Many civil and Islamic societies, opposition and members of general public protested in fury when the Economic Development Ministry announced for a second time a regulation allowing sale of alcohol in inhabited island from 1 March. The announcement came amid strong objections by the Islamic Affairs Ministry, Islamic societies and large number of general public to allow sale of alcohol in inhabited islands. The Economic Development Ministry also published the same regulation last year when the Islamic Ministry protested strongly to discontinue the regulation. President Nasheed instructed the Economic Ministry to withdraw the regulation immediately, Islamic Ministry and huge number of others who were shocked and angered by the move of the Economic Ministry to publish the same regulation have warned they will continue to protest against the issue until the Government completely withdraws the regulation. The Adalath Party which is in MDP colition have sent a strong letter to President Mohamed Nasheed appealing him to withdraw the permission.
The large group have also announced they will hold a mass protest after Juma prayers on Friday to express their total condemnation and opposition to the issue.
There was a protest outside the residence of Economic Development Minister Mohamed Rasheed yesterday calling him to resign. Protesters warned they will not stay quiet until and unless the Government nullify the permission. Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdul Majeed Bari and his State Minister Mohamed Shaheem are disappointed that a Ministry of the Government has acted so irresponsibly disregarding the repeated appeals and objection of the Islamic Affairs Ministry which is responsible to protect and promote Islam in the Maldives. The Ministry has received compliments for the good outcome of their work in the new Government, but critics have blamed the two Ministers in the Islamic Ministry for their lack of action over the words they have spoken earlier.
The Presidents Office yesterday issued a statement that the regulation will not become effective before publishing it in the Government gazette. The Office also mentioned that a bill submitted to the Mjlis on the issue was rejected by the Majlis and the regulation on sale of alcohol was returned when the same was submitted to the Majlis.
According to reports many top level MDP members and even Ministers are very disappointed that the regulation was published again fuelling anger and objection of Islamic scholars and general public. There are some reports that Islamic Minister and State Minister will resign if the Government go ahead with the regulation without respecting the fundamental of Islamic principles. However there is a strong lobby from hotels and tourist businesses to get the regulation implemented. Some critics are surprised why Economic Ministry decided to allow the sale of alcohol while President Nasheed ordered to withdraw the regulation when it was published last year. They say such action is tantamount to the lack of authority of the Government when it deals with very important and sensitive state matters.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Maldives Asks India’s Help In Climate Change Battle
Maldives on Saturday sought the cooperation of India in accessing new technologies and data-gathering to tackle climate change, which threatens to submerge the tiny island.
Citing Maldivian vice president Mohammaed Waheed Hassan, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that Asian countries should take a lead on seeking innovative and pragmatic solution to complement the implementation of UNFCCC processes in dealing with challenges related to climate change.
“Our President Mohamed Nasheed and his counterpart from Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta had last week met and urged Asian countries to take a lead in tackling climate change.
“They also proposed that the Asian countries should pool in their resources and create a fund on their own without having to wait for developed countries to help us,” he said, delivering a talk on ‘From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Transition to Justice’ here.
Lauding India for cooperating with Maldives on climate change and other issues, Hassan said the island needs India’s help in accessing new technologies and data-gathering to tackle climate change.
“We also need their cooperation in renewable and new energy resources,” he said and listed out the measures being taken by the government of Maldives to tackle global warming.
He also acknowledged that Copenhagen Accord is an important step forward to address the challenges of climate change and said Asian countries should speed up their efforts to tackle the problem.
Appreciating the people of Maldives for ushering in democracy after decades of “autocratic rule”, Dr. Waheed said the government was planning to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission like the one established in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid.
“We are planning to set up a TRC. Lots of people were abused politically, emotionally and physically during the previous rule. They should get justice,” Dr. Waheed said.
The TRC in South Africa was a quasi-judicial body. Witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences, and some were selected for public hearings.
Citing Maldivian vice president Mohammaed Waheed Hassan, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that Asian countries should take a lead on seeking innovative and pragmatic solution to complement the implementation of UNFCCC processes in dealing with challenges related to climate change.
“Our President Mohamed Nasheed and his counterpart from Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta had last week met and urged Asian countries to take a lead in tackling climate change.
“They also proposed that the Asian countries should pool in their resources and create a fund on their own without having to wait for developed countries to help us,” he said, delivering a talk on ‘From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Transition to Justice’ here.
Lauding India for cooperating with Maldives on climate change and other issues, Hassan said the island needs India’s help in accessing new technologies and data-gathering to tackle climate change.
“We also need their cooperation in renewable and new energy resources,” he said and listed out the measures being taken by the government of Maldives to tackle global warming.
He also acknowledged that Copenhagen Accord is an important step forward to address the challenges of climate change and said Asian countries should speed up their efforts to tackle the problem.
Appreciating the people of Maldives for ushering in democracy after decades of “autocratic rule”, Dr. Waheed said the government was planning to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission like the one established in South Africa after the abolition of apartheid.
“We are planning to set up a TRC. Lots of people were abused politically, emotionally and physically during the previous rule. They should get justice,” Dr. Waheed said.
The TRC in South Africa was a quasi-judicial body. Witnesses who were identified as victims of gross human rights violations were invited to give statements about their experiences, and some were selected for public hearings.
Maldivians are kind and caring people – Abdul Kalaam
India’s former President has said that Maldivians are caring and kind people, speaking at an event organized by the India Club at Dharubaaruge last night.
“I am saying this on personal experience. My brother visited Maldives along with his great grand father in a boat. As they arrived Maldives on Eid Day, after eid prayers they had nowhere to go. Locals spotted them and invited them to their houses as they knew they were foreigners. When they went back to India, they had many gifts from Maldives, such as Maldive fish” he said.
Basic message of his address was that regardless of one’s location we shall keep doing our job faithfully and sincerely and keep on performing our family and religious duties.
He also said that all religions call on mutual respect between the religions and said that human beings shall live in the way that they are supposed to live.
He also said that it is a good idea to participate in festivals of other religions as it would increase understanding between the religions.
“I am saying this on personal experience. My brother visited Maldives along with his great grand father in a boat. As they arrived Maldives on Eid Day, after eid prayers they had nowhere to go. Locals spotted them and invited them to their houses as they knew they were foreigners. When they went back to India, they had many gifts from Maldives, such as Maldive fish” he said.
Basic message of his address was that regardless of one’s location we shall keep doing our job faithfully and sincerely and keep on performing our family and religious duties.
He also said that all religions call on mutual respect between the religions and said that human beings shall live in the way that they are supposed to live.
He also said that it is a good idea to participate in festivals of other religions as it would increase understanding between the religions.
Maldives Calls for Re-establishment of Democracy in Fiji
The Maldives has called for the reinstatement of full participatory democracy and human rights in the Pacific Island nation of Fiji during a debate on the country’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The elected Government of Fiji was removed by the military in a 2006 coup. Since then, the human rights situation in the county has been severely criticised and Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth.
Speaking during consideration of Fiji’s report under the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) procedure, the Maldives Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, H.E. Ms. Iruthisham Adam, compared Fiji’s current difficulties with the Maldives recent past:
“As a Small Island States which has recently undergone profound political change, the Maldives understands the challenges and difficulties faced by Fiji and would like to strongly encourage the country to implement, speedily and fully, the reforms that it itself has admitted are necessary.
It is clear from the three reports that a lack of trust, both within Fiji and between Fiji and the international community, is a major barrier to progress”.
The Maldives also warned the international community that it must start from a position where it believes in and expresses support for democratic and human rights reform in Fiji. “Instead of condemning, the international community must extend assistance and work with Fijians to bring about the reforms that Fiji itself knows our necessary”, stated Ambassador Adam.
Since the election of the MDP-led Government in 2008, the Maldives has become an increasingly strong international advocate of human rights around the world. In 2010, the Maldives will stand for election to the Human Rights Council.
Speaking during consideration of Fiji’s report under the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) procedure, the Maldives Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, H.E. Ms. Iruthisham Adam, compared Fiji’s current difficulties with the Maldives recent past:
“As a Small Island States which has recently undergone profound political change, the Maldives understands the challenges and difficulties faced by Fiji and would like to strongly encourage the country to implement, speedily and fully, the reforms that it itself has admitted are necessary.
It is clear from the three reports that a lack of trust, both within Fiji and between Fiji and the international community, is a major barrier to progress”.
The Maldives also warned the international community that it must start from a position where it believes in and expresses support for democratic and human rights reform in Fiji. “Instead of condemning, the international community must extend assistance and work with Fijians to bring about the reforms that Fiji itself knows our necessary”, stated Ambassador Adam.
Since the election of the MDP-led Government in 2008, the Maldives has become an increasingly strong international advocate of human rights around the world. In 2010, the Maldives will stand for election to the Human Rights Council.
Maldivian youths waging ‘jihad’ in Pakistan – Dr. Waheed
Visiting Vice President of the Maldives today said some youths from the country are being recruited by militant outfits based in Pakistan and Afghanistan to wage ‘jihad’ and had requested India’s cooperation in preventing “any passage” for these people through the country.
Dr. Mohamed Waheed also said that an increasing number of youths from his country have started “embracing a version of Islam which is more strict than the traditional Islamic values”.
“Some of these people are going to Pakistan and Afghanistan and are waging jihad. We want these people back. We need them for our development,” Hassan told PTI.
He said Maldives wants India’s cooperation in preventing “any passage for these youngsters” through it
Dr. Mohamed Waheed also said that an increasing number of youths from his country have started “embracing a version of Islam which is more strict than the traditional Islamic values”.
“Some of these people are going to Pakistan and Afghanistan and are waging jihad. We want these people back. We need them for our development,” Hassan told PTI.
He said Maldives wants India’s cooperation in preventing “any passage for these youngsters” through it
Police apprehends a man in Kulhudhuffushi with considerable amount of drugs
Police has apprehended a man in H. Dh. Kulhudhufushi with considerable amount of drugs in a special operation against drug dealers.
According to the Police a special team from the Drug Enforcement Unit was dispatched to H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi after receiving intelligence information that the man apprehended was a drug dealer. He was caught red-handed with 8 bullets of drugs in possession on 19 February near “Sufuraamathi restaurant” in the island.
Police said identified the man apprehended as Ali Shukoor, 37, Fares, H.Dh. Kulhudhuffushi.
Police is investigating the case further.
According to the Police a special team from the Drug Enforcement Unit was dispatched to H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi after receiving intelligence information that the man apprehended was a drug dealer. He was caught red-handed with 8 bullets of drugs in possession on 19 February near “Sufuraamathi restaurant” in the island.
Police said identified the man apprehended as Ali Shukoor, 37, Fares, H.Dh. Kulhudhuffushi.
Police is investigating the case further.
Islamic Affairs Minister dumbfounded by Maumoon’s words
Former President Maumoon does not seem to have anything on the horizon, but counterattacks against his comments on the media during the last week. Latest rebuff comes from Dr. Abdul Majeed Abdul Baari, Minister of Islamic Affairs, who has said that he is dumbfounded by former President Maumoon’s comments that the Islamic Affairs Minister and his senior aides had criticized President Nasheed for his failure to protect the Islamic faith of the country.
Islamic Affairs Minister also said that the religious scholars under President Nasheed’s administration yields more power and authority than they had even dreamt of in Maumoon’s reign.
Speaking to Miadhu Daily, Minister implied that it is not Maumoon’s spirit of upholding Islamic faith in the country which had spared President Maumoon from his senior religious officials criticizing him, but his tight control over his scholars. Dr. Majeed also said that even when there were better scholars than Maumoon in his government, they had been not allowed to speak their minds. Dr. Majeed, who also had first-hand experience for working under previous administration, also said that Maumoon had asked to dissolve the radio/TV show itself, if any scholar had said anything which President Maumoon disapproved in those shows.
Unlike the previous administration, Dr. Majeed said that Ministers are given freedom to speak and act on their conscience and that the President Nasheed accepts the advice being offered by his ministers.
“President Nasheed does not dictate his Ministers. Now we are free to act as how we see fit. He does not ask us to do anything on a certain way, and if we find anything going wrong that’s being corrected when we ask him to do so. I think that’s quite different from how it used to be in Maumoon’s reign. Back then Maumoon used knows everything on Islam that he wouldn’t even listen to other scholars who might disagree with him. If a scholar becomes too critical he will be sidelined” he said.
Speaking further he said “Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim once said that the women have to cover their entire body except palm and face in a TV programme. Maumoon ordered to stop that programme because apparently Maumoon interpreted Sheikh’s comments as an insult to Maumoon’s family. The next day Sheikh Rasheed asked me if he had said anything wrong and I said he hasn’t. That’s how it used to be back then. But now President Nasheed had given a mandate and flexibility to implement it. And above all, unlike Maumoon, President Nasheed does not use Islam as a political weapon” Dr. Majeed said.
Dr. Majeed is a graduate of Medina University and a PHD holder in Quranic Sciences. He had also served as a Director at the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and as the Rector of the Faculty of Quran, under President Maumoon’s government.
Islamic Affairs Minister also said that the religious scholars under President Nasheed’s administration yields more power and authority than they had even dreamt of in Maumoon’s reign.
Speaking to Miadhu Daily, Minister implied that it is not Maumoon’s spirit of upholding Islamic faith in the country which had spared President Maumoon from his senior religious officials criticizing him, but his tight control over his scholars. Dr. Majeed also said that even when there were better scholars than Maumoon in his government, they had been not allowed to speak their minds. Dr. Majeed, who also had first-hand experience for working under previous administration, also said that Maumoon had asked to dissolve the radio/TV show itself, if any scholar had said anything which President Maumoon disapproved in those shows.
Unlike the previous administration, Dr. Majeed said that Ministers are given freedom to speak and act on their conscience and that the President Nasheed accepts the advice being offered by his ministers.
“President Nasheed does not dictate his Ministers. Now we are free to act as how we see fit. He does not ask us to do anything on a certain way, and if we find anything going wrong that’s being corrected when we ask him to do so. I think that’s quite different from how it used to be in Maumoon’s reign. Back then Maumoon used knows everything on Islam that he wouldn’t even listen to other scholars who might disagree with him. If a scholar becomes too critical he will be sidelined” he said.
Speaking further he said “Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim once said that the women have to cover their entire body except palm and face in a TV programme. Maumoon ordered to stop that programme because apparently Maumoon interpreted Sheikh’s comments as an insult to Maumoon’s family. The next day Sheikh Rasheed asked me if he had said anything wrong and I said he hasn’t. That’s how it used to be back then. But now President Nasheed had given a mandate and flexibility to implement it. And above all, unlike Maumoon, President Nasheed does not use Islam as a political weapon” Dr. Majeed said.
Dr. Majeed is a graduate of Medina University and a PHD holder in Quranic Sciences. He had also served as a Director at the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs and as the Rector of the Faculty of Quran, under President Maumoon’s government.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
