Maldivians’ hopes for liberal democracy dying a rapid death
It was to much consternation that the public watched yesterday as Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed’s three new nominees to cabinet were approved by parliament. All three nominees were close friends and cronies of Pressident Nasheed. President Nasheed’s long time friend Finance Minister Ali Hashim’s business partner Mahmood Raazee was approved as Civil Aviation Minister. Nasheed’s class mate and crony Ismail Shihab’s elder brother Mohamed Shihab was approved as Home Minister. And Nasheed’s classmate and crony Husnu Suood just scraped through as Attorney General.
From Left to Right: President Nasheed, Ismail Shihab, Mohamed Shihab.The appointment of Mohamed Shihab as Home Minister is of the gravest concern to the public. In the 1990s, Shihab was removed by then President Gayoom from his post as head of External Relations Department due to his repeated offences of bribery and corruption. Japanese Grant aid projects, Taisei company, Kuwait Fund Aid and Colombo Plan aid are just a few examples of bribery and corruption issues against Shihab. The government at the time chose not press charges against Mohamed Shihab, primarily out of respect for his father Ibrahim Shihab, a senior statesman. A few years back, Mohamed Shihab was removed from his post as Chairman of the government owned company Maldives Post, again dogged by corruption and bribery charges. He is also known to have used his offices at Maldives Post to run his Male’ parliamentary campaign.
The fact that he takes charge of the powerful Home Ministry in charge of all land issues on Male’ and the islands, and as head of all municipal administration is indeed a cause for concern. This is especially so in the light of the fact that all Ministers of State for Home Affairs so far appointed by President Nasheed have well known criminal backgrounds. A few examples are Ministers of State for Home Affairs Ahmed Shafeeq (commonly known as Goathi Vagu or Land (property) Thief for his criminal activities in relation to housing plots), Ahmed Mujuthaba, younger brother of well known gang lord and loan shark Thimarafushi Musthafa (MDP financier) and Monaza Naeem, reputed for bribery and corruption in government construction contracts and tourism operations.
Leaving aside Mohamed Shihab’s corrupt background, it is disappointing to see such as close crony of President Nasheed become the political head of the Maldives Police Service. The police since becoming a civil force a few years back had made great strides in its development as a community police force before Nasheed’s political appointee Ahmed Faseeh took over as Commissioner. Since then, the police has been controlled directly by President Nasheed much to the detriment of public peace and human rights. Police have repeatedly attacked peaceful public gatherings inflicting bodily harm on several members of the public, it has made unlawful arrests of peaceful individuals and is presently participating fully in President Nasheed’s unlawful persecution of opposition leaders. Repeated violations of the human rights of police detainees have been reported to the Human Rights Commission.
The public much anticipated that an honest and upright citizen would be given the important post of Home Minister, one who would not be Nasheed’s stooge. However, Mohamed Shihab, former parliamentary whip of President Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, is unlikely to be an independent authority who would uphold the rule of law.
This situation is exacerbated by the appointment of President Nasheed’s class mate and crony Husnu Suood as Attorney General.
Attorney General Suood (right) photographed intimidating a member of the public near the Parliament House.
The fact that he takes charge of the powerful Home Ministry in charge of all land issues on Male’ and the islands, and as head of all municipal administration is indeed a cause for concern. This is especially so in the light of the fact that all Ministers of State for Home Affairs so far appointed by President Nasheed have well known criminal backgrounds. A few examples are Ministers of State for Home Affairs Ahmed Shafeeq (commonly known as Goathi Vagu or Land (property) Thief for his criminal activities in relation to housing plots), Ahmed Mujuthaba, younger brother of well known gang lord and loan shark Thimarafushi Musthafa (MDP financier) and Monaza Naeem, reputed for bribery and corruption in government construction contracts and tourism operations.
Leaving aside Mohamed Shihab’s corrupt background, it is disappointing to see such as close crony of President Nasheed become the political head of the Maldives Police Service. The police since becoming a civil force a few years back had made great strides in its development as a community police force before Nasheed’s political appointee Ahmed Faseeh took over as Commissioner. Since then, the police has been controlled directly by President Nasheed much to the detriment of public peace and human rights. Police have repeatedly attacked peaceful public gatherings inflicting bodily harm on several members of the public, it has made unlawful arrests of peaceful individuals and is presently participating fully in President Nasheed’s unlawful persecution of opposition leaders. Repeated violations of the human rights of police detainees have been reported to the Human Rights Commission.
The public much anticipated that an honest and upright citizen would be given the important post of Home Minister, one who would not be Nasheed’s stooge. However, Mohamed Shihab, former parliamentary whip of President Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party, is unlikely to be an independent authority who would uphold the rule of law.
This situation is exacerbated by the appointment of President Nasheed’s class mate and crony Husnu Suood as Attorney General.
Attorney General Suood (right) photographed intimidating a member of the public near the Parliament House.Husnu Suood has been lead lawyer for MDP in several court cases. Suood takes on this portfolio at a time that the public require the Nasheed government to be brought back into the confines of the constitution and the law. President’s Nasheed has begun several initiatives that violate the Maldives constitution, and has personally violated the constitution and laws with many of his actions. The fact that the former Attorney General tried to stop these violations is the key reason that she was arbitrarily sacked. It is unlikely that such a close crony of President Nasheed’s will provide independent advice. To the contrary, the Attorney General’s job is likely to be to find legal loopholes for President Nasheed’s major undertaking at the present, the systemic persecution of opposition leaders.
By endorsing these appointees, the new parliament has indeed failed miserably in its mandate to function as a check to the government. As this clearly demonstrates, the common citizen is the loser in the ongoing political backroom deals. Only time will tell if President Nasheed will honor his side of the deal to let up on his persecution of individual opposition leaders on the other side of these deals. It is well known that President Nasheed has DRP Deputy Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and colleagues Abdulla Shahid and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim in an iron-grip on trumped-up charges of corruption. They in turn have Nasheed in a stranglehold with their control over the parliament.
By endorsing these appointees, the new parliament has indeed failed miserably in its mandate to function as a check to the government. As this clearly demonstrates, the common citizen is the loser in the ongoing political backroom deals. Only time will tell if President Nasheed will honor his side of the deal to let up on his persecution of individual opposition leaders on the other side of these deals. It is well known that President Nasheed has DRP Deputy Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and colleagues Abdulla Shahid and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim in an iron-grip on trumped-up charges of corruption. They in turn have Nasheed in a stranglehold with their control over the parliament.
June 3, 2009 9:49 PM
So it's a standoff. Anni has the threat of his Witch Hunt Commission, the Police and Corruption Commission over Thasmeen and Shahid, and they in turn have the Majlis power to dismiss Ministers and even the President over Anni. Who's going to do anything for the country at this rate?
June 3, 2009 10:01 PM
Anyone can have vision. But not many has what it takes to govern a Country. Certainly, Nasheed has neither the experience nor the capability to govern this Country. Look at the state of our economy now. The market is bogged in debt. People don't have buying power. More and more people are becomming jobless (Handhufushi Resort is an example).
June 3, 2009 10:04 PM
Anonymous @ 9.49. Its obviously not a standoff when they can barter off our rights in return for BM Ganjabo dropping his corruption case against them. It looks like BM Ganjoabo is in the driving seat at the moment. U wait and see. the whole parliament will go in the direction they showed with the vote on ministers.
June 3, 2009 10:06 PM
soodh aa dheytherey ma bodu fikureh neiyy. E ee ley machchah dhaa meeheh. Thlehifolhigenfa kuda dhuvaskolheh therey isthiufaa dheefaane. Abdhuves hunnaanee rulhigadhavefa. Thihira foto eh balaa bala. Nikamethi aadhaige meehakaa dhimaayah ingili dhikkofa meehaa rathah araafa eheree. E ee aslu Husnussoodhu. E vaanee hama e ah.
June 3, 2009 10:08 PM
I tend to agree with Anonymous @ 10:04
June 3, 2009 10:15 PM
Talking of Sood, when he was Madhanee Court Is Qazi, he tried to get the defendant in one case to sign over his goathi to Sood's wife. In return Sood was going to decide the case in his favor. Several other cases also when Sood was a State Attorney.
June 3, 2009 10:54 PM
To Anonymous @ 10.06. No, Sood will stay. He has been begging Anni for this job from Day 1. He has an inferiority complex and wants to try and beat his bro Dr. Munawwar. Poor little Sood, that's a losing dream. Ha ha.
June 4, 2009 2:41 AM
Anon @ 10:15. half the goathi. I heard the deal was done. Case was between Ibrahim Shafeeg's wife and Thuththu Ali Didi's son. The guy's name is Ibrahim Waheed. Case was closed in favour of Waheed & he gave half his goathi to Sood's wife I heard. Even Munavvar was involved in the deal. It looks time someone's got to form a detective agency and start investigating these cases to help Ganjabo's Witch Hunt Commission track down corruption in the last 30 years.
June 4, 2009 3:29 AM
great post. i agree with most of what you're saying.
this is one of the best maldives political forums on the net. good work.
June 4, 2009 3:35 AM
ސާބަހޭ އަންނި މިބީތާއަށް... ނޭގެނީތަ އަމިލަޔައްވެސް އޭނަ އެއީ ރުނޑިއެއް ކަމެށް؟ ރައީސް ނަޝީދު އިސްތިއުފާ
June 4, 2009 9:27 AM
Miadhu online reports Sood talking about the long arm of the law reaching everyone. I think he's confused about his job. As attorney General he has to advise BM Ganjabo on legal issues. Sood seems to think he's the Chief Justic or the Prosecutor general. idiot! And even greater idiots, the lot who voted for him! With Sood as AG, this is the case of the blind leading the blind.
June 4, 2009 11:49 AM
dear anon@9.27
the blind started leading the blind on 11th nov 2008. now the situation is not just the blind leading the blind, but the rest getting blindfolded as well. think about the absurdities that would follow.
June 4, 2009 11:51 AM
hi RN team, just heard from friends... maldivians have stopped reading little sappalhey's abuse website dhogu observer and begun logging into RN. just wanted to share this news with the team. keep up. you are educating the maldives public.
June 4, 2009 1:48 PM
Dear Anon @ 9:27. I have ditto thoughts. It looks like Soodh will have to be constantly reminded to stay within the legal boundaries of his office. Soodh will turn out to be the most ruthless of AG's. He demonstrated his lust for power and hatred towards those who he thought were in his way. Mark my words. Soodh will be assigned the jobs that require most ruthless execution.
June 4, 2009 3:39 PM
that's correct. sood will not hesitate to do thins with his right hand and his left hand... sometimes with other people's left hand.
June 4, 2009 4:52 PM
you got me imagining anonymous @ 3:39. but if body parts have to be in proportion to height!.... i guess his statement must be a boast. I am convinced ganjabo will not have the capa to do it with his left & right hands. He will definitely need help. anyone wanna help the president ?
June 4, 2009 6:04 PM
gayah soni baalaanethee thihan kuraakah nukereyne.
June 4, 2009 6:57 PM
Anon @ 2.41 is correct,
I heard the same thing from a relative of Sood's wife. It was half the goathi. Does anyone know, will the Male Municipalty allow RN to check their registry records to verify this? I sure hope so. Then we'll see what the long arm of the law catches! Come on Sood, prove us wrong.
June 4, 2009 7:25 PM
Anonymous @ 9.27,
I agree. Sood thinks he's the Chief Justice, Prosecutor General and Attorney General all rolled up into one (small) ball. We salute you CJPGAG Sood al Hus-anga! Dhen lalalaa
June 4, 2009 9:04 PM
Hahahaha
All hail CJPGAG "Aiy dhigu" Suoodh!
Can't wait to see who he goes after first. As if it'll be any surprise!
June 4, 2009 10:04 PM
Talking of Shihab, remember he exposed himself in the Majlis. Its on TV. Wonder if he'll do that as Home Minister the first time he gets a crowd outside his house yelling, Shihab Isthiufa. BTW, Ibrahim Shiham is reputed to be a sodomizer. HRC Saleem one of his victims. Anyone wanna verify this?
June 5, 2009 6:40 AM
I heard Saleem ran after IS begging for it but even IS didn't want to do it with Saleem.