Teachers To Strike On July 1

Teachers in Malé and the atolls will strike for an indefinite period of time starting on July 1 if authorities do not give official confirmation of a pay rise.
Speaking at the meeting one of the organizers of the protest expressed his discontent over how the government treated the teachers and said that the government was liable to improve the condition of the teachers by adopting fair compensation practices that were in alignment with the current economic situation of the country. He further said that the teachers would not accept below market rate wages that were part of a framework that was implemented two years ago.
At an Association for Teachers Link meeting on Friday, more than 400 teachers passed a resolution to strike if government does not promise an immediate pay rise. Leaders of the group estimate over 800 may take part in total.

Education minister Zahiya Zareer told parliament on Wednesday it was now up to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to raise salaries.

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Dangerous Road Accident In Male’

A speeding car heading west to south on Lainoofaru Magu lost control and hit a wall of a mosque on the road, and then hit another two vehicles in a very dangerous accident that occurred at around 2300 hours on last Tuesday. According to Maldives Police Services investigation so far revealed that when the car backed away from the wall it hit another car and a motorcycle also travelling west to south on Lainoorafu Magu.

Police officers on the scene discovered a coke bottle and a branded Vodka bottle containing liquid substance suspected to be alcohol in the boot of the car which hit the wall. Also found were empty cans suspected to have contained beer. The driver of the car, 34-yearold Hassam Adam of Kudhimaage in A.A. Feridhoo has been taken into Police custody reports Police.

Various damages were caused to the other car and the motorcycle involved in this accident.

The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Unit, Criminal Investigation Department and the Traffic Police reports Maldives Police Service.

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Two Men Arrested For Alleged Beating Of Bangladeshi Workers

Two men were arrested on Gaaf Alif Dhevvadhoo for allegedly beating two Bangladeshi constructions workers hired by them over a course of months, it has emerged.

Police are currently investigating the case after the two workers told the island office several times they had mistreated and had requested to return home but been refused.

Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi High Commission says it had not been informed of the case but there is “nothing it can do”. The men are currently in police protective custody.

Reports of ill-treatment of expatriate workers are not uncommon in the Maldives, which employs 72,000 foreigners, the majority of which work in the construction industry.

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State Lawyers Strike over Pay and Security

State lawyers are on strike citing low wages and lack of security as they continue to receive death threats lawyers staying at home stated today.

The state attorneys working in the Attorney General’s office did not go to work today despite being aware that it would bring the operation of AG office to a standstill. The reason for their decision is that in spite of expressing their dissatisfaction over pay and the death threats they continue to receive nothing has been done to address their concerns according to the lawyers.

The concerns raised by the lawyers while talking included harassment they face when they represent state in high profile drug cases, lack of appreciation by the government for their work, lack of sufficient number of lawyers in AG office at a time their work has substantially increased in addition to the many death threats they receive.

The lawyers believe that the reason for inadequate staff force in AG office is the low pay. They have also raised their concerns over pay to the Civil Service Commission which according to the lawyers is not in a position to help although they had promised an allowance for the lawyers which is yet to materialize.

According to information we have there are 18 lawyers in the AG office who represent state in courts.

The lawyers plan to continue the strike and stay at home tomorrow as well and when asked when they will be back at work the lawyers did not specify a date. They are aware that at least 4 government institutions will go to a standstill because of their action but insisted the purpose of the strike was far from making the government suffer but to make it consider and appreciate their hard work.

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The story of the Island Chief who locked his daughter in a cell

Despite this story is unbelievable, it is a lucid true fact. It is the story of Tha.Kinbidhoo Island Chief Mohamed Ibrahim, who locked his daughter in a cell for over fourteen years.

According to the words from the island, it is deduced that the girl was locked in a 10ft cell in the house. Furthermore, it is said that this place is very poor in hygiene, due to the human waste and rotten food. It is also said that there is a well in this room and that food is being served to this girl under the door, yet it is not been checked whether she had consumed the food or not. Moreover, someone who witnessed the conditions quiet close said that girl was in poor hygiene, covered in blood (assumed to be due to periods).

In this bargain, it is said that this girl suffers from a mental disorder to some extent, yet not was very bad when the community saw her about fourteen years ago and also attended a school as well. Moreover, it is also said that the girl was locked up in the house when she started a relationship with a similar boy, and because, it was feared that the girl might get pregnant. Later on, six years ago the girl was shifted to a separate sell in the house. In addition to this, it is said that the girl is now around thirty years, and yet her physical developments are not of the age.

Now the case is being under investigation by the police and the Gender Ministry. It is said that the girl had been taken to treatment and that now she is taken into the house as well. However, when the Human Rights Commission was asked about the case, they said that they are not in light about such a fact and yet they are moving onto immediate action regarding the case.

Then arises, the question why the islanders had hidden the case all these years. It was answered by an islander stating that the Island Chief exercised his rule with great power and now even, he is warning banishment to the personal who had reported the case to the respective bodies.

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Reporter who attended Chikaa’s trial assaulted by gang

A reporter who attended the hearing of Ibrahim Naafiz (Chikaa) on Tuesday was assaulted by some gang members as he was going back to office after the trial. Chikaa is on trial facing drug possession charges and for being in possession of a deadly weapon.

The reporter from Minivan News, Ismail Hassan, said on Wednesday that he was not really sure why the group had attacked him but that he had received various threats on previous occasions. He was assaulted on Aaburuzu Magu, he said, while on the way home from the trial.

According to Ismail, there were around six men in the group that attacked him and they were all on motorcycles. He said that one of the riders had crashed his motorcycle into Ismail and then the others had rushed in started beating him up. Ismail however escaped with no injuries.

“I was on the way home from the trial when the man on the motorcycle crashed into me,” he said. “Then several people from all around rushed over and began beating me. There were some people in the area who were trying to stop them. At that moment I ran away and they even chased me but I was saved when another motorcycle got between me and them.”

Ismail said that he had reported the attack to the Maldives Media Association.

Another reporter from Miadhu News was also confronted by a group of people and given a warning. The reporter said that they had said that “he published lies” and warned that he would be beaten up.

The groups that had conducted organized attacks and been responsible for the serial violence that had occurred in Male’ a few months back had held a press conference recently in which they had promised an end to the violence.

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Drug lord Hameed receives life sentence

Abdul Hameed Abdul Samad one of biggest drug dealers in the country has been sentenced to life by the criminal court.

The court ruling also ordered government to confiscate all his assets over charges of trafficking in November’s 2.18 kilogram heroin haul.

The According to Judge Moosa Mohamed’s ruling Hameed’s assets which included a motorcycle, a car, a garment shop, a launch, a house (Ma. Hasnavilla), VI Engineering Workshop and monies in his accounts at Habib Bank and Bank of Maldives are to be confiscated.

Based on Hameed’s statement given to police whilst in their custody, the Judge Moosa Mohamed ruled Hameed was guilty of drug trafficking and plotting to bring drugs into the Maldives through a Pakistani called Azmath Khan.
At court Hameed had pleaded not guilty to the charges. He said his confessions were obtained after prolonged period of sleep deprivation. According to his statements given to police Hameed confessed to receiving a phone call from an unidentified source in Malaysia which asked to him to collect the 2.18 kg of drugs from Azmath Khan. Hameed also confessed going to the guest where Azmath Khan stayed to collect the drugs but did not enter after seeing two police officers. However on the first day of the hearing Hameed withdrew his statement saying that it was forced out of him through sleep deprivation.

Hameed is the fourth person who has been given life sentence. Azmath Khan, Ahmed Arif Waheed and Ibrahim Habeeb, who aided in the transfer of the drugs from Azmath Khan to other dealers, were sentenced to life for drug trafficking earlier.

Mohamed Shafeeg, the customs officer who ordered junior officers not to search the baggage, at the airport was acquitted. However Attorney General’s office has informed that courts decision is to be appealed at the High Court. 4 police officers have also been charged with accepting bribes to give false evidence in the case.

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Police arrests in Kulhudhuffushi after they chased out minister

Kulhudhuffushi - The Minister of Environment, Ahmed Abdulla, who is the MP for HDh Atoll, was last night chased out of the capital island by residents, claiming he hadn't done anything for them as their MP and that he had failed to deliver other basic services to the island under his ministry. The crown reportedly mobbed him out of the island. There are now reports that the police have arrested a number of people from the island in connection to this incident. There are reports that more than 20 people have already been arrested by the police so far.

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Foreign doctor working in Meedhoo in Addu Atoll attacked with a sharp weapon

A foreign doctor working in Meedhoo in Addu Atoll has been attacked and wounded with a sharp weapon at around 2200 hours last night, an assault which has left a 6-inch deep wound on his shoulder in addition to various other injuries. He was attacked at the front door of his residence.Addu Atoll office has arrested 3 people in connection with his assault. They are Liyaa Saamir of Aazilaa in S. Meedhoo, Massood Abdullah of Paris in S. Meedhoo and an under-18-yearold.The case is being investigated by the Serious and Organised Crime Unit and Addu Atoll Police Station of Maldives Police Service.

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Blaze destroys large part of auction market area

The market area behind the Male’ garbage disposal area where auction items are kept caught fire around 12:00am this morning.The Police and firefighters arrived at the scene minutes after the fire was reported and began to douse the flames with water. While the firefighters battled the blaze, some civilians at the scene and Policemen tried to save some of the items in the area that hadn’t caught fire yet. Some of the objects removed from the market included gas canisters. Explosions were also heard as the fire roared higher and thick smoke filled the sky. Firefighters pumped seawater from the nearby harbor onto the flames as they struggled to bring the fire under control.By 12:19am the fire had spread to the entire market and the efforts of the firefighters, aided by civilians, seemed not to matter. Many other civilians gathered in the area to watch the scene. Half an hour after the fire had begun, the fire had spread to some parts of the ‘kuni koshi’ (waste disposal area), according to a Haveeru reporter at the scene.By 12:45am the firefighters had broken down the gate to the market area, which is surrounded by a wall of corrugated steel sheets. Loud explosions were still being heard at the heart of the flames.The fire was finally brought under control around 1:45am but isolated fires that continued to burn were finally doused near dawn, around 4:00am. A large part of the auction market had been destroyed by then. The full extent of the damages is not yet known.The new auction market area had been made after the earlier auction centre had been destroyed in a fire on 2 February, 2005. Source: www.haveeru.com.mv

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Attorney General Returns Violence Cases To Police Following Gang Press Conference

The attorney general’s office (AGO) has returned 16 assault and murder cases to police for further investigation, following a press conference by gang leaders in which they declared “peace” and co-operation with authorities.The cases, involving a total of 46 suspects, include those of ten men accused in two recent gang-related murders.According to the AGO, the state now hopes to seek “more evidence” from gang members on the cases – though it could not confirm all the cases had actually been incomplete.But Hassan Saeed, attorney general until last August, said he did not expect to see the cases returned to the AGO. “This is a deal to drop all the charges in exchange for supporting the DRP [government’s Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party] in the [presidential] elections,” he said.

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Man arrested for drugs offence shows disobedience and bites a policeman

Yousuf Naeem of M. Maimagumatheege, arrested in the night of the 25th of May for a drugs offence, has shown violent disobedience to the Police and bitten a policeman causing visible injury. The arrest came when the Police received information of drug consumption in his room at which point the room was checked and officers recovered a plastic packet containing suspected illicit drugs. In custody, he was tested positive for opiates.Police records show that Yousuf Naeem was previously arrested on 10 occasions in relation to different offences. This includes an arrest for a drugs offence in March 2008, an arrest for stealing a motorcycle in 2006, an arrest for a drugs offence in 2005, an arrest made after the discovery of goods stolen from Sonee Hardware Store in his room in 2004, an arrest in 2001 for a claim of monetary fraud during his employment in C.D.C., an arrest for alcohol consumption during his employment in Twinkle Store in 1998, two arrests in 1997 for breaking house-arrest and committing a drugs offence, an arrest in 1997 for driving a vehicle without a license, an arrest for being disobedient towards the Police in 1994, and an arrest made in connection with a drugs offence in 1993.

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Diva Island strike ends after management agrees to demands

The strike by the Maldivian employees working at Diva Island ended last Thursday after management of the resort agreed to rehire the three employees they had fired. The local staff working at the resort allege that the three staff members had been fired due to their involvement in the petition that had been forwarded to the President’s Office and other relevant Government authorities accusing the management of discriminating against local employees.An employee from the resort said that the strike had ended after some employees had met with officials from Tourism Ministry, Labour Ministry, and the Management of Diva Resort. The meeting had ended with the Management agreeing to the conditions proposed by the local employees.“We all met and discussed the problem to find a solution,” the employee, who requested that he remain anonymous, said. “The Government officials told the resort management that they could not fire anyone without a reason. They also told the management to take back the fired employees and to accept the demands made by the local employees.”Over 80 local employees took part in the strike at the resort managed by a Mauritius-based company.

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Staff Strike At Diva Island Resort

More than 60 Maldivian resort employees at newly-opened Diva Island Resort have been on strike for 48 hours after three workers were fired when staff petitioned over conditions, it has emerged.Staff say the management at the foreign-owned resort – previously known as White Sands – unfairly dismissed the three following workers’ demands for better accommodation, salaries and food.They are now refusing to return work unless the resident manager resigns and the employees are re-instated, they say, alleging up to 20 tourists were re-routed to a different resort yesterday as a result of the strike. On 2nd June – five days after a negotiation meeting where management agreed to improve conditions – the contracts of three members of staff were terminated.The meeting was held between representatives from the Naiade resort management, five staff representatives, and officials from the tourist ministry, following complaints from staff and a signed petition. Those from the tourist ministry said the Mauritius-based company should reach an agreement, but that no employees should be removed from their jobs as a result of the dispute, according to one staff member.

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Police return ‘kidnapped’ baby to mother

Maldives Police Service retrieved and returned a seven-month-old baby to its mother after the father of the child had forcefully taken the child away from its mother. The baby had been with the mother in Haa Alifu atoll Thakandhoo when the father, who is from Mulhadhoo in the same atoll, had forcefully snatched the child away and taken the child to Mulhadhoo.A Police Media Official said that the father had taken the baby away last Thursday and that the Police had gone to Mulhadhoo the same day to return the baby to its mother. The official said that the father had tried to obstruct the Police from retrieving the baby and even after repeated requests the father had not handed over the baby, forcing the Police team to restrain the father with handcuffs.“Even after repeated warnings he refused to comply and so we were forced to restrain him,” the official said. “He was taken to the Dhidhdhoo Police Station and released with a warning.”The Island Chief of Mulhadhoo said that when the Police had arrived to take the baby back to its mother a large crowd had gathered in the area to watch. However, he said, nothing ‘unusual’ had happened there that day.

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41-yearold arrested by Hulhumale’ Police Station in suspicion of abusing and selling drugs

A 41-yearold man has been arrested by Hulhumale’ Police Station in suspicion of abusing and selling drugs. He has been identified as Ali Khaleel of H. Lobby, Senior Water-pump Operator Grade 2 at Male’ International Airport.He was arrested at around 2115 hours last night in the water supply area of the Airport. When checked by the Police, he was in possession of 28 plastic packets containing suspected illicit drugs. 3 of these packets were in his hand. The other 25 packets were found in the room he inhabited at the Hulhule’ staff quarters. In addition to drugs, the Police recovered paraphernalia and kits used by drug handlers.The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department and Hulhumale’ Police Station of Maldives Police Service.

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