Friday  1 April 2005

The Hindu - India
Multi-party democracy in Maldives in a year
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 31. The Maldivian President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has promised Constitutional amendments for introduction of a multi-party democratic system in his country within one year. read more
 

The Hindu - India
Major reconstruction programme for Maldives
CHENNAI, MARCH 31. The Maldivian Government has initiated a major reconstruction programme for the island after the tsunami destroyed about 62 per cent of the country's GDP. read more

Local News
People gathering in Tetrapod Square in Male' in defiance
Male' - Reports are coming that more than a 1000 people have gathered in Lonuziyaaraiy Kolhu - at Tetrapod Square in the Eastern Corner of Male'. There are more than 200 cops there telling people to disperse and shouting foul at them. Home Minister Umar Zahir also went to the place earlier and asked people to go home. Commissioner of Police Adam Zahir also cruised around the area in the safety of his car.
Roads have now been blocked preventing anymore people from getting there. Yet another victory for the dictator it seems by showing his power. Even tankers were deployed to the area tonight as if there was a foreign invasion. The public is adamant that they want to demonstrate against the Dictator but more people need to gather to make an impact. Everybody is still scared after what they saw on Black Friday last August. Those who are there are talking about the example of how the public over threw the governments of Kyrgyzstan and Lebanon recently. Looks like Maldivians are ready for a mass demonstration after all because it is the only way to oust the Dictator.

Times of India
It's Gayoom's turn to promise democracy
Gayoom has been in power for 26 years, and this time he promised to start an ambitious reform agenda to make it a modern and mature democracy. Gayoom said in February he had presented a 31-point reform package to the People’s Special Majlis or the Constitution Assembly, and requested it to complete the work of amending the Constitution in about one year. Press freedom, electoral reforms and crime reduction were among the other measures in the pipeline, he said. read more

Voice of America News
Maldives President's Promises of Democracy Met With Skepticism

NDTV News
Maldives President to discuss reform package
India may be frowning on Nepal's King Gyanendra, but it's handing out special treatment to the visiting President of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
The Maldives President is in New Delhi to talk about political reforms in his country, but he's silent on several issues like the lack of democratic freedom. read more

Local News

Mr & Mrs Shiham summoned to police for being around Tetrapod Square last night
Male' - Mr. Ibrahim Shiham and his wife Fareesha Abdul Samad (G. Cool Grass, Male') have been summoned to police tonight at 8:00pm for being around Tetrapod Square last night amongst the public who gathered there.

According to reformists, this is just another sign of how intolerant this government is to any sort of dissent or opposition to its brutal rule.

Arbitrary arrest and torture is the only way Gayyoom knows how to rule and stay in power.

More details will be published as soon as we have them.

People are usually taken to "to find out information - (mauloomaatheh saafu kohlumah)" and next thing is you could be dead the next day without anyone taking any responsibility.

According to friends of the couple, he is a regular visitor to the spot on almost all nights and most of the time he is accompanied by his wife.

Local News

Public dissent on the rise in Maldives - Reformists gathering once again in Tetrapod Square Male'
Male' - Reports are coming that people have begun gathering near the 'Lonuziyaaraiykolhu' of Male' - known popularly as Tetrapod Square - in a show of opposition against the brutal rule of Gayyoom after more people dying in suspicious circumstances this month.

Informant in Police Services say that the authorities are planning to threaten some of these people and will try their best to stop the kind of momentum of August 2004, which many believe led to the Black Friday demonstration on 13th August 2004. The public are now convinced that the only way to remove Gayyoom from power is mass opposition and protesting against the regime and this could just be the beginning of the end of Gayyoom. The authorities obviously cannot arrest the whole public of Male said a regular participant of these activities. More than 200 people gathered there last night and more are expected to go there tonight.

Tsunami News

Scientist warns of another quake in Indonesia
Agence France-Presse - Jakarta - An Indonesian scientist warned on Wednesday that an earthquake measuring as high as 9.0 on the Richter scale could hit regions off Sumatra and trigger another tsunami.
"Every earthquake adds seismic pressure in nearby areas," Murti Matoyo of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences was quoted by the state Antara news agency as saying. read more
 

News
Maldives won't allow political parties until constitutional reform process is completed, says president

Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Wednesday ruled out allowing a multiparty democracy in the tropical Indian Ocean archipelago until proposed constitutional reforms are implemented. Gayoom, who has ruled the Maldives since 1978, said there was "no scope for political parties" under the existing constitution.
He told a rare news conference in New Delhi that a special parliamentary assembly, or Majlis, has been given a year to draft new laws, but did not say when the reforms would be introduced. read more

Blast from the Past - BBC News - Jan 2005
Maldives reforms 'within a year'
Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said he believes the nation will be a multi-party democracy within a year. He was speaking after parliamentary elections in which opposition-backed candidates have won four of the 12 seats provisionally announced. read more

Blast from the Past - Haveeru Monday October 4 1993, By Amal Jayasingha - AFP

Maumoon vows sweeping reforms (on October 4th 1993)
MALE – Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom who has just won another five years in office, has vowed a "complete transformation" of the system that put him in power in this Indian Ocean atoll nation.
Sweeping Political reforms will be introduced during the new term starting November 11 and young people will have a greater say in running the administration, the 55-year-old President said in a weekend interview with AFP.
"I find that right now it is the best time to implement further reforms" the Islamic scholar president said at his sea-front office here in the capital island Male." read more