Tag: umar naseer

Police to form a ‘K-9 dog squad’ to combat drug trafficking

As part of the government’s anti-drug trafficking efforts, the Ministry of Home Affairs has requested the Maldives Police Service (MPS) form a ‘K9 dog squad’.

Upon the ministry’s request, police will soon begin working on establishing the squad, a police official told today. According to the official, local police officers are to be trained for the squad.

Quoting the ministry, local news outlet CNM has reported that a total of fifteen officers would be trained for the purpose.

Police have earlier worked on bringing sniffer dogs into the country as counter-trafficking measure on several occasions. It was included in the organisation’s strategic action plan 2011 -2013, while in late 2012 Indian assistance was sought in bringing police sniffer dogs.

Dogs were also brought in from Sri Lanka for security operations during the 2011 SAARC Summit held in the Maldives . On that occasion the dogs were handled by Sri Lanka’s police elite special forces unit Special TaskForce (STF).

In October 2002 two sniffer dogs were brought to the Maldives from Sri Lanka, and were used at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport under the supervision of National Security Service – and later the Maldives National Defence Force.

In 2008, the chair of the parliamentary committee on narcotics, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that, to that day, no drugs were ever confiscated with the help of the two dogs. He said the committee’s investigations found that the dogs were in fact unable to recognize drugs.

Speaking to Minivan News today, an MNDF spokesperson confirmed that the two dogs did not remain in the country, though he was unaware of what had happened to them.

Under the unlawful imports act of 1975, dogs can only be brought into Maldives with a special permission from the Ministry of Defense and National Security.

Local interpretation of Islam is that dogs are impure animals and should not be touched or taken into one’s home. Scholars have declared that touching a dog even accidentally would require any Muslim to wash that part of the body seven times.

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President and cabinet members on scoresheet at opening of football pitch

A team including cabinet members and President Abdulla Yameen last night beat a team of Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officials in a match held to inaugurate the opening of the Villimalé futsal pitch.

Chief of Defense Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam, and Managing Director of the State Trading Organisation Adam Azim officially handed over the pitch to the Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal before the game began.

Local media reported the final score as being 7-6 to the president’s team, with Home Minister Umar Naseer being named man of the match.

Naseer, President Yameen, and Tourism Minister were all on the scoresheet. The attorney general sustained a suspected sprained ankle in the second half, being replaced by the fisheries minister.

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Death penalty implementation “not advisable” without cabinet, parliament approval: AG

Implementation of the death penalty “is not advisable” without cabinet and parliamentary approval, Attorney General Mohamed Anil has told local media.

Last week, Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer ordered the Maldives Correctional Services to prepare for the implementation of the death penalty through lethal injection, despite the lack of laws administering capital punishment.

Naseer said he had sought advice from Anil before signing the order, but Anil refused to comment on the matter.

Instead, he said Naseer’s order had not been discussed in the cabinet. Anil has called for an advisory mechanism within the cabinet stating that the president of a Muslim country bears a personal responsibility in the implementation of death sentences.

“It is crucial that there is an established mechanism through which the cabinet of ministers has a role, and the president gets the opportunity to make an informed decision about the matter. However, the order recently released by the Home Minister was not conducted through such a process,” Anil said.

The best method to implement death penalty is through legislation passed by the parliament, he added.

Although the current legislative framework does not mandate legislation for the implementation of death penalty, Anil said broad and in-depth discussions needed to take place before the change in policy.

Since 1954, Maldives has had a moratorium on the death penalty, with the president commuting death sentences to life imprisonment.

“When we are bringing about such a huge change in policy, there are discussions that we must undertake within the cabinet, as well as with the Parliament. I do not believe it is the best thing to do to implement such a sentence at this moment without first going through these motions,” he said.

Former Attorney General Azima Shakoor had drafted a bill on the administration of the death penalty, but the government does not have a time frame to submit the bill to parliament, Anil said.

Once the parliament passes the bill, the death penalty can be implemented in retrospect, he added.

High crime rates in recent years has lead to widespread public support for the death sentence, Anil claimed.

“The rate of crime is rapidly increasing in the Maldives. This includes crimes of a heavily serious nature. Things are escalating to the point where individuals do not even hesitate when committing crimes,” he said.

“Therefore, I believe that the best medium through which we can get the general public’s view on the matter is through the parliament. It is imperative that the parliament holds a debate and comes to a decision on the matter.”

Anil also highlighted the importance of a responsible justice system, pointing out that implementation of such a sentence is in nature an irreversible act.

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer said he wished to refrain from commenting on the matter at this stage.

Naseer’s order followed the passing of the death sentence on Hussain Humam Ahmed on charges of murdering the moderate religious scholar and MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in October 2012.

President Abdulla Yameen told local media on Friday that Naseer had released the order under his mandate, but without prior discussion with the cabinet. The cabinet would hold in depth discussions about the matter before coming to a final discussion, he added.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on the Maldives to halt any plans to end the current moratorium on the death penalty, calling such moves “a retrogade step and a serious setback for human rights in the country”.

In May 2013, the UN country team also called for the abolition of death penalty in the Maldives, stating “in view of the country’s more than 50 year moratorium, the UN calls upon the Maldives to take the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to its international human rights obligations, and abolish the death penalty”.

The last execution in the Maldives was the death of  Hakim Didi in 1954 who was sentenced to death for practicing black magic.

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Home Minister vows to track every can of beer

Home Minister Umar Naseer has vowed to limit the sale and use of alcohol to Maldivians by placing a GPS tracker on alcohol containers, or a mark on every can of beer.

While Maldivian law allows foreigners to buy and consume alcohol at licensed locations, citizens are subject to 40 lashes in public and a jail term for alcohol consumption.

Speaking at a ceremony at the Customs Building on the occasion of World Customs Day, Naseer said alcohol released from bonded warehouses have been found in the capital Malé and in the islands.

He suggested safari boats were involved in the sale of illegal alcohol, and vowed to monitor the entry and exit of alcohol from bonded warehouses.

“One method is to place a GPS tracker on alcohol cases and check where they end up. I think this is something we can do with modern technology. God willing, we will do this, or place a mark every bottle of alcohol or every can of beer. We will place this mark before we release them from the bonded warehouses,” he said.

If alcohol containers are found on inhabited islands, the authorities will use the GPS tracker or the mark to track down the party to which the particular containers were released to and hold them accountable, he said.

Naseer also said that Maldives ports are not secure and that the government must invest in fences, x-ray machines, body scanners and improved customs facilities in order to seal the ports.

Expressing concern over the sale and consumption of illegal narcotics, Naseer said these substances must be stopped at the port of entry.

“Every 100 grams of narcotics that enters the Maldives destroys one child in our society. That child then has to go to jail or rehabilitation [centers]. To sell every 100 grams, 10 people have to package it and sell it on the streets. Every 100 grams, on average leads to three robberies. Every 100 grams creates five criminals. Maldivians participate in prostitution in order to buy it. Beg to buy it,” he said.

The Maldives Customs Services faces challenges in carrying out its duties due to the Maldives’ large sea area, the increase in new ports, and limited resources, he added, promising to increase coordination and cooperation between the customs, police, MNDF and immigration in order to monitor the entry of contraband.

In an interview with Minivan News earlier this month, Naseer said his first priority as Home Minister is “the fight against drugs” by controlling the gates through which drugs enter the country.

Last week, Naseer also ordered the Maldives Correctional Services to make preparations to implement the death penalty through lethal injections despite the lack of legislation administering the death penalty.

Amnesty International has called the move a “retrograde step and a serious setback to human rights in the country.”

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Q&A: Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer speaks to Minivan News about his mandate, his aspirations for his five year term in the cabinet position, and of his political career.

In 2013, Naseer contested against incumbent President Abdulla Yameen for ruling party Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) presidential candidacy ticket. After losing the primaries, Naseer made an alliance with PPM’s coalition partner the Jumhooree Party (JP), in whose slot he sits in the cabinet today.

Home Ministry Policies

Mariyath Mohamed: What are the main targets you wish to achieve in your five year term as Home Minister?

Umar Naseer: The Home Ministry oversees four main areas; police, prisons, the Department of National Registration and Maldives Customs Services. The main targets are to do with the problem of illegal drugs. The drug issues causes the criminal justice system to be overloaded. First, the law enforcement forces become overloaded including police and customs – which has a role in gate control, and finally the end of the system – the prisons also come to be overloaded. The main cause of this overload is the increase in drugs being smuggled, the amount of drug abusers and peddlers. So my main focus is the fight against drugs.

We will be working on three fronts to achieve this. The first front is gate control, which will be done via the customs services. Sea and airports will be sealed in a manner that will inhibit all forms of contraband including drugs and illegal arms from being brought into the country. When I was appointed to this position, the gates have not been sufficiently sealed. I believe this is because enough attention has not been given to the matter previously.

The first action I took is to take an audit of the gates. While we have completed audits of all the main gates, there are still some smaller ports with a tentative authorisation to unload goods in, for example the Kooddoo port. Thus, there are ports that might globally be referred to as ‘free ports’.

The second front is to deal with the drug trade. Leaving aside abusers and peddlers, the focus of this front will be on major wholesale drug dealers. We will investigate how drugs are brought into the country, find the contacts abroad, find ways to locate and take action against those involved even if they are abroad. We will also find enough information to prosecute smugglers within the country. We have increased the number of spies and secret police within our intelligence force to conduct this work. Also within this front, we will deal with the increase in crimes due to peddlers and abusers.

The third front is rehabilitation. Although it is currently the mandate of the Health Ministry, I am involved as I sit on the National Drug Council. We are compiling a special program under which drug abusers will be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

The Health Minister, myself, and other related agencies – after reviewing the current rehabilitation process – don’t believe it is the best model. We will need to adapt it to a regimental model, where they are disciplined. In such a model, they will have scheduled timings for all they do; including when they sleep, eat, iron, change clothes, have meals and so on. This will bring back order into their lives and prevent them from relapsing into drug abuse. My idea is to mould the drug abuse recoverer’s body into a certain way of life simultaneously with rehabilitation and detoxification.

For the next five years, the main focus of my ministry will be to work against the problem of illicit drugs.

MM: You have recently announced a labour program for inmates. Can you provide additional details about this? For example, is it restricted to menial labour like the Thilafushi road construction project?

UN: First, we are assigning them to make paving stones and building bricks. This is a work that the state factory usually hires foreign labour for. This is the first work we will be taking over through this program. I believe about 150 to 200 prisoners can be used for this work, although at the initial stage we are employing only 50.

In the future, we will introduce laundry services for hospitals and resorts. This will mainly be done by female offenders.

We have a total number of over 1000 prisoners and my plan is to employ all of them in some form of work. Running prisons has become a costly expense. We spend approximately three times the amount spent to educate a child on taking care of a prisoner in our system. This is unsustainable. And so, with this project, every prisoner will contribute some work to the state, will facilitate taking away employment from foreign labourers, will be able to earn something for himself and for the state and will be better disciplined.

When offenders come out from prison, ultimately our target is to hand over some form of employment guarantee when we release them.

MM: As many prisoners are actually educated persons, often convicted for drug offences or petty crimes, will they be involved in any academic work as opposed to menial labour?

UN: Yes, they will be. They have training opportunities even in the prisons. They can work as teachers for other prisoners.

I have also deliberated with the Health Ministry to outsource the Himmafushi Vocational Training Centre, where our prisoners can also be trained. The modules are mechanical engineering, welding, tinkering and other technical skills. I have spoken to them about implementing these within the first quarter of this year.

MM: Will you be considering the type of offence they are convicted for when selecting them for labour?

UN: Prisoners are grouped into three categories; those that are harmless, those that are somewhere inbetween, and then very dangerous criminals who are serious offenders. We won’t bring dangerous criminals out of the prisons for work, instead they will be employed at a factory we plan to build within the premises of the prisons.

I have previously suggested this to numerous ministers, but no one did it. I am here to achieve results. The work will commence in the coming week.

MM: You have also revealed plans to introduce obligatory ‘national service’ to school leavers. Does this refer to jobs in the security forces, or does it include civil service positions? Is this feasible?

UN: I am mainly referring to the disciplined forces; police, MNDF or even the fire stations are alright. We need to bring youth into a disciplined system where they get up early, become presentable, pray, have breakfast, work, and well, become responsible. Even in other countries, there is national service. This is actually my own idea, something I would like to see achieved. While I have held discussions with the government’s top level, they have not yet agreed to it. There is a lot of budgetary restrictions in doing something of the sort.

One of my objectives is to increase the number of trained professionals which will be useful in protecting the independence of a small country like ours. The other objective is to prevent school leavers from going astray. They spend a brief period between leaving school and beginning work. This period is when they are most vulnerable to being led astray, and I believe this is the appropriate mechanism to inhibit such things. This is a system practised in several countries.

Political career

MM: After having served in the MNDF yourself, and later having started up your own business, what made you decide to enter the field of politics?

UN: My initial reason for joining politics was also to fight more strongly against illegal drugs. That is also the reason why I accepted this cabinet position. I was offered cabinet positions during the Gayoom administration, the Nasheed administration, as well as the Waheed administration. Why I have accepted this time alone is because the drug situation is at a point where if we don’t act now, it cannot be reverted. I have come to face that fight now.

MM: Serving as a cabinet minister now, as well as running your own business, how do you manage time between the two? Are you able to do both at your best capacity?

UN: I have given up my private business now. I have transferred everything to members of my family.

MM: As you are now filling a cabinet slot of a coalition partner of main party PPM, what are the challenges you face?

UN: No, there are no such challenges. I have three other colleagues in the cabinet from Jumhooree Party. The cabinet works like a family, and the cabinet is filled on average with young persons, a very energetic team. Everyone is working towards achieving the same goals and there are no questions about the colours of shirts we wear.

MM: Did you anticipate the endorsement you received from the parliament?

UN: From among those in the cabinet, I received endorsement with the narrowest margin. This does not surprise me at all, considering my background which shows I do not negotiate or engage with the MDP. In their view, I am a stubborn and dangerous man. This might even be a correct perception when seeing from their angle.

Some people are soft. I know there will be no controversy when it comes to non-political persons. It is when it comes to political persons that more controversy arises, and this is why there was so much controversy about endorsing me. A lot of lobbying was done to reject my endorsement, but I can understand that. It definitely will not reflect on my work at all.

MM: While the Parliament’s Goverment Oversight committee rejected 7 ministers on the basis that they see them as “ministers of the coup”, they rejected you saying that your speeches at various political rallies make it “evident” that you will not be faithful to President Abdulla Yameen. What is your view on this?

UN: This is political troublemaking. They were attempting to create friction between Yameen and me. I will be steadfast in standing honestly wherever I am. Yameen understands this very clearly. Regardless of whatever disagreements we might have had in PPM’s primaries, today I am 100 percent loyal to Yameen, as I will be loyal to the state and its leader. If I am not loyal, I will leave. I will not be stuck in the middle as I have my own way of life, and view this position not as a job but rather to accomplish something.

Yameen understands me well as we have done far more work together than what we might have done against each other. The reason being that since 2009 – from when Yameen was the leader of People’s Alliance and I was first the leader of Islamic Democratic Party and then deputy leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party – he and I have worked side by side against the MDP government which existed then.

The infighting occurred only when questions arose about whether Umar Naseer or Abdulla Yameen will be president of this country. The fight was bitter and bruising, however it is over now and he is the leader and I will follow him.

MM: During the PPM primaries which you have just mentioned, you alleged that your then opponent Yameen has ties with gangs and the illegal drug trade. As a Home Minister paying special attention to dealing with the social issue of drug abuse and trade, what is your say on the matter now?

UN: That was political rhetoric. We were repeating MDP’s lines. What happens in presidential primaries is that you are competing for the top position of the nation, so you use every tool you have. I am now the Home Minister, but I do not see any indication of [Yameen] being involved in such acts. If at any point I do see such an indication, I will not hesitate to investigate it.

MM: Fighting so openly against the drug trade, as well as gang related crimes, you are likely to make a number of enemies. Might it deter you? How do you plan to deal with it?

UN: Yes, this is a difficult situation in that sense. In the future, we will be taking much stronger steps against drugs. In this war against drugs, we cannot simultaneously conduct work on all fronts. One enemy at a time is our policy.

We will be taking stronger action against gang related crimes in future too. But I am not deterred or hesitant. The reason is that we will lose our country’s future if we don’t stand up against all this today. Someone will need to stand up and fight. I am ready to take on this fight, all within the boundaries of law.

Criminals, too, will be aware that someday the law will catch up with them. It is irrelevant whether it is Umar Naseer or some other minister that catches up to them with the law. God willing, I will go after them with the strength of the law. I am not hesitant regardless of what they may wield against me. While I do have security personnel, I also have my personal strengths to fall back upon. Hence, I have no fear.

MM: How much success in the currently planned activities do you anticipate to achieve within these five years?

UN: How I see it, this is a long fight, at least fifteen years for the fight against drugs. In the first five years, if I am able to at least show some results, the public will gain confidence that the problem has started reversing, that there are possible solutions in the future. So I will describe my attempts in these five years as slowing down a vehicle which is going at a very fast speed and taking a u-turn and reversing its direction. Only after that can we start working on damage control and other aspects.

MM: Any final comments or messages to the public?

UN: A lot of people, including foreign diplomats, assume I am a hardline person. I’m only hardline when it is required, not in instances where it is not required. Some diplomats, as well as some others among the international community, have this perception where they think I am unpredictable. But they have no cause for concern. I have an academic background, I have sought training in various fields and compared to most others, I have quite a bit of experience in the political field as well. I am one of the most suitable for those that may have been raised to this position to achieve what I have detailed. Do not assume that I am impulsive or unpredictable. Not at all. I assure you all that I will operate within the law.

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Fifty inmates selected to begin work on Thilafushi road construction in a week

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Hanim has stated that fifty of the “best disciplined” inmates have now been chosen to take part in the ministry’s government’s labour programme.

The first project for which the inmates have been selected is the construction of roads in industrial island Thilafushi.

The government has still not revealed the amount of pay inmates will be entitled to after completing the work, although Hanim echoed Home Minister Umar Naseer’s statements that half of each inmate’s pay will be taken for the development of the prison system, while the other half can be saved or sent to the inmates’ families.

Hanim revealed that prison guards will be overseeing the work of the prisoners, as well as accompanying them on the transfer trips to and from Thilafushi to Maafushi, where the prison is located.

“We have selected the best of the inmates for this work. This is a very special initiative taken by the Home Ministry to contribute to finding a solution to many problems faced by the nation, including the need to employ foreign labourers,” Hanim is quoted as saying to local media.

“When we make inmates do work that would otherwise be done by immigrants, it also has huge benefits to our economy. Additionally, this gives the opportunity for inmates to financially assist those who have to take care of them,” he said.

Minivan News was unable to contact Deputy Minister Mohamed Hanim for comments.

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer initially announced the project in late December 2013.

“There is no country in the world where inmates are not made to work. This administration’s aim is to make inmates in our jails work in various government projects. To bring them out of their current situation,” Naseer had said then, at an event announcing the government’s policies on youth development.

While the labour program is voluntary, detainees will be selected based on their disciplinary records during the time in detention and their suitability for the work to be conducted.

Naseer predicted that by the end of 2014, 400 out of 730 inmates will be working on some project, thereby preparing them for reintegration into society.

In order to prepare detainees for such work, the ministry further plans to introduce vocational training programs in Maafushi Island prison in the near future. The program will desensitise them to work environments and hone a number of skills, he said.

Umar Naseer was not responding to calls at the time of press.

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Home Minister to introduce obligatory government service for school leavers

Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer has revealed plans to introduce a “one or two year program under which every school leaver must serve the government”.

Naseer’s policy was revealed during a speech given at the inauguration of the police organised camp “Blues for Youth” on Sunday.

This is the second in the series of camps targeted for adolescents, with the current batch including youth from capital city Malé.

The first camp was held in Addu City and Fuvahmulah in late December, and police have announced that a second round of activities will be organised in these areas in the near future.

The current camp will be held from January 5 to 9, and has a total of sixty four participants between the ages of 15 and 18.

“The purpose of organising these camps is to contribute to future generations of school leavers becoming individuals who are aware of the ways of the world and skilled participants of the community,” a police media official told Minivan News today.

In addition to Umar Naseer, Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Saudhee and other senior police officials joined today’s inauguration event.

Commending the initiative by the commissioner of police in organising the camp, Home Minister Naseer stated that the ministry will broaden the camp at national level.

“This government’s policy is to ensure that every school leaver spends at least a year serving the government. God willing, we will extend the Commissioner’s initiative to the level where each school leaver is obligated to engage in national service for two years, or at the very least for one year,” he stated.

He described youth as being highly intelligent and capable of conducting work to improve community matters more effectively. He claimed that the government will be conducting special work to ensure that youth become well-disciplined and responsible by the time they reach the age of graduation.

Home Minister Umar Naseer was not responding to calls at the time of press.

The youth minister and commissioner of police also addressed the camp’s participants in Sunday’s event.

Minister Jamal, highlighting the importance of similar camps to empower and increase opportunities for youth, described the young generation as “the biggest treasure that any nation can possess”.

He stressed upon the importance of creating responsible youth if a bright future is to be established for a nation.

Earlier in January, speaking at a National Day event, the Youth Minister unveiled plans to find employment for all youth by the end of the coming year, 2015.

Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed stated that there was a crucial need to increase participation of adolescents in the work to create a responsible youth generation.

“There is no pleasure any one can reap from frequenting scenes of crimes. It is by strongly staying away from crime and being responsible that real happiness can be achieved,” Waheed said.

He assured that the police force is ever willing to be of assistance to “bring youth to the right path” and to work for youth development.

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Religion and nationalism key themes on National Day

The government held an event inaugurated by Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed at the Republican Square on Wednesday night to mark the Maldives’ 440th National Day.

The day is marked to celebrate the anniversary of the country’s independence from the Portugese invasion.

Members of the cabinet, foreign dignitaries, members of independent commissions as well as the security forces attended the event.

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom – who is currently in India on his first official trip abroad after assuming office in November 2013 – also gave a pre-recorded national address via the state broadcaster on the occasion.

In his address, the President stated no individual must be allowed the opportunity to take away the nation’s peace for political purposes or to gain personal benefit.

While it is important to view every citizen as a stakeholder in matters of the country, people should not be given the chance to challenge nationalism or conduct any activity that may threaten independence and sovereignty in the guise of freedom of expression or through differences in political opinions, Yameen continued.

“We must instill the spirit of nationalism in the younger generations who will inherit this country in future. The moral we must take away from National Day is for those in power and leading the country, citizens and all responsible leaders to raise national and community interest over personal interest as we work to overcome challenges. This is the example set by Mohamed Thakurufaanu [Maldivian ruler who saved the country from the Portuguese conqueres who ruled the country from 1558 to 1573]. This is the true meaning of his jihad in national interest back on that day,” Yameen stated.

“We must repeat the work our ancestors conducted in rain and shine. The reason we are to take breaths of independence today is due to the glorious jihad and sacrifices they made then for the sake of gaining independence. The country will not be able to take breaths of independence tomorrow unless we succeed in doing major work to overcome economic slavery and establish economic contentment,” he continued.

He pledged to fulfil his term serving all citizens equally and justly.

“I will make this government into one that is kind to its people, and loved by the people. I will bring swift changes as is desired by people and take the Maldives into a new era of development. My team and I will not be deterred in our work regardless of how rough the political seas we must cross become,” he concluded his address.

National Pride

“The spirit of nationalism can be maintained in its purest form only when social justice is established in the country,” Vice President Jameel said, speaking at Wednesday’s event.

The current government would work following the example set by Mohamed Thakurufaanu, Jameel said and called on citizens to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty.

“True nationalism can only be experienced with the improvement of living standards, and the country develops its health and education sectors,” he said.

“The nation must today be covetous of its national pride, of increasing self-sufficience, and should not let go of the national character. Today, if one has love for nationalism, one will not damage the country’s social fabric. One will not give away the country’s economic power into the hands of a foreign party. They will not sell off the national identity to a foreign group with no consideration towards national pride just for political gain. They will not let things go to the point where the country is stripped of the right to speak up about its own internal matters,” Jameel continued.

He appealed to the public to ensure that no one allows any other person to “damage the brotherly bonds between us in the name of establishing democracy, or in things that arise from differences in opinion, or any other cause”.

He then said that the day emphasizes the bridge between nationalism and islam in the country, adding that thus what must be given highest priority is the strengthening religious faith.

“Psychological war against religion, nationalism”

Home Minister Umar Naseer warned in his speech at the same event that there is an “ongoing psychological war aiming to lead astray our faith in Islam, and break up our ties of nationalism, a war that is escalating at a very fast speed”.

He stated that while this is a global danger, the Maldives is not far removed from being in its “line of fire”. Stating that the currently is already being affected by it, he appealed to all Maldivians to refrain from joining the “war” against the nation.

“For a Maldivian son to become a slave of this psychological war is like a cancer cell forming in the body of this nation. It is a huge danger,” he stated.

“It is important to become more independent in the country’s development work, and to give up depending on foreign labourers. There is no reason that the sons of fathers who scraped moss off the underside of fishing boats have to depend on a foreigner just to dust off their motorcycles,” the Home Minister said.

“Ours is a blessed land. It is a land that breeds heroes. Every time a foreign power has tried to meddle with our independence or our Islamic faith, Maldivian soil has brought out heroes that will cause the whole world to step back from,” Umar stated.

Irreligious acts are common today: Adhaalath Party

Religious conservative Adhaalath Party has also released a statement today, extending greetings on the occasion.

The statement spoke of the heroic events of Mohamed Thakurufaanu who had “slain the Portugese commander who had tried to force alcohol down the throats of pious Maldivians”, and then proceeded to compare heroes of the past with present day Maldives.

“The biggest difference is the mentality of Maldivians then and the mentality of Maldivians today. Then, when attempts were made to force alcohol down their throats, they resisted. Yet today, alcohol and narcotics is an epidemic which is alarmingly common among Maldivians,” it read.

“Then the Portuguese tried to force other religions unto Maldivians. Yet today, irreligious acts against Islamic norms are abundantly observed among Maldivians. This is not something the government can deal with by making it the mandate of a specific ministry, but a goal that all institutes must unite to reach.”

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Home Ministry to share DNR database with local councils

The Home Ministry has signed an agreement with the Local Government Authority (LGA) to share the Department of National Registration’s [DNR] database with local councils.

Home Minister Umar Naseer and President of LGA Mohamed Nazim, who is also the Defence Minister, signed the agreement yesterday.

The agreement’s purpose is to establish a system where atoll councils and island councils can obtain information of people such as date of birth or give identity card numbers to newborn babies and also determine dead people, Naseer said.

However, councils will not be able to edit any of the information on the database, Naseer said while Nazim said the database had very strong security features.

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