm on Monday reportedly lasted non-stop until dawn on Tuesday.
The MNDF Northern Area Command meanwhile launched efforts in collaboration with island councils on Monday to pump water from the affected northern islands, including Haa Alif Baarah and Haa Dhaal Hanimadhoo in addition to Hoarafushi.
Hoarafushi, one the of the northernmost islands in the Maldives, has a population of over 2,000 people.
Task force
In addition to households, Mauroof said flooding also caused damage to the island’s health centre.
“The flood water damaged the computer system and some documents there as well as medical equipment,” the councillor said, adding that electric wiring in “the very old building” was also damaged.
Moreover, as there was no sewerage system in the island, “the septic tanks, owned by the people of the island, burst, overflowed and spread waste into the island.”
Mauroof said he received information today that children and adults were being treated at the health centre for diarrhoea.
The island’s youth together with the island council have formed a task force to coordinate relief efforts and seek assistance, Mauroof said, adding that he was currently in Male’ with a number of youth from the island to seek donations.
The deputy chair of the island council was coordinating efforts back at Hoarafushi, he explained.
“We formed the task force because our aim is to recover from this as quickly as possible,” the council chair said.
As the only usable water in the island at the moment was rainwater stored in tanks – privately owned wells were also contaminated – Mauroof said the task force in Male’ was working with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to send water supplies to Hoarafushi.
Hoarafushi residents appeal for help on social media
On the efforts to seek financial assistance, Mauroof said business magnate and Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Gasim Ibrahim has donated MVR 250,000 while ‘Champa’ Mohamed Moosa has pledged the same amount on behalf of private broadcaster DhiTV and its sister network DhiFM.
Other wealthy individuals in Male’ have pledged financial assistance, he added.
Mauroof said he believed that assistance from “affluent persons” was necessary as it was “unlikely” that the island could recover from the flooding solely through the efforts of the council and central government in Male’.
Hoarafushi youth have meanwhile made appeals on social media for assistance. Mauroof said the task force planned to launch a hotline and a relief fund later today.
President Waheed visits Hoarafushi
President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik meanwhile arrived in Hoarafushi this morning and pledged government assistance to the families affected by flooding.
State broadcaster Television Maldives (TVM) reported that two people were being treated at the health centre for diarrhoea.
A TVM reporter at Hoarafushi explained that canals have been dug out on two locations of the island to draw flood waters out to the sea.
According to TVM, the DMC has set up an ’emergency working group’ with the MNDF, Maldivian Red Crescent and the Local Government Authority to assess damage caused by flooding and coordinate relief efforts.
Emergency Response Officer Mohamed Didi said that arrangements have been made with the State Trading Organisation (STO) to provide foodstuff to the affected islands, which also included two islands in Haa Dhaal Atoll.
“At 3:00pm today, an STO boat will leave Haa Dhaal Kulhudhufushi for Haa Alif Hoarafushi with 90 bags of rice, flour and sugar,” Didi told the state broadcaster.
Moreover, a second STO boat would leave from Male’ at 6:00pm with medicine, water supplies, pillows and mattresses, the DMC official said.
Meanwhile, in a statement today, former President Mohamed Nasheed noted “with happiness, the good example and Islamic principle showed by citizens to provide assistance to those in need at this time.”
In addition to the northernmost islands, the former president’s statement noted that severe weather has caused damage in the Hulhudhoo and Feydhoo wards of Addu City as well as Fuvahmulah in the south.
The Department of Meteorology yesterday warned of “rough seas, heavy rain and strong winds for the next two days.” The current weather conditions were believed to be linked to low pressure left by a cyclone currently active in the Bay of Bengal.
The BCC reported today that cyclone Nilam was expected to make landfall on the Tamil Nadu state of India.
Meanwhile, in an announcement yesterday, the MNDF coastguard urged travellers to take extra precautionary measures and stay updated on weather conditions.
The coastguard also advised against non-essential travel as heavy rains and rough seas were forecast for the next 24 hours.
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