Tag: President Mohamed Nasheed

”President will not hold mid-term elections”: Zuhair

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair has said that President Mohamed Nasheed will not hold mid-term elections, as pledged.

This was for two reasons, Zuhair told Minivan News: “Firstly it is not in the constitution, and secondly, when one makes a pledge to someone, and if recipient of the pledge did not repay the sincerity of the person making the pledge, he does would not have to fulfill it.”

Leader of the Dhivehi Qaumy Party(DQP) and former advisor to the President Dr Hassan Saeed claimed yesterday during an appearance on VTV’s ‘Hot Seat’ programme that the reason why MDP won the presidential election was the party’s promise of a mid-term election.

Zuhair claimed that the people who was trying to make the president hold mid-term elections were trying to gain fame in the political field.

”It is a pledge the president and vice president made during the campaign,” he acknowledged. ‘But after the recipient betrayed the person who made the pledge, it’s not wise to turn back and say ‘What about your promise?’.”

Zuhair claimed that when Dr Saeed was given a position as the president’s advisor, he acted in opposition to the government.

”He refused to come out for work,” Zuhair said, ”and then he started to act like an opposition leader.”

Vice President of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Umar Naseer said it was “a must” for the government to hold mid-term elections.

Umar said that the people voted President Nasheed to power for “only two and a half years.”

”People voted Nasheed because he said he would hold mid-term elections,” Umar said. ”The President said that to increase the number of his constituents, and people elected him because of [the pledge].”,”

He said that it was constitutional to hold the mid-term elections.

”President and Vice President can resign in a letter according to the constitution article 121 [a] and [b],” Umar explained.

He said the president was afraid to hold the mid-term election because he was confident that he would not get elected.

Leader of DQP Hassan Saeed and the party’s Secretary General Abdulla Ameen did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Government is still “one man show”, says Vice President Dr Waheed

When Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed appeared as the first-ever guest on VTV’s new show Hoonu Gondi (Hot Seat) on 12 April, he took the opportunity to say he was “not completely satisfied” with his job.

The aftermath of the Vice President’s interview has brought his comments to television shows, newspapers and blogs, with headlines exploiting his words as criticisms directed to President Mohamed Nasheed and his leadership.

Speaking to Minivan News, Dr Waheed said although he usually does not do interviews, but in a small community like Malé “people know when someone is not happy” and he felt he needed to speak out.

“I made a fairly measured response [to the question], careful not to be too critical of the government,” Dr Waheed said. “It is time to get rid of that fear of speaking out.”

He said people had been waiting for him to say something about his role as the country’s first elected vice president, and felt he needed to express “what is good, and what is not working” in the current government.

“This is also my government. Clearly there are ways it could be stronger,” he said.

Dr Waheed said he felt the government should be “shaped in the spirit of democracy and good governance,” adding that “we still have a lot to learn.”

He said he held the responsibility to tell the people who elected him how he felt about the government, their over-all performance and his role in it. “It’s my responsibility to express my feelings,” he said, “I think people in power should express themselves.”

Dr Waheed’s feelings were that the “way we function in [this] government is not too different to what it used to be. It’s still one man running the show,” he said, but assured he was “not picking issues” with the government, but “talking about democratic process.”

One of the main reasons for his dissatisfaction was that he doesn’t feel he is sufficiently involved in the decision-making process. “I don’t feel I am able to contribute, that consultation is not there.”

He said that while it was the president’s privilege not to consult him on everything, he thought the core of a democratic government should be “more inclusive and participative.”

“The people of the Maldives didn’t elect me to sleep for five years. I believe I am part of the leadership of this country and it is necessary for me to be involved,” Dr Waheed said. He added “the government will be stronger if the president consults with us.”

He also expressed concern over the fact that the current government won the 2008 elections on a coalition-party platform, but is now being run by a single party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

However Dr Waheed said this was “nothing that can’t be fixed”, as the government “is going through a learning process.”

He also believes the government is doing a good job in delivering their promises to the people.

“For any government, the first few months have to go into planning,” Dr Waheed said. “There has been a lot of work laying those foundations and results will be seen shortly.”

As the Maldives has not yet celebrated its second year under a democratic government, the vice president is sure these issues can still be resolved.

He said the government must be “much more consultative. We need to be more clear on what is being assigned and how that can be achieved.”

Dr Waheed defended his statements on ‘Hot Seat’ by reiterating that “I don’t see why we should be hiding our feelings now. We did not bring about this change to work in despair.”

He noted that despite the headlines today, “everything is OK” between him and the president.

Press Secretary for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair said the vice president’s interview “was not in an official capacity [as vice president], but as a party leader.”

“If he was going in official capacity we would get a notice, but this time it did not happen,” Zuhair said.

Dr Mohamed Jameel, president of the Dhivehi Qaumy Party (DQP), one of the parties that joined the MDP-led coalition that elected President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration in the 2008 elections, said he “agrees with Vice President Waheed completely.”

“I think [lack of consultation] is the very reason why many politicians from the coalition went away,” he said, adding “this is the final blow in the coffin.”

He said the problem was the government’s attitude: “Ever since they were elected, they have been saying it was a win for the MDP only.”

Dr Jameel said he thought the MDP had been “hijacked at gun point by their activists” and now the government was “conveniently giving into their demands.”

President of the Adhaalath party Sheikh Hussain Rasheed Ahmed, another coalition partner, said all the coalition parties had been having problems for a while “due mainly to political competition.”

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President grants clemency to self-exiled ‘Sandhaanu’ Luthfy

President Mohamed Nasheed has granted clemency to Ibrahim Moosa ‘Sandhaanu’ Luthfy, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for writing against the former government.

Luthfy escaped imprisonment by the former government when he was taken to Sri Lanka for medical treatment in May 2005. He undertook self-exile in Switzerland where he was supported by the United Nations and the Swiss government.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said Luthfy was a man who was “on the front line” when the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) started its work “to reform the government.”

Zuhair said that  according to the new constitution, “freedom of expression is not illegal.”

”In the constitution people have freedom of expression,” he said, ”so [Luthfy] has committed no crime under the law and so should not be serving a punishment.”

Speaking from Switzerland, Luthfy told Minivan News the charges against him by the former government were “unjust and made by force.”

Luthfy said he had been charged for “misleading the people and defaming a former government cabinet minister.”

”At first we started dropping papers on the ground to let people know about the condition of human rights and the judicial system in the Maldives,” Luthfy said.

“Then the internet was invented, and we started our work as an online, unregistered magazine based in Malaysia called ‘Sandhaanu’.”

Luthfy claimed the former government put him under life imprisonment “because they had no other way to stop us from working.”

”They tried to catch us in many ways, including sending CID agents to Malaysia, but they could not,” he said.

”Then during the time of the September 11 attack, the former president [Maumoon Abdul Gayoom] gave out an international red notice that we were terrorists.”

He said he was then caught and brought to the Maldives.

”Criminal court judge Abdulla Areef [now a judge at supreme court] gave the verdict without giving me the chance to use a defense lawyer or to present any witnesses to defend myself,” he said.

Luthfy claimed that the serious injuries he received while in prison led to international journalism organisations pressuring the former government to take him out of jail for medical treatment.

”They brought me to Male’ where doctors said I needed to go abroad for treatment, so the former government took me to Sri Lanka along with two guards,” he said. ”The doctor at the Sri Lankan hospital gave me two options: either stay in the hospital for seven days for observation or to come back after seven days, and said I preferred to come back after seven days.”

He stayed in a hotel with the two guard, but one morning he managed to escape.

”One day after fajr prayers when I came out of my room, the two guards were sleeping so I ran away,” he said.

”I sought for help from the United Nations and other organisations via e-mail, and meanwhile sent messages to the former government saying that I would let people know about how people were being tortured in the cells if any international notice was put out to find me.”

He claimed the former government tried to find him, assisted by the Sri Lankan police, but were unsuccessful.

The United Nations protected him in Sri Lanka for six months before sending him to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Switzerland.

”I have been here for seven years but will be returning to the Maldives very soon,” he said.

Spokesman for the former President, Mohamed Hussein ‘Mundhu’ Shareef, said as far as he was concerned Luthfy was “not a person”, “a nobody [who will] remain so” and he would not drop his reputation to the same level as Luthfy by commenting on the matter.

Furthermore, Mundhu said that news outlets reporting on “these kinds of unprofessional people” also risked being categorised as unprofessional.

“All you achieve in giving this clown space in the media is giving him unwarranted attention and importance. I do not wish to have any such part in such an exercise. Scum will always remain scum,” he said.

“If you want people to believe that Minivan [News] is anything but Anni’s mouthpiece, it’s advisable to stay clear of such [an] exercise to give cosmetic makeovers to people like Luthfy.”

He noted that MDP Chairperson Mariya Didi was a State Attorney at the former Attorney General’s office at the time of Luthfy’s  conviction.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and DRP MP and former cabinet minister Abdulla Mausoom failed to respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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MWSC and Hitachi to improve water supply and sewage systems in Maldives

President Mohamed Nasheed attended the inauguration ceremony of Hitachi Plant Technologies’ participation in the operation of Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) yesterday morning.

In January 2010, Hitachi and the Maldivian government signed an agreement to work in partnership with the MWSC, which is expected to lead to an upgrade of water supply and sewage systems in the country.

President Nasheed thanked the Japanese government and people for their assistance to the Maldives and expressed his hopes that more firms will see the Maldives as “an exciting place to do business and pioneer new technologies in the field of water, waste and energy.”

He said safe drinking water was in short supply in the Maldives, and was becoming insufficient to meet people’s needs. He noted “only eighteen islands in the country have proper sewerage systems and only four islands have water networks.”

President Nasheed said the price of electricity was very high, making water desalination plants an expensive measure to get potable water. He said renewable energy sources are needed for providing safe drinking water at affordable prices.

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President Nasheed says improving tertiary education essential for country’s future

President Mohamed Nasheed said special measures are needed to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for tertiary education by 40 percent over the next five years.

The GER shows the levels of enrolment for primary, secondary and tertiary education.

President Nasheed said to increase the GER for tertiary education, reforms in the school system were needed, as well as an increase in secondary education. He said three out of four students took the commerce stream, resulting in limited opportunities for employment and higher education.

President Nasheed said passing the Maldives National University Bill was of utmost importance, as well as transferring research work from government offices to the national university.

The president added that it is crucial to start medicine courses in the Maldives, as 340 doctors are needed to provide quality healthcare. He said the government would provide loans for higher education outside the country, including 50 student loans for nursing and medicine courses.

President Nasheed said starting degree courses in areas such as architecture, quantitative surveying and town planning also needed to be started.

He noted that capacity building in the judiciary was another important area.

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New Ambassador of Sudan to the Maldives

New Sudanese Ambassador to the Maldives, Khidir Haroun Ahmed, presented his credentials to President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday.

President Nasheed and Ambassador Ahmed discussed possible areas of cooperation between the two countries, and focused on how the Maldives and Sudan could strengthen cooperation to combat climate change.

Ambassador Ahmed is also serving as ambassador to Sri Lanka and was former ambassador to the United States.

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Convicted terrorist escapes DPRS on motorbike

A man sentenced for six years for charges of terrorism relating to the Himandhoo incident escaped yesterday as he was being transferred from the court to Malé Prison.

Spokesperson for the Juvenile Court Zaeema Nasheed identified the man as Hussein Nishan, 18, of Roze Hose in Himandhoo of North Ari Atoll.

Zaeema said that the man escaped by the time he was transferred to Male’ prison by a court officer from the Juvenile Court yesterday around 3:00pm.

”A court officer took him to the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service (DPRS) and the department requested a court officer to take him to Male’ jail,” she said. ”It is the responsibility of the DPRS to take prisoners to the place where they are to be kept.”

She said Nishan fled on a motor-bike which stopped near Galolhu Male’ Hiya.

”The court officer immediately informed us about the incident,” Zaeema said, adding the department “immediately informed the police.”

She said the court officer did not manage to see the registration number of the motor bike.

Zaeema said there had several recent cases where prisoners had escaped custody, but noted that this was the most recent incident.

”We do not have a vehicle at the court [to transfer prisoners,” she said, ”and we have very low security procedures.”

She said Nishan was charged for terrorism in 2007 for attacking the Armed Forces of Maldives in Himandhoo when he was only 16 years old.

”The case was sent to the court by the Prosecutor General’s office on 24 July 2008.”

A source in DPRS told Minivan News that the court officer went with Nishan to DPRS around 4:00pm yesterday.

”We told him to transfer Nishan to Male’ Jail,” he said, ”and when we called after a while to check where he was, Niham said that the man escaped.”

He added that Nishan had cooperated during the trial.

Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the case was reported to the police yesterday afternoon.

Shiyam said Nishan had not yet been found and added that the police are searching for him.

Spokesperson for the DRPS Moosa Rameez did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

President Mohamed Nasheed has previously vowed to the people of Himandhoo that the government will grant clemency to Himandhoo inmates convicted for terrorism.

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President urges Majlis to think sensibly when voting on Armed Forces Act

In his weekly national address on the Voice of Maldives, President Mohamed Nasheed has urged the People’s Majlis to take national security into consideration when voting on the bill to amend the Armed Forces Act.

President Nasheed said according to the Constitution, “I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces” and he could not “allow any disruptions and divisions among the Armed Forces.”

The president said requiring Majlis’ approval in appointing high-ranking military officials was “undue interference” and it could be a barrier against national security, progress and peace.

President Nasheed added that he would “not allow any party to interfere” with national security or his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

He hoped members of the Majlis would think sensibly before voting on the bill.

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President Nasheed meets with German Minister of State

President Mohamed Nasheed met yesterday with German Minister of State Dr Wener Hoyer.

The meeting was held at the Federal Foreign Office on 9 March. The president and the minister discussed the importance of a binding global climate treaty.

President Nasheed said the Maldives is communicating with other countries, including members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to ensure a common understanding is reached before COP16 climate summit in Mexico later this year.

Dr Hoyer said Germany is also working with other EU members to reach an understanding on climate change.

President Nasheed discussed other areas of possible cooperation between the two nations, mainly the strengthening of the Maldivian legal and judicial sectors. He sought German assistance to improve the institutional capacity of these sectors.

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