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Category Archives: CAWM

Wrongful Flogging

01 Mar

In Surah An-Nisa (The Women) ayah 16: Allah commands to punish both of two persons who commit illegal sexual intercourse. How can a 15yr old who was forced to have sex with his step-father be considered one of two persons who have committed illegal sexual intercourse? She was a girl whose vulnerability was used by an adult for his sexual pleasures.

It is easy to say that she enjoyed the sex and was aware of the consequences of the abuse that was imposed on her. It is also equally comfortable for a heartless person to say that she consented to it, without due process.

I would not say that there was due process when criminals amongst us have the liberty of expert legal protection, yet this girl did not. The State has also failed in its obligation to protect the rights of children, and this negligence has cost a nation dearly.

Where are those parliamentarians so passionate about the rights of the individual, and so hell-bent on ensuring that no creature shall be prosecuted unless otherwise proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? And our religious scholars jump to “defend” Islam, when it is not Islam at fault, but a lack of adequate legal and institutional mechanisms that should have been in place that have resulted in the “wrongful sentencing” of a child for a crime she did not commit.

I for one, and many I know, are not challenging Sharia and its relevance, but the injustice to a helpless child who needs to be protected; who needs the love and care of all – including the religious scholars.

It is not a question of whether flogging is right or wrong for illegal sexual intercourse, but the fact that the State failed to protect a child even after she was abused, tortured, terrorized and used for the personal sexual pleasures of a man who was supposed to protect her.

I am also reminded in this instance of the Kurendhoo case of a girl who was forced to have sex with an intruder into her aboard, but was accused of having consented to sexual intercourse because she did not shout out loud. For God’s Sake, the perpetrator entered her home by breaking in with an axe!

Where has our sanity gone?

I am not a religious scholar, but I am a Muslim and I know Allah does not wish for us to flog children for crimes they did not commit.

I stand to back off from the above argument if anyone can convince me; a child who is used by her caretaker for his personal sexual pleasures is committing sexual intercourse that has to be punished by flogging.

 
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Posted by on March 1, 2013 in CAWM, Child Abuse

 

Maldives: girls becoming more of objects in the eyes of men

09 Jan

This morning I went from office to Hulhule ferry jetty in Male’ to take two of my nieces to the airport. They were to come from Villimale’ and take a taxi to the airport ferry jetty in front of the Post Building. They were to take the ferry leaving Villimale’ at twenty minutes to nine. They would arrive in Male’ terminal ten minutes to nine and take a taxi to the airport ferry jetty.

I checked with them a little after 8.40 and I was told that they were on the ferry. Later, when they did not arrive at the airport ferry jetty even at ten past nine, I called them and they told me they were by the Republic Square. It took a while even after that for them to arrive at the airport ferry jetty.

After they got down from the taxi and the taxi had left, the younger of the two told me that the driver of the taxi had asked them who they were and what they were doing in Male’, where they were from and so on. He also told them that if they were to come to Male’, to give a call and that he would take them. He also gave them his mobile number. The elder of them told me that the driver had taken them on a long route, and she had finally told that her uncle is waiting at the airport ferry for them.

Girls and young women are increasing becoming objects of abuse in the country. There is an unimaginable sense of vulnerability of the girl child and young women in the country. There is a complete lack of institutional mechanisms to protect children from such abuse and prevent violence against them. The prevailing attitude toward girls and women is that they are objects for use and abuse. The State makes bold statements, yet fails to take proactive and affirmative action for the protection of children and the prevention of violence and sexual abuse against girls.

The situation is so bad that daughters are becoming more and more prey to their own step-fathers and fathers. Mothers have been party to the abuse in several instances that have been reported.

I was told today that a young woman who is married to a man fifteen years her senior almost suffocated her to death a few days ago. She is afraid to go to the authorities and will not report the incident or file for divorce beause she doesn’t want her baby to grown up in a broken family.

WTF is the use of a 4,000.00 USD per capita GDP and the good of boasting of a fiver star destination, when the damn nation cannot take care of its future.

 
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Posted by on January 9, 2013 in CAWM

 

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Luxury Living from taxpayer money for some while others are deprived of the basic health needs

14 Nov

It is very interesting!

I am sitting here reading a news item on Sun Online (Dhivehi Edition) which says that the auditor general has said that the People’s Majlis Administration has spent 50,000.00 Rufiyaa toward four dependents of MPs who are not eligible for dependent’s health insurance.

This means that the Majlis spends over 12,000.00 Rufiyaa towards the premium of health insurance of a dependent. The amount an honorable MP takes as health insurance would perhaps be higher.

It struck me because yesterday I came across a father of thalassemia child who was running up and down and going to one government office to the next, in order to get a test done, which cost a mere 1,500.00 Rufiyaa. This is November and the child’s insurance cover has dried up under the Aasandha Scheme. Now there is a cobweb of bureaucratic maneuvers which are required of the parent, which gives him only the hope that his application for the assistance may be considered.

This is the country we live in. A country run by a regime which will give preference to the elite in how the taxpayer money is distributed among the subjects.

I suppose I should not say too much. Our leaders have far important things to get embroiled in than take care of the socially disadvantaged and children.

 
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Posted by on November 14, 2012 in CAWM, Society

 

Maldives: Celebrating the Children’s Day

10 May

Everyone seems to be so eager to celebrate the Children’s Day. The good intentions are well appreciated. Yet there are my concerns with the way it is done.

The government’s commitment to children is still not clear despite the 1992 Children’s Act. There aren’t sufficient legal and institutional mechanisms put in place for the protection and care of children. The reason being that the issues of children are not an action priority for the government and the people who pressure the government from positions of influence and power. Children are a forgotten species, it seems!

There is a lack of commitment and passion to the cause of children in the vibrant lobby community of Maldives, who can move things in a matter of twenty-four hours to please the supremos they almost relish with divinity.

Children’s Rights are a priority in meaningless reports and seminars, but not in action. The President and numerous government officials will grab this opportunity, for many things. They will forget the children who are the reason for them being on stage for this day and the center of attention, within twenty four hours.

Children should have the right to vote! That is the only way there can be a difference on how children are treated. PERIOD

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2012 in CAWM

 

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Baarah: fingers of three year old crushed in a rice grinder

18 Apr

Haveeru has reported that the hand of a three year old has been crushed in a rice grinder. The child’s hand was removed from the grinder in which it was stuck, by a surgeon and a mechanical engineer after the child was taken to the hospital in Kulhudhuffushi.

According to sources which Haveeru has qouted, two three-year-olds were playing with the rice grinding machine and one had put his hands into it and other had turned the handle. All of the child’s fingers could not be saved according to the doctor at the hospital, it has been reported.

Related link

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2011 in CAWM

 

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Madaveli: two people arrested for attempted rape of thirteen year old girl

18 Apr

Sun has reported that two people have been arrested by the Police for the attempted rape of a 13 year old girl, in Madaveli, Gaaf Dhaal Atoll. It reports that Maldives Police Service spokesperson SIP Ahmed Shiyam has revealed that two men are being held for investigation after they had mugged and attempted to rape a girl while she was walking home.

Sun has also revealed, from a source in Madaveli who requested not to be named, that the girl was coming home with his brother after her tuition classes. Apparently, the two men first attacked the brother, and then attempted to rape her.

Family members reported the case and the two men were taken into custody by the police who arrived on the island later.

Related links: Human Development Neglected

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2011 in CAWM

 

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Dhidhdhoo: Protestors calling for the release of a person detained by Police during the previous demonstration calling for the release of a person accused of sexual abuse of 13 year old, clash with and injure police officers

17 Apr

Police officers have been injured in clashes with demonstrators, in Haa Alif Dhidhdhoo; Sun and Haveeru have reported. The local media reports say that demonstrators clashed with Police, after police custody of a person detained by the Police for investigation in the previous days clashes was exteded by the local magistrate court today. The person was taken from the court today, after reinforcements were brought in from the regional police station in Kulhudhuffushi.

The demonstrations and subsquent violent clashes with the Police are due to the calls by a group of islanders calling for the release of some of those accused of the rape of a 13 year old girl. She is the daughter of a woman of the island who is married to a man from another island. The group that clased violently with the Police also called for the arrest of the girl. This is no surprise as people who protect peadophiles in the Maldives usually claim that it is with the child’s consent or seduced by the child.

Dhidhdhoo incident, over and over again, is a stark reminder of the challenges facing the protection of children from sexual abuse, in the Maldives. There is little real commitment and will of the political leadership to protect children. A very frank politician said that it would be difficult for politicians in government or elected officials – meaing MPs and concilors, to effectively deliver on the protection of children from sexual abuse. He said that too much was at stake as going after those accused of sexual abuse would be costly in terms of the number of votes and politicians cannot afford it. He was frank and opened my eyes to the truth, so his name will not be disclosed.

The person whose custody was extended today was revealed by Haveeru as Ali Hashim, who is the brother of Dhidhdhoo councilor Abdulla Waheed. And two people amongst the six people detained by Police today, for obstructing the police were employees of the local utility company. Utitlity companies recruitment is widely believed to be politically influenced as members of the Board of Directors of utility companies are political appointees.

The media has not reported if any of the authorities have taken any measures toward the protection of the abused girl, who is in a really vulneralbe situation due to the mob mentality that is prevalent in Dhidhdhoo right now, which is likely to have the blessing of the political clout of the island. The islands are quite primitively tribal when it comes to protecting influential people.

Related posts: Kurendhoo Abuse Case

 
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Posted by on April 17, 2011 in CAWM

 

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Special Education Teacher under investigation for the sexual abuse of disabled children he tutored

14 Apr

A teacher who gave private tuition to children with hearing disability has been arrested by the police and is under investigation after being accused of sexual abuse of children he tutored. He was taken into custody for investigation on Monday, reports the local media.

The teacher under investigation is Mr. Amresh Gopalan Krishnan, according to Sun. He is also reported to have been a leading official of the NGO – Maldives Deaf Association. He is employed at Jamaaluddin School as teacher for the hearing impaired.

Sun reports that Police have revealed that Mr Krishnan was  arrested for investigation after a report of sexual abuse was lodged with teh Police on April 11, 2011.

Related Links: Sun , Haveeru , Random Post

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2011 in CAWM

 

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Man accused of sexually molesting with fourteen year old boy arrested

14 Apr

A 42 year old man accused of sexually molesting with a 14 year old boy has been arrested and is under investigation by the Police in Feydhoo, Addu atoll, local media has reported. The man was reported to the police by the boy’s family members, wh have said that the man has sexually molested the boy on numerous occasions.

Haveeru has revealed that according to reliable sources the person who is under investigation is a watchman at the local health centre – Moosa Khaleel of Thoonis, MaradhooFeydhoo. Haveeru also reported that according to sources who wish to remain anonymous, that Moosa Khaleel has been engaged in the sexual abuse of children for long and has even talked about it himself.

Haveeru has also revealed that the police have confirmed that the man is believed to sexually molested with the boy on several occasions. Police have not revealed any further information regarding the case.

Related Links: Sun , Haveeru , Random Post

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2011 in CAWM

 

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Crowds gather in front of police station calling for the release of those accused of child abuse and gather at the house of the victims calling for her arrest

12 Apr

Sun and Haveer has reported of demonstrations in Dhidhdhoo of Haa Alif atoll for the release of those held in Police custody, for the alleged sexual abuse of a 13 year old girl. It has been reported too that the girl is the daughter of a woman of Dhidhdhoo married to a man from another island in the same atoll.

Media reports have also indicated that some of the insland councilors were also seen participating in the demonstration in fron of the Police Station on the island. This was expected as those who are accused in the case have strong political connections, as also indicated in previous media reports. The chief of the island council have however told the media that he is not aware that any council members were involved in the unrest which also saw crowds gathering at the victim’s house and calling for her arrest. He did not deny the allegation.

Two of the seven arrested by the police in connection with the case are said to be under 18 years of age.  

Police have confirmed that crowds gathered for the release of the people accused of having sex with a 13 year old over a long period of time. Police spokesman is reported to have said that they were under custody on a court order and urged people not to intervene. Media reports also indicate that police reinforcements had to be brought in from two other islands to control the crowds.

Just goes to show the attitude to sexual child abuse in the Maldives which is a haven for peadophiles.

Related Links: Sun , Haveeeru , Related Post

 
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Posted by on April 12, 2011 in CAWM

 

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