Mal

An impromptu meeting of the Malé City Council today, on a red carpet on the street outside the People’s Majlis, has decided by unanimous agreement of Councilors present, to compulsorily acquire Kinbigasdhoshuge, a private residential property belonging to former President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom.

Amid protests around the Majlis building, the decision was made by the Malé City Council in a session where the only two Councilors representing the opposition DRP were absent, and only Councilors belonging to the ruling MDP were present at the meeting. Adam “Sarangu” Manik, who had recently resigned from his office as President of the Council, “chaired” the meeting. Sun reporter, reporting from the spot, said that the Council decided to compulsorily acquire Kinbigasdhoshuge after paying fair and adequate compensation, following a motion by MDP Councilor Hassan “Janbu” Afeef.

Dhunya Maumoon, former President Qayyoom’s daughter, told DhiFM today that the decision of the Malé City Council was a joke, and that the Council did not have an authority to do what they purported to do by the decision. She also said the decision was a response to the situation in the People’s Majlis, and that she would take measures to counter the Council decision in accordance with the laws.

Article 40(b) of the Maldives Constitution says that “private property shall be inviolable, and may only be compulsorily acquired by the State for the public good, as expressly prescribed by law, and as authorised by order of the court. Fair and adequate compensation shall be paid in all cases, as determined by the court.”

Hours after the decision of Male' City Council, Mohamed Nihaan Hussein, MP for Vilimaafannu, Malé, constituency and prominent leader of the Z Faction of Divehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) said that Malé City Council’s resolve to compulsorily acquire the former President's family home was an illegal and extremely cowardly move. He said that the Z Faction would not be cowed into backing off by such threats, and that it would continue to hold the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party in check in the People’s Majlis without fear or faltering.

Speaking to Sun over the phone, Nihan said that no provisions in the Decentralisation Act gave local councils the mandate to compulsorily acquire private property in that manner, and that it was a desperate and shameful act by the government. “No provisions in the Decentralisation Act allow acquisition of a property belonging to a person in that manner. The Constitution of the Maldives states that private property is inviolable”, said Nihan.

Political situation in the Maldives has intensified following a dispute over the composition of Standing Committees in the Majlis, which was resolved, in an impromptu meeting conducted, according to the Z Faction of the DRP, against the express provisions of the Majlis Rules of Procedure. The meeting was conducted during the night after members were given a two-hour notice via SMS. Following the incident, the Z Faction has consistently stated that they would disrupt the meetings of the Majlis until violations of the Rules stopped, and kept their word by interrupting three meetings of the Majlis within a short period little longer than a week. In response, President Mohamed Nasheed has called on the Maldives National Defence Forces and the Maldives Police Services to ensure "smooth functioning of the Legislature", and the MNDF and Police today dragged three members belonging to the DRP, after they tried to disrupt Majlis session.