Domestic Violence Act “incomplete” without Family Protection Authority

Members will be next week appointed to the primary body tasked  with implementing the Domestic Violence (DV) Act, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik said on Wednesday. According to Dr Waheed names have been nominated by the Gender Ministry to the Family Protection Authority (FPA) board. “I have been informed that the Gender Ministry has prepared the proposal. So the members will be appointed without further delay,” Waheed said:”Next week”. Under the landmark piece of legislation passed and ratified last April, a seven member board has to be appointed to the FPA. The authority is mandated under the law to...

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Posted in: Health / HIV

Rainbow Maldives

Rainbow is the arc of colors and manifestation of God’s beauty and logic; an illusory hope that keep demise at bay; an assortment of diversity and differences existing in harmony. Locally it is known as vissaradhuni, which can be literally translated as the arrow of rain. And the irony of it all is in that they say straight as an arrow yet rainbow is used throughout the world as a symbol of gay and lesbian pride. The colours of rainbow have a special meaning for me, especially since I live in Maldives and do not have the luxury or the desire to flee the country like many in my situation has done. The spirit in yellow, the celebration...

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Posted in: True Stories

Maldives request Lanka's help to rehabilitate drug addicts

The Maldivian government has requested the government of Sri Lanka to extend support to rehabilitate drug addicts in the Maldives, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) chairman Leisha de Silva Chandrasena said. She said discussions are underway to initiate a programme in this regard and reports on the situation have been sought from the Maldives. The Sri Lankan government is to sign an MoU with the Maldivian government after discussions. "Sri Lanka has extensive experience in rehabilitating drug offenders. Under the President's initiative to eradicate the drug menace, 42,500 persons were arrested in 2011," Police said. According to Police Department reports, most youths are addicted to Ganja and Heroin. Over 200,000 kilogrammes of Ganja, 39,000 kilos of Heroine,18,000 kilogrammes...

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Posted in: Health / HIV,Society

Gayoom calls for Muslim World League assistance to protect national peace, order and faith

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has called for assistance from Islamic Arab countries in developing education and other services in the Maldives, as well to protect the country’s faith by “groups” he alleged are trying to weaken it. Speaking at the Constituent Council of the Muslim World League in Saudi Arabia, Gayoom said that cooperation from Islamic Arab countries would be vital to fight political and economic challenges currently facing the country, according to the Sun Online news service. The former president reportedly claimed that the present economic downturn, a loss of peace and order in the country and...

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Posted in: News

Delays slow implementation of public sex offenders registry

Almost one in seven children of secondary school age in the Maldives have been sexually abused at some time in their lives, according to an unpublished 2009 study on violence against children. Gut-wrenching details of heinous child sexual abuse cases grabbing headlines in the past few years eventually gathered enough public pressure in the Maldive  for the  authorities to pass a law stipulating stringent punishments for sexual predators. Since the passage of “Stringent Punishments for Perpetrators of Sexual Violence Against Children Act’ in 2009, several pedophiles have been incarcerated for 10 to 20 years of...

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Posted in: Society

Hilath's condition improving: ADK

Male: People gathered near the residence of journalist and blogger Ismail Hilath Rasheed as police act on the scene. Hilath was stabbed on the night of June 4, 2012. PHOTO/ IBRAHIM FAID ADK Hospital has revealed that the condition of freelance journalist Ismail Hilath Rasheed who was stabbed in the neck on Monday night, was gradually improving. ADK Managing Director Ahmed Afaal stated that despite Hilath’s improving condition, he was still breathing with the help of a ventilator. Hilath’s father Ahmed Rasheed also reiterated that his son’s health had improved significantly while noting that he was now conscious and communicating...

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Posted in: News

Reporters Without Borders condemns stabbing of Hilath Rasheed: “All the hallmarks of a targeted murder attempt”

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the stabbing of well-known Maldivian journalist and blogger Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed. Rasheed had his throat slashed outside his house in Male’ around 8:15pm on Monday night, and was rushed to ADK Hospital for emergency surgery. Sources at the hospital said that the attack severed his trachea (windpipe), missing a vital artery “by millimetres”, and initially gave him a five percent chance of survival. Hospital staff stabilised Rasheed’s condition around 2:30am on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday evening his condition was said to be improving. An informed source told Minivan...

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Posted in: News

Prominent blogger Hilath Rasheed in critical condition after stabbing

Prominent Maldivian blogger and journalist Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed is in a critical condition after he was stabbed in the neck near his house in Male’ on Monday evening. Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed that Rasheed was stabbed around 8:15pm and was undergoing emergency treatment in ADK hospital. No arrests have been made, “however there is CCTV in the area and we are trying to get something on it,” Haneef stated. Police had cordoned off the area around the blood-stained pavement at time of press. There was on Monday evening no indication as to the motivation of the attack. An informed source at ADK hospital...

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Posted in: News