Archive for February, 2012

Extraordinary meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to consider its response to the situation in Maldives
Maldives not suspended. Just that Maldives membership is kept at abeyance and not allowing to participate in CMAG

Its not a full suspension as spread by resigned president Nasheed

London, 22 February 2012

1.  The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) met in extraordinary session in London today to consider its response to the situation in Maldives.

2. The meeting was chaired by Hon Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago. Other members of the Group who participated in the meeting were Hon Dr Dipu Moni, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh; Hon John Baird, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada; Senator Hon Arnold J Nicholson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Jamaica (by teleconference); Hon Joseph B Dauda, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Sierra Leone; Hon Bernard K Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Tanzania; Mr Dennis Richardson, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia; and H E Roy Mickey Joy, High Commissioner of Vanuatu to the UK.

3.  CMAG received a report from the three-member ministerial mission that visited Maldives from 17-19 February 2012, to ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power and to promote adherence to Commonwealth values and principles. The mission was led by Foreign Minister Rambachan and also comprised Foreign Minister Moni and Mr Richardson. It met with a wide range of interlocutors during the visit.

4.  In keeping with the Commonwealth’s well-established principles of inclusiveness and equity, the Group heard a statement from Dr Hassan Saeed, Adviser to the new President of Maldives, as well as from Dr Farahanaz Faizal, who represented the former President.

5.  CMAG thanked the members of the ministerial mission for their valuable work, which had greatly enhanced the Group’s understanding of the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power.

6.  Having considered the report of the mission and reviewed all the information made available to it, CMAG agreed that it was not possible, in the allotted time, to determine
conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed on 7 February 2012. The Group therefore agreed that an independent and impartial investigation of the events of 6-7 February should be completed in a transparent manner within a reasonable timeframe. It noted, in this context, the announcement by President Waheed, on 21 February, of a three-member commission of inquiry for this purpose. It strongly felt that there should be international participation in any investigative mechanism, as may be mutually agreed by political parties in Maldives.

7.  CMAG recognised the need for healing in Maldives. It called on all concerned to show restraint and mutual respect in their statements and actions, and to take immediate steps in the national interest to seek an inclusive agreement on the way forward. To this end, the Group urged President Waheed and former President Nasheed to commence an immediate dialogue, without preconditions, to agree on a date for early elections, which should take place within this calendar year.

8.  The Group was furthermore of the view that such a dialogue should facilitate the opening of the Majlis session as scheduled on 1 March 2012. This dialogue should lead to collaboration on the passage of the necessary constitutional amendment for the holding of early elections, as well as such legislation that needs to be passed to ensure peaceful, inclusive and credible elections.

9.  It also requested the Secretary-General to continue to deploy his good offices in Maldives. It also welcomed his intent to appoint a Special Envoy.

10.  CMAG noted the assurance by the new government that former President Nasheed would continue to receive the protection and privileges provided for under the Constitution. In this context, the Group expressed strong concern at the continuing impact of the warrant of arrest against him, and urged that this issue be addressed in order that his ability to participate fully in the electoral process is not prejudiced.

11.  The Group further agreed that, in line with the agreed parliamentary agenda and matters emerging from the dialogue, the Commonwealth should enhance its technical assistance to Maldives to help build capacity in such areas as the Judiciary and the Parliament, and that of the Elections Commission, as well as to promote adherence to democratic values and principles. In particular, it urged the Commonwealth to support the Elections Commission as well as to engage with all stakeholders towards ensuring the credibility and peaceful conduct of the next elections. It recommended the expeditious development of a code of conduct for political parties in the lead-up to the elections.

12.  Given the questions that remain about the precise circumstances of the change of government, as well as the fragility of the situation in Maldives, CMAG decided that Maldives should be placed on its formal agenda.

13.  The Group further agreed that, in situations where a member of CMAG was under scrutiny by the Group itself, its CMAG membership should be placed in abeyance as long as it remained on the formal agenda of CMAG. It decided, accordingly, that Maldives should not participate in CMAG during this time.

14.  CMAG decided to convene again via teleconference in March 2012 to review progress in Maldives, and to consider at its next scheduled meeting in April 2012 any further measures that may be warranted.

16th February 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

The position of Mohamed Nasheed as president became untenable as soon as he detained the chief judge

Nicholas Milton

The current political situation on the Maldives divides opinion. In a recent article on Comment is free, Mark Seddon posed an important question when he asked why David Cameron has not spoken up for his “new great friend” in politics, the ousted president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed. He also provides the answer when he quotes Nasheed in one of his interviews as saying: “I could do what the old dictator, Gayoom, would have done, and put these people who are plotting to overthrow me under house arrest. But then that would completely defeat the object of the democratic revolution we have won.”

Unfortunately for both Nasheed and his Maldivian Democratic party (MDP) that is exactly what he did do when he arrested the Maldives’s chief judge of the criminal court, Justice Abdulla Mohamed, on 16 January. Detained by the army on his orders, Nasheed then refused to release him despite protests from the supreme court in the Maldives, the European Union and the United Nations. Nasheed also denied him access to a lawyer and contact with his wife and children. Mohamed was only finally released over three later when Nasheed resigned on 7 February.

Whatever the case against the judge, arresting him in this way was unforgivable, particularly given his previous status as an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience under the former dictator President Gayoom. It also played directly into the hands of the opposition parties on the Maldives and was the catalyst for weeks of protests and violence, which eventually led to his own police force changing sides and joining the opposition. After that whatever the truth surrounding the accusations of a coup, his position had become untenable.

I too interviewed Nasheed, first when I went to the Maldives in 2008 to cover the country’s long and tortuous path to democracy. Speaking with him in his tiny cramped offices in the capital Male, I thought he was an impressive grassroots campaigner whose ability to lead his party and put large numbers of people onto the streets clearly made him a contender to be president. But I concluded that he was untested in high office and there was a great deal of difference between being an effective campaigner and being an effective president.

I then interviewed him again when I covered the country’s first democratic elections later that same year. Despite the ecstatic coverage that greeted his victory, the election was far from being a ringing endorsement for Nasheed. In fact, the outcome was very close and he was only able to beat Gayoom in the second round by putting together an alliance of all the opposition parties. In an ominous sign of the times to come, the coalition broke down soon after he entered office. Formidable politicians like the former attorney general, Hassan Saeed, who came third in the election with nearly 17% of the vote, was cast out into the wilderness.

The result was that the moderate parties like Saeed’s Dhivehi Qaumee party soon formed a working alliance with Gayoom’s former party, Dhivehi Rayyithunge and some of the smaller and more radical Islamic parties. Together they then won a small majority in the parliamentary elections in 2009 and the die was cast for a continuing battle of wills between the president and his parliament over a whole range of issues from ministerial appointments to the building of a new airport.

This culminated in June 2010 in Nasheed’s whole cabinet resigning en masse and taking to the streets after the parliament had passed a vote of no confidence. It was exactly those same opposition players that have now come together to form a unity government under the new president Mohamed Waheed Hassan. Wisely, Waheed has left a clutch of cabinet positions vacant in the hope that over the next week he can persuade some members of the Maldivian Democratic party to join him.

Nasheed now has a clear choice going forward. The UN, British, American and most recently Chinese governments have in recent days all recognised the new unity government and it is highly unlikely that the new president will resign or call fresh elections. There is also increasing evidence that the images of violent protests are beginning to affect the country’s tourist trade, which accounts for nearly 80% of its revenue. If this continues, it could prove disastrous for the Maldives’s economy.

In contemplating his next move, Nasheed would do well to remember Winston Churchill’s famous quote: “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Under the Maldives’s constitution there will be another presidential election in just over a year’s time. Nasheed should contest this and in the meantime work with the new unity government to bring peace back to the streets.

13th February 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

Mark Seddon

It’s disturbing to see some journalists with little knowledge on Maldives and its politics are writing in favour of a congenital liar and insane man. Interesting these people are getting some kickbacks from the rampant corruption of ousted president of Maldives. One such person seems to be Mark Seddon.

Mark Seddon should get an indepth details of the numerous occasions when ousted President Nasheed has gone against the Maldivians constitution. Its unclear if Mark have heard the Supreme Court ruling of the Maldives which Nasheedh ignored. Seems Mark Seddon is supporting his fellow classmate the ousted president of Maldives.

For our readers we would like to give some information about Mark Seddon.

Mark Seddon (London) has an wide and varied range of experience from his work as an editor, journalist, broadcaster, political adviser and commentator.  In his former role as editor of the internationally-renowned weekly magazine Tribune, Mark was responsible for editing, commissioning and leader writing.  He has also worked as a commentator and diarist on the London Evening Standard and as a contributor to the Evening Standard, the Times, the Independent, the Guardian, Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph, New Statesman and Private Eye. Between 1997 and 2000 Mark was elected to the UK Labour Party’s ruling National Executive Committee, and was re-elected in 2001.

It seems Mark Seddon has abandoned Labour Party. Mark Seddon is among the beneficiaries Nasheed’s corrupt regime. Mark should stop harassing with poor Maldivians. Your articles killing Maldivians

13th February 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

A fellow Sri Lankan advices the ousted president and pinpoints where he has gone wrong.

By Rypvanwinkle

My Dear Mohamed Nasheed,

The deposed President of Maldives

I thought that I must write to you after learning that you are no longer the President of the Maldives and that you had been suddenly ousted in what you call a coup. After all, we are used to Maldivian presidents usually holding office for thirty years and we expected you to do the same!

I heard, Nasheed, that you had been ousted after protests against your decision to arrest the chief judge of the Criminal Court. Now, Nasheed, Chief Judges are very sensitive people and you should have been more careful about how you deal with them.

They may seem to be on your side one day but they may be with the opposition, the next day. Your best bet would have been to pick someone with no real experience as a judge — say, a professor of law, for example — appoint him as a judge of the Supreme Court and then appoint him as the Chief Justice! That way, Nasheed, you could have been sure that he would be always grateful to you.

I am told that the other reason why you were ousted was because officers of the Maldivian Army supported your opponents. Again, Nasheed, it does appear as if you have made a crucial mistake in trusting the military too much.

The best way of keeping tabs on the military, Nasheed, would have been to appoint someone you really trust — a close family member for instance — as the person in charge of Defence. That way, you can almost be certain that no officer steps out of line and even if they try to, you will be forewarned.

Whenever an army officer appeared to become too big for his boots you should have nipped it in the bud, Nasheed. The easiest way of doing this is to find some issue, charge the officer preferably in a military tribunal itself and then send the officer to jail for a couple of years.

I know that would have been an unpopular decision and that people would have protested every now and then — and who knows, even the officers’ wives may appear on television and speak against you — but what is important would be that the officers are in jail and can no longer plot to oust you!

Looking back, Nasheed, another reason for your removal appears to be that you were constantly clashing with your Parliament. You should have never allowed that, Nasheed. Parliaments are very easy to control — all you need is a cabinet portfolio to dangle before MPs who are opposed to you.

Why, Nasheed, you had only thirteen ministers in your Cabinet. All you had to do was choose the most vociferous of your opponents and offer them ministerial posts — or even appoint them as MPs who are ‘monitoring’ a ministry — and they would never have opposed you and you would have been safe.

I also heard that the person who succeeded you was none other than your own Vice President. Now, Nasheed, that too is another mistake that appears to have cost you dearly. What you should have known is to never appoint someone who has ambitions of his own, as your deputy.

The best choice for Vice President would have been some ineffective politician who makes a lot of noise but is really not capable of doing any serious work and preferably someone who is about eighty years old. That way, you would have been certain that he would never challenge you.

Of course, Nasheed, the person who was really behind the moves to oust you appears to have been your former President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the person you defeated at the elections barely three years ago.

Former Presidents are also a dangerous lot, Nasheed. They never seem to realise that they have lost control and generally go about as if they are still running the country so you must make sure that they are not a threat to you.

One way of doing this is to find some shady deals involving the former President — land transactions that they engaged in, for instance — and have them probed by the courts which would of course find them guilty.

I wouldn’t suggest jailing former presidents because then everyone would say that you are harassing your opponents, but having a case against them sends a suitable warning to them. They then generally tend to mind their own business, although they may still make nasty comments from time to time.

I guess most of this advice is now too late for you, Nasheed. If only you had looked at events in your region and how affairs of state are conducted there and learnt from them, you may not have found yourself in a spot of bother today. Nevertheless, I wish you luck in whatever you plan to do now…

Yours truly,
Punchi Putha.

PS: As I understand, you would now be in the opposition, Nasheed. Unfortunately for you, I can only offer you tips on how you could have acted had you been president. I really don’t have any advice on how you should act when you are in the opposition and frankly, I wouldn’t advise you to look at events in your region and learn from the opposition parties there either because that would be a recipe for disaster and you would not return to power for a long, long time to come!

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/120212/Columns/5thcolumn.html

13th February 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

Coup? What coup? Tourists ignore Maldives turmoil

Tourists enjoying in Maldives. No trouble in Paradise despite international media negative coverage on Maldives politics

Tourists enjoying the sun and sand at the Maldives’ luxury island resorts have barely put down their cocktails during the political crisis rocking Asia’s newest democracy, oblivious to behind-the-scenes links of tourism to the tumult.

Just a 10-minute boat ride from the capital island of Male, site of a police mutiny that led to ex-president Mohamed Nasheed’s departure last week and ensuing clashes, lies the paradise most visitors associate with the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Step off the 15-metre power boat, replete with an air-conditioned cabin and leather seats, that whisks you to the dock at Kurumba resort on Vihamanafushi, and you are immediately in a land of luxury, water sports and relaxation.

The political turmoil, as far as American literature professor Jerzy Sobieraj was concerned, was an ocean away across the glassine turquoise waters at his feet.

“We are having a great time. We heard about the coup, but it doesn’t matter to us. It hasn’t affected us at all,” Sobieraj told Reuters, sipping a glass of white wine alongside his wife, lawyer Ewa Korzan-Sobieraj, on a chaise longue.

“And even if there is trouble, the airport is on another island, so no trouble,” he said, gesturing to the nearby international airport from where most tourists leave directly for their resorts without ever reaching Male. The couple was on a 10-day escape from winter’s bite in Warsaw, Poland.

Kurumba is the genesis of the luxury tourism concept that changed the face and economy of the Maldives, a chain of 1192 coral-ringed islands located to India’s southwest, with its establishment in 1972.

The explosion of resorts after Kurumba transformed the islands from a remote outpost reliant on fishing to a destination favoured by Hollywood stars, honeymooners and others who can afford hideaway holidays where huts suspended over the water routinely cost more than $US1000 ($A931) a night.

At the five-star Kurumba, a basic room costs $US225 a night, while a private villa replete with butler and a private pool costs $US2200. On the menus, a quarter-hour on a jet ski will set you back $US70, a pizza around $US25.

ONE ISLAND, ONE RESORT

Tourism officially accounts for 30 per cent of the Maldives’ $US2.1 billion economy, but SimMohamed Ibrahim, secretary-general of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, said it was closer to 75-80 per cent.

The Maldives, for nine centuries an Islamic sultanate, now has 101 resorts, nearly all of them on uninhabited islands reached by speedboat or seaplanes that criss-cross the skies over the 90,000 sq-km archipelago.

That segregation is by design, both as part of the Robinson Crusoe get-away-from-it-all experience the resorts offer, and to protect the religious sensibilities of Maldivians, all 330,000 of whom are Sunni Muslims.

The Maldives’ “one island, one resort” concept has been a saving grace amid the turmoil, saidJason Kruse, Kurumba’s general manager.

“The local islands and the tourist islands are a world apart,” he said. “There have been some cancellations, but that is a result of people not understanding the destination.”

The resorts, which cater primarily to Western tourists and, increasingly, Chinese holidaymakers, are placed on uninhabited islands. That provides a crucial loophole: the ability to serve alcohol. It is banned on inhabited islands.

Nasheed’s plans to put new resorts on inhabited islands drew condemnation from political opponents who exploited rising conservative Islamic sentiment to savage his religious credentials.

Pressure from pro-Islamic parties also prompted the government to briefly shut down resort massage parlours in January. Nasheed also drew fire for tax reforms that would have plugged some holes that allow potentially hundreds of millions of dollars brought in by tourism to escape taxation.

‘COUP BY RESORT OWNERS’

Nasheed last week flatly blamed a cabal of resort owners for engineering what he maintains was his forced exit, although he gave few specifics as to why they wanted him out.

“The coup was largely financed by resort owners,” Nasheed told journalists. Asked why, he responded: “I suppose they liked the old order of corruption.”

Nasheed, in a historic 2008 election, unseated Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years with untrammeled authority, and tried to bring a series of multi-million dollar graft cases against his allies. Gayoom denies any wrongdoing.

A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said resort owners were powerful but evenly spread across the political divide. So if any were against Nasheed, it was for reasons more related to politics than tourism.

“The political class are involved in everything, including tourism, and all the bad publicity this has caused is not in their interest,” the diplomat said.

HONEYMOON OVER?

As far as tourist operators are concerned, the end of the uproar cannot come fast enough before the Maldives’ paradise image is tarnished, said Ibrahim of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry.

“There is great concern from tour operators that there will be more cancellations as the news is only now sinking in,” he said. “It’s impossible to explain that what is happening is in Male and not the resorts.”

For those with their toes in the sand escaping from everyday drudgery or celebrating a new marriage, none of that matters.

Engineer Abdul Wafi, an Egyptian who lives in Paris, said politics did not interfere with his honeymoon.

“Do you really have a political problem here? The fact is we come from Egypt,” Wafi chuckled as a seaplane roared overhead.

“There is no comparison to Tahrir Square,” referring to the locus of last year’s popular uprising against President Hosni Mubarak in his native country. “Egypt, it was violent and it’s just not that violent here.”

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/coup-what-coup-tourists-ignore-maldives-turmoil-20120213-1t0wi.html

7th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

12:49:President Mr. Mohamed Nasheed resigned in a live telecast. The nation back to its people.

12:38pm The ceremony of resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed to be live on TV

12:04pm Detained Chief Judge freed and arrives in he capital Male’.

12:03pm Colonel Nazim to head the military. Orders noone to touch former president Nasheed.

11:50am Detained chief judge to be freed and to come to Male’.

11:49am The beginning of a new damn.

11:46am The nation is back to the people. Thank god

11:39am President Mr. Mohamed Nasheed has resigned. Its official.

11:37am President Mr. Mohamed Nasheed agrees to resigned as outlined. Despite that Supreme Court will issue a ruling shortly

11:32am state broadcaster MNBC named changed to TVM and Khaleel to head it. 5 employees arrested.

11:23am Military and Police to restore peace and security in the capital Male’.

11:22am Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishwan also joins the people.

11:19 Fairooz in full uniform with the people at the republican square as the head of Police

10:59 Fairooz to lead the Police.

10:54am Commissioner of Police Faseeh resigns

10:51am Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shaahid, Chief Justice to at the military headquarters shortly.

10:49am Jumhooree Party Leader at the republican square

10:40 additional 100 army joins peoples at the republican square

10:35am Opposition calls islanders to come out to the street and joins hands with police and military. Call for end of Nasheed’s regime.

10:26am many islanders in remote islands on the street. All police and military in islands to joins movement of police in Male to uphold the constitution.

10:26am 70 military personnel from KK leaves to Republican Square to join the ordinary citizens

10:25am GMR Male’ International Airport under Maldives military control by the order of VP.

7th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

10:23 Police and Military in Addu defects to opposition.

10:21am Sub-inspector Jinah taken to Dhoonidhoo jail by Police. He was one of the loyalists of MDP government who carried out many illegal activities.

10:20am VP Dr. Waheed to head the country.

10:19am MNBC live went off. Police use tear gas to disperse the crowd.

10:15 Military sent to take control of state broadcaster MNBC

10:12 Widespread rumours that deposed president Mr. Nasheed tried to secure Indian military help which they rejected. Indians are aware of Supreme Court ruling and the illegal orders given to police and military by Nasheed’s regime.

However, India expressed their concern of the deteriorating security in Maldives.

7th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com

9:46am opposition headed by VP Dr. Waheed to form a new government.

9:45am Some islanders starts journey to the capital Male’.

9:44am army en mass joins police and takes controls. President Mr. Nasheed remained confined at the military headquarters.

9:38 Police, Army and ordinary citizens mobilized at the Republican Square.

8:30 Opposition calls to shutdown Male’ International Airport in the fear of ruling MDP seniors fleeing.

6am Finally Police broke into military headquarters. initially military shot rubber bullets into Police contingent and ordinary citizens. After a while army surrenders and joins forces with police.

2am-5am talks between military and police took place. finally at 6am military guarantees not confronting police.

1:30 MDP sponsored mob attacks and sets VTV on fire. DHITV was also attacked. The cables cut off.

1:00am Police vows not to obey unconstitutional orders.

6th Jan

12:00 Military over rules Police. Police walked away and gathered near Republican Square.

6th Jan

9:00pm opposition gathered at Artificial beach for the 19th Consecutive night over unconstitutional activities of the government of Nasheed.