The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group take strict action against the Maldives

 

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has lost an opportunity to take strict action against the Maldives government, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) said raising concern over the continued leeway being allowed to member states for repeated disregard to the Commonwealth Charter.

 

Days after CMAG, a watchdog body comprising of eight foreign ministers placed Maldives on its formal agenda, CHRI in a statement accused the body of failing to show urgency in responding to evidence pointing at persistent violations by the Maldives government.

“Unless monitoring by CMAG is accompanied with clear consequences for non-compliance, the body’s weight in the promotion of democratic values will not strengthen”, the statement read.

CMAG had laid out a six-point reform agenda in February, which includes the release of political prisoners and judicial reform.

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has called on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to convene before the end of 2016 to “take stock of the situation in the Maldives and reassess its response.”

CHRI made the comment in a statement issued following CMAG’s decision to place Maldives on its formal agenda. A follow up meeting has been scheduled for March 2017, where the Ministers would consider options such as suspension, depending on the progress made by the country in the priority areas highlighted by CMAG.

Welcoming the decision, CHRI, however expressed concern in regard to the delay in taking this step.”

CHRI, who prior to the CMAG meeting on Friday, said that “this is the time for resolute action against the Maldivian government,” said that it believed that “this is a missed opportunity for CMAG to take the firm stand needed to reinforce Commonwealth’s fundamental principles.”

Noting that the government of Maldives has failed to demonstrate progress since February 2016 despite being given sufficient time and assistance- both diplomatic and technical, CHRI urged CMAG to “reorient its engagement with the Maldives towards firm resolute action”.

“We reiterate the urgent need for CMAG to convene before the year’s end to take stock of the situation in the Maldives and reassess its response,” said CHRI.

CHRI, who prior to the CMAG meeting on Friday, said that “this is the time for resolute action against the Maldivian government,” said that it believed that “this is a missed opportunity for CMAG to take the firm stand needed to reinforce Commonwealth’s fundamental principles.”

CHRI said that “this was the time to order suspension of the Maldives from the Councils of the Commonwealth with a strong message that this would only be lifted upon visible, time-bound, progress in the six areas stipulated by CMAG.

It further emphasized that “standards of democracy and human rights in Maldives have only worsened,” during the review period between February and September.

“Having recognized the serious concerns to democracy, rule of law and human rights in the country in February 2016 and having laid down clear, measurable, priority areas for action which have not been met, we believe the body has failed to show urgency in responding to evidence pointing at persistent violations by granting the Maldives six more months to take action,” said CMAG.

Echoing the concerns of Commonwealth Secretary General’s Special Envoy Dr. Willy Mutunga, CHRI said that it remains “deeply concerned” by the present circumstances” in the Maldives and that it “seriously questions whether a conducive environment for credible and inclusive presidential elections in 2018 can be achieved without firm international pressure on all political players, particularly the ruling party, to take the steps needed to create political dialogue.” Mutunga is his briefing notes to the CMAG, said that “the inability of political leaders to participate in political life could prevent a credible presidential election in 2018.”

CHRI also noted its concerns regarding the independence of the Maldives’ institutions, including the parliament, judiciary and police.

CHRI had, in a statement issued on September 19, said that Maldives "is sliding to a dictatorial system once again," and that the situation, if allowed to continue "will soon push the island nation into the brink of violence and anarchy." 

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President Yameen's “Money Rotation” Scam !!!

President Yameen is back to his evil path of robbing Maldivian people's money in what is being known as Yameen's “Money Rotation” scam. The modus operandi of the scam is simple:

1. President Yameen gives contract awarding authority to some well known junior rank minister acting as a stooge in the scam.


2.Without inviting any sort of quotations or bids junior rank minister awards lucrative contract to own or known person's company with no experience or capacity and known records of poor quality work.


3.The company abuses the contract in every possible way to unlawfully benefit millions of US$ from the contract.


4.Due major share of these unlawful benefits are then transferred to President Yameen and his stooge junior rank minister for graft in awarding the lucrative contract.

The whole “Money Rotation” scam is tightly secured by using President's power, money and influence in the administration and judiciary. Even when Anti-Corruption Commission, Anti-Corruption Watchdogs or any member of opposition draws allegations of corruption, President Yameen uses his power, influence and money to pressurize the Prosecutor General’s office not to press any charges or register any case towards the company or the contractor, thus providing the scam a whole security network from getting exposed.

To bring more light to the President Yameen's “Money Rotation” scam, hereby stated are the facts revolving around the whole scam controversy:

In July last year, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, former presidential affairs minister, was accused of graft in awarding the lucrative contract to the “Newport Restaurant” for the official Independence Day banquet but the Prosecutor General’s office declined to prosecute Shareef after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) forwarded charges of abuse of power to unlawfully benefit a third party. The officials of ACC said, “Newport did not have the experience to cater for such an event, and the minister never checked if they had the capacity,”.

Detailed investigation in the case by ACC reveal that the Presidential affairs minister, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, last year awarded the MVR3.7 million catering contract to a restaurant owned by activists of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) despite their lack of experience. Even employees of the president’s office complained to the ACC of the poor quality of the food and said it did not live up to the price. The Anti-Corruption Commission forwarded the case for prosecution against Shareef last week under charges of abuse of power to unlawfully benefit a third party. The Prosecutor General’s office decided not to press charges against Mohamed Hussain Shareef over alleged corruption in the selection of caterer for the official independence day banquet.  

A spokesperson at the Prosecutor General office said there was not enough evidence to prosecute the former minister Shareef for abuse of power. Since ACC sends case to the Prosecutor General only when the commission thinks the accused can and should be charged, Muaviz Rasheed, Vice President of the ACC, said “the commission will look into the reason why the PG decided not to charge Shareef.” “In awarding the contract, the former minister had claimed that it was President Abdulla Yameen who had chosen Newport. Shareef later admitted that he had lied,” the ACC spokesperson said. Newport had submitted a proposal to serve 300 VIPs and a buffet for 500 dignitaries. The agreed cost was US$ 285 per head. It is not clear on whose orders Newport had submitted the proposal, the ACC said. According to the ACC, the price per head would have been much lower if quotations had been obtained from others. Shareef had told the ACC that a coordination committee at the president’s office had advised Newport’s hire, but committee members have now denied the claim.

 According to the ACC, Shareef had also assisted the Newport Restaurant in hiring waiters for the banquet through the president’s office and used state funds to buy a sorbet machine for the restaurant. The poor quality of the food prompted several reporters to allege corruption. A diplomat told that the food was “inauthentic and tasteless.

 Immediately after the scam, former Presidential Affairs Minister Mohamed Hussain Shareef was appointed to head the Maldives’ diplomatic mission in Japan on August 17^th 2016. 

Few months earlier to the whole caterer scam controversy, the same person Mohamed Hussain Shareef was forced to quit the government in the wake of an explosion on President Abdulla Yameen’s speedboat. Hamid Ismail, an influential businessman related to jailed Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, and Mohamed Hussain Shareef pair were arrested from an apartment in Malaysia on suspicion of links to a plot to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen. The commission is also investigating other complaints over the banquet, including the hire of tables and chairs. According to the finance ministry, a budget of MVR150 million was allocated for the celebrations to mark the Maldives’ golden jubilee of independence.

Despite the whole controversy and still ongoing investigations, the president’s office once again awarded the catering contract to Newport for this year’s Independence Day reception without inviting any quotations and bids from any other caterers, indicating clearly President Yameen's favoring of this particular caterer. The recent move is also an evidence that holds true Shareef's claim to ACC that a coordination committee at the president’s office had advised Newport’s hire.

What's even more shocking is the case of President Yameen's dictator regime awarding a project to build a platform for the public to view the ongoing construction of the “China-Maldives Friendship” bridge, largest infrastructure project in the country’s history, in Malé’s southeastern corner. “The government believes it is a right of each Maldivian citizen for an arrangement to view up close how this is proceeding”, said Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz, who signed the agreement on behalf of the government.

The platform will seat 350 people. It will also include a restaurant, a parking zone, and a children’s area, to be developed on a plot of about 10,000 square feet at the former surf point. The local company chosen for constructing Maldives mega project is Strada Pvt. Ltd. and is a parent concern of the above mentioned Newport Restaurant and describes itself on Facebook as a “multifaceted investment company” with holdings in food and beverage, brand franchising and event management, operates the Newport restaurant. As already mentioned above, last year, the anti-corruption watchdog investigated allegations of corruption in an MVR3.7 million (US$240,00) catering deal awarded to the same restaurant by the president’s office. Strada Pvt. Ltd.'s Director Zahid Rameez, who signed the platform agreement on behalf of the company, is a member of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives’ executive council.

Maldives largest infrastructure project yet, US$210 million “China-Maldives Friendship” bridge is a key campaign pledge of President Abdulla Yameen. The mega construction project is to be financed with US$126 million in grant aid and a concessionary loan from China along with US$12.6 million from the Maldivian state budget. 

The 1.39km-long and 20.3m-wide bridge will span from Malé’s eastern edge to the western corner of the island of Hulhulé, where the airport is located, and connect the capital to the suburb Hulhumalé. President Yameen plans to relocate 70 percent of the Maldives population, presently scattered across 188 islands, to a new ‘Youth City’ in Hulhumalé. 

Among the rumors of halting of construction work on the project and the minister holding a press conference to dismiss rumours that the government was facing difficulties in financing the bridge and that construction work on the bridge had come to a halt, Anti-Corruption Commision's (ACC) investigation into this mega project reveal that this US$210 million mega construction project has been awarded to company “CCCC Second Harbour Engineering” directly by President's office, under closed bidding system, but President's office have refused to specify exact figure. The contractor chosen for this mega construction project, CCCC Second Harbour Engineering, was blacklisted by the World Bank over fraudulent practices during a road improvement project in the Philippines, fact which was clearly overlooked by President Yameen's office while awarding the contract. Awarding of this mega project also has drawn allegations of corruption from international agencies and people of Maldives but President Yameen's government has already signed the deal in record time.

After the alleged scam of US$ 1.6bn in selling and leasing atolls to International resort chains and being successfully able to curb any and every voice raised against the scam, President Yameen is again back to his evil ways of looting money from people of Maldives. President Yameen seems to be bringing Maldives back to dictatorship ways, robbing away Maldives money and declaring himself unquestionable by any administrative or judicial authority. With most of Yameen's political rivals in exile or jailed, media's freedom of expression curbed, protest of Maldivian people crushed brutally by force, President Yameen currently stands unrivaled and the only force of Maldives and with no one to question or prosecute him, President Yameen proceeds to perform scam after scan to rob people of Maldives in any and every possible way.

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An Open Letter to President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom

In the wake of USD 1.6bn corruption scandal surrounding Maldives and the resulting deterioration of democracy in our country, I, on behalf of “People of Maldives” write this open letter to the “President of Maldives”.

Dear Mr. President,President of Maldives, representing our Nation to our people, and also to the whole world. You have been trusted by citizens of Maldives who seek to mend the evils of our condition by reasoned experiment within the framework of the existing political system. People of Maldives expected new and bolder methods to be tried so that Maldives may date the first chapter of a new economic era from your accession to office of President.


At the moment your sympathizers in Maldives are nervous and sometimes despondent. The people of Maldives wonder whether the order of different urgencies is rightly understood, whether there is a confusion of aim, and whether some of the advice you get is not crack-brained and queer. Citizens of Maldives hold wildly distorted view of what is happening in Maldives and are deeply concerned and seek explanation from their President about the recent happenings. The average citizens believes that you are engaged on a self financial enhancement expedition in face of poor advice, that the best hope lies in your ridding yourself of your present President position and to return to the old ways of democratic Freedom, Human Rights and Liberties, and that otherwise Maldives is heading for some ghastly breakdown. Maldives is not convinced with your policy that we, the citizens of Maldives, only have to sit back and wait, in order to see what we shall see. May I crave your attention, whilst I put my own view?


I, as a citizen of Maldives, am scared that our country is being sold to International communities and the nation's money is being used to fulfill your own financial needs and economic condition. We criticized recent change in the law that allows the government to sell islands without competitive bids, turning the whole process opaque and beneficial to few in power positions of the government. Gayoom family and a handful of well-connected resort owners anyway control most of the country’s wealth, making the whole process non transparent will further increase the financial difference in the country by making you and your political allies richer and the remaining whole Maldives poorer. Most of Maldivians anyway eke out a meager existence by fishing or working in the tourism industry, we see no way out of our misery with your government promoting and enhancing the corrupt policies. Maldives has already been in clutches of corruption, be it the

Myanmar oil sales, using of double invoicing system to disguise the nature of the government transactions, and many such incidents that shame the state of democracy in “Republic of Maldives”.


Not stopping on just robbing the citizens of Maldives of their billions of dollars, your regime's governance banned former journalists with the now-defunct newspaper, Haveeru, from working at any other organization, saying it could only lead to authoritarianism and the end of democracy. The court’s verdict not only violates the fundamental rights of all the journalists which it targets, but it also confirms, if need be, that the judiciary is serving your regime's government policy to suppress critical and independent media in the country. This point is evident to people of our country with incidents like Raajje TV journalists facing trials, journalist Ahmed Rilwan still missing, Addu Live blocked, CNM's closure, etc. With your regime's recent crackdown on freedom of speech on media and murder and torture of journalist, we the people are forced to ask you if Journalism is Crime In the Maldives?


Not content with just the robbing of Maldives money and curbing free speech of media to supress the issue, you also engaged in preventing people of Maldives from organizing peaceful protest against your regime's governance by unleashing violent police action against own people. You are getting opposition leaders arrested if they demonstrate against your regime by declaring them as terrorist, leaving Maldives with no prominent leaders. Even government figures in your dictator style regime fear being arrested on “treason” charges”, if they fail to comply to your demands. Now with raids on the offices of a newspaper and a human rights NGO and cancelled passports of fugitive opposition figures, almost all of your presidential key rivals are either in jail or living in exile. Your actions are evident of the fact that under the veil of democracy, you plan to bring Maldives under your dictatorship, autocratic rule and repressive past.


Your action shames whole of Republic of Maldives as the condition of Maldives is worst it's even been. But despite heavy restrictions, rallies regularly take place against your regime, showing the will and consent of people to be rid of your evil regime. Many of the protesters are pushing for a democratic transition, and are worried about losing their recently gained human rights and democratic freedoms. Maldives has already seen a strict defamation law come in to force, with stiff punishments for comments or actions considered insulting to Islam or which "contradict general social norms", and tighter restrictions on demonstrations. People and journalists are already facing death threats, harassments & murder attempts, now we are seeing the courts and the laws silence the people and journalists.


In spite of such harsh crackdown on freedom and human rights of people of Maldives, I would like you to know that the people of the Maldives will find a way to get rid of your dictator regime. Not only have you lost all support from the people and within your own political party, but also do not have any kind of support from the independent institutions or from the security forces. We, the people of Maldives know for sure that there is no other way out of this messy situation in Maldives, than to make moves against your presidential seat and make attempt to 'legally' overthrow your corrupt pseudo-democratic and pro-dictatorship government regime.

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Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative draws attention to serious failures of the Maldives government

  This submission from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative draws attention to serious failures of the Maldives government to make progress on six priority areas identified by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) in February 2016.

CHRI visited the Maldives from 4-7 September, 2016.

CHRI expresses grave apprehension at the continuing and persistent deterioration of human rights, rule of law and democracy in the Maldives.It is clear that the government is not engaging sincerely with the Commonwealth or the United Nations to implement reforms that will

strengthen democratic institutions and enable realization of fundamental rights.

CHRI express concern about the mounting allegations of corruption against officials at the highest political level. The release of “Stealing Paradise”, a documentary by Qatar-based Al Jazeera reveals the involvement of President Yameen and his deputies in massive theft and

money laundering.

The documentary lends weight to previous allegations made by several of President Yameen’s former deputies of his close involvement with criminal gangs in the archipelago. 4 Yet, the government has not shown any inclination to investigate these very serious allegations

and bring the perpetrators to account.

CHRI strongly believes that the current environment is not at all conducive to free and fair presidential elections due in 2018.CHRI is worried that, if allowed to continue, the situation will soon push the island(maldives) nation into the brink of violence and anarchy.

CHRI urges firm action by the Commonwealth, in particular by CMAG, at its 2016 meeting.

 With respect to the six priority areas, we note the following

Political Dialogue:CMAG’s last meeting in April, the United Nations advisor Mr Tamrat Samuel was appointed at the invitation of the government to revive all-party talks.

The government’s lack of commitment and sincerity to the talks has been evident right from the start. President Yameen’s administration refuses to comply with the demand of opposition parties to release jailed political leaders as a way to demonstrate its good will.TheYameen's government has branded the Maldivian United Opposition as unlawful, claiming the coalition has no legal status, as it is not registered as a political party.

On 27 August, 2016, the parliament passed an amendment to the Political Parties Act of

2013 mandating re-registration of all members of political parties using forms requiring fingerprints.The amendment applies retroactively which means parties established before this requirement was first introduced in 2010 will have to submit fingerprints of all members, or face de-registration.These actions not only signal the government’s unwillingness to initiate.political dialogue, but also indicate that the government is taking steps to actively impede and obstruct any kind of political dialogue.

Release of political prisoners: No steps have been taken to enable release of jailed political leaders. The country’s Supreme Court has upheld sentences of several political leaders without responding to arguments and concerns regarding fair trial and due process of law raised by several international bodies including the Commonwealth.

President Nasheed’s conviction wasupheld by the Court on the grounds that his legal rights were protected at the lower courts, he was provided adequate time to prepare his defence, and had been given access to a lawyer. 12 This is in sharp contrast to the observations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that ruled Nasheed’s imprisonment to be “politically motivated” and “arbitrary” .President Yameen pardoned 169 offenders serving criminal offences under Section 29 of the Clemency Act.

Abuse of Anti-Terrorism Act and other Legislations: In brazen disregard to its commitment to the CMAG, the government of the Maldives continues to persecute political leaders and public officials. Ahmed Mahloof, the only independent member of parliament, was convicted on two consecutive charges of obstruction of duty and sentenced to 10 months and 24 days in jail.Vice President Ahmed Adeeb was convicted on two counts of terrorism with a cumulative sentence of up to 25 years. Both these cases only confirm the pattern whereby political leaders who are either critical or opposed to the current administration are being targeted and reveal the politicized nature of the justice system in the Maldives.

Separation of powers and independence of judiciary:  judicial independence continue in the Maldives, particularly to curtail powers of the independent Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a constitutional body.Apex court is using its control over lower courts not to ensure adherence to standards of fair trial and protection of constitutional rights, but to influence the administration of justice in the interest of the government.On 15 February 2016, the chief judge of the Criminal Court, Judge Abdullah, was transferred to the Family Court following his refusal to order former Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin’s detention.

He was replaced instead by Judge Abdul Bari Yoosuf, a highly controversial judge now under fire for his conduct in the trials and sentencing of leading opposition leaders.

Freedom and space for civil society: The Maldives continues to curtail fundamental freedoms through regressive legislative measures and numerous incidents of harassment and violence against journalists.Maldives passed the Protection of Reputation and Good Name and Freedom of Expression Act, popularly known as the Defamation Act, on 10 August 2016.

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Al Jazeera unveils the secret of Pres.Yameen's wealth in Stealing Paradise!

On 7^th September 2016, we all were glued to Al Jazeera news . Its twitter updates were being followed sincerely and everyone was waiting for 'Stealing Paradise', a documentary by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit. It showed that how the Maldives government "controls all the levels of state" and often uses them for nefarious purposes. Below are some highlights of the documentary.

• President's ministers and aides had plotted to launder up to $1.5bn through the South Asian nation's central bank, with the help of secretive businessmen from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. They planned to fly in cash at up to $100m at a time, pass it through the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) and transfer it back out.

•  President Yameen, through his former deputy had siphoned off millions in state funds, hijacked state institutions and bribed state officials including judges, lawyers and parliamentarians to exert his authoritarian power over the whole country.

• Mohamed ‘Moho’ Latheef who ran the front company through which nearly USD80 million was siphoned off told Al Jazeera that president Yameen was aware of the whole scheme.“President Yameen will know me personally. I was there and I was managing some of their funds,” Latheef, who is among the eight suspects wanted in connection to the blast aboard the presidential speedboat last year. The whole system is corrupted," says Moho of the Maldives under President Yameen. "Since he came to power, he has been bribing the MPs, the judges, lawyers and everyone else.

• "Mohamed "Oittey" Hussain was Vice President Adeeb's driver. Older than the other "bros", he explains how Adeeb was his "childhood friend" from school and how they played football and later studied together in Sri Lanka.When he was tourism minister, Adeeb's official driver was unreliable, so he ended up asking Oittey to drive and deliver bags of cash as well."I have given money to the president," he added calmly.

• Sources and text message conversations reveal the Maldives judiciary is far from independent. Senior judges have received money and luxury flats and meet regularly with the president and his deputy, who meddle in high-profile cases and judicial appointments.

•  In one text message, the former prosecutor-general declares absolute loyalty to Vice President Ahmed Adeeb. The text messages show the president and his deputy spent six months working to save Judge Hameed from being debarred after he was embroiled in a sex scandal.

After the release of this documentary The police have raided the Maldives Independent office in Malé with a court warrant over an alleged coup plot. This could be the result of documentary 'Stealing Paradise', as it features an interview with Zaheena Rasheed, the editor of this publication, along with leading figures from the opposition and former members of watchdog bodies. The documentary has brought Pres.Yameen's real face as a corrupt and dictator in front of the world. Now we have to see that how will the president cope up with his drowning image as a President. Though one thing is for sure that Pres. Yameen or PPM is not coming back in 2018!

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