Four-star hotel for Silhouette -
Maldives company signs
lease deal
A
four-star hotel comprising 100 individual chalets and
four restaurants is expected to open on Silhouette in
early 2006 in a major expansion of the lone
establishment on the island.
Island Development Company (IDC) executive chairman
Glenny Savy announced plans for the new hotel on Tuesday
at Independence House after formally signing a lease
deal with principal secretary Raymond Chang-Tave of the
Ministry of Land Use and Habitat and Sanjay Maniku,
executive director with Universal Enterprises, a company
from the Maldives that will manage the new resort. The
resort comes with a projected price tag of between US
$20-25 million, Mr Savy said. The current hotel will
close this January, when construction is slated to
begin.
read more
Friends
of Maldives officially opened by the Mayor of Salisbury
Tonight the Mayor
of Salisbury, Jeremy Nettles, officially opened Friends
of Maldives in the company of members and MDP
councillors. The ceremony marks a significant time for
FOM and their continued attempts to express concern for
many political prisoners that remain in prison and under
house arrest without charge in the Maldives said an FOM
Press Release.
read more
Editorial
Endemic Corruption in
Maldives: Concrete
Proof
Abdulla Shahid has a brand new 10 storey building.
Mohamed Hussain has one. Ilyas Ibrahim has a building.
Ahmed Abdulla has a building. Samarey has a building.
Fathulla lives in a nice little palace, has a holiday
retreat island. Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim has one. Abdul
Rasheed Hussain has one. Anbaree has a building. Umar
Zahir has a building. Endherimaage is a high rise
multiplex city on its own. Who in the regime doesn't
have a building?
read more
Mohamed
Mamdhooh - attache' at Maldives High Commission in UK
Mamdhooh
was recently posted in London High Commission. When
asked by FoM protestors he said he
had not yet started
his studies. We have information that he is
a 'nobody, who
does not have many friends, spends much of his time by
himself and can't speak good English or Dhivehi for that
matter.'
Rumour
is that he was a
favourite of Dr. Shaheed which could have landed him the
opportunity to be 'so cool'! We urge him not
to be seen as a 'regime boy'. More about the
spy will
be posted.
Do
you know this man?
He comes out of the Maldives High Commission in London
every time Friends of Maldives protesters go there. He
said that he had just come to UK and have not yet begun
his studies. He takes videos and pictures of the
protestors and sneaks into the embassy.
Dressed like a New Yorker, this fella is very much a
diehard Gayyoomist or perhaps his Dad.
more pictures
We
are democratic society, says
Gayyoom's majlis candidate
Dr. Mustafa Luthfi Dr. Mustafa Lutfi: Yes,
actually, we are a democratic society. We have a
parliament that is elected every five years, and the
president is elected. We have a president. I wouldn't
say that we have a 100 percent process democracy, I
don't think this exists anywhere in the world. We are a
developing democratically. We are bringing changes into
the constitution and parliament is meeting now to bring
about changes. We are discussing about having multi-
party system and having separate powers, a checks and
balances because we need it in order to be in this 21st
century. The government, the authority realizes this.
But we have to have a connection with the past. Right?
We cannot dump away immediately from the past and say we
are new, want new things. We cannot do that. We are a
small society, we have a small economy based on fishing
and tourism. read
more on e-turbo news
Reformists
recuperating from inhumane ordeal
Reformists are recovering from
their ordeal, according eyewitnesses,. The torture and ill treatment did nothing
to dent their determination, if anything, they are more
determined to work towards a better democracy in
Maldives.
Key reformists and activists have been transferred to
house arrest. They are barred from communicating with
anyone. Sources within the
NSS police reveal that the
government has no case whatsoever against the
reformists. Gayyoom fears them for their courage and
determination. Interrogations were conducted at times in
the presence of Attorney Thimarafushi Nashid from the
Attorney General's office and most questions were like, "Do you know Sappe'
and Anni? Do you work for MDP and
DO?" No
questions were
related to the demonstration and the allegation
of trying to overthrow Gayyoom.
read more
People's
Majlis election 2004 Maldives
election a farce while Gayyoom and his
ministers use NSS against opposition leaders As the arrested people were dragged in blindfolded, Jameel and the head of NSS police section Brigadier General Adam Zahir began to abuse them. 'Goru boi (suck piss), you
lot!' shouted South Asia's longest serving Foreign Minister Fathullah Jameel.
'What is your Allah doing to save you now?' Then Police Chief Adam Zahir, who is well known for his incontinence in the presence of shackled prisoners, removed his penis from his trousers and sprayed
urine over the crouching detainees. Meanwhile,
the blindfolded people were beaten by NSS officers holding truncheons and metal pipes.
Cabinet ministers present in the room laughed and cheered
as the NSS pummelled the prisoners. read
more
Lessons
from history Mao
ZeDong and Maumoon Gayyoom - the insanity of
dictators The development policies
for Maldives under Gayyoom have been similarly
lopsided, misrepresented and unquestioned.
Most of the government's development efforts
have gone into the tourism industry, while the
vital fishery and agricultural sectors have
been undermined by ignorance and neglect. The
islands have been used as a source of cheap
labour for the tourist resorts and fish
exporters, and the country's malnutrition has
been hidden and even denied by government
officials. read
more
Pro-reform activist and member of
the general council of the Maldivian democratic party
was transferred to house arrest after 95 days in detention
on 17th November. He has been a very active member of
the reform movement and is enjoying being back home
after so long. It is believe that Ziyad was severely
tortured by police. Read more about the detainees on
www.maldiviandetainees.net,
the reporting network for relatives of persons detained following Black Friday - 13th
August 2004
Minister
Ahmed Abdulla wants a PhD - enrolled at Rushmore for
flexible distant learning
"One of my most cherished dreams was to attain a high
academic qualification from a reputable institute. I
have always believed that a credible professional
qualification is a great asset to be treasured for
posterity. I have invested heavily in the education all
my children, making it my family's most precious
investment. I have gained inspiration from the love and
affection that has created a unique family bond and
hence, I want to earn a credible university
qualification.
My short-term personal goal is therefore to attain a
university degree. The Rushmore program was a natural
choice. I have always believed that the United States is
dedicated to developing and supporting universal
education and information and I have seen how knowledge
and information have been spreading like an ocean
because of the major contribution the United States has
made to providing it freely, transcending boundaries and
limitations. That is why I searched for an online
master's course through an American university. I asked
friends and searched extensively before finding Rushmore
through a TIME magazine. Some friends subsequently
recommended the choice".
read more
Tourism
and the Dictator Maldives tourism receipts
used to sustain torture and oppression
Almost
everyday we are told by the media that tourism is
important for the
Maldives and that our lives depend on it. This has been repeated so many times
in so many ways that the Maldivian mind has now been totally brainwashed
into believing that Maldives would be wiped off the face of
the earth and all Maldivians would perish if anything should happen to
tourism. If we just stop to think
for one moment and push aside this constant propaganda, the
tourism-politics connection becomes very clear and transparent.read more
The
democratic magu Democracy - Frequently asked
Questions from Maldivians The MDP is a party where power is not concentrated in the hands of a single person. The reforms proposed by the MDP mean that a president cannot become a dictator, so the
public's understanding of the presidential role will change. There will be no more military dictators pretending to
be a president. The task of choosing the head of state will be left to the people. They decide, and at the following election, they can change their mind.
read
more
Wednesday
17 November
2004
Confusion
in the ranks Browsing
DO is legal but downloading illegal,
says Gayyoom's NSS
DO
deplores Gayyoom's
ignorant harassment of all the people who were detained because they
downloaded our articles.
The dictator owes an
apology to the family and friends of the
detainees, as well as the children he is
bullying with his NSS.
If Gayyoom
is willing to rise to the challenge, we can even host
Dhivehi
Observer on his own
http://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv
site, then he can know
exactly who is reading it.
Rather than chasing kids
around Male' like a sick
street bully, Gayyoom
could start governing as a
national leader instead of
a gangster.
Report on the upcoming
Parliamentary Elections in
the Maldives by the Maldivian Democratic Party
Detention to deny
civil and electoral rights continues
Hunger strike in
Maldives jail ends following MDP appeals
read more
Demonstrations
in London
Friends of Maldives hold 'Walkabout for Freedom'
Friends of Maldives
took to the streets today to put increased pressure
on the Maldivian Government to release all political
prisoners. The
protest builds on the success of last weeks
demonstrations
that reached a wide audience including MP's,
tour operators and the
general UK public. Once more, in front
of the Maldivian High Commission in London,
demonstrators showed their disappointment in the
lack of action for promised reforms by the Maldivian
government. A number of prisoners remain in jail
without charge and all the released dissidents are
kept under house arrest, preventing them from
campaigning for the up-coming elections in the
country. Following the High Commission demonstration
the group led a protest march through central London
raising awareness and gaining significant support.
read more
The
cost of the dictator Can we compare Maldives to the
UK and USA? Recently,
Gayyoom spent over one million rufiyaa on
sheet piling along the Arah island foreshore.
There are many islands in Maldives where the
fishermen and their families desperately need
this sort of infrastructure, but the
relaxation of the dictator is far more
important than the nation's fishing industry. Where
does Gayyoom's money come from? The answer is obvious.
The dictator takes it from government revenue,
and persecutes and tortures anyone who
complains. read
more
Minivan
report from Mohamed (Anni)
Nasheed Unlawful Detention Continues: Maldives MPs Behind Bars On 31st October 2004, the government of Maldives in an attempt to gloss its unlawful detentions with an aura of legality produced some of the detainees to court to extend their detention. The detainees were produced in court, unannounced. Their case proceedings were suppressed. Sources from the Criminal Court in
Male' allege that its rulings are ignored and that the detaining agency is acting unlawfully. Many detainees that the court has ordered to be detained under house arrest still remain in jail.
read
more
Local
News - State funds
used illegally in Addu
campaign
Hiyalee
and Dr. Luthfy are desperate to win hearts and minds in
Addu Atoll
The two government candidates for Addu Atoll
are lobbying hard in the Atoll to try and secure the
seats for the Dictator,
according to reports. Hiyaee has
the full blessing of
Yameen and has an open account with State Trading
Organisation Plc.
It is also believed that Dr. Saeed
(the attorney
general) is assisting Dr.
Luthfy to muster support in the Atoll.
According to DO sources in Addu Atoll, there is no
chance for these two to win their seats no matter how
hard they try. Addu people will not vote for a
government candidate anymore, said Ali from
Hithadhoo who runs his own small business in the
atoll.
According election laws,
the activities of
these two government
supported candidates
are illegal. Reformist candidates are
collecting evidence to file cases against these cronies
who have no regard for the laws of the land.
Local
News - Ibrahim
Ismail too popular Ibra
summoned to the police for submitting the application
form to contest for Male'
Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) was summoned to
police twice yesterday and questioned about his
application to contest for the Male'
seat, according to
reports from the Maldives
capital.
Due to Ibra's active role in the
reform movement, it is believed that he would easily win
the Male' seat.
Sources in the police say
Gayyoom's cronies attempted to cut a deal with Ibra last
night and offered to release him if he agrees to
withdraw his application.
Gayyoom it seems, is desperate to
hold on to power.
Local
News - Minister of
Trade plans electoral
fraud Election fraud being
planned by Yameen in advance
The Election Commission today
announced that they will be using indelible ink markers
for the upcoming elections. This will prevent voters to
cast votes repeatedly. The ink will be used to stain the
index finger and is believed to remain stained for at
least 3 days.
Reports are coming in, that Yameen have ordered a
chemical that will remove the ink stain.
The ink remover also kown as
'muthai' in India will be
supplied by MM Exports.
Mr. Mohamed Manik (STO Managing Director) has close
connection with MM Exports and his brother-in-law
Shahudhee is the company's representative in Maldives.
Minivan News launched
The decision to launch a
Minivan Radio news
website follows the huge success of
Minivan Radio, which broadcasts to the Maldives each
evening. Minivan News is the sister site of Minivan
Radio.
Speaking to DO today, the editors of Minivan News said
they were delighted to have launched the site:
'It's
been a long time in the making but we feel the site is
now ready to go live. The content's strong, as is the
site layout, and the demand from people in the Maldives
for honest news has never been higher.'
Minivan News is committed to bringing its readers
objective news coverage and high quality analysis. Using
credible sources, Minivan News will be updated with
daily news from the Maldives and abroad and commentary
and opinion from its panel of independent columnists.
Visit their
site at:
www.minivannews.com If you would like to be involved in the production of
Minivan News, please write to the editors at:
minivan.news@gmail.com
Poem
translation Maumoon
Voting is supposedly a secret, but controlled openly while Maumoon commands the country beating and killing in a shark frenzy. All
that young Maldivians have earned with sweat and tears, he has eaten everything with unlimited glee. Using religion as a shield, proclaiming
fatwas of fear, the
Qibla for Maldives is Maumoon, he believes. His T-shirts make promises of democracy while his militia chains those who would be free boasting he is the father of our islands and sea. Maumoon's writings were stolen from others more learned than he. He told the whole nation that a minister was a thief but the thief became minister again, the fall was brief. Intensely, insanely, Maumoon wants to rule, Eyes close in disgust at this maddening fool.
Asia
Times - Police state
ponders future China faces up to growing unrest "It would be better for the Communist Party to tell the truth, and to try to regain the confidence of the people by introducing democratic reforms," said Uyghur activist Enver Can. "If the party does not face the reality, and delays introducing radical reforms, no one can guarantee that the people will continue to be as docile as they used to be. "I think the greatest threat to the Chinese government is its own policy of suppression against its own people," he continued. "If a government does not serve its own people, it loses legitimacy."
read
more
This is the time we need
to take action otherwise we might be too late. Gayoom's
regime is trying to destroy our generation in one way or
the other. Do not let him and his followers to destroy
us. As a student of the Centre for Higher Secondary
Education (CHSE) I have a grave concern. Please read
this article and help us. We deserve something better
than this.
read more
Family
first
Gayyoom holds the record
for nepotism
Nepotism is the act
of favouring one's family members in a situation where
doing so is considered inappropriate. For instance, a
manager in a firm is generally expected to promote the
most competent persons, in order that the firm may
succeed. For that manager to promote an incompetent
relative over a more-qualified employee is nepotism.
The current record for
nepotism and cronyism is held by President Maumoon Abdul
Gayoom of the Maldives, who at the last count had at
least eleven family members, in-laws and cronies in his
cabinet, plus numerous close relatives and friends in
the highest government posts.
read more
Elections
in Maldives can never be 'free and fair'
while Gayyoom
is in power
If the international community really
wants to help the people of Maldives, they must pressure Gayyoom into
playing by the book and to respect and uphold the constitution of the
country. Sending a few election observers will simply be a way of
endorsing the dictatorship. With more than 200 islands balloting on the
same day, a handful of Commonwealth or European Union observers will only
serve as a 'rubber stamp' for Gayyoom to legitimise his autocratic and
brutal rule.
read more
Dollars
fuel Dictator's dirtywork Sri
Lanka police and Gayyoom's
NSS President
Maumoon Gayyoom,
commander-in-chief of the
Maldives NSS, regularly
pays the Colombo police to
harass and arrest his
political opponents in Sri
Lanka. Last night's
cowardly police attack on
peaceful demonstrators
near the Maldives High
Commission building is the
latest example of the
close financial ties
between the Maldives
National Security Service
(NSS) and the Sri Lankan
Police.
Based in
the Maldives High
Commission building, the
NSS operate a major spy
ring among the expatriate
Maldivian community in
Colombo. Payments
amounting to thousands of
dollars are made
regularly to senior CID
officials in Sri Lanka.
The NSS are allowed
illegal powers of arrest
and transfer of prisoners
between Maldives and Sri
Lanka.
In Maldives,
the Male' Sri Lankan
embassy has lucrative
business dealings with the
NSS. Sri Lankan prisoners
are regularly tortured in
Maldive jails, but the
embassy in Male' is
primarily interested in
maintaining good relations
with its NSS trading
partners.
More
information on Gayyoom's
links with the Sri Lankan
CID, and the effects of
this relationship on
ordinary Maldivians and
Sri Lankans, is available
in the links below from
the Maldives Culture
archive:
Islam
and Democracy - Talking
Turkey Interview with Ahmet Davutoglu on Turkey's unique experience with democratic Islamist government In
Al-Ahram's fourth and concluding instalment of this year's
'Ramadan Debate', Omayma Abdel-Latif talks to Ahmet Davutoglu, the main ideologue behind Turkey's unique experience with democratic Islamist government. read
more
UK
Tribune report from MDP
website
It's hell in paradise isles Last month; the European Parliament passed a motion calling for sanctions against the Gayoom regime, including a travel ban on members of the Maldives government and other senior officials from entering European Union member states. In Britain, more than 90 MPs of all parties have signed a Commons motion condemning the detention and torture of political prisoners, urging recognition of the Maldivian Democratic Party and urging the government to make stronger protests. The motion also demands
'companies in the Maldives to refrain from any activity that impedes the growth of
democracy'. The Foreign Office is considering sending observers to monitor the elections if they do take place at the end of December, but these is mounting pressure on the Government to take stronger actions within the Commonwealth. read
more
Peaceful demonstration quashed by Sri Lankan police near
Maldives High Commission in Colombo
Colombo - At 5 pm local time, protestors arrived at the
Maldives High Commission in Colombo to demonstrate for
the release of pro-democracy detainees in Maldives.
Around 100 arrived to the location only to be met with
local police who beat them up even before they could
begin the demonstration.
Sources close to the organisers, who are mainly Sri
Lankans, say that they had permission from a top police
officer, who informed them that Sri Lanka was a
democracy and anyone can protest peacefully anywhere at
any time.
It is
believed that the Maldivian government paid off local
police to quash the demonstration who in turn used
batons and sticks. Eye witnesses say that it was quite a
scene because Sri Lankan police were beating Sri Lankans
for attempting to demonstrate peacefully.
There weren't many Maldivians in the group because this was a
union to show support of the Sri Lankan community to the
reformists who are in detained by Gayyoom in Maldives,
many of whom have business and personal relations with
Sri Lankans. 'This was a show of our support and
solidarity with the people of Maldives,' said one
participant. 'We will take this matter very
seriously.' Local Media was at the scene when this
happened and it looks like that this is yet another
blunder by the Gayyoom's brother Yameen, who is known to
be well connected with outlaw groups in Sri Lanka.
The
demonstration was suppose to coincide with a Dinner
Reception at the High Commission which were organised to
muster support for Gayyoom's dictatorship. Hundreds of
Maldivians who live in Colombo said that they would not
attend the Reception because they were not supporters of
the dictator.
Bringing
Justice and Law to
Maldives Crimes
against Humanity - Can Gayyoom be brought to
Justice?
Gayyoom lied on BBC when he denied that the detainees had been shackled, handcuffed or blindfolded.
There is overwhelming evidence that Gayyoom's police kicked, beat with truncheons, and sexually abused hundreds of detainees, including children. But
Gayyoom and his ministers are denying the torture, and up until now not a single police officer has been charged for the recent atrocities, many of which took place in full public view. read
more
From
Maldives Culture archive -
August 2004 report Over 1,000 Maldivians arrested in state-sponsored terrorism
There
are three blocks in Girifushi island and the children could hear women prisoners
screaming in pain and begging people not to hit them. More than 300
people were held on Girifushi alone. Their handcuffs stay on for meals and prayers,
and are only removed for defecation. read
more
The
hidden political party
controlling Male' The
Duplicitous Second
Republic from
MDP website - 11
November The
second Prime Minister of
the constitutional
monarchy that replaced the
first Republic was among
the most influential
within that regime. He
would have realized that
the dominant members of
the Peoples Progress Party
was secretly duplicitous
and desired to refrain
from mentioning the party
(thus keeping it
underground) to thwart any
efforts by any other
grouping of Maldivians to
exercise their right of
assembly and association. Ibrahim
Nasir served his tenure of
two terms as President in
the second Republic that
he ushered in by enforcing
that secret entreaty. Even
though the Constitution
mentioned the formation of
parties, through indirect
influence he narrowed the
registration of such to
Mauloodh (religious
chanting) Parties, and
Music Parties.
(Interestingly the
country's most
prestigious music band
Zero Degree Atoll was
registered during the
Maumoon Gayoom regime as a
Music Party under that
stipulation of the
constitution). read
more
'In the past decade, dozens of people -
including politicians, journalists and others
protesting government policies - have been
detained arbitrarily in defiance of their
fundamental right to freedom of expression and
assembly. Several prisoners of conscience have
been tried and convicted by the Criminal Court
without having access to a lawyer, or to an
independent and impartial appeal mechanism.'
"Verily never will God
change the condition of a people until they change it themselves."
Holly Qur'an 13:11
THE
DREAM
By the strength of our
common endeavour, to achieve what we cannot do alone, to grant each of
us the power to realize our full potential, and the means to create for
this and future generations a community in which power, wealth and
opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few, where the respect
we receive reflect the duties we owe, so that freed from the tyranny of
poverty, ignorance and fear, we could live together in spirit of
solidarity tolerance and respect.
[Clause 4 - Labour
Party - UK]
N
o
boundaries can hold us!
WE ARE WAKING UP NOW
OUT OF THE PAST, TO DREAM A BIGGER DREAM
WE ARE FRIENDS AND EQUALS
WE ARE DIVERSE AND UNIQUE
AND WE SHOULD BE UNITED
FOR SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OUR DIFFERENCES
WE BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND COOPERATION
WE ARE A CULTURE EMERGING
WE FIND OUR OWN GUIDANCE
AND WE DISCERN OUR OWN TRUTH
WE GO IN MANY DIRECTIONS BUT WE REFUSE TO DISPERSE
(Please note
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Views expressed in this website are that of the people who choose to
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Freedom of expression :
Constitution of the Maldives - Chapter II - Clause 25. Every citizen shall have the freedom to express his conscience and
thoughts orally or in writing or by other means, unless prohibited by
law in the interest of protecting the sovereignty of the Maldives, of
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Friends
of Maldives officially opened by the Mayor of Salisbury
Mohamed
Mamdhooh - attache' at Maldives High Commission in UK
We
are democratic society, says
Gayyoom's majlis candidate
Dr. Mustafa Luthfi
Minister
Ahmed Abdulla wants a PhD - enrolled at Rushmore for
flexible distant learning 
urwbwK
Hiyalee
and Dr. Luthfy are desperate to win hearts and minds in
Addu Atoll
udwmcawHum
cmwyirwm
Elections
in Maldives can never be 'free and fair'
while Gayyoom
is in power
