8 August, 2005 The President extends sympathy to the British Prime Minister on the passing away of the country’s former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Robin Cook

The President has sent a message of sympathy to British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, on learning of the passing away of the country’s former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Robin Cook.

He noted that Mr. Cook was a distinguished statesman who would be remembered for his valuable services to his nation.

In the message, the President extended profound sympathy to Prime Minister Blair, the Government and the people of Britain, and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

8 August, 2005 The President attends the funeral of King Fahd

2 August 2005: The President this evening attended the funeral service of King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia.

Funeral prayers were held at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The service was attended by King Fahd’s successor and half-brother Abdullah, members of the Royal Family, heads of state and dignitaries from across the world and thousands of ordinary Saudis.

At the mosque, President Gayoom met with the new King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, and offered, on behalf of the Government and people of the Maldives, and that of his own, sincere condolences to the King, the members of the Royal Family and the brotherly people of Saudi Arabia.

After funeral prayers were performed, the body of King Fahd was transferred to the al-Oud cemetery, where the late King was buried in the vicinity of his three predecessors, Saud, Faisal and Khaled.

Other world leaders to attend King Fahd’s funeral service include Britain’s Prince Charles, French President Jacques Chirac, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Algerian President Abdelaziz Boutefliqa, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.

President Gayoom met with a number of the visiting leaders during the funeral service.

After the service, King Abdullah met with all the visiting foreign leaders and thanked them for their sincere gesture.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives
12 August, 2005“Global warming is a major environmental threat to Maldives” Says the High Commissioner

High Commissioner with Ms. Lucky Dissanayake

Ms. Lucky Dissanayake, from the Dakini Books, a leading London-based book publishing company met the High Commissioner His Excellency Mr. Hassan Sobir yesterday.

Ms. Dissanayake is preparing a book on the Climate Change of the World, and she is keen to include a section of it to the Maldives, which covers the impact of climate changes. While stressing climate change as one of the most important issue of the 21st century, Ms. Dissanayake’s ambition is to publish her book – covering key issues and visually illustrating the impact that the climate change will have on the planet.

High Commissioner Sobir welcomed the idea of publishing a book on climate change, and thanked Ms Dissanayake for the proposed coverage of the Maldives. High Commissioner also stressed that climate change issues were a major concern and environmental threat for the Maldives.

Ms. Lucky emphasized the beauty of the Maldives, and also expressed her concern for the damages caused to the islands, during the Tsunami disaster in 2004. She has been in Maldives several times.

H.E. Mr. Sobir thanked Ms. Lucky Dissanayake for her interest in the Maldives, especially on environment.

15 August, 2005 The President Extends Condolences to the President of Sri Lanka on Learning of the Assassination of the Country’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar

Male', 13 August 2005: The President this evening telephoned the President of Sri Lanka, Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, and expressed his condolences to her on the assassination of the country’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar.

The President said that he strongly condemned this wanton act of terror, and noted that Mr. Kadirgamar was a great friend of the Maldives. He added that Mr. Kadirgamar was a great statesman who had worked to find a lasting solution to bring peace to the people of Sri Lanka.

Earlier, the President had also sent a message of condolences to the President of Sri Lanka on learning of the assassination of Mr. Kadirgamar. In the message, the President noted that Mr. Kadirgamar was a respected diplomat who had tirelessly worked to foster regional cooperation and international peace.

The President also enquired about the state-of-emergency annoucned in Sri Lanka following the assassination of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar.

Mrs. Kumaratunga sincerely thanked the President for the telephone call and his sincere sentiment at this hour of national mourning in Sri Lanka. She assured the President that all matters related to the state-of-emergency were under control.

The President also informed Mrs. Kumaratunga of yesterday’s disturbance in Male’. He noted that yesterday’s unrest was planned by few persons at the political extremities, and the objective of these people was to incite violence and create unrest in the country. Pointing out that the Political Parties’ Regulation allowed political parties in the country to carry out party activities in a peaceful and organised manner, the President expressed deep concern over the subversive and militant intent of some people operating within the country’s newly-introduced multi-party system.

Mrs. Kumaratunga complimented the President for the sweeping political reforms that he was implementing, and wished him every success in his endeavour to make the Maldives a mature pluralist democracy.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

15 August, 2005 The President today directs concerned authorities to enforce special measures to bring to a halt the disturbances

Male', 14 August 2005: The Cabinet today recommended to the President the implementation of urgent measures to control the current destabilising activities in Male’. Following the recommendation, the President today directed concerned authorities to enforce special measures to bring to a halt the disturbances in Male’.

The President pointed out that mobs had gathered at different locations in Male’, and had created disturbances by throwing stones and projectiles and obstructing security personnel in carrying out their duties. He added that, at the moment, ordinary citizens were therefore living in fear.

The President called on the people to refrain from all such violent activities, and pointed out that it was a collective responsibility to maintain peace and uphold law and order.

Members of the Cabinet highlighted that the Government had a responsibility to take all necessary precautions and measures to ensure public safety and security. Further, they also recommended to the President a number of measures to bring to justice the perpetrators behind these illegal activities.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

17 August, 2005 Government to implement sweeping reforms despite protests: foreign minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed

Male': Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed has told AFP that the government will press ahead with reforms despite political protests that have seen the arrest of more than 100 anti-government activists.

The government will stick to an original schedule to have a fully-fledged democratic system in the nation of 300,000 before the end of 2005, the 41-year-old minister said in an interview in Colombo.

"It is not just a multi-party system we are talking about, but an electoral system, a judiciary and a media that will also go with that," Shaheed said.

He said the government had secured the support of two European experts to set up an electoral system for the former British protectorate which for the first time wants to conduct multi-party parliamentary elections.

Maldives will also for the first time, have independent commissions to run the civil service, the judiciary and to conduct elections, while there will also be an independent press complaints commission, he said.

"We have already fast-tracked the process and judges are being trained, the electoral system is being drawn up," Shaheed said. "This is a tremendous task, but we will have it as the president promised by the end of the year."

Political parties were allowed in the Maldives in June this year in line with reforms promised by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Anti-government demonstrations and protests since the weekend have gripped Male where about a third of the nation's population lives.

Shaheed said about 130 people were in custody by Tuesday morning, including the main opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed who was taken in on Friday.

"We will release him soon if there are no charges against him," Shaheed said before accusing Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of creating trouble and trying to push the country into anarchy.

"We knew they would try to create violence and that is exactly what they did. We have arrested about 130 people by Tuesday morning for creating violence and causing trouble.

"They (the MDP) have no political plan. They have no proper program. All they want to do is to push the country into anarchy. I think the moderates within the MDP are not happy with this situation."

He said dissidents who were for the first time allowed to carry out political activities openly had launched the campaign to demand Gayoom's ouster without offering any political alternative.

"All they say is Gayoom should go. But if Gayoom goes tomorrow, we will have chaos," the minister said. "We want democracy and what we see is that with democracy we can't expect everyone who comes in to be a liberal."

Shaheed was visiting Sri Lanka to attend the funeral of slain Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, whom he described as a top spokesman for South Asia on the international scene.

Kadirgamar was also a close associate of Ibrahim Zaki, a former secretary general of the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Source: Haveeru News

18 August, 2005 The President ratifies the Human Rights Commission Act

The President today ratified the Human Rights Commission Act, which was passed by the People’s Majlis at the fifteenth sitting of the second session on 21 July 2005. Following its ratification, the Act has been published in the Government Gazette.

The Act deals with the establishment of the “Human Rights Commission of the Maldives”, as well as its mandate, responsibilities, powers and governing principles.

Included in the mandate of the Commission are the protection and promotion of human rights in the Maldives, in accordance with the Islamic Shariah, the Constitution and international conventions and agreements related to human rights of which the Maldives is party to. The Commission is also mandated to facilitate and encourage non-governmental organisations promoting human rights in the Maldives.

The Act accords the Commission the authority to function as an independent body, with its own legal status, seal, and right to communicate under its own name. It also grants the Commission the right to hold inquiries and raise charges in its own name.

The Commission consists of seven members, who will be appointed by the President, on the advice of the People’s Majlis, in accordance with Article 5 (b) of the Act. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Commission will be appointed from among the members of the Commission, and these appoints will also be made by the President, on the advice of the People’s Majlis, in accordance with Article 8 (c) of the Act.

The Human Rights Commission Act also defines the responsibilities of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members of the Commission, as well as procedure for appointing and dismissing members of the Commission. Further, the responsibilities and powers of the Commission, and the grounds on which the Commission can exercise its powers are also defined in the Act.

Under the Act, the Commission can only receive and investigate incidents that took place after the date of 1 January 2000.

The Act states that the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson and the members of the Commission have to be appointed, in accordance with the Act, within three months of the date of its ratification. It further states that the Chairperson and members of the “Human Rights Commission of the Maldives” prior to the Act being passed by the People’s Majlis would continue to serve in their capacities until the appointments stipulated by the Act are made.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

18 August, 2005 Mr. Qasim Ibrahim sworn-in as Minister of Finance and Treasury,Mr. Hussain Shihab sworn-in as Minister of State for Arts and Mr. Abdulla Jihad sworn-in as Minister of State for Finance and Treasury

Mr. Qasim Ibrahim was today sworn-in as Minister of Finance and Treasury. Also, Mr. Hussain Shihab and Mr. Abdulla Jihad were sworn-in as Minister of State for Arts and Minister of State for Finance and Treasury, respectively. They took their oaths of office before the President, this morning.

The oaths were administered by the Chief Justice, Sh. Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim.

In a statement made to the Voice of Maldives and Television Maldives after the ceremony, the President welcomed Mr. Hussain Hilmy and Mr. Qasim Ibrahim to the Cabinet, and expressed his confidence that they would serve the country and Government with the ability and dedication. He noted that the new appointments reflected the reaffirmed commitment of the Government to deliver on the priorities of today and to take the Maldives forward in the years to come, with added vigour. He also said that the appointments would boost the implementation of his democratic reform agenda.

In the statement, the President noted the importance of sustaining the current pace of social and economic development in the Maldives. He pointed out that the Government attached a very high priority to maintaining peace and harmony in the country, and to delivering public services with greater efficiency. He added that the people desired for justice to be upheld, and for the country to make greater strides in development.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

24 August, 2005 The President assigns the Commissioner of Elections as the registrar of political parties

The President, by Decree, today assigned the Commissioner of Elections as the registrar of political parties.

The Presidential Decree highlighted the importance of reassigning the mandate of maintaining the registry of political parties to the Commissioner of Elections, who is appointed with constitutional authority. Since the introduction of political parties on 2 June 2005, the registry has been maintained up to now by the Minister of Home Affairs. The Decree stated that the President, with the powers vested in him by Article 42 of the Constitution of the Maldives, had entrusted the responsibility of implementing the “Political Parties Regulations 2005” to the Commissioner of Elections.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

25 August, 2005 TACKLING TERRORISM-BEHAVIOURS UNACCEPTABLE IN THE UK

Reference: 124/2005 - Date: 24 Aug 2005 10:22

Charles Clarke MP

The Government’s ongoing work to tackle terrorism and extremism took another step forward today as the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, published a list of certain types of behaviours that will form the basis for excluding and deporting individuals from the UK.

The list, finalised following a two-week consultation, makes clear that the Home Secretary will use his powers to deport and exclude from the UKthose who engage in these types of behaviour. It makes clear that those who would attempt to foment terrorism or provoke others to commit terrorist acts are not welcome in the UK.

The list of unacceptable behaviours is indicative rather than exhaustive. It covers any non-UK citizen whether in the UKor abroad who uses any means or medium, including:

• writing, producing, publishing or distributing material;



• public speaking including preaching;



• running a website; or



• using a position of responsibility such as teacher, community or youth leader

• foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs;



• seek to provoke others to terrorist acts;



• foment other serious criminal activity or seek to provoke others to serious criminal acts; or



• foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Mr. Don McKinnon has reiterated his support for the President’s reform agenda. He made the statement in a telephone conversation with the President today.

Mr. Don McKinnon praised the initiatives that were being taken by the President, under his reform agenda. He also inquired about the recent disturbances in Male’, and the current situation in the country.

The President thanked Mr. McKinnon for the phone call and for the support and assistance that the Commonwealth was extending towards the reform agenda. He also praised the work being carried out by the Special Envoy of Secretary General McKinnon, Tan Seri Musa Hitam of Malaysia, in strengthening the multi-party system introduced in the Maldives, and the assistance that Tan Seri Hitam was extending towards the implementation of the reform agenda. Speaking on Tan Seri Hitam’s upcoming visit to the Maldives, the President noted the importance of facilitating dialogue between the political parties during the visit.

Speaking on the recent disturbances in Male',the President said that it was a premeditated act, and that he was concerned about the effects that such actions would have on stability and peace in the country. He added that the Government would not tolerate such unlawful actions. The President assured the Commonwealth Secretary General that maximum restraint was exercised by the Government in restoring law and order in Male’ and that normalcy has returned as a result of the steps taken by the Government.

In the telephone conversation, the President expressed his determination to carry forward the reform agenda, and expressed his confidence that the Commonwealth would continue to provide its full support and assistance towards the process.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives
30 August, 2005 The Government welcomes the interest of the UN in the ongoing agenda for democracy, human rights and reform initiated by the Government...

The Government welcomes the interest of the UN in the ongoing agenda for democracy, human rights and reform initiated by the Government. The Statement issued by the UN in the Maldives today highlights the common interest of all stakeholders in taking the reform process forward in a peaceful manner and through dialogue.

The incitement of disturbances since July and the instigation of violence by opposition elements were clearly attempts, through lawlessness and anarchy, to disrupt the steady and rapid progress being made in the implementation of the President’s comprehensive reform agenda.

The Government is committed to meeting international standards of human rights protection and would like to note the collaboration of the Government with UN agencies and the international community in making genuine progress in consolidating human rights standards in the Maldives.

In line with the rapid reform measures taken by the Government over the past several months, the Government is determined to ensure transparency in all matters relating to detainees. It takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously, and remains vigilant in upholding human rights safeguards. Full access to detainees has been given to delegations from ICRC, EU and the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives.

In the spirit of openness and engagement with the international community with which the entire reform process is being carried out, the Government welcomes the interest of the International Commission of Jurists to observe trial proceedings.

The Government is determined that the reform process continue without disruption and that political violence and lawlessness not derail the strident march towards making the Maldives a 21st century democracy.

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives

31 August, 2005 Maldives’ Foreign Minister calls on the Constitutional Assembly to allow direct submissions by national and international NGOs

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed

The Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, today called on the People’s Special Majlis (the Constitutional Assembly) to allow direct submissions to the Majlis by the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), Amnesty International, Human Rights Commission of the Maldives and other national and international NGOs.

Commenting on Dr. Shaheed’s intervention in today’s sitting of the Constitutional Assembly, the Chief Government Spokesman, Mr. Mohamed Hussain Shareef, said:

“Democracy, human rights and the separation of powers are at the heart of the President’s reform agenda, and the ongoing work of the Special Majlis to revise the Constitution is the very backbone of the process. The Government wishes for the reform process to move ahead with full transparency and the participation and support of all stakeholders. The Foreign Minister’s call reflects this commitment.”

“It is imperative that the new Constitution facilitates the establishment of modern democratic institutions and important ‘checks and balances’ to ensure that fundamental rights are upheld. The support and assistance of the international community would ensure that the new Constitution attains the high expectations of the people and the Government. Given that the work of the Special Majlis has not been progressing at the most desirable pace, the input of national and international NGOs would also inject added impetus into the process.”

“With the introduction of political parties in June 2005, the Government is now focusing on establishing necessary institutions to strengthen the pluralist system in the country. They include the introduction of electoral reforms and legislature to strengthen freedom of press, and the full implementation of the five-year criminal justice action plan.”

Source: The President's Office of the Republic of Maldives