Raajje News Blog

#Maldives: Corruption in governments lives on long after the corrupt leader is removed from office. Such is the state of Maldives, after its liberation on February 7th, 2012 from the corrupt administration led by former President Mohamed Nasheed. Even after the national liberation movement that removed the corrupt leader from office, powerful networks of loyalists are left in place that attempt to strangle the resurgence of the independent sovereign state. Eight months after Nasheed's resignation from office, Maldives is still struggling to rehabilitate the fledgling democracy that he raped together with his money hungry partners. The corrupt leader rules through outright bribery, graft and corruption on a far larger scale than comprehensible to the ordinary citizen. The beneficiaries of the corrupt leader's largesse range from multinationals, rich playboys, international networks promoting private agendas, local businesses, party activists, drug dealers and local gangs. Such...

--> #Maldives Police today arrested four persons in relation to the brutal murder of MP and moderate Muslim scholar Dr. Afrasheem Ali. One of the individuals arrested was Mariyam Naifa, a leading activist of ex-President Nasheed’s party, Maldives Democratic Party. Unconfirmed reports in social media state identify a second individual amongst the arrested four to be a member of a gang providing “security” to MDP Interim President “Reeko” Moosa Maniku. A book launched by Nasheed on 10 th September repeatedly attacks Dr. Afrasheem, former Vice President of the Judicial Services Commision (JSC) at the time the majority of the present Judiciary was sworn in, calling him a “traitor” who allegedly subverted the Judiciary. Dr. Afrasheem’s murder comes within hours of Nasheed’s refusal to appear before court in a human rights abuse case against him. Nasheed refused to obey the court, denouncing the Judiciary as political and not to be obeyed. Nasheed, holding a lifetime position as the...

Male', Maldives. The woes of Mohamed Nasheed, Supreme Leader of Maldives Democratic Party, appear to be increasing as the party's senior leadership distance themselves from the violent turn of Nasheed's street rallies. Some members of Nasheed's cabinet and top administrators have left the party. Party President Dr. Ibrahim Didi and senior MPs have appealed to party members not to leave the party but to be patient while they attempt to reform the MDP. Others have highlighted the need for reform within the party, alleging that decisions related to party activities are not taken through due democratic processes. Some MDP MPs have again urged Nasheed to halt street riots and pursue peaceful resolution through Parliament and through the all party Peace Talks. However, two days after Nasheed used his MPs and mobs to successfully suspend Parliament, peace talks between political parties have also been stalled. The three major coalition parties in President Waheed's Nati...

Male’, Maldives. As President Mohamed Waheed completes his first official trip to Addu Atoll, his political opponents claim all Addu Atoll is with them. Addu City Council lent credence to this claim by passing a resolution earlier this week, denouncing the National Unity Government as unconstitutional. President Waheed completed his visit amidst substantial support, significant at a time that Addu is still reeling from arson and vandalism by supporters of Mohamed Nasheed, who resigned from his post as President early this month. Nasheed had even warned President Waheed not to even attempt to step onto Addu soil. Addu is a crucial voting bloc in any elections in the country, a fact evidenced by voting history and acknowledged by all political parties. Unfortunately, Addu has also a dubious reputation of being for sale in any vote. With its distinct dialect and close knit society, Addu has a history of seeking self-recognition, in competition with the more politically powerful Male’...

Male', Maldives. President Waheed this afternoon appointed Tourism Tycoon Mohamed Waheeduddeen (Deen) as his Vice President. Deen, an MDP financier, is a close confidante of ex-President Nasheed who used to host Nasheed every weekend at his private hideaway near Kandooma Resort. Deen was also a Minister for some time in Gayoom's cabinet. He was also part of Dr. Hassan Saeed's New Maldives Movement against Gayoom. Deen's nomination and President Waheed's subsequent statements to media fueled speculation that President Waheed had indeed colluded in "forcing" Nasheed to resign, or if this is a sign of MDP's reconciliation with President Waheed. President Waheed's statements in announcing Deen's nomination appear to point to his active involvement in the events that led to Nasheed's resignation on February 7th. Two key statement made by President Waheed were that, 1) in selecting his VP nominee he had looked for someone who did not aspire...

Male', Maldives. A week after Mohamed Nasheed resigned as President of Maldives, Maldivians are being victimized and their livelihoods put at jeopardy by the countless allegations aired in international press by Nasheed and his supporters. Daily, international press continue to report about various "terrorists" who allegedly pushed Nasheed out of office and even now threaten his life. The first allegations were against the biggest "baddie" of all, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled for 30 years. Next came, Maldivian "Islamist terrorists". Then, it was rich tourist resort owners who didn't want to pay taxes. Today, we are back to "radical" Islam. Terrorism has no single definition worldwide. According to US Law, the term “terrorism” means "premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents". Others define terrorism as the systematic us...

Male', Maldives. In an interesting twist to the clash between President Nasheed's government and the Civic Coalition, MDP Interim Chairperson and corrupt businessman Reeko Moosa Maniku has said that he would never allow Nasheed to even hear out the Civic Coalition demands. Speaking to a small group of MDP hardliners inside the party meeting hall, Reeko Moosa said he would ensure that demands made directly to Nasheed were never heard. He claimed that Civic Coalition demands would only be heard if the demands were sent to MDP, and only those demands that MDP found acceptable would be submitted by the party to President Nasheed. "Any negotiation must be with MDP, not Nasheed or the Government", he said. "If any party or coalition has an issue they want to raise, they must raise it with MDP. They must negotiate with MDP", said Reeko Moosa. These inflammatory statements come within hours after Nasheed's Press Secretary announced that Nasheed would con...

Male', Maldives. Maldives President Nasheed's Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair (Juha) said today that the Nasheed regime will consider the five demands made by the Civic Coalition at yesterday's mass protest against Nasheed and his corrupt Government. Media estimates yesterday's 8 hour civil gathering at Victory Square, Male' at about 20,000 civilians. However, in an effort to play down the largest civil gathering in the country to date, Press Secretary Zuhair estimated the protestors to be a mere 3,000. This gross underestimation could be an indication of the degree of panic in MDP top ranks at the strength of civil opposition to their rule. Zuhair said that the Government requires time to consider the Civic Protest demands as these demands were not specific enough to enable immediate action. In further moves to downplay the significance of yesterday's mass protest against President Nasheed, the MDP Government has been portraying the protest as one of rel...

Male', Maldives. Maldives President Nasheed suffered a humiliating public defeat yesterday in a face off with civic associations and interest groups. In an attempt to challenge the popularity support behind the Civic Coalition, President Nasheed organized a counter rally at the same time in a nearby location. The anti-civic rally hosted by Nasheed was only attended by close kin and cronies, supported by a sprinkling of MDP hardliners, Government Ministers, heads of Government corporations, political appointees in key government positions and party leadership figures. MDP insiders report that many in the MDP leadership had been personally called by Nasheed and their attendance demanded. In contrast, thousands of civilians flocked to the Civil Coalition protest against President Nasheed and his corrupt government. The civic protest lasted 8 hours and showed no signs of diminishing numbers. Civic Coalition leaders disperesed their supporters quickly just after midnight when Nash...

Male', Maldives. 00.00 24th Dec Maldives Civic Protest leaders announce an end to their eight hour peaceful gathering at Victory Square, Male'. This announcement comes amidst threats by President Nasheed's MDP of direct action against civilians and death threats to civic leaders and opposition party leaders. In closure, the protest has called upon President Nasheed to fulfill its demands: immediate removal statues of dieties in Addu, apologize for UNHRC Pillay's baseless attack on Islam, stop sale of alcohol in inhabited islands and close all prostitution houses in Maldives. Protest leaders cautioned that MDP may still instigate violence and arson in the streets, and called upon the hundreds of civilians at its vigil to maintain peace and not to rise to provocation or harassment by MDP. In reply, MDP announced that it would stage a second demonstration tomorrow afternoon.

Male', Maldives. 23.20pm Maldives President Nasheed's militant party, Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), warn peaceful civic protest to disperse within one hour or that they would take direct action. Hardline Interim Chairperson Reekon Moosa Maniku called the civic gathering a revolutionary action and called upon all MDP members to join him in stopping the gathering. However, according to reports from media on site, so far the hundreds of civilians gathered peacefully at Victory Square have not carried out any actions that could be termed as 'revolutionary'. The protestors have raised three demands to President Nasheed, all based on the moderate Islamic stand taken by the civic coalition. MDP supporters at this evening's preparatory meeting for direct action are reportedly calling for the arrest of PPM Leader and Maldives ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim, PPM member and ex-PA Leader Abdulla Yameen, and Adhaalath Party Reli...

Male', Maldives. 11.00 pm. Maldives ruling party, the militant Maldives Democratic Party, is being revved up for a night assault on thousands of civilians gathered at Victory Square, in the capital Male'. Hardline interim Chairperson Reeko Moosa Maniku has called upon MDP supporters to join him in confronting the civilian protesters. Addressing a meeting at the MDP Hall minutes ago, Reeko Moosa Maniku reiterated that MDP must take to the streets to uphold its regime. Reeko Moosa, President Nasheed's nominee for the post, has been the recipient of millions of dollars of Maldivian state funds, under the guise of mega construction projects. Most projects were awarded without bid, advance payments made Moosa Maniku ahead of actual work and none of the projects have been completed. It is widely speculated that a percentage of these funds are pumped back into MDP coffers while the rest is pocketed by Reeko Moosa Maniku, President Nasheed and other MDP leaders participating ...

Male', Maldives. 8.00 pm. Hundreds of Maldivian civilians continue their peaceful protest against President Nasheed and his corrupt government, in Victory Square, in the capital Male'. The Civic Coalition which began at 4pm this afternoon continues to gain in strength and numbers as more and more civilians continue to join the gathering. President Nasheed's attempt to counter the gathering with a gathering of MDP hardliners and family members failed miserably as it failed to draw enough numbers to the meeting point, Artificial Beach. The meeting petered out after Nasheed's address to his followers in which he lambasted the civil leaders and participants at the Civic Coalition Protest. Nasheed quickly dispersed his faithful and disappeared amidst heavy military security. Speculation is rife in the capital that the military will come out in strength if the protest should continue late into the night. In a joint press conference with Police Commissioner Ahmed Fasee...