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Updated:
07/05/2008 03:08:05
News &
Reports
August 2004
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AUGUST 2004 -
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2004 - ARCHIVE
Tuesday, 31st August 2004
The Truth :
Gayyoom is a tyrant
- Is Amnesty International
lying? Making up stories?
- Is the US State Department lying, making up stories?
- Is the BBC and the world media lying?
- Aren't the people of Maldives deprived of basic human
rights?
- Isn't Gayyoom the longest serving elected leader in Asia?
- Doesn't Gayyoom have his family and friends in the
cabinet?
- Who should the world believe, a liar, a tyrant or the
innocent people of Maldives?
read more
Monday, 30th August
2004
The Abuse of
foreign aid in the Maldives
Maldives has
the unique feature of a town straddling two sides ? The
islands, yet lacks portable drinking water for the simple
reason that there has been no effort in 25 years to provide
them the basic utility services. Few residents of Male'
earn more than a Swiss national, while the islanders dig
shallow wells to get drinking water.
read more
Maumoon is the
traitor
Maumoon is a cunning leader, a
dictator by all measures. He destroys people who became a
threat to his rule by defaming them and accusing them of
attempting to overthrow him, which incidentally is linked to
the national security. This is the absolute truth.
read more
Tourism or
freedom?
We have been accused of harming the tourism industry in our
attempt to bring about change to this government. Those who
raise this issue need to look into the fact of the matter,
which is of principle.
read more
Maldives Culture collated Report
Over 1,000 Maldivians arrested in state-sponsored terrorism
Over 1,000 Maldivians have been arrested
during the on-going emergency in the capital Male'. Official
figures are less than 200, with large releases and some new
arrests also mentioned in the government-controlled media.
Over 70 children aged between eleven and fourteen years were
arrested. While being held in Male', they were kicked, beaten
and made to lie down on the floor, and the NSS trampled them.
read more
DO SALUTES
Qasim Ibrahim; Leading by
Example
The Epitome of a Maldivian
Dream
"Mr.
Qasim Ibrahim is indeed a self-made man, displaying the
virtues of hard work, versatility and vision. He has been
involved in trading and shipping for over two decades. Today
he is a major Maldivian ship owner and operator. In recent
years he has also become a key player in the tourism industry.
He now owns or operates a number of resort hotels in the
Maldives with a combined bed capacity of over 1,700. I am
pleased to note that Mr. Qasim Ibrahim is the first Maldivian
to secure a loan from the International Finance Co-operation
(IFC), which has an impressive track record in identifying and
backing commercially viable enterprises. He is also the winner
of three national awards for his outstanding contributions to
trade and tourism development. His achievements show that
opportunity awaits those with vision, energy and drive.
Starting from almost scratch, he has set a fine example for
others to emulate." Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom (1999).
read more
Friday 27th August 2004
Qasim Ibrahim is the future of Maldives
 Maumoon
Gayyoom's attempts to destroy the reputation of Qasim Ibrahim,
the most respected and loved person in Maldives, will
ultimately bring about the demise of Gayyoom's regime.
Qasim is popularly known among
Maldivians as Buruma Qasim. He is a friend of the elite, as
well as the poor. Despite his heavy schedule of work, each day
Qasim personally reads and replies to all the letters he
receives from Maldivians. Most of these letters are from
destitute or middle-class Maldivians asking for assistance
with their medical, education and housing problems. Qasim is
the biggest employer in Maldives. He has the largest
investments in tourism, fishing and shipping. He is the
Chairman of Villa Group of Companies
read more
Thursday 26th August 2004
Maldivians, beware of these
people!
The (legitimate!) Government of Gayyoom has given extreme
powers to certain people in return for being informants of the
regime. It is common knowledge that Yameen, Gayyoom's powerful
brother and other supporters of the regime which include some
prominent businessmen are doing everything they can to sustain
this evil dictator. read more
 Gayyoom
addressed the Parliament today
The Parliament of the
Maldives met today for the first time since the declaration of
the state of emergency on Friday 13th August 2004.
Gayyoom announced the state of emergency to quell the
pro-reform demonstrators who demanded more democracy and
freedom and called for his resignation among others.
read more
Wednesday, 25th August 2004
 Gayyoom
tyranny exposed to America by DO courtesy of Washington
Times
DO
banner is displayed in the main page and world section of
their website giving a link to DO
main server. Washington Times fully
support freedom and democracy and sympathises with the cause
of the Maldivian people. We thank them for this service and
their cooperation with us.
Tuesday, 24th August 2004
NSS still
abusing authority
Everyone in Male', the capital fears the sheer thought of
police as they had made life hard for everyone as curfews are
being implemented, all are questioned, people being misjudged
for there appearance and arrested.
read more
Monday, 23rd August 2004
Confessions from "Sons of Yameen"
Gayyoom's brother Yameen;
HUNGRY FOR POWER
This confession was sent to us
by one of the members of Yameen's mobs. The name of the writer
has been withheld for his safety. We have also advised the
writer to not to give out his name or any other details to
anybody connected with the authorities in any capacity as it
is clearly becoming evident that there are very few whom the
people could trust. To get in touch with the writer please
write from an officially registered independent non-government
email address stating clearly who you are and what you want
with him. Upon satisfactory clarification for the safety of
the writer by him any correspondence could take place between
the writer. This confession letter is addressed to the public
in general, to warn of the dangers that lie ahead for the
people in Yameen's power hungry mission to be president of
Maldives at any cost.
read more
Maumoon
Gayyoom's Myths: A desperate dictator dreams on
Desperate and disillusioned, Gayyoom,
aided by his army and his propaganda machines, is still
struggling to cling on to his beloved myths. But even close
friends are laughing behind the senile dictator's back.
read more
Saturday, 21st August 2004
Unknown medication fed to detainees
Our informers in both Dhoonidhoo and Girifushi inform us that
some of the detainees are very sick. The most disturbing news
is that the senior detainees (muhimmu kuvverrin) are given
some unknown medication (drugs) diluted with their food. Our
informers are unable to tell us what type of medication, but
they are told that that these medications, will help them to
talk, and are warned to check whether they become hyper
active. read more
How Maumoon Gayyoom play
a Psychological game in the Presidential election
The geography of Maldives has
been a big advantage to Maumoon. The small island communities
have been an easy tool for Gayyoom to play an evil game. We
Maldives are scattered into low lying islands. In these
islands only few thousands people live, some island even less
than a thousand. The head of the island is a Katheeb who will
be from most influential family of the island. He would know
most of the islanders by name and he would even know their
habits and attitudes. Prior to presidential election
government divide ministers into different groups. One will be
appointed specifically for Atolls. Ministers will be divided
into government offices depending on their ministry. One will
be appointed for Resorts. And there will be ministers who will
be appointed to different sectors. Thus by creating more
concentration onto each sector of people
read more
Gayyoom; We urge you to
take this into your consideration
We have lost all our faith in you. We are fed up of all your
lies. One day you would say that we are free to talk and the
other day you would issue a search warrant against the people
who talk. One day you would say Mr. Ilyas Ibrahim is a thief
and the other day you would appoint him as a much more
influential minister. One day you would say you will limit the
terms of a president and the other day you would submit your
documents to run for the next presidential election. Regarding
the shooting in jail you said Fazaage thereyah, javvuge
thereyah, havaage thereyah badijehumah fahu?(after
shooting into the air, sky, space), but in reality NSS people
shot dead some innocent and unarmed people without even
warning them. Not to mention, these lies goes on and on. read
more
Friday, 20th August 2004
Gayyoom worried about Yameen's activities
It is obvious from the
above that Gayyoom have removed the Ministers and appointed
new Chairpersons' at STO, STELCO, IAS, MWSC, FPID, MICS, is
not in fact any thing to do with reforming. It is clear that
Gayyoom have found Yameen's involvement and in order to
balance the power. Meaning, Gayyoom is scared to keep his half
brother with so much power in his hand. If Gayyoom have any
common sense, he will by now realized that Yameen will not
hesitate to grab the Presidency on any account.
read more
Sammarey sabotages the
Minivan Radio broadcast
The independent Minivan Radio test
broadcast on Wednesday night from 2130-2230 Male' time was
sabotaged by the Maldives government, when it hijacked the
same frequency to transmit pro-Gayyoom propaganda. A senior
technician at the government's radio station, Voice of
Maldives, was spotted in the street after the broadcast,
saying on his mobile phone: "We'll do the same thing again
tomorrow night."
read more
THE
GOVERNMENT EXPOSES ITSELF:
A professional
photographer explains how the stabbing was staged
Thanks to the government
propaganda website, The Maldivian uploading 10 images of the
stabbing, a professional photographer has been able to
determine that the action was a fully choreographed charade
carried out by the government.
read more
Thursday, 19th August 2004
In brief; MDP
press conference
Below is a brief of the
well-attended MDP press conference held at Galle Face Hotel
today at 1700 Hrs on Monday, 16th of August. In addition to
the local electronic and print media, members of the
international media such as BBC, Reuters, AFP, and AP were
present among others. Over 30 media people attended the
conference.
read more
Open Letter to MDP
News has been leaking from the
handful of sympathetic men in uniform that the detainees are
brutally tortured with their hands cuffed and blindfolded.
They also report that the government is carrying out the
"investigation" like "Guantanamo Bay style" (detainees dressed
in orange) in a desperate effort to label the detainees even
as hardcore terrorists. Words can never describe the fear we
the Maldivians are in today nor can it describe the unbearable
suffering of the 1500 or more detainees in Gayyoom's custody.
Gayyoom is throwing all his means to hide his inhumanity and
cruelty to the international community.
read more
SPECIAL MESSAGE
Did you hear Minivan Radio, let us know
the details? Email
admin@friendsofmaldives.co.uk
Reception appears to be generally ok, all over
the country. If you had difficulty or could not hear let us
have the details as soon as possible.
Wednesday, 18th
August 2004
Masters of Deception and
Terrorists
Mr. Paul Roberts, in his article
"Events in the Maldives make waves
around the world" shed some
light the deceptive practices adopted by Gayyoom and this
gang. In his article he tells how the events of the Black
Friday are being reported around the world. However, in
our own home, the Gayyoom controlled broadcasting media have a
different story: a story that mocks the misfortune of the
victims of Black Friday. People who are unable to add one plus
one are being told to compliment to his brutal actions. The
key people who orchestrate this show such as Khaleel, Masood
and Saleem are promised and reminded of the good fortune that
awaits them by Information Minister Sammarey, brother-in-law
of Gayyoom. The target audience is the people of outer island,
who are desperate for electricity, safe water, education and
so on. They are forced to believe that any good that can
happen to them can only happen if they unconditionally
kiss Gayyoom and his gang's feet and acknowledge that the
Presidency of our nation is a birth right of Gayyoom.
read more
Gayyoom orders
NSS to bash reformists and Maldivian Democratic
Party members
Maldives Culture report
'The NSS is not being used in this
emergency to establish law and order; it is acting as a gang
of thugs against a non-violent democratic movement on behalf
of the political and financial interests of NSS
commander-in-chief Maumoon Gayyoom. The president has been
publicly lying about his support for the democratic reforms
demanded by his people and international advisors, and he
needed an excuse to abort the Special Majlis. Gayyoom's
manufactured 'emergency' and arrests and beatings of many of
the reformist Special Majlis members, serves this purpose' read
more
DO
EXCLUSIVE
NSS didn't use any force?
TIANANMEN MALDIVES STYLE; MORE BLOOD ON
GAYYOOM'S HANDS
When these forces descended on
unarmed demonstrators protesting in a square outside the
national security services headquarters on Friday, they went
on a mad rampage of unprecedented brutality in full view of
the ordinary people. Armed with teargas and truncheons, their
first victims were boys aged 14-18. Eyewitnesses claim groups
of security forces chased after these young people and kicked,
punched, and beat them up mercilessly with truncheons,
screaming abuse the whole time. Four eyewitnesses saw at least
24 separate incidents like this.
read more
Tuesday, 17th August 2004
Crackdown
extends to Maldives Intelligentsia
August 13th Black Friday's
crackdown in Maldives may have been a measure out of the
regimes desperation to stay in power, but now President
Gayyoom is using the opportunity to brutalize and torture the
country's intelligentsia and the many businesses that had done
well in spite of his nearly three-decades rule. The targeted
witch-hunt now include musicians, poets and artists, who
through their non violent art and occupations have criticized
the several murders and torture carried out by Gayyoom's
regime. read
more
British
concerns behind Maldives agony
The Maldives is now "free"
in that they don't pay tribute and are not protected by Her
Majesty's government. But the few trinkets paid then in
tribute are now replaced by millions of dollars paid to Cable
& Wireless who had since cornered the communications market in
Maldives. The state-cum-British-company run monopoly of the
national telecoms company Dhiraagu is a joint venture between
Cable & Wireless and the Maldives government. Internet costs
US$6 per hour and a call to the nearest neighbour costs as
much as US$2 a minute. Exorbitant rates, unregulated and
rampant by reason of that company being a monopoly are helping
them clean up the Maldives population on an enormously larger
scale than the times of British "protection".
read more
Of Gilded
Cages and Island Prisons
Tourists who arrive in the
Maldives are actually hoodwinked into thinking that they are
indeed beginning a luxury holiday. Little do they know that in
actual fact they are being incarcerated in the island of their
choice, like birds in gilded cages.
read more
GAYYOOM'S RIOT
POLICE ATTACKED SCORES OF CHILDREN
Different eyewitnesses are
concurring that when Gayyoom first unleashed his special task
force on unarmed protesters, their initial rampage almost
exclusively targeted boys aged 13-18 years.
read more
Press Release by Nirj Deva
DL MEP
Nirj Deva, Member of the European
Parliament for South East England and a member of the
influential Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament has
today lifted the lid on the true horror of the dictatorship in
the Maldives, a nation commonly associated with peace,
serenity and relaxation.
Yesterday, former Government Minister
Mohammed Ibrahim Zaki who is known to suffer from an extremely
serious heart condition was thrown into prison by the regime
and may be being brutally beaten - yet another nail in the
coffin of freedom.
read more
STATEMENT by Nirj Deva
DL MEP, Member if the European
Parliament for South East England
I am appalled that after 25 years of
human rights abuses, the international community still has
failed to wake up to the situation in the Maldives, where the
constitution is routinely violated, political opponents are
regularly detained and tortured, and, as we witnessed earlier
today, where civil society and opponents to the regime are
brutally repressed.
Can the international community really
continue to turn a blind eye to such flagrant human rights
abuses, especially as President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has just
placed Male and its surrounding areas under a state of
emergency rule? As reports emerge of the most recent display
of police brutality towards peaceful pro-reform protestors,
surely it is time for the world to wake up and finally take
action in order to liberate Maldivians from the uncertainty
and fear of Gayyoom's cruel regime.
read more
DO
Exclusive
Pictures from Black Friday
the national security used minimal force?
click to view more
Maldives govt
says mob violence was an attempt to overthrow the president
(AP)
Khaleej Times
" The
mob had attempted to overthrow the democratically elected
government in the Maldives,"
said a statement posted on Gayyoom's official Web site on
Tuesday.
read more
Events in the
Maldives make waves around the world
On Thursday 12th
August around 5,000 people demonstrated in the Maldivian
capital Male? calling for the release of political prisoners,
democratic reforms and the resignation of the government of
President Maumoon Gayyoom. In the afternoon of Friday 13th
August, riot police broke up the peaceful demonstration with
baton charges, tear gas and rubber bullets. Waves of
pro-democracy supporters have been arrested and the President
has since called a state of emergency in the Indian Ocean
republic. This article is a summary of some of the press
coverage from around the world.
read more
GAYYOOM'S BRUTE
FORCE STARTED RAMPAGE BEFORE STATE OF EMERGENCY
It is now emerging that the
first 20 or so 'arrests', which amounted to chasing after
unarmed people, mostly children, and beating them up, happened
at least half an hour BEFORE Gayyoom declared a state of
emergency.
The police rampage started
around 2.45 pm. The state of emergency was started at 3.20 pm.
read more
The truth speaks
for itself!
Click here for more
Picture analysis
Click to enlarge
Monday ,
16th August 2004
Friends Of Maldives
Press Release
Dhivehi
Observer editor to speak on BBC
The editor of
Dhivehi Observer, Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa (Sappe?), will
be giving an interview to the BBC World Service's The World
Today programme. Maldivians may listen to the broadcast on the
following frequencies: read
more
MDP Newsletter 18
released
Articles include:
-
Gayyoom rules under
emergency power
-
Maldives on the brink of revolution as the
desire for democracy appears insatiable
-
Radio Station launched in Maldives - MINIVAN
RADIO
-
Maldives: Peaceful demonstrators beaten and
detained
-
President Gayyoom cuts off Internet links
with outside world
-
13.08.2004 - Police attack protesters
calling for release of jailed cyber dissidents
-
State of emergency for Maldives
DO
EXCLUSIVE
Detailed
eyewitness account of 12 - 14th August 2004
Police had already decided to stop the
protest before sunset. Since all their requests to disperse
the crowd were unsuccessful, they draw up an action plan with
Yameen. This was to get a young group of boys to throw stones
at the police, after which the police will charge the
protesters and beat them up before arresting them. It happened
according to what they planned. The group of young boys
started throwing stones at the police. Since the reformers
weren?t there for violence they intervened and tried to stop
the boys. As this was during the time most of the people had
gone for rest or have lunch after the long hours, the number
of protesters were minimal. As the protesters were busy
attending the boys, the police charged them with their batons,
rubber bullets and sprayed tear gas. They indiscriminately
beat up young and old, men and women. read
more
More pictures from
"Black Friday" - 14th August 2004
Click here for more pictures
WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL
RELEASE OF GASIM IBRAHIM
Maldivian Students In
Malaysia
It is Gasim who is providing
education for us! He is the one who thought to educate the
people of his country on his own money. A lot of Maldivian
students abroad are concerned about the arrest of Gasim
Ibrahim. Now we don?t have a single bit of trust on Gayyoom
and he is ready to do anything for the sake of power and
richness. Any harm to Gasim is a harm to us and hence the
Maldives as a whole. WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE AND THE
UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF GASIM IBRAHIM. OUR FUTURES ARE
DEPENDANT ON THE WELL-BEING OF GASIM.
read more
Friends Of Maldives
Press Release
Radio Station
launched in Maldives
-
MINIVAN RADIO
Minivan Radio, the Free Radio of the
Maldives, will
transmit a
TEST broadcast
on Wednesday 18th
August between 2100 - 2200hrs (Male? time).
read more
Friends Of Maldives
Press Release
More arrests in Maldives as
Government Clampdown Continues
Reporters from within government suggest
President Gayyoom will try to link yesterday's protests to a
terrorist plot by Pakistani students, in order to court
international sympathy. A speech by Abbas Ibrahim is expected
shortly.
read more
Lies used to justify emergency rule in Maldives
Maldives
Culture Editorial
Maumoon
Gayyoom is justifying emergency rule of the capital by
claiming democratic reformists launched violent attacks
against NSS officers and property. There is no photographic
evidence from government or independent witnesses to back
these assertions by the President's Office. Large public
meetings over the last few weeks have been peaceful without
serious incidents or damage to property.
Minutes after the declaration of emergency rule, when a
Maldives Radio reporter said the NSS were chasing people in
the streets, he was instantly taken off the air. Internet
communication between Maldives and the outside world has been
cut under Gayyoom's orders.
read more
Maldives vigil end in
protest
The Guardian
Mohammed
Nasheed, a political exile living in London, said that he had
been approached yesterday by the military to return to Male.
"This is more
serious than last September's riots," he said. "The national
security service approached me to offer me a coup but I do not
want to do anything with the military. I am looking for a way
to return with some form of protection. I am very frightened
for my security."
read more
Maldivian Democratic
Party Press
Release
Violent crackdown on
peaceful protestors
The National Security Service
(NSS), assisted by a militia controlled by Gayyoom's hard-line
brother Minister Yameen, Executive Secretary to the President,
Abdullah Shahid and Police Commissioner Adam Zahir was on a
rampage of violence against pro-democracy activists. Activists
were beaten up in their homes and were also subject to verbal
abuse and threats by the NSS. Rubber bullets and tear gas,
too, were used. MDP members Muad Zaki and Ziyad were so
brutally beaten they are under intensive medical care.
Among those arrested are leading
businessman Hon. Gasim Ibrahim (former President of SAARC
Chamber of Commerce), Hon. Ibrahim Hussein Zaki (former
Minister of Planning and former Secretary General of SAARC),
Hon. Muhammed Munavvar (former Attorney General) and Hon.
Ibrahim Ismail. All four are members of the Special Majlis. read
more
:: Breaking
News ::
Gayyoom shows
NO MERCY!
Friday, 13th August will always be remembered in Maldives
history as a Black Friday for all peace loving Maldivians
POLICE USING EXTREME
FORCE TO DISPERSE THE CROWD
:: PROTESTORS
CRUSHED ::
20 hours and forcefully stopped by Gayyoom's National Security
Service!
DO
SPECIAL REPORT
Gayyoom uses
tear gas to quel protest - Protestors violently beaten with
truncheons
What started as a vigil at the
Republican Square in Male' at dusk on Thursday turned into a
mass gathering of people demanding for democratic reform,
release of detained political prisoners, resignation of
cabinet ministers and resignation of President Gayyoom
himself. However, in a nasty twist in this tale, NSS used tear
gas to quel the protest, the riot police beat the gathered
protestors and arrested a number of reformists.
read more
Maldives Culture
REPORT
Special Majlis
members beaten and arrested by NSS as Gayyoom declares
Emergency Rule for Male' and surrounding areas
Special
Majlis member Dr Mohamed Munavvar has been severely beaten by
the NSS and is in custody along with Special Majlis members
Burama Gasim, Ibrahim Hussein Zaki, Mohamed Shihab and Ibrahim
Ismail (Ibra). Other reformists are being hunted and arrested
while a loud siren is sounding throughout the capital.
Dhiraagu SMS messaging and Internet services have been cut,
dial-up and ADSL are no longer functioning, and the government
seems to be preparing to shut down all private Internet
servers'.
read more
Friends Of Maldives
Press Release
Members of
Parliament arrested after Maldives protests
After a heavy police crackdown on peaceful
reformist protestors following demonstrations in the capital
Male? throughout the night, it has now been confirmed that at
least 5 members of the Citizens? Special Majlis have been
arrested. Some have been led away in handcuffs after their
homes were entered forcibly by National Security Service
officers. read
more
The Infant
Dhivehi Democracy
Proud we should be. Last night
marks over a week of public gathering at the Tetrapod Monument
area in the eastern corner of capital island Male?. It is
truly astonishing to observe the number of people gathering
the area and the diversity of the backgrounds of people keep
on increasing by the day. If there are marked and outstanding
attributes of these gatherings, it can only be the extreme
peacefulness and sheer determination of people to obtain what
is legally and rightfully theirs. These gatherings are so
extraordinarily peaceful, the Maldivians now have grounds to
claim that it is they, and not the Japanese, who are the real
architect of peaceful demonstration.
read more
His
Excellency Abdullah Hameed, President of the Republic of
Maldives
 When
Mohamed Ameen Didi went for his medicals during the last days
of his long rule, he had almost completely discredited
Velaanaagey Ibrahim Didi who was his deputy in every sense. He
repeatedly alleged that Ibrahim Didi will be fine as long as
he has young boys on his side. He further elaborated saying
that Ibrahim Didi has very little knowledge of economics and
therefore Hilihilaagey Moosa Did would be more appropriate as
his deputy.
Soon after Ameen Didi left, Ibrahim Did made use of the
opportunity and ousted Ameen Didi.
Ibrahim Didi and Ameen Didi,
although they were not blood brothers, are cousins and grew up
in adjacent house holds.
Gayyoom has discredited
Abdullah Hameed to the same extent or perhaps more than Ameen
Didi ever did to Ibrahim Didi. Unlike Ameen Didi and Ibrahim
Didi, Gayyoom and Hameed have almost no childhood memories of
them running around their household as they lived all their
lives on different lands. Gayyoom in Egypt and Hameed living
the hard life in Male'.
Unconfirmed reports say that
Hameed is attempting to oust Gayyoom through a no confidence
motion in the Parliament. Hameed, unlike Ibrahim Didi, it has
been said, lacks the loyalty of the crowds on the street.
Hameed like Ibrahim Didi feels that he can get the tactical
backing of the activists on the street. With this and Hameed's
loyalists in the Parliament can oust Gayyoom.
read more
Blast
from the past from
Maldives
Culture
BREAKING NEWS
Crowd gathering around
Justice Building in Male? : Fareed and supporters march
through Male' streets in protest of the atrocities and
injustices of Gayyoom's government
Large crowd is gathering near the Justice Building because
Sheikh Fareed is being sentenced today and they want to hear
it. The building door is now shut and police is trying to
disperse the crowd of almost 1000 people. We will bring you
the latest as it comes. Mariyam Mohamed, from the scene, Male?
11th August 2004
read more
Related Articles /
News:
SPECIAL REPORT
A twist in a tragic tale
A young man found dead of a drug overdose in a guest house?
screams the Haveeru headline (19th May 2004) but
there is a slight twist to this tragic tail of a brother
wrongly accused in death. The victim Mr. Mohamed Shiyaam of (Gaaf
Dhaal Gadhoo Saamiyaanaa) was found dead in a guest house by a
friend at around 11:45 pm. The Deputy Commissioner of Police
Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Latheef said, there was blood and
other discharge from his mouth, and the doctors say Shiyaam
has been using a lot of drugs. What drug was it? How much of
this drug was in his blood? How much of the said drug causes
an overdose? There are no answers to these questions. The fact
is DC cannot answer these questions. When asked whether a
postmortem was done to determine the cause of death. His
response was that Maldives don't have the capability to do a
postmortem. Like most of us Shiyaam was a victim of one of the
regimes biggest failings? heroin. But like most Maldivian he
was smoking it and not shooting. A careful check of his body
revealed no needle mark confirming that he was not using
heroin intravenously. Thames valley Police Drug information
website says ?injecting heroin is particularly risky because
it reaches the brain almost immediately, increasing the
possibility of an overdose.? The
purity of the heroin increases the chances of an overdose. Generally
the quality of the heroin in Male? is low. A heroin overdose
by smoking it off tinfoil is highly unlikely. Shiyaam dying of
an overdose is absurd and we don't buy this story.
read more
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Rt.
Hon. Jack Straw |
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British Foreign Secretary's
Letter to Gayyoom
In an email to DO, British Foreign &
Commonwealth Office today confirmed that a letter was sent in
July, in which the Foreign Secretary welcomed the President's
speech of 9 June, and the proposals it contained for
constitutional reforms. The Foreign Secretary said that many
of the proposals are ones that the UK would wholeheartedly
endorse, including the right to form and run political
parties, the separation of the powers of the head of state
from those of an independent judiciary, and equal opportunity
for men and women to stand for election as President.
read more
Maldivians in defiant mood
Despite
the announcement and subsequent warnings of arrest, people of
Male? kept going to the Tetrapod Monument area on the Eastern
corner of Male?. Police presence was heavy in the area and the
whole corner was cordoned off. read
more
 SPECIAL
REPORT
Mass
arrests imminent in the Maldives; Gayyoom to play his final
card
DO has been informed by a very credible source
in the government that Gayyoom has ordered the arrest of key
reformists in the Maldives who have been promoting pluralistic
democracy. Unlike before, this time the government has written
to foreign embassies around the world informing them that the
Government of Maldives has no other choice but to arrest and
restrain the reformists, who they are labelling as terrorists,
and alleging that they are plotting to overthrow him and
inciting violence. If anyone is inciting violence in the
Maldives it is the National Security Service which takes
orders directly from Gayyoom.
read more
Gayyoom illegally bans public
gatherings in Male'
The
Defence Ministry last night announced that gatherings near the
Eastern corner of Male' near the
Tetrapod monument was illegal and called for people to stay
away from the area. According to legal experts, this was not
lawful for the government to ban people from gathering in an
open public area. The right to assembly is guaranteed by the
constitution. Those who gather near the area are reformists
and supporters of pluralistic democracy. Even members of the
special majlis (parliament) go to these gatherings to discuss
issues with the public. These are people who want an to bring
an end to the tyranny and dictatorship of Gayyoom. They have
requested to book halls to hold meetings but were denied,
again unlawfully so they had no choice but to meet somewhere
like the square, which they have now named as ?Separation of 3
Powers Square? in reference to the Tetrapod monument, which
stands on three legs.
read more
"It was
the most beautiful scene ever"
reform
movement gaining momentum
 Maldivian
people are pushing hard for reform and to establish
pluralistic democracy in the Maldives. Maldivians have not
tasted true freedom over the past 25 years as it has been
marred with poverty, ignorance and fear under the tyranny of
Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, the longest serving head of government
in Asia. After the self-acclaimed reform speech, Gayyoom
allowed people to hold some debates in Male?, the capital.
However, no island was allowed to hold such a meeting. After
about 6 reform meetings, Gayyoom realised that the reformists
were crossing the line and gaining momentum. The reformists
are no longer able to get permission or even a venue to hold a
debate or a meeting to discuss constitutional reform and
debate pluralistic democracy.
read more
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Ilyas Hussain Ibrahim |
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Pro-reform MP Hon. Ilyas Hussain is
sacked from the Government
Member of the Special Majlis for Ari
Atoll South, Hon. Ilyas Hussain Ibrahim has been given a 3
month notice today. This is the ?golden handshake?. Hon. Ilyas
has been working in the Ministry of Atolls Development since
1993. He has been in the government since 1983 except for a 3
year period from 1990-1993 in which period he was in solitary
confinement for being a vocal critic of the government. Until
the recent upheavals and protests at the Special Majlis
Assembly, Hon. Ilyas was in charge of the section of the
Ministry but has been slowly swept aside after he filed a
lawsuit against his own Minister, who is incidentally the
incumbent Speaker of the Parliament.
read more
Gayyoo-nomics: A
Recipe for Disaster
Despite the
absence of any known objective survey carried out by the
Government of Maldives (GoM), it is an established fact that
the
there is a
growing gap between the aspirations of the younger generation
in Maldives and realistic opportunities for productive
employment in their expressed fields of interest.
Any
person who happens to be near a school at start or finish of a
school session can appreciate the magnitude with which this
challenge will hit us in the nearby years to come. When we
boast about our spectacular economic growth, records suggest
that the proportion of our economically active population is
less than 50% and is lowest in the SAARC region. Shouldn?t the
GoM be obliged to communicate to people on what is planned as
a short-term fix to this nationwide challenge, and also the
long-term solutions for this issue? Are the people displaying
concern on such issues and show their displeasure on the
inability or unwillingness of GoM to meaningfully communicate
the proposed solution, acting beyond the capacity of a
citizen? You be the judge.
read more
A history of
suspicious fires in Male' - From the archives of Maldives
Culture
Another fishy fire in Male'
Maldives
Culture - 8 August 2004
A
suspicious fire in Male' has destroyed documents stored by the
Maldives Ministry of Finance. This is the latest in a spate of
fires that have consumed important Maldive government
documents, particularly documents related to the fishing
industry. The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO)
fire in November 2003 incinerated many records, and last
night's fire is alleged to have burnt Fisheries Projects
Implementation Department (FPID) files and other records of
the Finance department. FPID is the old name for MIFCO.
read more
MIFCO fire cloud has silver lining
Maldives
Culture - 16 October 2003
In a
12 Oct Haveeru Dhivehi report, the NSS said the fire was
caused by an electrical short circuit. Three hours before the
fire began, the NSS said, an electrical fault was repaired in
an area not far from the MIFCO warehouse and for some
unexplained reason, it caused the fire at MIFCO. Inflammable
materials fueled the fire and it took over three hours to
extinguish the blaze, the police explained.
read more
Fire destroys MIFCO complex in Male'
Maldives Culture - 11 October 2003
Friday and
Saturday are the weekend in Maldives and government offices
are usually closed. Regular MIFCO staff were on holiday when
the fire occurred. Onlookers said the fire seemed to start in
the southwest corner of the complex and they claim the NSS may
have initially underestimated the amount of water they would
need to extinguish the blaze, relying on two fire lorries
carrying 2 tons of water, instead of connecting a pipe to the
sea. read more
DO
NOTE: Many other fires have gone unreported. What is most
surprising is almost always they include government documents
being lost, it happens on days when nobody is expected to be
around on the premises etc... It is our belief that the
government is deliberately burning records in the hope of
avoiding prosecution for cases of extreme corruption and mis-management
in the event the Gayyoom's government falls.
DO report
translated by Maldives Culture
Maldives Construction Minister accuses President Maumoon of
theft
Hundreds of people gathered and
discussed political reform in Male' last night. Construction
minister Umar Zahir attended a public party on Friday night
and accused President Gayyoom of all sorts of things. Umar
Zahir said the president was a major thief, and the minister
admitted he now deeply hates Gayyoom. What has happened to
prompt Umar Zahir's condemnation?
At Lonu Ziyaaraiykolhu in
Male', a new wave of public meetings has begun. Frustrated by
a ban on the provision of venues for discussion about
government reform, people have begun to hold public forums
near the tetrapods, thin failee gaa, that make up the
capital's protective seawall. At tonight's gathering, over 400
people took part, discussing politics and other issues of
public concern. Participants enjoyed a feast of rice and there
was a successful exchange of ideas.
read more
BREAKING NEWS
: 10:30 pm Male' Time
Huge Fire in Male'
'old rental house
in Majeedhee Magu is burning to the ground' says eye witness
Reports are coming from Male'
that the old rental house near Sosun Mart is on fire. Eye
witnesses have reported that it is a huge fire. No details are
available as yet. DO Reporter Mariyam Mohamed is at the seen
now. Details will be updated as soon as they are available to
us. UPDATES
11:05 pm Male' : Fire is now under control - 4 fire
engines are there. Lots of local people are surrounding the
place. No injuries reported yet and the cause still unknown.
more pictures and latest
updates
Rashoveshi issue 1
released
Rashoveshi
is a community
news bulletin from Gn. Fuvahmulah.
Dhivehi Observer would like to express support
for the editors of this newsletter, and encourages other
island communities to come out with similar kinds of
newsletters, without inciting any form of violence, to voice
their concerns so that we may see some change. Tell the rest
of the country what its like in your community!
More newsletters
on different issues and from different island communities are
available from our downloads section.
DO
EXCLUSIVE
Justice Minister Zahir warns Attorney
Husnu Al-Suood
Attorney
at Law Husnu Al-Suood of Maldives was summoned to the Ministry
of Justice today. He went to the Ministry at 11:45 this
morning and was met by Sheikh Hussain Yousuf, Executive
Director of the Ministry, who told Attorney Al-Suood that he
has been brought in to the Ministry to ?warn? on order of the
Justice Minister Zahir.
read more
Separation of Powers
Understanding that a government's role is to protect
individual rights, but acknowledging that governments have
historically been the major violators of these rights, a
number of measures have been derived to reduce this
likelihood. The concept of Separation of Powers is one such
measure.
read more
Process of
Re-Drafting the Constitution: a Feel-Good Factor?
It would be
difficult if not impossible for anybody to enter into any type
of dispute, methodological or otherwise with regard to the
power provided to the Executive (The President) in our
Constitution. Thus, President Gayyoom should exercise his
executive powers to facilitate his people to freely and fairly
choose the political path they want. On 27th May,
while inviting people to propose Constitutional amendments,
President Gayyoom said: "The
Maldives is a young democracy but one which is
rapidly carving out its place in the world. As we continue to
move forward, strengthening our democratic framework and
ensuring and protecting human rights must become the
cornerstones for our future growth."
read more
Press Statement
Students for Democracy
A pro-democracy forum organized by Sri Lanka
based Students for Democracy was held at Galle Face Hotel on 1st
August 2004. The well-attended forum covered some of the main
reforms proposed by President, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom in his
much publicized address on 9th June 2004.
read
more
 Justice
Minister Zahir is meeting Gaafu Alif people at MES every night
DO can confirm that Justice Minister Seena Zahir
is meeting with people from Gaafu Alif Atoll almost every
night as part of his campaign for a parliamentary seat for
that Atoll. He is reportedly promising the people that he will
resign from the cabinet post if he is elected. Mr. Zahir is
one of the founding members of Male? English School and is
abusing that to achieve his devious goals to maintain
Gayyoom's regime by organising meetings there. According the
Maldives election laws and regulation, no candidate can lobby
for support and campaign unless he has been accepted by the
election office and his campaign material approved by the
government. All this is preceded by an official announcement
from the Election office.
read more
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Who runs the Ministry, Dr. Shaugee or Solih? |
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Male' Schools told not to lease
halls and premises; an attempt to ban democratic reform
debates
Mr.Abdulla Solih, Assistant Director General of
the Ministry of Education has sent a very ?carefully worded?
letter to all the schools in Male? today discouraging the
school heads to let the school halls and the compound to any
private party under any circumstance for an indefinite period.
According to headmasters, it is a direct ban.
read more
BREAKING NEWS : Male' Time
1:15 pm
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Asif banned from traveling out of Male' |
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Asif has bee summoned to
the NSS Police
Latest Update : Asif was
summoned because there were some discussions on democratic
reform in his party. Most of his friends are reformists, what
else can they talk about? He is now banned from travelling out
of Male' and is on the NSS watch list. More parties are being
planned if not in school they will be held at homes of the
reformist. 'Wake up Gayyoom, people are not afraid of you
or your police anymore' is the message reformists want to
deliver to Gayyoom.
Earlier : Mr. Ismail Asif
has been summoned to the police today. He has been asked to go
to the police at 2:00 which is with regard to the
Birthday Party held at
Jamaluddin on the 29th July. The school hall was given for
a Birthday Party but later party which was attended by the
reformists and they criticized Gayyoom as well as discuss
reform. Gayyoom loves to be in control no matter what. Asif
yesterday received SMS text messages warning him that he will
be taken to the jail and killed. Gayyoom thinks that the whole
world will show a blind eye to his misdemeanours and "he is
underestimating the resolve of the people of Maldives, this is
a grave mistake" said the reformist who updated DO this
morning. Asif will be going to the NSS with his layer Husnu
Suood. more news in brief
E scape
to Freedom
 I
created this artwork imagining the torture and horror in the
prisons of Maldives. More specifically whilst thinking of the
pain and anguish Eevan Naseem must have gone through in the
final moments of his life last September. I saw his dead body,
I even saw the others who were shot in the head. I was not
told about it, it was not a story, I saw it with my own eyes.
It was the most horrible and painful moment of my life and I
never want to see that happen again to anyone anywhere, not
just Maldives. Recently, those memories have come back to me
after reading the stories of inhumane sufferings inflicted on
my fellow brothers. It disturbs me, makes me tremble with
rage. Their pain, their anguish and sounds have greatly
influenced the creation of this which I call "escape to
freedom".
read more
Forum on
Democratic Reform held in Colombo today
'Students for Democracy'
held a forum on democratic reform in Colombo today. Over a 100
students studying and many other Maldivians living in Sri
Lanka attended the forum as well as several reporters. The
forum was held at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo.
Reports say that
the Maldivian Students in Sri Lanka organized this debate in
association with Maldivan Democratic Party in Colombo.
read more
Ali Naz denied
access to a lawyer and is declared "insane" by Gayyoom's
police
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National Security Services Headquarters in Male'
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Reports are
coming in that Ali Naz Saleem who was arrested for approaching
Gayyoom after Friday prayers last week will be transferred to
Guraidhoo Mental Institute. His fate is being decided by the
NSS as per usual. He is being treated as a threat to National
Security, said the informant. Furthermore, this tactic is
bound to meet some resistance, that if you oppose Gayyoom you
are labelled as being 'insane'. It certainly appears as
Gayyoom is certainly running out of ideas.
read more
BREAKING NEWS : Male' Time
18:15 pm
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Asif expected to be arrested and charged |
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Asif to be charged for
upsetting Gayyoom for organising an 'unusual' Birthday Party
An insider at National Security
Service reported a few minute back that Presidents' Office has
instructed them to investigate the
Birthday Party held at
Jamaluddin on the 29th July. The school hall was given for
a Birthday Party but later party was dominated by the
reformists and they criticized Gayyoom heavily. Gayyoom is
reportedly furious with this and has ordered to charge Asif
for violating the contract with the school.
more news in brief
MDP Newsletter 17 ( 1 - 15 August 2004 )
Article include:
- Gayyoom Poised for a Crackdown
- Just who is Insane?
- Point of No Return
- The New Heresy
- Violation of the Three Basic Freedoms
POETIC LICENCE: Good news for the
Flat Earth Society, but bad news for the Maldives
Daily Times
Scientists say something strange
has been going on for the past four years. Earth's gravity
field has suddenly shifted gears and begun getting flatter,
reversing a course of centuries during which the planet and
its gravity field grew rounder each year. The scientists who
noticed the change and reported it in Friday's issue of the
journal Science suspect Earth itself may be flattening out,
with the oceans rising near the equator, but they aren't sure.
read more
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JUNE
2004 - ARCHIVE
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