Japan provides 380 m yen as food aid grant

Japanese government has decided to provide 380 million Japanese Yen (approximately Rf. 49 million) as food aid grant to the Maldives. The Exchange of Notes between the Governments of Japan and Maldives was signed on March 19, 2009 at the Embassy of Japan in Colombo foreign ministry has revealed.

Charge’d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan accredited to Maldives Kaoru Shimazaki, signed the Exchange of Notes on behalf of the government of Japan and Maldives High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Ali Hussain Didi, signed on behalf of the Maldives Government. For the implementation of the Food Aid, a Grant Agreement was also signed between the Government of Maldives and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The agreement was signed on behalf of the Maldives government by Ali Hussain Didi, Maldives High Commissioner and by Chief JICA Representative Dr. Atsushi Kaneko.

Food aid provided under grant aid scheme by the Government of Japan which will be utilized to purchase wheat flour plays a vital role in ensuring food security in the Maldives. Owing to the fact that land suitable for agriculture in the Maldives is less than 10 percent of the total land area all of the country’s staple food, including wheat flour, is imported. For the past 7 years, the wheat flour made available under this grant is approximately 30 percent of the total flour consumed in the Maldives.

The Government of Maldives sells the wheat flour to the general public through an agent, and the proceeds (equivalent to at least two thirds of the value) are utilized for economic and social development projects in the Maldives.

The Government of Japan has been providing food aid to the Maldives annually since 1981. Apart from food aid, the Government of Japan also extends assistance towards socio-economic development of the Maldives, such as construction of Seawall around Male’, Schools in Male’ and other islands as well as rehabilitation of Tsunami affected islands.

Maldives plans $3b investments

Dubai: The Maldives Tourism office is attracting investors to develop 60 of its exotic islands in projects worth $3 billion.

Dr Ahmad Ali Sawad, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said the government is focusing on four main areas, including facility development, training, medium-grade resorts and the diversification of tourism products such as eco-tourism to support the country's development.

"Since the 1980s, after entrepreneurs started entering the country, we experienced a steady rise in tourism, which has now become a major factor contributing to the economy," said Sawad.

In developing the islands within the next few years, smaller communities will be able to thrive and sustain themselves. At least 9,000 extra bed spaces will be developed, hundreds of jobs will be created and community-based tourism will help preserve local culture and heritage. Development of its international airport at Hulhule is also expected to improve capacity and services.

Although the Maldives is fundamentally considered to be a luxury high-end destination, Sawad believes catering to the average traveller will boost the tourism industry further.

"Let's face it: we are in a crisis at the moment during which time outgoing traffic is slowing down," he said "However, we feel we have a unique offering and will focus more on small and medium accommodation to cater to budget travellers."

Promotional campaigns that aim to attract a higher number of visitors from the Middle East will also be put into place soon. At the moment, travellers from the region make up less than two per cent, with the highest number of travellers being from the UK. That group is followed by Italy, Germany and China and Russia.

"It is as good a time as any to attract more Middle Eastern travellers when a substantial number of routes are offered," added Sawad.

"Still, we are looking at better access to the region through further direct routes, applying consistent exposure and a marketing campaign that pushes brand awareness."

The government foresees that with a rise in visitor numbers, there will be a huge demand for a more efficient transport system linking the islands.

DRP won 28 parliamentary seats, while the ruling party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was able to secure 26 seats

The main opposition, Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP) has secured most number of seats in the historic parliamentary elections held on Saturday, according to Provisional Results announced by the Elections Commission on Tuesday night.

DRP won 28 parliamentary seats, while the ruling party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was able to secure 26 seats. DRP allied People’s Alliance (PA) won 7 seats and Dhivehi Qaumee Party won 2 seats. Jumhoory Party, the party of the billionaire politician Qasim Ibrahim, won just one seat. The Provisional Results shows that the coalition of DRP and PA won 35 seats and is more likely to succeed in forming a majority voting bloc with the support of independent candidates.

However, 39 seats are needed to secure a majority voting bloc in the 77 seat parliament formed under the revised constitution ratified on August 2008. As such no party has won a clear cut majority and the fight for the independent candidates has become more crucial than ever in determining where the balance of power will lie, as both parties will now lobby hard to get them in order to secure a majority voting bloc.

According to the Provincial Results, 7 out of 11 seats of Male’ went to MDP while the other 4 seats went to DRP. In Addu atoll, out of the 6 parliamentary seats, DRP secured 2 seats, MDP 3 seats and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) one seat. In Ha atoll, out of the 5 parliamentary seats allocated to the atoll, MDP won 4 seats while DRP won one seat. Out of the 4 parliamentary seats of Raa atoll, 3 seats went to DRP and the other seat went to an Independent candidate. DRP also secured the 2 seats of Alif Alif atoll and 2 seats of Vaavu atoll. 4 parliamentary seats of Laamu atoll went to PA and 2 seats of Meemu atoll also went to PA. 2 seats of Dhaalu atoll was secured by Independent candidates.

When the new parliament convenes, the first and fore most would be appointing top officials to the independent institutions. In most cases, names are proposed by the president, which is then endorsed by parliament. This would be daunting task for the government, without a parliamentary voting majority.

Speaking to media on Sunday, Deputy Leader of DRP, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has said his party is confident of winning majority of seats in parliament. Thasmeen, who won the Baa atoll Kendhoo seat, said initial results show that the combined victories of DRP, People’s Alliance (PA) and the party’s endorsed independent candidates will give his party a majority.

President Nasheed: Democracy was victorious in general elections

The Parliamentary elections held in Maldives last Saturday proved an important exercise towards consolidating democracy in the Maldives, President Mohamed Nasheed has said. He made the statement in a press release issued by the President’s Office on Wednesday and added that democracy was therefore the victor in the general elections.

Noting that the arresting of key political figures for politically motivated reasons during periods of regime change and elections in the past had been the biggest obstruction for establishing good governance, the President expressed his pleasure for having been able to hold the parliamentary elections without recourse to such actions.

President Nasheed also noted that the general elections showed that the confidence of the people and opposition parties in multiparty democracy had increased. He therefore thanked and congratulated the people for their participation in the process and underlined the fact that key figures from the opposition had contested in the elections, which demonstrated such confidence and trust in the democratic system. He also congratulated the DRP and PA for their success.

Highlighting that the Saturday’s parliamentary elections were the most free and fair elections held so far in the Maldives, President Nasheed assured that the government would facilitate opposition parties to fulfill their important role in democratic politics.

In the media release, President Nasheed also congratulated the Maldivian Democratic Party and noted that elections showed the public support for MDP had increased since the runoff of the presidential election last October when it contested in an alliance.

President Nasheed further said that he believed the results of the elections showed the level of confidence that the people have in multiparty political system. The President said that the government would continue with development projects in an equitable manner without discrimination in respect of different political affiliations.

Results of the first ever multi party election held in the Maldives on the 9th of May 2009.

The Maldives Election Commission has revealed the results of the first ever multi party election held in the Maldives on the 9th of May 2009.

The results saw Opposition DRP winning 28 seats and its partner party PA winning 7 seats. The MDP won just 25 seats, while the independent candidates took 13 among themselves, followed by DQP winning 2 seats and JP winning one.

Here is a list of the winning candidates according to Party order.

Opposition DRP

1. D03 Velidhoo: Ali Mohamed (DRP) - 1,160
2. E01 Alifushi: Mohamed Nashizu (DRP) - 828
3.E02 Ungoofaru: Dr Afrasheem Ali (DRP) - 572
4. E04 Inguraidhoo: Hamdhoon Abdullah Hameed (DRP) – 607
5. E05 Maduvaaree: Visaam Ali (DRP) - 1,086
6. A05 Kelaa . Dr Abdullah Mausoom (DRP) - 860
7. Mohamad Mujtaz (DRP) - 1,023
8. B03 Vaikaradhoo. Ali Arif (DRP) – 895
9. T11 Vili-Maafanu: Ahmed Niham Hussein Manik (DRP) – 822
10. T09 Maafanu West: Abdullah Abdulraheem (DRP) – 890
11. T05 Galholhu South: Ahmed Mahlouf (DRP) - 1,274
12. T02 Mid-Henveiru: Ali Azim (DRP) – 888
13. S02 Feydhoo: Alhan Fahumy (DRP) – 773
14. S06 Hithadhoo South: Hassan Latheef (DRP) – 694
15.R03 Fuvammulaku South : Abdullah Maseeh Mohamed (DRP) – 817
16. R01 Fuvammulaku North: Mohamed Rafeeq Hassan (DRP) - 1,233
17. P03 Gemanafushi: Ilham Ahmed (DRP) – 598
18. P01 Viligili: Mohamed Raameez (DRP) – 880
19. J01 Felidhoo: Yoosuf Naeem (DRP) - 302
20. J02 Keyodhoo: Abdullah Shahid (DRP) – 305
21. L02 Nilandhoo: Abdulmuhsin Hameed (DRP) – 505
22. G02 Naifaru: Ahmed Mohamed (DRP) - 1,392
23. U01 Mativeri: Hussein Mohamed (DRP) - 797
24. U02 Thodhdhoo: Ali Waheed (DRP) – 742
25. H02 Tholosdhoo: Rozaina Adam (DRP) - 1,378
26. F03 Kendhoo: Ahmed Thasmeen Ali (DRP) – 990
27. C01 Kanditheemu: Mohamed Hussein (DRP) - 1,152
28. C04 Fonadhoo: Ali Saleem (DRP) - 825

PA ( currently in coalition with the opposition party DRP)

1. N03 – Kinbeedhoo: Moosa Zameer (PA) - 837
2. O01 Isdhoo: Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim (PA) - 1,073
3. O02 Gan: Yoosuf Abdul Ghafoor (PA) - 606
4. O03 Fonadhoo: Abdul Raheem Abdullah (PA) - 756
5. O04 Maavaash: Abdul Aziz Jamal Abubakr (PA) – 866
6. K01 Digaroo: Ahmed Nazim (PA) - 1,055
7. K02 Mulak: Abdullah Yamin Abdul Gayoom (PA) – 855



Independents

1. Q03 Fareesmaathodha: Ibrahim Muthalib (Independent) - 541
2. Q04 Gadhdhoo: Zahir Adam (Independent) - 1,013
3. M01 Meedhoo: Ahmed Shiyam Mohamed (Independent) - 1,423
4. M02 Kadahuvadhoo: Ahmed Amir (Independent) - 1,096
5. E03 Dhuvaafaru: Mohamed Zubair (Independent) - 623
6. F01 Thulaadhoo: Nazim Rashad (Independent) - 609
7. F02 Eydhafushi: Ahmed Saleem (Independent) - 1,196
8. H03 Guraidhoo: Ibrahim Riza (Independent) – 722
9. G03 Kurendhoo: Ahmed Moosa (Independent) - 687
10. H01 Kaashidhoo: Ismail Abdul Hameed (Independent) - 965
11.B04 Kulhudufushi North Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Independent) – 945
12. B05 Kulhudufushi South: Mohamed Nasheed (Independent) - 939
13. C02 Milaandhoo: Ali Riza (Independent) – 601



Ruling MDP

1. C03 Komandhoo: Hussein Waheed (MDP) - 1,189
2. D01 Kendhikuludhoo: Ahmed Easa (MDP) - 804
3. D02 Manadhoo: Mohamed Thoriq (MDP) - 1,168
4. A01 Hoarafushi: Ahmed Rasheed (MDP) - 895
5. A02 Ihavandhu:Ahmed Abdullah (MDP) - 826
6. A03 Baarah: Mohamed Shifaz (MDP) - 855
7. A04 Dhiddhoo: Ahmed Sameer (MDP) – 909
8. B02 Nolhivaram. Mohamed “Colonel” Nasheed (MDP) - 662
9. G01 Hinnavaru: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (MDP) - 1,410
10. I02 Mahibadhoo: Rooqiya Mohamed (MDP) - 635
11. L01 Bilaidhoo: Ahmed Hamza (MDP) - 884
12. N02 Thimarafushi: Mohamed Mustafah (MDP) - 1,423
13. P02 Dhaandhoo: Mohamed Riyaz (MDP) - 586
14. Q01 Thinadhoo: Mohamed Gassam (MDP) - 903
15. Q02 Madaveli: Mohamed Nazim (MDP) - 579
16. R02 Fuvammulaku Mid-South: Shifaaq Mufeed (MDP) - 753
17. S01 Hulhumeedhoo: Ilyas Labeeb (MDP) - 1,115
18. S04 Hithadhoo North: Mohamed Aslam (MDP) - 1,028
19. S05 Hithadhoo Mid: Mohamed Rasheed (MDP) - 680
20. T01 Hulu-Henveiru: Moosa Manik (MDP) - 1,062
21. T03 South Henveiru: Hamid Abdul Ghafoor (MDP) - 907
22. T04 Galholhu: Eva Abdulla (MDP) - 1,239
23. T06 Machangoalhi North: Mariya Ahmed Didi (MDP) - 951
24. TO7 Machangoalhi South: Mohamed Rasheed (MDP) - 850
25. T08 Maafanu North: Imtiaz Fahmy (MDP) - 1,163
26. T10 Maafanu South: Ibrahim Rasheed (MDP) – 934



DQP

1. S03 Maradhoo: Hassan Adhil (DQP) - 634
2. N01 Vilufushi: Riyaz Rasheed (DQP) - 1,172



JP

I. Maamigili: Gasim Ibrahim (Republican) - 1,959

Colombo vows to 'rescue' civilians

he Sri Lankan government has said it will rescue all civilians trapped in the conflict zone in the north of the island as it launches a final offensive against Tamil Tiger separatists.

Anusha Palpita, a Sri Lankan government spokesman, said on Friday that everyone trapped in the small strip of land where the Tamil Tigers remain would be freed within two days.

"The president [Mahinda Rajapakse] assured that within the next 48 hours the thousands of Tamil civilians will be freed from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers," Palpita said.

"All territory will be freed from Tiger control."

The statement came as UN officials in New York said Vijay Nambiar, the chief of staff of the secretary-general, would arrive in Sri Lanka on Saturday "to help resolve the humanitarian situation".

Prior peace missions by senior diplomats have ended in failure, and on Thursday the Sri Lanka government vowed it would not cave in to pressure to halt the war.

Fighters trapped

Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka foreign affairs secretary, told Al Jazeera that the Tamil Tigers were "sandwiched between two forces", with the miltary pushing from the north and the south.

In video


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"The fighting is mostly on the sea coast. That is not the area where the refugees are. They are concentrated in the centre of this piece of land."

Kohona said the Tamil Tigers were using civilians to fight the army, a claim the group has previously denied.

"The military knows there are quite a number of LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] combatants left. They are also throwing young people, children, armed with Kalashnikovs, against the military advance."

Humanitarian crisis

The developments came as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is the only aid organisation allowed to work in the conflict zone, said a boat attempting to evacuate wounded and carrying food aid had been unable to reach the area because of fierce fighting.

"Our staff are witnessing an unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe," Pierre Krahenbuhl, the ICRC's director of operations, said.

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'High cost' of victory over Tigers
Caught in the middle
"No humanitarian organisation can help them in the current circumstances. People are left to their own devices."

James Elder, a spokesman for the UN children's agency, told Al Jazeera that conditions inside the conflict zone were dire.

"There has been fierce, unabated fighting since Saturday and the latest fighting is a catastrophe for children, which shows complete disregard for the most vulnerable of civilians," he said.

"At this moment it is hard to think of a worse place for a child to be on the entire planet because they're caught in indiscriminate fire and their living conditions are so abysmal.

"We are talking still of tens of thousands of people who are living in unimaginable hell and we cannot forget how important it is for them to get out of here. These people are suffering from a desperate lack of food, water and medicine."

An army spokesman said on Friday that 4,000 civilians fled the conflict zone overnight.

The government says people have been fleeing under fire from the Tamil Tigers, wading across a lagoon into government-controlled territory.

It is impossible to independently confirm claims from the government and the LTTE because journalists are banned from the conflict area and access for aid organisations is strictly limited.

The government says civilians are being used as human shields by the LTTE and need to be rescued, while the group says the army has been shelling the area, causing civilian casualties.

Navi Pillay, the UN's human rights chief, has said both sides may be guilty of war crimes.

'Thousands flee' Taliban-held town

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled from a Taliban-occupied town in northwest Pakistan's Swat valley after the country's military suspended its curfew, according to officials.

People rushed out of Mingora on Friday after the government relaxed its restrictions around the city and advised civilians to leave.

"People are leaving in large numbers ... They are vacating their homes," Arsha Khan, a local administration official, said.

Pakistan's military is pursuing its 20th day of operations against suspected Taliban bases in the districts of Swat, Buner and Lower Dir in the country's North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

At least 55 suspected Taliban fighters have been killed in the last 24 hours by government forces in the NWFP, a military statement released on Friday said.

Three soldiers were killed in Taliban counterattacks over the same period, the statement said.

Seeking safety

Columns of cars, lorries and horse-drawn carts packed with people and laden with possessions streamed out of Mingora, witnesses said.

"I was waiting for the opportunity to leave Mingora. I got the chance today, and now I am going to Mardan," Ismail Khan, a Mingora resident, said as his family boarded a bus.

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Q&A: The struggle for Swat
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Pakistan's war
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Your views: Crisis in Swat

Another resident, who gave his name as Hamid, told the AFP news agency: "My shop was targeted and our own business destroyed. Mortar shells killed three children in front of me. We want a safe place outside Swat."

With the military stepping up pressure on the Taliban, Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistani president, has described the fighters' presence in Pakistan's northwest as a unique situation.

"There's a threat in Karachi, there's a threat in Quetta, there's a threat in Peshawar, there's a threat in Lahore - there is a threat everywhere. [But] in the settled areas they attack and [then] leave," he told Al Jazeera's David Frost.

"Here [in northwest Pakistan] they come because there is no settled police, there is no constant supervision.

"Swat needs much more attention. We have 15,000 settled police in order to hold the place after the battle is over."

About 4,000 Taliban fighters are believed to be fighting in the region.

Humanitarian crisis

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation remains grave.

At least 834,000 civilians from the Swat and Buner districts have registered as displaced persons with the United Nations after leaving their homes to escape the fighting.

Antonio Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the scale of the refugee crisis is overwhelming.

"Pakistan has no capacity to deal with these people and to provide them with the basic needs they require. The Pakistani people are in need of massive humanitarian support from the international community," he said from the Swabi refugee camp.

"If you look at the movement [of people from the war zone], it is indeed the biggest movement in present times. Massive humanitarian support is required or else there will be a humanitarian disaster."

The military onslaught comes after increasing pressure by the US government to take a stronger line against the Taliban.

Drone co-operation

The US military on Thursday confirmed newspaper reports that it had shared with Islamabad surveillance data from drones flying over Pakistani territory.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said at a US senate hearing that Pakistan had requested surveillance support missions up until April.

"In terms of support and information, they have asked for that, and where they have asked for that, we've supported them," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Those requests have ceased over the period of about the last month."

The New York Times had earlier reported that the US military had shared intelligence data from drones with the Pakistani military.

Mullen said the newspaper report was an "accurate portrayal" of co-operation between Washington and Islamabad.

Pakistani denial

But the Pakistani military has strongly denied that it is co-operating with US forces in the deployment of the drones.

"In terms of Pakistani control of or liaison with those drones, the Pakistani military is absolutely adamant - they are operating completely by themselves in this campaign [against the Taliban] and are receiving no help from any outside force," Mike Hanna, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Islamabad, said.

"There appears to be a very keen realisation, by the military in particular, that this [current] campaign is dependent on public support, and of ongoing political support within this [country's] divided political nexus."

Bombs launched from drones have been responsible for the deaths of at least 390 people in Pakistan, many of them civilians, since August 2008.

A roadside bomb blast south of the Iraqi capital has struck the convoy of a private security firm, killing a Briton and two Iraqi guards.

The convoy was struck just outside the city of Hilla Thursday night, AFP quoted a US military statement as saying.

"The car was completely destroyed in the attack in the Nile district, north of Hilla," AFP quoted Iraqi army's Lieutenant Karim Qasim as saying on Friday.

The military and the company employing the guards both declined details on the convoy and the identity of the blast victims.

Iranian warships will join an international armada fighting piracy in the waters off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has led to attacks on more than 200 ships over the past 15 months. International concerns over the issue have prompted a fleet of warships to attempt to protect merchant ships in one the world's most important shipping lanes.

In line with the international efforts Tehran will deploy two warships in the troubled region, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaei, said in a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday.

The warships, which will set sail within the next two days, will embark on a five-month patrol mission and will confront pirates to safeguard the maritime trade in the region, Khazaei said.

The warships will especially make effort to protect ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.

Naval ships from the European Union, NATO and other U.S.-led coalitions have been stationed in the region to prevent hijackings and to capture the ominous pirates.

However, despite international efforts and calls for countering piracy in the notorious Somali waters, the bandits continue to seize ships, holding them until hefty ransoms are paid.

The pirates captured an Iranian vessel for what they called illegal fishing in the northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland in March.

In November, Somali pirates also hijacked a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, Delight, operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) in the Gulf of Aden.

The UN Security Council passed four resolutions on the issue in 2008, the last of which -- issued in December -- authorizes states to "take all necessary measures that are appropriate in Somalia" to suppress "acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea" for one year.