Raajje News Blog

#Maldives: Fresh reports on social media state that Mariyam Naifa, a senior MDP activist, paid three gang members to murder MP Dr. Afraasheem Ali. All four arrested are front line members of former President Nasheed's party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Dr. Afraasheem has been the target of former President Nasheed and his party leaders while serving as Vice President of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). Days before his murder, Nasheed launched a book by a close friend and MDP Activist Aishath Velezinee which denounces Dr. Afraasheem as deliberately obstructing justice, subverting the Judiciary, and undermining the Constitution. Nasheed is currently running from the law, refusing to appear before the court in a human rights case brought against him by the country's independent Prosecutor General. Dr. Afraasheem belonged to the party headed by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Progressive Party of Maldives. He was found violently hacked to death a few days ago, ...

#Maldives: Ex-President Nasheed and his militant party Maldives Democratic Party last week declared a ban on all courts of Maldives, in response to the scheduled start of human rights case against Nasheed. MPs and leading individuals of Nasheed's party are also currently facing charges ranging from terrorism, corruption, arson, vandalism, theft, pillaging and slander. Nasheed, together with four others, is being presecuted by the Prosecutor General for the illegal and unconstitutional arrest of the Chief Judge of the Criminal Court in January this year. Judge Abdulla Mohamed was arbitrarily arrested by the Military and held in solitary confinement upon Nasheed's orders as President and Commander in Chief. The Judge was released by incoming President Waheed after the transfer of power on February 7th upon Nasheed's voluntary resignation as President. During his tenure as President, Nasheed locked down the Supreme Court of the country using military personnel. He also abo...

Male', Maldives. Dear Vice President Dr. Waheed, Firstly, welcome to the Maldivian struggle for human rights and freedom from oppression. Your interview to AP and your blog today maybe a little too late and a little too self serving, but it does add weight to the protest we Maldivians have been engaging in from November 11, 2008 when you stepped into power one step behind President Mohamed Nasheed. Secondly, please do not trivialize the daily struggle of the Maldivian Youth by decrying their efforts. No. We have been protesting since 11 November 2008 against the human rights violations by the regime in which you share and which you worked to put into place, against the poverty and economic degradation brought about by policies and programs run by the Cabinet in which you sit, and the reversal of democracy that you and your colleagues have propagated. Thirdly, it is with great disappointment but no great surprise that we note that the level of your protest against President ...

Male', Maldives. President Nasheed today launched a third prong in his takeover bid of the independent Judiciary that was established under the new constitution brought in ex-President Gayoom as part of his Reform Agenda. President Nasheed today led a rally of his militant party Maldives Democratic Party (MDP), at which MDP Vice President Alhan Fahmy announced that he would be leading an MDP protest group to confront Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and the rest of the Supreme Court tomorrow. Alhan Fahmy declared that the objective of the protest would be to show Chief Justice Faiz that he had failed in his duties, and to demand action by the Judicial Services Commission against Criminal Court Senior Judge Abdulla Mohamed. Judge Abdulla has been incarcerated by the military and held incommunicado against his will since 16th January 2012. He has not been brought before a court of law since his forced detention. The protest, led by Alhan Fahmy, is in support of a letter to the...

Male', Maldives. President Nasheed has played what he hoped was his trump card against the December 23rd civic protesters. In a twin play, Nasheed stated that he would not ask UNHRC N. Pillay to apologize for her blasphemous attack on the Qur'an, timing it with the start of a program of "free" health care for all Maldivians. The equation he offered the thousands of Maldivians who protested against his regime was: Accept blasphemy against Islam, and receive "free" health care. Its interesting to follow the Nasheed Government's logic in the Assandha medical program. It begins with a sale of national assets to foreign interests. This is accompanied by inflationary government budgets and huge national debt. The two together then form the justification for a revised foreign exchange rate and its basis. The rising dollar is followed closely by the introduction of GST. GST is then almost doubled, squeezing the impoverished economy dry. GST earnings are then...

Male', Maldives. The Nasheed Presidency, now into its 4th year, was rocked to its foundations by the scale of the civic protest against it on December 23rd, 2011. Media estimate that over 20,000 civilians participated in the peaceful protest held at Victory Square, Male', under the aegis of a Civic Coalition of over 90 civic associations and interest groups. While bickering opposition leaders scramble to take steering wheel of the civic protest into their hands, President Nasheed has relied on his military to maintain his grip on the presidency. On the sidelines of military interference in civic affairs, Nasheed's cronies in his militant party (Maldives Democratic Party, MDP) and his Cabinet, continue to throw up various smokescreens in the public eye. Nasheed's military made a decisive entry into the civic forum hours prior to the Civic Protest, by sending intimidatory directives to all media, threatening to close down all media outlets which air anti-government...

Male', Maldives The historical civic protest in the Maldives on December 23rd, 2011 saw an escalation of President Nasheed's intimidatory tactics against free media in the country. Under Nasheed's direct order as Commander in Chief of the Maldives Military, the Military had sent a written warning to all free media, warning against the airing of anti-government demonstrations. The military warning was received by all media channels and print media just hours prior to the mass gathering at Victory Square to protest against President Nasheed and his corrupt Government. A few days prior to the protest, Maldives Police arrested Ali Ahsan, web designer and online news editor, for creating a website which provided updated news on the upcoming Civic Protest. In further actions against free media, President Nasheed shutdown Maldives youth website www.mvyouth.net on the day of the Civic Protest, in a move to stifle dissenting voices against his corrupt government. The websi...

Male', Maldives. Adhaalath Party leader Shaikh Imran Abdullah and Chief Spokesperson Shaikh Mohamed Shaheem were attacked by a gang of thugs at Victory Square earlier this afternoon. The two Shaikhs, respected leaders in the Maldivian community, had given stirring speeches to the gathered masses at the Civic Protest against President Nasheed on December 23, 2011. Both Shaikhs had strongly challenged the legitimacy of several of President Nasheed's actions, terming these anti Islamic and illegal. Maldives Civic Protest on December 23rd was the largest the country had seen to date, with an estimated 20,000 civilians participating in the 8 hour peaceful protest against President Nasheed and his corrupt government. The protest has sent shivers up the regime and its militant party, with party interim Chair Reeko Moosa Maniku calling for direct action against protestors and the arrest of all leaders of the Civic Coalition and opposition parties. Dhiislam.com reports that both...

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. As events pan out 24 hours after the biggest civic protest in the history of the Maldives, many wonder whether the organizing coalition of the December 23rd protest could be a serious challenge to Mohamed Nasheed's Presidency. Media estimates that over 20,000 civilians participated in the 8 hour protest at Victory Square, Male', against President Nasheed and his corrupt government. Although prior to the protest, the Civic Protest leaders consistently reiterated that there was no political motivation or objective in the protest, individual leaders made several references to political objectives during their addresses to the thousands of civilians gathered at their call. Speaking to thundering applause by the protesters, Shaikh Ilyas Hussain stated that politics and religion cannot be separated. The very thought of making such a separation is a though to weaken and destabilize religion, he said. Sheikh Ilyas Hussain, a youthful and charismatic orator, is...

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. 10.20 pm Maldives Civic Protest demands that President Nasheed remove SAARC statues in Addu within one hour or face the consequences of a change in the direction of the protest. Statues erected by the Nasheed regime ahead of the November SAARC summit sparked riots in the country, as images of demi-gods of other religions were publicly displayed in Maldives for the first time in history. Removal of these statues is one of three demands made by Civic Protest earlier this evening. Hundreds of civilians continue their vigil well into the night as the Maldives Civic Protest continues without abatement. Civic leaders and leading figures and MPs of major opposition parties continue to address the civic gathering, to vocal cheering and support. Gasim Ibrahim, Leader of Jumhooree Party and MP, called on the gathering to maintain peace and to withstand provocation by unruly MDP elements. He stated that peaceful protest is a right. Deputy Leader of Progressive Party o...

Male', Maldives. 8.40 pm Maldives President Nasheed orders riot police to crack down on peaceful civic gathering at Victory Square, in the capital Male'. Media on site report that riot police, present in great numbers at Victory Square since mid afternoon, are preparing to move into the large gathering. The civilian gathering is currently estimated to number over 12,000 strong, the largest such civil protest in the Maldives to date. Nasheed's order comes minutes after protest leaders air the demands on the gathering. Announce by Sheikh Imran, the gathering has two demands: 1) removal of all statues erected for the SAARC Summit in November 2011; and 2) an apology by President Nasheed to the Maldivian people for UNHRC Pillay's anti-Muslim comments in the Maldives a few weeks ago. The rationale given for the latter demand is that Ms. Pillay visited the Maldives on Nasheed's invitation. Protest leaders announced that if these demands were not met, the meeting at...

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...

Male', Maldives, 4.05pm. The anti-civic protest organized by President Nasheed's ruling party, Maldives Democratic Party, against the civilian protest organized by civic associations and interest groups has begun at the Artificial Beach, Male'. However, Haveeru News reports that President Nasheed is not yet in attendance. Nasheed had said publicly that he would lead the MDP protest. Media reports indicate high numbers of civilians in attendance at the civil protest. More civilians are streaming to the site, in spite of military road blocks. They also report strong military and police presence in riot gear at the protest site. More updates coming up.

Male', Maldives. 3.50 pm Maldives Civil Protest against President Nasheed and his corrupt government gains momentum as civilians continue to gather at the "Tsunami monument" on the South eastern corner of the capital, Male'. Police and Military Forces have cordoned off the area and have blocked all roads leading to the rally site. Civil protests in the Maldives have been marked by police brutality during the Nasheed regime. Organizers of today's protest have called upon all participants to maintain peace at all costs during the protest. They have requested civilians not to respond to harassment or incitement by anti-civic elements led by Nasheed's party, Maldivian Democratic Party. protest leaders have also called upon Maldives Police Service and Defence Forces not to incite civilians by heavy handed tactics during the course of the protest. Municipal Councils in various islands are also reported to have stepped up actions against civil protestors in the...