Ismail Rasheed
translated from Haveeru 31 May 2000

The women of Guraadhoo, Thaa atoll, have stopped smoking, announced the Health Ministry on the eve of this year's non-smoking day.

The women quit smoking due to the campaign carried out by the island's women's committee.

Guraadhoo's total population exceeds 1700, and Hawwa Sulaiman, the committee's chairwoman says it took about two years to get the smokers from among Guraadhoo's 886 women to quit.

'It was very hard to get away from smoking. All the success was due to this awareness program.'

'The most difficult case was getting a fifty year old woman to stop smoking,' says Hawwa.

'She was a gudugudaa [hookah] smoker; it was very difficult for her. Now she has quit completely,' says Hawwa.

The harm tobacco causes to human beings, and its bad effects on lifestyle, were discussed during the awareness meetings.

'Everyone accepts it causes harm. That is why I have stopped smoking. Now not a single woman smokes,' says Haseena Ibrahim, 43, speaking from the public phone booth in Guraadhoo.

The committee will now concentrate on extending the quit campaign among the whole population of Guraadhoo.

Adam Haleem
translated from Haveeru 18 April 2000

Barrels of the chemical ethyl hexanol brought onto Dhiffushi island [Kaafu atoll or Male atoll] by local fishermen during the last great Eid [15-19 March 2000] will be removed soon, says the island office.

The decision was taken after a request from the Dhiffushi office to Kaafu atoll office and police headquarters.

The barrels were leaking and causing a foul smell on the island.

'The work is to be carried out by the atoll office, the police, and the Environment Ministry. But we don't know where the barrels are being taken,' said Adnan Ibrahim, the island chief.

The 80 barrel container found by the Dhiffushi vessel 'Aa Feshun' on the 14th March belongs to the South Korean Hanjin Shipping Company.

According to the company the chemical in the barrels is not very dangerous, but the smell would cause dizziness, and it is flammable at high heat (230°).

Five thousand fish were killed when some of the barrels leaked into the harbour as the fishermen tried to unload the container.

Note from translators:
For detailed information on ethyl hexanol click here,
Section 12 in the linked document says the environmental impact of ethyl hexanol is unknown.

Hanjin Shipping Company.

Adam Haleem
translated from Haveeru 30 March 2000

Over 400 fish have died in Dhiffushi harbour, Kaafu atoll, central Maldives, after fluids leaked from among 80 barrels inside a cargo container found by Dhiffushi fishermen.

The leakage occurred during unloading of the barrels, each holding 200 litres of liquid. The iron container was located floating in the sea during the Eid period [15-19 March 2000] by fishermen from the 'Aafeshun' vessel.

The fishermen towed the container into the harbour before opening it.

A thick white oily liquid leaked out of some of the barrels and into the harbour, confirmed the local Island office. It is believed to be a chemical.

According to Island chief Adnan Ali, the container was opened in the presence of the police.

When the fish began to die, a sample of the substance was taken for analysis.

The barrels have no labels and are very rusted.

But the container is stamped in English script with the word Venga. Haveeru has ascertained that Venga is the name of a Korean trading company.

Speaking from Dhiffushi's public phone booth, Abdul Wahid said the white liquid has a foul smell and causes severe itchiness when it comes into contact with the skin.

'The fish that died were the garfish, sea brim, and 'ori', etc. I think over 400 fish of all varieties were poisoned.'

'No one ate them; they were buried,' said Wahid.

Deputy Minister for the Environment Abdulla Majeed said that he had heard about the incident but had not yet received any official details.

Adam Haleem
translated from Haveeru 3 Feb 2000

Six complaints about general election practices on Addu atoll were examined at a Malé hearing on Thursday.

A High Court Judge heard six complaints from Afzal Majudhee of Jaadhuvee, Hithadhooo, Seenu.

The first hearing related to a song allegedly prepared by one candidate after the approval deadline for campaign material.

The song was played on all the islands of Addu [also called Seenu] atoll, and Malé, using loud PA systems mounted on heavy vehicles.

The song was allegedly recorded on Nov 5 , contrary to election rules stating the final date for election material approvals was 4 Oct 1999.

Other complaints included allegations that after the names of candidates was announced, a high Addu atoll official attended a meeting of Hulhudhoo - Seenu's 21 member development committee and asked them to vote and campaign for a particular candidate.

And a high official from the Addu Development Authority in Gan is alleged to have gathered all the Authority employees and told them that it had been decided they would vote for a particular candidate, and anyone not voting for that person would be dismissed, or demoted to cleaning work.

Gazi Ibrahim Nasir also examined allegations that an official in Feydhoo-Seenu summoned people into his office and told them to vote for a particular candidate.

In Hithadhoo - Seenu it is alleged 18 completed ballot papers were stolen from Ballot Box No:1 during the mid-day break, and that later, three people conspired to put ballot papers into the box supporting a particular candidate.