Archive for the ‘News’ Category
FREEDOM FROM FEAR: ARE WE ABOUT TO LOSE IT?
21st January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
By: Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik
Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik
I am truly shocked by the trivial manner in which some of our educated people, especially among the youth, are taking the issue of freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention. The case of the Criminal Court Judge becomes important in the first place not because he is a judge nor because he belongs to the criminal court. First and foremost he is a Maldivian citizen like all of us. The most important and most precious dividend from the democracy struggle in Maldives has been freedom from fear. It is the knowledge that no one of us will be dragged out of our beds in the middle of the night and taken to an undisclosed location. The moment we deny this freedom from one person, we deny that freedom for all.
In the aftermath of the World Wars and formation of the United Nations, the international community agreed that freedom of nations depended on the freedom of the individual. Since 1945, there has been a concerted effort by the international community to develop a comprehensive body of international human rights law. The most fundamental human right is the right to personal liberty. and one significant aspect of personal liberty is freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 in its Article 3 states that “everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person. In Article 9 it states that “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile”. Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that “everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. No one shall be deprived of his liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law.”
Maldives signed the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Optional Protocol on 16 December 1966. Similarly, we signed the International Covenant for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance on 20 December 2006.
Besides all the international legal obligations, the Government of Maldives is bound by the Maldives Constitution 2008 which prohibits arbitrary arrest and forced disappearance. We have just witnessed the first possible violation since the dawn of democracy in our country. I cannot understand why this is not an issue for everyone in this country.
Those of us who have struggled for freedom in this country for over 30 years, are wondering whether we have wasted our efforts. I have expressed my reservations about the way the Government has allowed the disappearance of a citizen, a Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, for the reasons I mention above. I am ashamed and totally devastated by the fact that this is happening in a government in which I am the elected the Vice President.
Islamic Minister of Mr. Nasheed’s government says bilateral relations with the state of Israel is prohibited
21st January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Baree
The Islamic Minister of MDP Government Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Baree in an interview to local news paper Haveeru said “its prohibited for the Maldives to foster any bilateral relations with the state of Israel when they kill innocent Palestinians for no reasons”.
Dr. Majeed has recently being put in fierce criticism for his double standards.
In the international community President Mr. Mohamed Nasheed portrays himself as the best friend of the west while his own ministers and and himself have different rhetoric back home.
We can bet President Mr. Nasheed’s propaganda online news portal dare to cover this interview given by Dr. Majeed to local news paper Haveeru.
Dr. Majeed's statement on Israel
STATEMENT BY EU HEADS OF MISSION IN COLOMBO
21st January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
European Union Heads of Mission based in Colombo and accredited to the Maldives view with concern recent developments in that country, including the arrest of a criminal court judge by members of the security forces.
European Union delegation to Maldives and Srilanka
EU Heads of Mission reiterate their support for the process of democratic transition in the Maldives and note the importance of the principles underlying that transition, including respect for the constitution, due process, indepence of the judiciary, the rule of law and freedom of expression are central to this process.
EU Heads of Mission call on the all parties in the Maldives to act in accordance with these principles and to refrain from inflammatory language or other action which could incite hatred.
The Royal Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo, accredited to the Maldives associates herself with this statement by EU Heads of Mission.
End.
Here is the link to the original statement
PRACTICAL MAN of Maldivian Politics
21st January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid
Practical man of Maldivian Politics
President Nasheed issues six police summons to the Deputy Leader of Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed. Three out of the six times President Nasheed arrests Dr. Jameel. And in all three occasions the Court declares his arrest unconstitutional.
One would expect the DQP’s senior coalition partner Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to be in the forefront of Dr. Jameel’s defense. But disappointingly DRP’s top most leader (besides Thasmeen Ali) Hon Abdullah Shaahid went into hiding. No one saw him. No one heard from him.
His silence disturbs observers
Mr. Hon Abdullah Shaahid’s deafening silence in the ongoing political crisis is not only disappointing but also shocking to most political observers in the Maldives. As the Speaker of Parliament he is the head of the legislative branch. Right before him the Executive rapped, butchered and murdered the third arm of the state – the Judiciary. A sitting judge is arrested. President Nasheed disregards repeated orders by the Criminal Court, High Court, Supreme Court, Prosecutor General and the Human Rights Commission to free the judge.
Large number of politicians and MPs from his own DRP is arrested, beaten up and charged.
What’s behind the silence?
Abdullah Shaahid’s silence on these issues, though disappointing, is understandable. He represents the smallest constituency in the country – Vaavu Atoll. He is elected to the office with less than 300 votes. And yet through scheming and manipulation he is able to assume the office of the Speaker. For over three years he remains in the office unchallenged despite the opposition loosing parliamentary majority to the ruling MDP!
Abdulla Shahid Building in Male'
As Mr. Shaahid proved to be more than helpful, MDP never felt the need to replace him with its own appointee. MDP always got what it wanted from the Parliament. In return he keeps his job. Also President Nasheed will not investigate his 18 year misdeeds as the right-hand man of President Gayyoom during which he amassed enormous wealth. Those include 4 condominiums in Singapore and 1 condominium in central London. He also built a ten story condominium complex in the capital Male.
Past, Mirror of the present
In 2005 Mr. Shaahid jumped ship when Gayyoom was about to fall. But the moment Gayyoom recovered he returned to assume ministerial portfolio. After the 2008 presidential election, once again, he abandoned Gayyoom in favour of Mr. Thasmeen Ali. Now for all practical purposes he has abandoned Mr. Thasmeen Ali in favour of President Nasheed. He will certainly jump ship before 2013 presidential election if President Nasheed is to loose election.
Mr. Shaahid is a conniving, scheming and calculating politician. For him nation, public interest, rule of law, principles, and independent of judiciary are ideals others should aspire. HE IS A PRACTICAL MAN!
Main opposition Party DRP updates the events unfolding in Maldives
21st January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Main opposition party DRP
The main opposition party DRP has listed a summary of major events of the deteriorating situation in Maldives as it unfolded on 20th January 2012. Click on the link for details
Brief-Summary-of-Events-Unfolding-in-the-Maldives-20-Jan-2012
Free Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed, MDP government need to respect the judiciary
20th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Free Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed of Maldives
The Chief Judge of Criminal Court remains under the military arrest by the direct order of president Mr. Nasheed in clear violation of the constitution. The Supreme Court has ordered his released but Mr. Nasheed has refused to obey. The Prosecutor General, often on government side has ordered his release too. Today the VP joined to call Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed release. International community is slowly understanding the anti democratic practices of Nasheed once he became to power.
Street protests and the civil community is calling the government to abide by the constitution and and uphold it.
Judge Abdulla Mohamed remains in Military training island of Girifushi.
Recently its Judge Abdulla Mohamed tomorrow it can be Chief Justice Faiz or PG Muizz. International community please call President Mr. Nasheed and pressure him to obey the constitution and respect the judiciary. Maldives is turning into another dictatorship.
International Media alarmed. VP of Maldives Joins calls to free Chief Judge
20th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
By KRISHAN FRANCIS Associated Press
Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed tarrested at 11:25pm
The Maldives’ vice president joined calls Friday for the release of a detained senior judge, in a sign of divisions within the government of President Mohamed Nasheed.
Vice President Mohammed Waheed Hassan criticized the “extrajudicial arrest” this week of Criminal Court Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed after he ordered the release of a detained government critic. Hassan told The Associated Press the detention sets a bad precedent for the country’s new democracy.
Nasheed’s government has been accused of using the military and police to crack down on critics and of defying court rulings.
A group of journalists accused the government Thursday of harassing media that are covering the present political crisis and the judge’s arrest. They said the government has penalized television stations for broadcasting opinions expressed by opposition politicians, and an independent regulator, the Maldives Broadcasting Commission, said the country’s communications minister has threatened to withdraw the frequencies of TV and radio stations if the commission does not properly monitor them.
The judge is being detained by the military despite orders by the country’s Supreme Court and prosecutor general that he be released.
“When it comes to the judiciary, its head is the chief justice and the rulings of the chief justice should be obeyed by all parties,” Hassan said.
“I think the government is in a very difficult situation because of this.”
Maldives had 30 years of autocratic rule before Nasheed led a successful pro-democracy campaign that brought him to power in 2008. His government established free elections, an independent judiciary, and human rights and media commissions.
Hassan acknowledged there was a clear disagreement between him and Nasheed over the judiciary but insisted they could still work together.
Judge Mohamed’s arrest sparked street protests in the capital, Male, which were broken up by police using tear gas.
On Friday, police arrested a prominent Muslim cleric and leader of a hard-line religious political party for allegedly inciting hatred during a protest. Several politicians including a lawmaker were also arrested.
Sheik Imran, leader of the Justice party, has been calling for strict Islamic law to be implemented in the Maldives and accused Nasheed of working against Islam, the state religion, with the support of Christians and Jews.
Following a faith other than Islam is forbidden in the Indian Ocean archipelago of 300,000 people.
Imran led a protest last month demanding the government cancel plans to allow direct flights from Israel, stop selling alcohol in the islands where Maldivians live and to dismantle monuments donated by other countries to a South Asia summit which he called idols.
The government has warned of rising fundamentalism and called for a moderate form of Islam to be practiced.
Politically engineered violence on the rise
20th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Justice Abdulla Saeed, Supreme Court of Maldives
Politically engineered violence appears to be on the increase in the Maldives. Today a group of people assaulted the former Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed. The attack took place in the capital Male when Justice Abdullah Saeed came out of mosque after performing Friday prayer. Justice Abdullah Saeed is one of the six Supreme Court Justices who ordered immediate release of the arrested Criminal Court Judge Abdullah Mohamed.
Today ruling MDP activists also attacked a prominent critiques of President Nasheed and the Secretary General of Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Mr. Abdullah Ameen. Mr. Ameen was going home after giving a TV interview in which he critised President Nasheed’s assault on the judiciary and violent crackdown of the peaceful protesters.
Today around 2pm when Mr. Ameen passed by the MDP head office in Ameenee Magu, in the capital Male, a group of 5 ruling MDP activists started following him on motorbikes. They overtook him, attacked him from behind and as a result he fell from his motorbike. Only intervention by onlookers saved Mr. Ameen from further injuries.
Mr. Ameen was quoted in the local media Haveeeru Daily, that the police officer who was at the scene failed to provide him protection. The officer simply asked him to lodge a police report.
Earlier on 16th January 2012 a group of people attacked Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Didi. Mr. Didi is a DQP Council Member and a prominent freedom fighter in the country. According to Mr. Didi his attackers were “drunk and drugged ruling MDP activists”. According to him the group leader was the bodyguard of MDP Chairperson and Member of Parliament Hon. Riko Moosa Manik.
President Nasheed’s three year old government has been marred by serious politically engineered violence. When Vice President Dr. Waheed said that President Nasheed does not consult him, MDP activists forcefully entered his official residence. Likewise they have attacked on the DhiTV, Civil Service Commission, Members of Parliament, opposition leaders and prominent critics of the Government.
Dr. Jameel charged on the same penal code offence as Sandhaanu Didi, Jeniffer Latheef and President Mr. Nasheed- lawyers
19th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
Human Rights activist Jenniffer latheef
The Lawyers of Dr. Jameel says that he is charged under the same penal code offences under which Sandhaanu Didi, Jeniffer Latheef and President Mr. Nasheed was previously charged.
The government has fabricated and falsified the content of the booklet by DQP according its Secretary General Abdulla Ameen. DQP SG as said that they would be providing a english translation of the booklet into english. He also said that Dr. Jameel was not charged based on the contents of the booklet.
The current charge on Dr. Jameel has two parts
1. Sedition (Offences against the state) under section 37, 38 of the penal code.
2. Under religious harmony law (enacted to ensure only the government sanctioned version of islam prevails and no other religious litrature or influence is made available to Maldivians).
The government is using the booklet by DQP to cover up the illegal arrest of Dr. Jameel and kidnapping of the Criminal Court Chief Judge according to SG Ameen.
Breaking News: Democracy advocate Dr. Jameel rearrested
19th January 2012, Male’, Maldivestoday.com
23:48 Protesters continue to call for release of Judge Abdulla and Dr. Jameel.
23:46 Dr. Jameel taken to notorious Dhoonidhoo jail. Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed in military of island of Girifushi. Its a military training camp of army.
23:40pm Protest organizers suspect plain cloth military officers might have penetrated into opposition protestors to create violence. Similar things happened in Egypt towards the march to end Mubaaral’s regime. Is Maldives another Egypt, Tunisia or Syria or Libya.
23:39 Main opposition MP Rozaina, MP Nashiz and MP Riyaz joins the protestors near Republican Square which is also close to the headquarter of national defense force.
23:21 Opposition MPs to submit of a motion of no confidence against Home Minister Hassan Afeef and Defence Minister Tholhath.
23:04pm Military goes to residence of Chief Judge of Criminal Court to pick up some clothes. Military has informed after 48 hours that Chief Judge is in the military island of Girifushi.
22:51pm Sandhaanu Didi joins the protest. He addresses the crowd. Didi says he doesnt believe there is a constitution in Maldives due to the way military and police is acting.
22:34 DRP Media co-ordinator detained.
22:31 Many MPs are taking part in the protest near MMA. Many argue the legitimacy of Mr. Nasheed’s government.
22:24 Criminal Court of the Maldives issues a court order to present Dr. Jameel before the court tomorrow at 10am.
22:23 Supreme Court again makes a statement to uphold the constitution.
22:18 Protestors gathered near republican square. Protesters are angered due to lack of obedience to rule of law.
22:00pm 48 hours since the arrest of Criminal Court Chief Judge lapse. No news of his where abouts. Military has kidnapped him according to the family. CJ Abdulla’s wife at the hospital give birth.
21:58pm Permanent Secretary of Defense Ministry Reenee Abdul Sattar resigns tonight citing various reasons.
Democracy advocate in Maldives Dr. Jameel
21:50pm Former Attorney General and the first Attorney General of MDP government, and SAARC Secretary General Fathmath Dhiyana Saeed says if government doesn’t obey the Supreme Court order only people can solve the issue.
8:41 Chief Justice Abdulla Mohamed still remains in the detention in an identified military facility.
8:40 Democracy advocate Dr. Jameel rearrested again despite criminal court’s decision lastnight.
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