A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
By Fathmath Isha and Hassan Moosa The asphalt path to Rasrani Bageecha was left damp by the afternoon rain as families trudged across puddles to the newly opened park, drawn by greenery and open space ensconced from Malé’s heavy traffic. Thousands have visited Sultan Park since its reopening late August but one group of residents of the […]
The Elections Commission has declared that MP Abdulla Ahmed has been stripped of his seat following his expulsion from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives. The electoral body informed parliament Tuesday that the MP for the Thinadhoo North constituency has lost his seat due to the Supreme Court’s anti-defection ruling, the state broadcaster reported. The […]
Winners of flats under the previous government’s Veshi Fahi Malé social housing programme have been told by the state-owned Housing Development Corporation to secure loans before a deadline of October 15. The HDC’s announcement last Tuesday came after complaints about delays in introducing a new affordable housing loan scheme devised by the central bank to help make […]
The Maldives has condemned the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and ceased all trade ties with the country. Citing “systematic repression” of the minority group as documented in the past by the UN, the Maldives expressed concern with “the recent cycle of violence that resulted in the death of dozens of Rohingya Muslims and displaced […]
Lawyers representing Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim have slammed the failure of the authorities to allow the convicted opposition lawmaker to seek medical treatment overseas as ordered by the criminal court. Despite assurances from Home Minister Azleen Ahmed last week that medical leave will be authorised within days, the Attorney General’s office appealed the part of Gasim’s […]
Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s invitation to a New Delhi conference sponsored by the Indian foreign ministry is a signal of dissatisfaction with the Maldivian government, the exiled opposition leader told the Indian press. “I’m a convict and I was sentenced to 13 years in jail for terrorism. And yet, I’ve been invited to India. There […]
The opposition has launched a social media campaign urging Bollywood superstar Sir Amitabh Bachchan to cancel an upcoming trip to the Maldives. The legendary actor is scheduled to speak at the annual session of the World Health Organisation’s regional committee for Southeast Asia due to begin on September 6 at the Paradise Island Resort near Malé. Bachchan […]
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has urged the security forces to stop the electoral body from holding parliamentary by-elections in six constituencies, a move he contended would be in defiance of an ambiguous Supreme Court decision. Speaking at a rally of the four-party opposition coalition Monday night, Gayoom said the Elections Commission was acting in […]
The former chief judge of the criminal court has accused the police of withdrawing security for his family after he threatened to expose “the evil-doing of ignorant tyrants”. “If you think that taking away the security of my wife and children would scare me you are mistaken. Come kill me if you have the guts,” Judge […]