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Friday, 30 July 2004
BREAKING NEWS :
Male' Time 10:15 pm
Abdullah Hameed has just arrived to Male'
After
a nearly 10 days in Singapore, Abdullah Hameed has
arrived in Male' just a few minutes ago. He left
Maldives on the evening of 19th July after some MPs
staged a walk out from the parliament in protest. Some
MPs have filed an appeal to the High Court to try and
bring a case against him for for High Treason for
attempting to undermine the constitution of the
Maldives.
BREAKING NEWS
: Male' Time 09:15 pm
Emergency
cabinet
meeting underway in
President's Office
Confirmed reports say that an emergency cabinet meeting
is underway in the Presidents Office right now, this
evening. Several cabinet ministers are in the complex.
Rumour has Gayyoom is thinking of a cabinet re-shuffle
and might declare a state of emergency to arrest some
key reform activists. Some people are being notified to
come to police already.
up
Thursday, 29 July
2004
Emergency
meeting underway in the Education Ministry
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Mr.
Asif said that he was a dictator, hence the cake |
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Confirmed reports say that Dr. Shaugee, the Minister of
Education and Mr. Abdulla Solih are meeting senior staff
of Jamaaluddeen School because they allowed a birthday
party to be held in their premise. Mr. Solih did
instruct the school to cancel the party but by then
people were already at the gate. The party was organised
by Mr. Ismail Asif and went quite well with lots of
locals attending. There were rumours that reformists
were going to attend the party and they did. The cake
which was cut in the party also indicated that this was
a very special party. A full report on the party will be
published shortly. The theme song of the party was a
famous hindhi one "ye andhaa gaanoon hey" meaning this
is blind justice.
Education Ministry Asst.
Director General Abdulla Solih attempted to cancel a
birthday party at Jamaaludheen School tonight
Asst. Director General at
the Education Ministry attempted to cancel a birthday party
organised by a 33 year old man which was due to be held in
Jamaaluddeen School tonight. The government was concerned
that this was an attempt to hold a public assembly after the
Home Ministry refused to give permission to hold any further
public debates in Maldives.
Police was present at the
School gate and the invitees insisted on entering the
school. After some mishaps the party has apparently begun.
Abdulla Solih is a
powerful figure at the Ministry but he is certainly acting
on order from the above. It is distasteful that people like
Solih are used by their seniors in their dirty works. What
is life worth when you are a slave?
Abdulla Shahid was bribed
US$ 850,000/- by Reethi Rah Resort owner
Reethi Rah Resort has
been increased in land size by a large reclamation project.
DO can reveal that the permission to conduct this
environmentally disastrous project was obtained by the
owners of Reethi Rah Resort after making a direct payment to
Mr. Abdulla Shahid, the Executive Secretary to President
Gayyoom. The total amount of the bribe was a cool US$
850,000/-.
Fuel Supply Maldives
donates 20 barrels of fuel to Inner Maldives
DO can confirm that Fuel
Supply Maldives, of which STO is a shareholder, donated 20
barrels of fuel worth Mrf 24,400/- to Inner Maldives
toward the expense of a trip made by Dhaalu Atoll Member
Ismail Zahir. This arrangement was ordered by Mr. Yameen,
the Chairman of State Trading Organisation. Ismail Zahir is
visiting the Atoll as part of his campaign for the
forthcoming general elections in September this year. DO
called Mr. Mohamed Firaq, the Managing Director of Inner
Maldives to get further information but he refused to
comment on the matter. Furthermore he said that it was none
of our business.
Mr. Zahir is a puppet of
Yameen, Gayyoom's brother and hence is certainly above the
law. According to Election Laws in the Maldives no one is
allowed to campaign to get support in an election until his
candidacy is accepted and campaign material is approved by
the Election Commissioner.
"Shareholders of State
Trading Organisation should ask their board for an
explanation of this scandalous and corrupt behaviours of the
Chairman" told the person who reported this case.
up
Monday, 26 July 2004
Local people not allowed to
enjoy the Independence Day
Heavy police presence in
Male' is intimidating the local people. Many families went to
the Artificial Beach to see the independence day celebration
attended by government senior staff, foreign delegates and
Gayyoom's family. The locals did not know that they were not
invited and were forced to go back home. Police told them that
celebrations for them will be in the National Stadium and that
the celebration today is just for the government.
Gayyoom addressed the
nation today
Gayyoom addressed the
nation today and promised to stand by his ideas of democratic
reform. However, people are very sceptical about any reform
because he does not practice what he preaches. A full analyses
of the speech will be reported shortly.
Justice Minister writes to
all the judges forbidding them not to stand for parliament
A judge has informed
DO that Seena Zahir has written all the judges telling
them that they should not stand for parliament. This is
because as they are judges it will create a conflict of
interest and will not serve the public well. Legal experts say
that he has no constitutional powers to inform judges not to
stand for parliament unless a law is passed in the parliament.
A lawyer also said that he should also now relinquish his own
parliamentary seat, appointed by the president, as he is the
head of the Justice Ministry. He should therefore not seek to
be elected as Speaker of the Special Majlis.
Abdullah Hameed still in
Singapore with Hussain Manik Dhon Manik
DO has
information that Abdullah Hameed is still in Singapore. He is
also accompanied by Hussain Manik Dhon Manik. We will monitor
his movements as the public is interested in knowing what
happens with him.
up
Saturday,
24 July 2004
Abdullah Hameed returning
home tonight
Unconfirmed reports say
that Hameed will be returning home tonight on the SQ flight.
His visit to Singapore sparked off rumours that he has
resigned after being undermined by the parliament members on
19th July 2004.
up
Friday, 23 July 2004
Dr. Zahir
Hussain, Sports Minister is campaigning for Fuah Mulaku seat
People from the island have
reported that Zahir Hussain arrived this morning to the island
and are meeting people and telling them to elect him as their
MP for the upcoming general elections in September. According
to the rules and regulations of General Elections set by
Gayyoom, this is illegal as no one can campaign unless their
names have been submitted once the announcement has been made
about the elections. This can only be done by a friend or
family of Gayyoom as they are above any law or regulation.
The people of Fuah Mulaku
are very discontent with this visit and say that there is no
chance for Zahir to get their seat unless the vote is rigged.
Zahir is already an appointed member of the parliament.
Police announcement bans public gatherings
The Police announced last night on TV that people should
restrain themselves from mass gatherings and shouting on the
streets. Locals say this is in preparation for the 26th
July Independence Day. They are perhaps anticipating that
something is on the horizon such as a public protest. On 19th
July, the public gathered near the Presidents’ Office and the
Parliament in support of the MPs who walked out of the
parliament in protest. They were calling for the removal of
Hameed from the government and also for the immediate
resignation of President Gayyoom. The crowd however did
display a lot of resolve and discipline as they dispersed
quickly ones the pro-reformist MPs requested them to do so
after they came out of the Presidents’ Office.
Traditionally, Maldivians are well natured as well as well
mannered. 19th July mass protest is testimony to
that. Many in Maldives now believe that the fall of Gayyoom is
imminent and that the transition will be peaceful unlike what
is being propagated by the cronies of his regime.
Reformists told no more debate on constitutional reform
The Government has informed the organisers of the debates of
constitutional reform are not able to get permission from the
Home Ministry to stage any more debates in Maldives. It is
confirmed that the Home Ministry has told them from 18th
July 2004, permission will not be granted for debate.
Reformists believe that this is a violation of their
constitutional rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The
reformists were able to organise 6 debates in Male’ but none
were able to get permission to hold any in any of the island,
despite several attempts. They were denied the permission on
the basis that the meetings held in Male’ were not convened in
accordance with the law. This was based on the fact that the
vast majority of the participants of these debates were
extremely critical to the government of Gayyoom and expressed
the unrelenting commitment to establishing party system and
promoting pluralistic democracy in the Maldives. Gayyoom's’
brother Hameed, who is still in Singapore, is certain that he
can influence the outcome of the constitution and have been
lobby hard in the islands to reject reform, most importantly
the party system.
up
22nd July 2004
Dr.
Waheed returns to Maldives
Dr.
Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik returns to Male’ today. Confirmed
reports say that Dr. Waheed has returned to Male’ for a
private visit. Political analysts believe that there will be a
strong link between the current political wave and his return.
Dr. Waheed now works in the United Nations after serving in
the government as well as in the Parliament as a member for
Male’. It is widely believed that he left the Maldives due to
constant harassment and intimidation from Gayyoom, as Dr.
Waheed gained a lot of respect and popularity in the Maldives
in a short space of Time.
Abdullah
Hameed still in Singapore
 Speaker
of the Majlis and Atolls Minister who left Maldives on the eve
of the 19th July 2004 is apparently not returning
to the Maldives because he is still very disturbed and hurt by
what happened on that meeting. Treason charge against him
brought up by some Members of the Parliament (Special Majlis)
added to his worries and there are rumours that he is seeking
professional help from a psychologist. However this is
unconfirmed. Some believe that he left in a huff and
threatened to resign from all his government posts and never
to return. Gayyoom’s dear brother is the chief architect of
the oppressive regime in the Maldives.
Adam Zahir
has been paid 101,777.73 Maldivian Rufiyaa in cash by the
Ministry of Information
After the
horrible incident of the 19th and 20th
September last year, in which a young man was beaten to death
by 12 NSS guards and unarmed Maldivian prisoners were shot to
death, the uprising in Male’ lead to Gayyoom relieving the
commissioner of Police of his duties. He was transferred to a
civilian post at the Ministry of Information, Arts and
Culture. This however lasted from 25th September
2003 – 15th February 2004, as he was reinstated as
Commissioner of Police and later promoted to Major General.
Maj. Gen.
Adam apparently was not paid by the Ministry for his services
in the period of less than 5 months until this week, and he
demanded the payment to be made to him in cash, which amounted
to 101,777.73 Mrf. It is also confirmed that he did not set
foot in the Ministry even once nor did he take a leave during
this period.
Large
quantities of suitcases have been sent to Singapore by NSS
last week
Eye
witnesses saw an unusual activity in Male’ Airport last week.
Several suitcases were boarded on the Singapore flight under
the security of the NSS. Large suitcases 8 or 10 at a time
were boarded. This happened 3 times during the week. Many in
the airport told the locals about that as they were shocked at
this unusual activity. Unconfirmed reports say that these are
suitcase piles of money being transferred to Singapore
accounts in order for Gayyoom’s family and him to be on
standby to flee.
MESCO
payment to Information Ministry is paid to Samarey’s Private
MAPA Office at Olympus
 It
is reported that MESCO (a local cable tv provider) send
payments that are supposed to go to the Information Ministry
directly to Olympus MAPA office and is kept in the safe of
Samarey, Mr. Ibrahim Manik, the Minister of Information and
brother in law of the President. Samarey is believed to be a
sleeping partner of the group. Maldivians were outraged by the
influence of MESCO on the transmission of the European Final
2004 football matches as illicit operations with the blessings
of Samarey meant that people had to get MESCO package to see
football live. Even Television Maldives did not broadcast the
matches this time around. It is a known fact that Samarey does
not even go to the main building of the Ministry and loves to
spend time in his private en-suite MAPA office at Olympus.
Former Baa Atoll Chiefs' "Teeth have been bent" by a
citizen -
Former
Baa Atoll Chief Qasim Kaleyfaanu was beaten up by an
attacker from the islands last night, outraged by the
Chief's abuse of power, DO can reveal. His
injuries are not life threatening and he was taken to
Indhiraa Gaandhi Memorial Hospital in Male' this
morning. Mr. Gayyoom visited him this morning and
assured him of his support and assistance. The Chief is
known for his abuse of power and is corrupt from head to
toe says the people of Baa Atoll. Gayyoom's brother
Hameed appoints people who he like "in a very special
way" to posts in the Atolls as part of his atoll
administration job. A political analyst and long term
critic of Gayyoom said that 95% of the appointed Atoll
chiefs have criminal backgrounds, which makes them
easier pawns to sustain the cunning regime of Gayyoom.
DO will publish a full report on this very
shortly. DO reporter in Eydhafushi Island
said that the island people are overjoyed by this
incident because they have nothing but hatred towards
this man.
Latest Update
Mr. Kaleyfaanu was relieved from the post of Atoll
Chief of Baa a year ago by Gayyoom after complaints from the
people of the Atoll but Hameed has kept him in charge of the
Atoll and has not appointed a new Chief to the Atoll which
makes us wonder who runs the country.
DO can also reveal that the attacker came in
through a window of his house from where a certain woman
usually visits him at night. She is married and confessed to
her husband about this arrangement, whereby he arranged a
friend to pay a visit through the window and sort him out.
Hameed is apparently very sad and arranging Mr. Kaleyfaanu to
be airlifted to Sri Lanka tomorrow.
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