Article archive December 2003 - June/July
2004
Poetry from Ahmed Naseer
Redemption and Rain
'Blues lick the reds
Carrying Liberty and her flame
They glow
They create' more
Gayyoom cannot stand criticism and resorts to undermining the constitution
Dhivehi Observer 9 July 2004
'Criticising Gayyoom is one thing but to call for his resignation is the biggest crime you can commit in his eyes and in the eyes of his cronies; equalled by the man himself to renunciation of the Islamic faith. As it has been proven time and time again, Gayyoom knows only one way, which is to use his National Security Service (NSS) to harass and control the public' more
Gayoom bans Ibra and Nazim from holding pro-reform meetings
Dhivehi Observer 9 July 2004
The youth, the religious, and the public were unanimous in their criticism of Gayoom's government, and the dictator for the first time had a taste of people’s uncensored feelings about him. The two meetings were filmed by TV Maldives camera crews, who openly admitted that they were doing so in order that Gayoom could watch the meetings later in his palace' more
Free speech prompts another presidential dummy-spit
MDP press release
7 July 2004
The international community enthusiastically applauded Gayoom
for what they thought was radical, far-reaching reform that would curtail the
autocratic powers presently vested in the President... The party's skepticism
about Gayoom's intentions is proving to be right. Gayoom's relatives and cronies
have already embarked on a concerted effort to intimidate the population into
resisting introduction of competitive politics' more
Separate announcement:
Meeting planned for tonight (8 July 2004) at MES School Hall in Male'.
Amen to that!
We
all want Maumoon’s immediate resignation
Dhivehi
Observer 5 July 2004
The meeting was a success in more than one way as people for a change have now begun to express their true feelings without fear and without prejudice' more
Lawyer creates caseload
Bengali Prince Shuaib of Maldives attempts a "hit and run"
Dhivehi Observer 7 July 2004
'Eye witnesses reported that he was driving on the wrong side of the road and he hit a motorcycle, slightly injuring the passenger sitting in the back. The incident occurred in front of the National Library. He then ignored it and wanted to carry on entertaining some business associates who were riding with him' more
Scholar launches Dhivehi culture website
Xavier Romero-Frias is the world's leading foreign scholar specialising in Dhivehi culture. His independence and integrity are beyond question. Romero-Frias' work provides inspiration for all Maldivians and others working to understand and explain the traditions and unique character of human adaptation in the atolls of the central Indian Ocean.
His new website is www.maldives-ethnography.com
The bulk of Romero-Frias' scholarship focuses on Maldive folk traditions and their origins, but he also tackles historical, religious and political matters, which the Maldives Culture and Maldives Royal Family websites have previously selected and published:
Book review: The Maldives Islanders - a study of the popular culture of an ancient ocean kingdom
Introduction
Villages in the Ocean
Epilogue
Aswan sentenced to six months exile
'The magistrate said that Aswan claimed he went to the Maafushi
residential area to protect the people of the island from harm during the prison
incident' more
Reform debate in Male’ Social Centre
Dhivehi
Observer 30 June 2004
'There were also debates on why the mother of Eevan Naseem is constantly harassed by the police and why she can’t get justice for her loss. Eevan Naseem was beaten to death whilst in custody by National Security Service guards at Maafushi Jail on September 19th 2003. Eevan’s brother is now in jail and is likely to be charged with attempted assassination of the President. The attendant demanded remorse and justice for her' more
Dumbing down for the Dictator
Gayyoom’s Education Ministry is in mayhem
Dhivehi Observer 29 June 2004
'I would like to point out that, decent people with superb educational qualifications and experience worked in the Ministry... Where are these academics and intellectuals? What happened to them was, one by one, they were removed by way of transfer to other ministries and sometimes forcefully by initmidation. Of course, these fine individuals didn’t like to work in the corrupt system of President Gayyoom. Now many of them are employed by reputable international organisations such as the United Nations' more
Poem by Ahmed Naseer
Reality Blights
'There's a soul
Crying out for help
While you roam
In a packaged resort hotel' more
Maldives questions tabled
in Australian federal parliament
'Questions
about Maldives relationship with Australia were tabled today in the Australian
Federal Parliament in Canberra, after representations raising concerns about human
rights and political freedom in Maldives to two opposition Labour party members
of the House of Representatives, shadow finance minister Bob McMullan and shadow
foreign minister Kevin Rudd' more
Will the islanders get a fair go in the new political changes in Maldives?
'It seems to me that they are not talking to the public directly, and are influenced by a few wealthy people. There are very few signs that the common people’s needs are being addressed. It remains to be seen if there will be any major changes of policy. Basically, all we hear is how bad the president is' more
Rapturous fantasy fails
to impress
'Despite the fanfare over the constitutional
reform plans announced by the president, he failed to mention a bill of rights
and freedom of expression, but the major omission was any mention of the Maldives
National Security Service (NSS)' more
Behind the thatch wall: the Dark-Side of Abdullah Hameed
Sandhaanu
26 May 2004 translation
'The Haa Dhaalu atoll
chief who lost his job, was left destitute with three wives and 22 children. Unable
to maintain the size of his family, he has divorced his second wife!' more
Friends of Maldives launches new website
www.friendsofmaldives.co.uk
'Friends of Maldives (FOM) is an organisation devoted to improving awareness around the world of the Maldives and the Maldivian People. FOM aims to promote cultural links with the Maldives. FOM aims to improve freedom of speech and of association, protect human rights and encourage political pluralism in the Maldives. FOM aims to encourage a responsible, ethical and all inclusive approach to tourism in the Maldives' more
Friends of Maldives member Rebecca Cork writes:
Maldives: Paradise lost
The Travel Rag.com June 2004
'Perhaps the most shocking part of the deaths is that they occur within earshot of the idly snorkelling tourists who relax, unconcerned that their dollars could be supporting torture' more
More lies from the dictator, says Maldives MP
A
Legacy Lost in Excellence
Dhivehi Observer 15
June 2004
To dodge away from the responsibility as much as to disguise
the authoritarian discipline of his government, Gayyoom lowered the bar a few
notches down and squarely pointed to the 'advice' of the legal counsel he received
from the Attorney General’s Office, which he now claims had prompted his decision...
There
was no reference to any advice or counsel from the Attorney General’s Office in
justifying his decision to overrule peoples’ rights of association when he presented
his case to the Majlis and the public back in 2001' more
Information guide prepared by MDP
Maldives: World's Secret Dictatorship
May 2004
Currently the average
monthly salary of Rf2000 (US$155) is barely enough to pay the bills, and this
is the average income of full time government and private sector employees...
The government of
Maldives is expected to receive substantial aid and loan aids amounting to approximately
55 million dollars in 2004. This represents 17.7% of the total budget. This indicates
that the government of the Maldives must be willing to listen to donor countries
and that these countries can lobby and pressure the government of Maldives to
treat its citizens more fairly and more humanely' more
Hill and Knowlton PR multinational - interesting links
'We’d
represent Satan, if he paid,' unnamed Hill and Knowlton executive, 1991...
Accusing the PR industry of manipulating the truth is like criticizing sharks
for eating meat, or snakes for poisoning their victims. They do what they do because
it's in their nature. If God had intended otherwise, he wouldn't have given them
fangs' more
Fareed denies terrorism charge report by Ministry of Information
'Fareed
intruded on Gayyoom's exclusive holy ground and filled the air with annoying Islamic
principles and sinful realities, so Gayyoom is punishing him relentlessly' more
Special problems with Maumoon Gayyoom
Battlers for reform, let us not get stung twice by the same
sneaky creature. The president has nothing to do with the Special Majlis...
The Special Majlis should be conducted independently and separately
from the president because its essential responsibility is to compose the documents
that allocate powers to the branches of the government' more
Abuses must stop before Maldives
President reform promises are believable - MDP
MDP press release
'Keeping true to the spirit of the constitution he now advocates,
we feel that it will be most appropriate for him and beneficial to the Maldives
if he would step down from the post of President of the Republic of Maldives,
as soon as the new constitution is passed' more
To All Diplomats
Mohamed
Nasheed
'We seriously doubt if there will be any amendments that may dilute Gayyoom’s hegemony. As such, it is tough to get excited about the hype surrounding constitutional reform. This is Gayyoom's ruse to buy time and placate the international community who now seem to be taking our cry for reform more seriously. Gayyoom will make cosmetic changes, and try harder to hide the strings he attaches to any 'reform' he initiates' more
The President Calls for Historic Constitutional Reforms
President's office website
10 June 2004
'The President announced plans to propose further consolidation of the fundamental rights of the people, through making the Human Rights Commission an institution created by the constitution, and by a specific provision to allow the formation and functioning of political parties. more
The truth about Hill and Knowlton; Gayyoom is not willing to reform
Dhivehi Observer 9 June 2004
'The Public Relations Journal has called Hill and Knowlton one of the "most formidable public relations/lobby machines in history." Among its "accomplishments," Hill and Knowlton helped set up the Tobacco Institute to promote cigarette smoking, helped the lead industry suppress public health concerns, helped US Gypsum dismiss asbestos worries, calmed the public after Three Mile Island, helped Exxon recover from the Valdez oil spill, helped restore China's image after Tiananmen Square, helped Pacific Lumber log California's ancient redwoods by distributing fake Earth First! material calling for violence, and represented the Indonesian government regarding its human rights abuses on East Timor' more
Setting the record straight -
more Gayoom means no reform
Mohamed Latheef
Reform
would end the systematic rape of the wealth of Maldives by the Gayoom regime.
Gayoom’s cronies will not allow the president to remove their access to the wealth
they have amassed, merely to accommodate an abstract concept of reform. As in
the past, they will make a superficial sales-pitch about reform and restructuring.
However, one can be certain that Gayoom will not jeopardise his stranglehold on
power and wealth by implementing any meaningful, tangible institutional reform' more
Party system protection needed to make meaningful changes to the Maldives constitution
Mohamed Nasheed
'The current constitution's
chapter regarding a Special Majlis is very clear.
This
Special Majlis is independent from President Maumoon Gayyoom. The Special Majlis
members themselves elect their own president and vice-president for the Special
Majlis, and the person elected as the president runs the Special Majlis' more
Silencing the Assembly in Seychelles
Regar, Seychelles independent news
'In some cases, the Assembly is not even following up on initiatives which have been accepted. A committee which was set up to review crime and security in the country has not even met, although President Michel has now called for the support of the public in fighting crime' more
from MDP newsletter 13
Male’ city is a ticking bomb
In recent days there have been some violent crimes, deaths under suspicious circumstances
and several attacks on NSS officials and gang warfare. Alleged burglars are been
mobbed and beaten by the public taking the law into their own hands' more
from MDP newsletter 13
People's Special Majlis:
MDP members win votes in first election test
'Some of the party's best potential candidates
for office remain uncertain about their future, due to the unending NSS investigations
focussed on them, and the party was unable to contest the elections as a political
entity' more
Nisreen innocent, Sandhaanu prisoner tells Maldives Human Rights Commission
'About Nisreen,
who has been sentenced with us for being involved in publishing Sandhaanu: Her
case has no foundation at all. She did not take part in this matter at any level. Nisreen could not have known who the people were behind publishing Sandhaanu. Myself, Ahmed Ibrahim Didi and Ibrahim Moosa Luthfee, all three of us made this
quite clear during the investigation. Nisreen also told the investigating officers
that she did not know anything about who was producing Sandhaanu' more
Maldives political prisoner and artist, Naushad Waheed
These drawings tell a tale of the darkest history of our country
naushadarts.com
'Hand-cuffing to palm trees; facing backwards, kneeling, and so on was a normal routine. Duration of these investigations varied from 45 days to six to seven months....sometimes the duration extends to a year. While handcuffed we were constantly thrown into the sea. This way we were dripping during the whole procedure. Sleep was impossible.' more
Corruption in the Tourism Ministry; Will the best bidder get an Island for resort development?
Dhivehi Observer 20 May 2004
'Though Mr Amir was busted there are other officials in the ministry who had a very long record of accepting bribery and using government money for their own activities. One of the well known characters in the ministry for his notorious power abuse and corruption is the Deputy Director Mr Ismail Firaq, who is in-charge of selecting islands and the bidding processes for new islands for tourism development' more
No future in the past
Maldives NSS - from militia
to torturers
'The National Security Service (NSS) operates in Maldives
without any formal constitutional or legally established powers..
Whatever status the NSS once had, as a protector of Maldive independence and law,
has now evaporated. It is a criminal organisation, responsible for many of the
major crimes in Maldives including rape in custody (sometimes leading to suicide
by female prisoners), murder in custody, torture in custody, assault in custody,
robberies and large-scale drug dealing' more
Sandhaanu translation
Isthafa Ibrahim Manik's role in the death of Evaan Naseem and shootings at Maafushi prison
'He incited the trouble at Maafushi in September 2003 to show that only he could control the prisons in Maldives. Isthafa was the defence ministry executive director, and shared the lucrative business of supplying food and other essentials to the prisons with his partners police chief Adam Zahir and the defence ministry budget director Ghafoor' more
Latest Maldivian Democratic Party newsletter
Islam: a tool for Gayoom
'With
his latent exhortation, Gayoom has, in effect, primed his NSS troops and given
them a fig leaf to cover their conscience. Gayoom, of course, has proved time
and time again that he himself is not burdened by a conscience'
White-washing
the top brass
'Even under such handicaps the
Commission worked extremely hard and was finally able to submit their report to
the President in late January 2004. The president instantly removed many sections
of the report alluding to the administrative nature and the living conditions
of Mafushi Jail, the scene of the crime, details of institutionalized methods
of torture, two possible names of persons responsible for abetment of the crime,
and a section of evidence given by Lieutenant Mohamed Aswan, arguably the most
cooperative of all NSS witnesses'
Nonviolent
Resistance
'To declare, that politics is dirty,
and shun away from active responsibility, and to let corrupt tyrants decide the
future of the country, could only be the ideas of a near-sighted fool'
MDP
Newsletter 12 (320k pdf from MDP website)
The Dhivehi Observer continues its fearless expose of corruption
and economic mismanagement in Maumoon Gayyoom's Maldives.
While some independent
commentators have noted the report attributed to Interpol seems to have been written
by a League correspondent, and the Maldivian League for Democracy development
plan may have been professionally rewritten for 2004, nevertheless the documents
raise valid concerns about the Maldive fishing industry and distribution of income
from a government-controlled business which should have enriched the atolls and
all Maldive fishing families, instead of a few greedy Male' middlemen.
Why was Ismail Sodiq arrested?
Dhivehi
Observer May 2004
'Gayyoom received information
from Interpol Malaysia that he had set up a political party and was planning to
challenge the system by electing MPs to the parliament. This was why Mr. Sodiq
was defamed and arrested' more
Threat to expose allegations of attempted murder, bad debts,
and drug-fueled orgies - correspondence from the President's desk
Letter
to Gayyoom from Mrs. Sodiq
13 December 2000
'As
you may know my house was set ablaze, my car shot and my daughter poisoned by
your government during the last 10 years and I have no alternative but to let
the whole world know about these brutal actions and human rights violations by
your country' more
Maze of Power - 25 years of rampant nepotism in the Maldives
Dhivehi Observer 5 May 2004
'Gayyoom devotes great energy to hiding the truth from both Maldivians and foreigners. Here is a chart showing the web of nepotism and influence that Gayyoom uses to control the government structure. Combined with his command of the NSS, this structure has resulted in one of the world's most complete dictatorships' more
Gayyoomu-ge nasaaradheen huvafen
Democratic reform: un-Islamic and a grand conspiracy by Christian missionaries says Maldives president
Dhivehi Observer 29 April 2004
'Gayyoom declares that those who are opposing his government, calling for democratic reform and trying to bring it to disrepute are funded and brainwashed by Christian missionaries from around the world. He went on to state that the activities of reformists were not only illegal, but sacrilegious (un-Islamic). He then instructed the high ranking staff of National Security Service (NSS) that they must hunt down those is the Maldives who are participating and supporting these illegal, immoral and sacrilegious activities' more
Press freedom under the palm
trees
'Burma, Vietnam, Seychelles, Maldives, Tunisia, and Cuba,
are dream destinations for tourists but a torture for journalists and independent
media.
Powdery sand beaches, coconut palms, turquoise seas and shimmering
temples... Behind the postcard clichés, the other side of picture is quite different' more
Journalist protection group
awaits response from Maldives president
'Although your government claims that the four received
a fair trial, Luthfee told CPJ that their request for legal representation at
the time of the trial was denied.
A Maldives government representative in
London sent a statement to the BBC last year claiming that the charges against
Didi, Luthfee, Nisreen, and Zaki were "purely criminal" because their publication
was not officially registered, and that the four were found guilty of inciting
people "to violence...against a lawfully elected government" more
Apology
On 19 February
2004 Maldives Culture published an article claiming Nooman from Hulhudhoo island
in Addu atoll had been killed by NSS undercover agents operating in Male'. Nooman's
age was given as 10 years.
Maldives Culture is now aware that Nooman Shareef was
not killed, and his age was 26 years. He was arrested, beaten and subsequently
charged with theft.
The editors apologise sincerely to the family and friends
of Shareef, who may have been distressed by this error.
The editors
stand by the other claims made in this article. The references to Nooman Shareef
have been removed: Profiting
from Torture
The sadistic intimacy
of Isthafa Ibrahim Manik and Maumoon Gayyoom
'Isthafa
received daily records of every torture carried out in prison and a list of names
of prisoners undergoing torture. He would send that list to president Gayyoom
the next day. When Gayyoom requested them, Isthafa would send videos or photographs
of people being tortured' more
Sick prisoner accused of attempting to escape and kept
in solitary confinement on Gayyoom's orders
'I was asked if I had tried to escape from the prison. I was also asked to name
the people I knew who were living overseas. Between 22 June 2003 and 4 August
2003, I was interrogated about three times. Attempting to escape from a prison
under the control of the NSS is, for me, an unimaginable feat. In reply to my
interrogators, I said that I had not attempted to escape and I had not even thought
about such an idea' more
Kuda lays some rubber
Full
forward throttle in reverse gear
'The symbolic
plum of Gayyoom's reform is the Human Rights Commission of Maldives which the
UNDP was silly enough to support with an announced grant of $US150,000. The commission
was based on the Paris Principles, Gayyoom claimed! Only fools and Gayyoom's deluded
worshippers believe such hypocritical hype. The Commission is, and will remain,
a grovelling servant of the president. Principles have no meaning for Maumoon
Gayyoom' more
Torture's chain of command
Everything
happens with the full knowledge of President Gayyoom, says Adam Zahir
'He
also said that there was nothing the President Gayyoom was not being informed
about, regardless how important or minor the matter was' more
Odi vedi ah
Newly appointed
Seychelles President addresses the nation
'I
will do my best to bring a new approach in the way decisions are made and implemented
in our country. My government will be one that is dynamic, transparent and accountable' more
Seychelles is not a monarchy, says opposition leader
'The
people will decide whether they want Minister Michel or somebody else as their
president. This choice cannot be made by Mr. René, but by the people of Seychelles' more
Judge Abdulla Areef ignorant of the laws of Maldives
'This
decision of Abdulla Areef, in the name of the government of Maldives, was in breach
of the constitution of Maldives and cannot be anything but a treasonous act. Areef's
decision was a clear breach of the constitution - as clear as the noon sun on
a fine day' more
Sappe' lifts the lid on Male' can of worms
Swindling
the Maldives taxpayer: Ilyas Ibrahim, Koli Ali Manik and Maumoon Gayyoom
'Ilyas suggested President Gayoom use these condominiums during his shopping
sprees. Ilyas charged Theemuge through SSTC for his entourage and medical
expenses. SSTC debited Theemuge for using these condominiums for between
US$100,000 - $150,000 per visit. These funds were remitted back from Theemuge
to SSTC and thence to Ilyas's bank accounts. Gayoom and his family used
these condominiums at least a dozen times a year' more
Hansard 16-17 March
UK government's parliamentary
response to questions about Maldives human rights abuses
'We continue to monitor reports of human rights abuses in the
Maldives, and are considering with our European partners what further action
we might take' more
MDP newsletter No.10
15-30 April 2004
MDP in Geneva
Participants at the Human Rights conference expressed surprise and dismay at the level of human rights violation in Maldives under the façade of peace and tranquillity projected by Gayoom
Constitutional amendments: a ruse to buy time
The Government should act now and legitimize the MDP, instead of continuing to play a delaying and deceptive game
Is Mr. Gayoom Serious?
Gayoom is unashamedly proceeding to charge members of MDP for their part in trying to organize a peaceful demonstration
Statement by Ahmed Ziya
I was physically abused by the police, including beatings, blindfolding and solitary confinement
Profile of Guin Batten, friend of Maldives
The Sydney quad made history by winning Britain’s first ever women’s Olympic rowing medal
Letters:
Announcing the formation of the Maldives Youth Movement.
Friends of Maldives - as long as the people in power in the Maldives continue their subjugation of the people and continue with their corrupt, abusive and dictatorial regime we remain determined to stand by the people of the Maldives
Latest MDP newsletter 10 at the party's official website
Sihuru from
Munavvar
Previous Maldives Attorney-
General conjured treason charge for Sandhaanu trial
'At the time of my arrest I was informed it was on suspicion of
spreading false information in a way that would cause the loss of public peace.
The police informed me of this in writing, and made me sign and fingerprint
the document. But in court, the prosecuting lawyer from the Attorney General’s
office presented a completely different accusation to the court. Yes, it
was a charge of committing high treason!' more
Endemic Human
Rights Abuse in Paradise
'Despite the booming tourism industry, Maldives depends
largely on the bilateral and multilateral donors for development aid. President
Gayyoom was forced to initiate some token cosmetic change to appease the international
donor community' more
Fathullah Jameel cons the diplomats
Constitutional reform unnecessary for MDP recognition:
Back to square one
Fear spread among remaining members of the Majlis. The voices of those members
who argued for constructive ideas were silenced. The constitution drafted
afterwards was a perfectly fitting dress for Maumoon Gayyoom. The president
became leader of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary of the
government, and also the head of religion. Gayyoom's accumulated powers
were now much greater than any previous Maldives leader' more
Part 1
Political prisoner Mohamed Zaki's submission to the Maldives human rights commission
'My complaint is that since the
start of the investigation, I have been deprived of all my basic human rights.
These are not incidents that happened one or two years ago. I am still being
deprived of many of my human rights, and the rights granted to me by the
constitution of Maldives' more
Who is to take responsibility
for the horrific Enamaa boat disaster?
'With
the permission of southern Huvadhu atoll chief Rasheed, and in breach of
the laws of sea travel, Thinadhoo Island senior chief Naeem allowed over
two hundred people to board the Enamaa boat' more
NSS prohibited search and rescue attempts by Thinadhoo islanders after boat capsized
'The next day, the NSS again prohibited search and rescue efforts by the Thinadhoo people. People entered the island offices and smashed desks, threw chairs and assaulted some of the senior officials. They defied NSS orders and sailed out to the disaster area where they found three corpses. The bloated and decaying bodies were brought back to the island. The eyes of the dead were missing and most of their skin was gone' more
Will Kuoni pull
out of Maldives?
E-Maldives 17 Mar 2004
'This
money from tourism is being used to increase their grip on power, this
money is used to torture and kill innocent Maldivians, this money is used
to finance the schemes of vote rigging in general elections and referendums,
this money is used to sustain the dictatorship of Gayoom, not on sustainable
development of the country as a whole' more
Maldives human rights record worries UK minister
E-Maldives
17 Mar 2004
'We have concerns about
the protection of human rights in the Maldives, including the right of
freedom of expression. We will continue to raise these concerns with the
Government of the Maldives' more
Letter from Mohamed Nasheed
Abiding
by the rule of law
'It cannot be a fair
and just for a Special Majlis to change the constitution, unless an election
is held according to the existing constitution' more
The Other side of the Postcard
E-Maldives.com 12 Mar 2004
'Mr. Nasheed also expressed concern over the many political prisoners held in the Maldives jail. This include Ibrahim Fareed, Mohamed Zakee, Ahmed Didi, Naushad Waheed and Miss Fathimath Nisreen. In addition, a number of MDP members are in detention since February 13th, 2004, who are Capt. Abdulla Saeed, Ahmed Nazim, Aminath Najeed, Ahmed Falah and Ismail Zilah' more
Paris Principles made sacrificial lamb
E-Maldives.com 9 Mar 2004
'Two birds with one stone, he must have thought: pulling wool over the eyes of the UN agencies, lulling them into believing he is doing something genuine, while all the time really creating hatred among his Muslim citizens against human rights and the Paris Principles' more
Special
Announcement from Sandhaanu office:
| |
 |
'After a break of two
years, Sandhaanu is being published again. The magazine has established
close connections with organisations that protect independent media and
writers. With the support and assistance from these organisations, and
respecting the laws and regulations of the European Union, Sandhaanu is
providing information to the beloved people of Maldives who have a right
to know what really happens in their country.
For many years, Maldivians
have been oppressed and denied their basic rights. Sandhaanu hopes to
provide a place for them to express their own thoughts and ideas
without fear.
Sandhaanu is not attempting to foster alarm, hostility
or anger against the Maldives government or the people in power. Sandhaanu
is not encouraging instability, violence or any activities like terrorism.
This newsletter does not support any extremist religious acts of brutality.
The sentiments and opinions expressed above, are shared by all members
of the editorial board of this newsletter.
Sandhaanu’s motto is:
‘Fairness and Justice – Stability for Society’
Download
Dhivehi language Sandhaanu 10 (second from top of list) at www.sandhaanu.com
Luthfy
advises Gayoom to rid the government of nepotism and apologise to the
people of Maldives and then resign
E-Maldives.com
6 Mar 2004
"Our
beaches are lovely and it's really a paradise, but we Maldivians are being
tortured here"
Reporters without borders
5 Mar 2004
MDP moves main office to London
'The campaign the
MDP is conducting, with the help of many other NGO organisations and individuals,
will change the English-speaking and European international community’s
perceptions of Maldives and its tourism image, and increase awareness of
Maldivian political issues in London, Europe and Washington' more
The culture
of torture in the Maldives NSS:
Victims tell their stories
'When
I gained consciousness, I had been handcuffed by the front around a coconut
tree. Sewer water was poured over us. They pissed on us, poured honey,
milk tea, sugar over us. A girl named Nilma too were going through similar
torture...
We could see people handcuffed to coconut trees and sewer
water or sugar being poured over them. Sometimes, every ten yards apart,
all the palm trees were occupied by inmates undergoing various forms of
torture' more
Eyewitness accounts of arrests by NSS on 13 February
2004
'The police forced the door open
and entered the room. My daughter woke up and started crying. The police
grabbed my arms, head and anywhere else they felt like grabbing and tried
to handcuff me. My son Hadhin shouted for them stop doing that to mom
and to let her go. They did not stop and pushed me towards a wardrobe.
While they were grabbing me some of them even squeezed my breasts' more
MDP press release
Maldives
questions in UK parliament
'The events
of September 2003 are only the tip of the iceberg. It is common knowledge
that many other inmates have died in suspicious circumstances whilst in
jail or during interrogation by the National Security Service (NSS). Our
brothers and sisters who died brutally at the hands of this evil dictator
will never be forgotten' more
Gayyoom’s Election Commission bullying prospective
reformers
'In Maldives, majlis members
do not promote their ideals or try to reform policies. Instead, most of
them bribe or blackmail their electorates. There are members who give
school uniforms and pay medical prescription costs for their constituents.
Some of the members use their government posts to provide or promise certain
necessities to islands, and link that to their re-election campaign' more
Vajidhu, ritual bleeding ceremony
'When the vajidhu tambourine is played,
people stab themselves with a sharp instrument until they bleed' more
Accepting the challenges
'In the past,
the Sri Lankan people and its government have been very kind and good to
the people of Maldives. They have helped the people of Maldives as ‘umbalakada’
(dried fish importing/exporting) traders and sometimes intermarried' more
NSS injures young boys after stopping friendly wrestling match
'The photographs show NSS officers manhandling boys much smaller than themselves, and some of the injuries suffered by the youths' more
Profiting
from Torture
'Ahmed Falah who was arrested
after the NSS held his wife and children hostage on Friday morning, was
admitted to Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male'. Falah's bones had
been broken during torture after his arrest, and he has lost the use of
both hands. Initially, the NSS tried to move the hospital's X-ray machine
to a jail but they were unsuccessful and Falah was brought to the hospital
instead' more
Dhe meedhaa fehi bulhaa
Maumoon
Gayyoom and Adam Zahir
'By reinstating
Adam Zahir, Maumoon has made it clear to the Maldivian people that he
is waging war against them. Police Commissioner Adam Zahir is the epitome
of brutality' more
How the UN in Maldives aids and abets Gayyoom's crimes
UNDP-financed
Maldives Human Rights Commission rejects Mohamed Zaki's plea for justice
'The
UN representation in Maldives has allowed itself to became part of Gayyoom's
criminal conspiracy against the rights and administration of Maldives
and its people. The UNDP has become a gravy train and publicity platform
for one of Asia's most notorious dictators' more
Amnesty International condemns crackdown
Maldives: Yet another crackdown on peaceful political
activity
The rally planned for 14 February
is to protest the government's failure to curb a rising tide of criminal
activity in the country. One of the sponsors of the rally is the Maldivian
Democratic Party (MDP), which was recently formed in defiance of the government's
refusal to allow political parties to function' more
Business interests and foreign PR firm help plan
Gayyoom's crackdown in Maldives
'Foreign
Minister Fathulla Jameel has spent several days in Singapore with leading
a leading Maldivian business identity resident in Singapore, Koli Ali
Maniku.
Maniku flew into Male' on Thursday 12 February, according
to reliable sources' more
BBC report
'Opposition
arrests' in Maldives
'Government spokesman
Ibrahim Waheed said police were trying to arrest two people suspected
of involvement in a spate of recent criminal offences when others tried
to intervene.
He said subversive material inciting public unrest
was found in the raids' more
Gayyoom retreats to resort for crackdown holiday
'During
the past few years, considerable amounts of money have been spent developing
the facilities at Aarah. Gayyoom could live quite comfortably in the island
where he usually spends his Fridays. He, his family and friends play cricket
and badminton there and enjoy the various luxurious facilities. The public
does not have any idea of the lavish facilities in Aarah. They only see
the island from a distance' more
Gayyoom orders mass arrests of MDP supporters in
Maldives capital
'Eyewitnesses in Male'
say streets on both sides of the Nedhunge house in Male's Maafannu ward,
the family home of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) spokesman Mohamed
Latheef, were cordoned off by the National Security Service (NSS), and
women and children had their arms handcuffed behind their backs and they
were dragged and thrown into trucks. The women were crying and screaming
for help' more
Bodu Buraasfathi Maumoon-style
Gayyoom
arrests NSS officers and hires havaru
'The
arrested NSS officers were handcuffed and taken to Gamaadhoo prison island,
according to unconfirmed reports. The capital has also been put under
partial curfew each night from 1am to 4.30am. People have been informed
via Ministry of Defence media announcements that they will be questioned
and followed if they are on the streets during that time' more
Amnesty International press release
Medical
Concern for Prisoners of Conscience in Maldives
'Ahmed Ibrahim Didi was
reportedly hospitalised for unspecified heart problems on 10 February. He is a
registered heart patient and a panel of government doctors have reportedly recommended
his transfer to a hospital abroad for further examination and treatment..
Mohamed Zaki is reportedly
suffering from a bladder condition which in the last few weeks has become more
serious.. the government allowed him about a week ago to be transferred from Maafushi Island Prison to the hospital in the capital Malé at his own cost' more
Maafushi NSS trials may be delayed or abandoned
'Maldives Culture website has received a photograph, dated 13 September 2003 (six days before Hassan Evaan's death from torture), of an official visit to Maafushi prison by the NSS Quick Reaction Force 2, commanded by Chief of Staff Brigadier Mohamed '22' Zahir' more
Gayyoom tells starving islanders
to be 'friendly and cooperative' after election concert fight
'After a fist fight involving islanders and Minister Manik's entourage, President
Gayyoom compounded the odium of the scene by arriving to deliver a speech meant
to calm the angry crowd. Gayyoom had been resting happily at a secret presidential
resort in Hanimaadhoo, but instead of inviting the famished islanders to Hanimaadhoo
for a decent meal, he addressed the crowd with these words' more
Bird flu links probed by Maldives Public Health department after many chickens die in Addu atoll
'It would take about two weeks to get the result
of this test that has been organised with the help of the World Health Organisation,
according to Dr Yusuf' more
Amis de la liberte des Maldives
French media freedom organisation calls for release of imprisoned writers and emailers in Maldives
'Calling for the early release of the three, Reporters Without Borders said their only crime was to have exercised their right to self-expression. The organisation pointed out that Article 25 of the Maldives Constitution guaranteed every citizen 'the right to express his conscience and thoughts orally or in writing or by other means'' more
French version of this article
from www.rsf.org
Torture
lies at the heart
'It is not the details of the torture that excite Maumoon
Gayyoom, but rather the letters he receives from the families and relatives begging his forgiveness, pledging their loyalty and pleading for the
release of the victims. Reliable sources say Maumoon Gayyoom delights in displaying
these letters to Anbaree and other senior NSS commanders. For the president, these
letters are proof that torture works; that torture is necessary to control recalcitrant
Maldivians and an indispensable adjunct of effective government' more
Maumoon Gayyoom preparing to flee Maldives - unconfirmed reports
'Sources claim elements within the NSS led by Chief of Staff Mohamed Zahir (22) want an interim military government, but this idea is being opposed by Major Faruhath Shaheer (Roy Jayasundura) who has married into the wealthy Koli family' more
Kukulhu kark it
Dead poultry destroyed safely in Feydhoo
'We dug a hole, burned the dead birds and then buried the remains,' said a high-level health official in the island. 'We carried out the procedure according to advice from the Public Health Department and the hospital.' more
The fishermen are laughing at Maumoon Gayyoom
Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Rasheed has resigned from the NSS, according to unconfirmed reports from Male' more
Raise Maldivian jail issue, Indian MPs told
''Saravanan was beaten to death and we are dying in jail,' Rajan has said detailing the torture that they were being subjected to. He has appealed to the Trust to do everything possible to enable them return alive to Tamil Nadu' more
Impressive MDP Newsletter No:5
Covering up murder
'The Maldivian Democratic Party calls upon the President to publish the entire report and to come out clean. Omitting and hiding parts of the report will only lead to more resentment among the people. This would force MDP to reluctantly raise the stakes in its attempts to get the full report published...'
Gayoom’s former cabinet ministers join MDP
'Dr. Mohamed Munawar (MP) and Mr. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki (MP) both former cabinet ministers have defected to MDP...'
MDP Council Elections
'As of 30/01/04, the following members have nominated themselves as candidates...'
MDP meets the German Ambassador
'MDP delegates were most reassured with the German government’s sincere concern about the welfare of the people of the Maldives...'
MDP holds press conference in India
'MDP held its first press conference in India at the Indian Women’s Press Corps in Delhi on 28th January 2004. Leading media organizations from India as well as international news organization, including BBC and Time International, attended the conference...'
Reducing the Parliament
'Factions within the NSS who are dissatisfied may, one day find it paramount to arrest their Commander-in-Chief for deceiving the public and breaking the law. A resignation may not now be able to save this president, as he is determined to utter lies under oath...'
Torture death victim's mother questioned
'Upon meeting him, a heated confrontation sparked between Mariyam and Captain Adam Mohamed with her demanding to know the reasons for her son’s brutal death as well as Adam Mohamed’s participation and negligence of the incident..'
Letters to the MDP
'We should be proud of ourselves that no one is talking about violence. For those who say that what the MDP is doing is harming tourism and the economy, the answer is very simple. Let’s make this as quick as possible...'
Full newsletter in English and Dhivehi:
mdp_newsletter_5.pdf file 215k
(right click and select 'save target as')
Report from The Hindu
India should ask Maldives President to go easy on his people
'Mr. Latif, a former Member of Parliament, said that 'advice' from India would be helpful in a correction of course. "I don't want to be a Minister, I don't want to be in government. I simply want to exercise my conscience,' he said' more
More voodoo from the tiny man
'The report did not match the president's first interview
after the riots. That day he said the government tried its best to avoid shooting
the inmates, by firing first into the "havaa", which means to the air I suppose.
According to the reports he gave to the Majlis this week, it now looks as if the
so called officers acted on their own without the knowledge of the top authorities!' more
Kuda tales
Lies,
damn lies, and Maumoon Gayyoom
'The lower ranks
of the NSS now have less respect and admiration for their leaders. They are understanding
the hollowness of the men who controlled their minds and bodies for so long. Men
like Captain Adam Mohamed (Fusfaru), who served loyally but cruelly for 33 years,
have been imprisoned without charge, and Deputy Police Commissioner Latheef is
kept at home. Both men sit like powerless animals awaiting slaughter for their
commanders' next scapegoat curry' more
Keyothi fashion news
MDP T-shirts now available
'Mobile sales boomed this week, and phone orders from the atolls are ensuring a profitable quarter for Dhiraagu which has been worried by a continuing fall in the company's struggling email and Internet server business' more
Censored summaries from Samaray
Report
of the Presidential Commission on the death of Hassan Eevan Naseem and the shooting
incident at the prison
Dhivehi and English pdf
files for download:
Index
of available files
Latest BBC report
Maldives
jail shootings 'illegal'
'An exiled spokesman
for the banned opposition Maldivian Democratic Party criticised the commission's
report and called for the president's resignation. Mohammed Latheef said the names
of those responsible for the deaths had been edited out of the report' more
Gayyoom presents censored Commission of Inquiry reports
to Majlis
'He said he has deleted portions which
contained issues which may affect national security and were best kept from public
knowledge. The President held up two thin booklets, only a fraction of the size
of the original reports. He said the Commission was aware there may be such issues
in their report, and that such editing practices were common in other countries
too' more
Miadhu bleat
Isn't it
high treason, to work to overthrow the government of Maldives?
'We have been hearing about a group of people in overseas ‘wishing Maldives well’ by trying to stop the aid the country receives, and lobbying to change the government. These people have been spreading false information and news about Maldives and its government to foreign media and newspapers'...
Maldives Culture comment
The corals of his birth
'In the
bizarre world of the Gayyoom dictatorship, all reality is defined by the president regardless of logic or truth. Midnight is midday if Gayyoom wants it that way, and democracy and feedom are dangerous and threatening concepts fit only for executive scorn' more
Think about it!
'The
government controlled by this president took four young lives without any mercy.
There is no one else who can be blamed for this. It is not acceptable to be indifferent
to such acts' more
Religion, assassins, bribes and political parties
'Anyone
can hire assassins and bump them off or kidnap them and bring them to Maldives.
But believe me, if that is done, their family and friends will not just hang around
their graves reciting prayers...
Some businessmen are spending up to US$100,000
per month as bribes. To get anything done, they have to bribe whole government
departments' more
Latest Maldivian Democratic Party newsletters
15-31 Jan 2004
MDP Meets
The British High Commissioner.
MDP Appoints Denzil Gunaratne as Legal Adviser.
MDP newsletters in NSS custody.
Crimes against humanity.
Perversion
of Human Rights Commission of Maldives.
Letters from correspondents.
1-15 Jan 2004
Gayoom's
Cosmetic Commissions.
Torture in tropical paradise.
MDP with MTV.
Letters from correspondents.
Available in English
and Dhivehi from the MDP website:
MDP
newsletters
MDP meets with
Indian central government official
'In private
discussions with important businessmen, Gayyoom's agents are claiming the new
party is acting against the interests of the country's tourism industry. Nothing
can be further from the truth, according to senior MDP officials' more
Hunger strike ends in Maafushi prison after secret deals
'The
Maldives dictator has applied the principle of 'divide and rule' to end the Maafushi
hunger strike. Gayyoom and his gang once condemned colonial powers for their use
of this method of control, but they have no qualms using the same methods when
it suits them' more
Maafushi prison strikers hunger for freedom
'It seems two thousand trained NSS officers, combined with
one of the world's most consummate phone interception systems, hundreds of civilian
spies and Internet surveillance networks are not enough to stop a few drug-ridden
crooks stumbling around half a square mile of sand' more
Maafushi prisoners launch hunger strike after Umar Zahir's
promise comes to nothing
Umar Zahir has a long
history of attempting to bring some discipline to the villainous clique gathered
around the Endherimaage clan. In the 1960s, he was the assistant principal (then
commonly called the headmaster) at Majeediyya boys' school in Male'. The mere
sight of the headmaster's immaculately pressed shirtsleeves was enough to turn
the over-aged boys at the school into submissive zombies. Such was the awe in
which Umar was held. more
Questions have been raised by some readers regarding the
changing of the wording of the report below a few days ago. It was first uploaded
by the Maldives Culture editors as 'breaking news', and the report about the actual
meeting is now accurate according to all the people involved. The fact remains
that the High Comissioner, acting in his official capacity, has met with the senior
office bearers of the MDP, who were acting in their official capacity. We refer
readers to Majid Abdul-Wahhab's analysis of this meeting (see link on the right
of this page, under Latest from Majid's Maldives Royal Family website).
British High Commissioner meets with Maldivian Democratic
Party
'The British High Commissioner for Maldives
residing in Sri Lanka, His Excellency Stephen Evans met delegates of the Maldivian
Democratic Party for high tea at the Catamaran Room of the Galle Face Hotel. The
spokespeople for the MDP coming out of the meeting, stated that 'the meeting was
constructive and we are very satisfied with the outcome of the meeting'.' more
Maldives president spits SAARC dummy
'By
the time Maumoon Gayyoom was back home, and had finished shaking the unwelcome
hand of Commission of Inquiry chairman Abdul Sattar, he was noticeably relieved
to be facing the smiles of his own safely intimidated media, and felt comfortable
enough to make a few revealing admissions' more
The Blame Game: How dictators fall from power in Maldives
'Many Maldivians do not want to see Gayyoom die. Some still
believe he is a king beyond normal moral constraints, and should therefore be
allowed the dubious dignity of exile in a place like Singapore where the previous
ruler Ibrahim Nasir has lived since he lost power.
However, other Maldivians
believe that Gayyoom must be brought to trial for his alleged crimes. They say
it is only by open trial, where the truth is allowed to emerge and those responsible
are justly punished, that the Gayyoom regime can be properly revealed for the
shameful sham it really is. Only then will the ghosts of Maldives' murderous thieving
20th century dictators be finally laid to rest' more
Manipulating the commission of inquiry: lessons for the
dictator and dhivehin
'The Commission has reneged on earlier promises of transparency
and timely updates. More ominously, Gayoom is reportedly attempting to limit the
list of culpable offenders to only lowranking officers. Orders to shoot can only
come from the top. Hence expanding the investigation could be too close for comfort
for Gayoom. He has now unilaterally decided to postpone the release of the commissions
findings to suit his personal agenda' more
Malaysia helped Maldives President put emailer on block
'My family contacted their lawyer and found out that my
brother Mazeen had been arrested under Malaysian law section 125 that
deals with conspiracy to kill the king! That was a major shock as we were
not even aware who the new Malaysian king was! That morning they transferred
Mazeen to Police Head Quarters (Bukit Aman) in Kuala Lumpur for questioning.
There he saw two Maldivian police officers. Finally, after intensive questioning
and discovering that he couldn't read Maldivian Dhivehi thaana script,
they released him on police bail' more
