Category: Media

CoNI ‘Timeline’: For your opinion only

by Azra Naseem

The National Commission of Inquiry (CoNI) has not been able to begin its investigations proper yet. But, its Commissioner Ismail Shafeeu and his two ‘investigators’ have seen it fit to release a ‘Timeline’ of events that led to President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation on 7 February.

The first page is a disclaimer, saying that the released document is ‘not a report of findings’ but a Timeline ‘with omissions’ released to seek public opinion on its contents.

Since when has opinion been needed for the establishment of facts?

And what right does Ismail Shafeeu (the Commissioner) and his two ‘investigators’ have to release anything in the name of CoNI? CoNI is yet to begin its work with the approved MDP nominee (Gaha Ahmed Saeed) and the representative of the international community, yet here it is, a so-called timeline in the name of CoNI.

People are meant to read it and send feedback to CoNI before 21 June.

So here’s an unofficial translation of the 44 page document. See what you make of it, and make sure you leave your opinion. DhivehiSitee will see to it that it gets to CoNI before 21 June.

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Coups, cocks and condoms

by Azra Naseem

Ever since we humans  signed the social contract, there have been great many reasons and excuses for restricting freedom of assembly. I’d wager, though, that throwing a ‘cursed cock’ at army personnel, or being in possession of unused condoms have never before been among them.

Yesterday the Maldives Police Service raided the protest camp the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has erected near the north-eastern shores of Male’ the capital with a search warrant issued on the basis that it was being used for black magic and sorcery, along with other ‘criminal activity.’ Having searched the premises, they triumphantly announced to the press their discovery of ‘evidence’– an unused pack of condoms.

According to diligent reporters at Minivan News, a local online newspaper, it was a packet of Moods Ultrathin. Perhaps their criminality lies in what they promise. As Moods’ Indian manufacturers would have it, they give you the ‘delight of uninhibited pleasure’. And in modern Male’, being dragged kicking and screaming back to the 14th Century by Islamists, pleasure is fast becoming a crime punishable by Sharia.

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