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Fresh violence in Maldives
Pak SC pulls up ISI, accuses it of setting Balochistan ‘on fire’
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US dismisses case against Rajapaksa
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Fresh violence in Maldives
Male, March 1 Nazim Sattar, Nasheed's younger brother has been arrested along with other protesters. Even before Waheed came to Parliament chambers, Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members removed his chair as well as that of his cabinet ministers and shouted slogans asking for his resignation. The session, which was to be opened with Waheed's speech, has been delayed. Heavy police deployment was made inside the People's Majlis (Parliament) premises and outside, but some MDP protesters got inside the security zone after tearing through
the barriers. Some police officers have been injured as MDP protesters threw stones and wood bricks at them. Even some petrol was splashed on certain police officials, who are holding on to their position at the moment. At least 34 protesters were arrested, including Nazim Sattar, Nasheed's younger brother while 14 police officers were also injured in the clashes, including four seriously, police said. The police have not been given the order to use force to disperse the protesters. Some of the shops belonging to supporters of the current government have been vandalised. Meanwhile, Majlis chamber's internet connection is completely cut down along with telephone lines. The Parliament session was scheduled to begin today, less than a month after then President Nasheed resigned paving the way for his Vice President Waheed to be sworn in as the new head of the government. Hours after his resignation on February 7, Nasheed alleged he was forced to resign and claimed there was a coup, a charge denied by the current regime. What followed was a deepening political crisis and violence. International community along with India has held number of talks with
stakeholders here to find a peaceful route. India had sent its envoys thrice to Maldives,
including Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, who came twice. The Foreign Secretary during his earlier visit on February 15, had helped broker a deal between the political parties here on the issue of early elections. However, a final decision is yet to made on the dates for early polls and necessary amendments to the Maldivian constitution. Maldives, a nation of little over 3 lakh people, had introduced democratic elections after 30 years of autocratic rule by Maumoon Gayoom ended in 2008.— PTI
US calls for restraint
Colombo: The US on Thursday voiced concern over "disorderly" protests in Maldives where supporters of ousted President Nasheed disrupted the opening session of Parliament and asked all parties to work peacefully to find a solution to the political crisis under an India-brokered deal. “We have welcomed efforts of all sides to participate in a dialogue on a democratisation process that could create conditions for early elections,” the US Embassy here said in a statement. — PTI
11 Indian fishermen taken into custody
Chennai: Eleven Indian fishermen have been taken into custody by the Maldivian Navy for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, officials said here on Thursday. "All are from Kanyakumari district. We are looking into this issue," said District Collector S Nagarajan. The fishermen had gone to sea off the Kerala coast last week and were to return ashore on February 25.
— PTI
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Pak SC pulls up ISI, accuses it of setting Balochistan ‘on fire’
An apparently exasperated Supreme Court on Thursday sternly delivered a message to the country’s security agencies, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Military Intelligence (MI), for giving short shrift to court notices. “You need to take this out of your mind that you [ISI and MI] are superior and others [civilians] are inferior,” Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry told the counsel for both the agencies. Raja Irshad, who represents the ISI and the MI, was reprimanded as the Supreme Court remained unsatisfied with the replies submitted to the court by the agencies in the Adiala missing prisoners’ case. Eleven persons facing terrorism charges had been acquitted by the anti-terrorism court, but were picked up by the security agencies from the jail. They were kept under detention and even tortured without any legal proceedings. Four of them died during the detention. Headed by the Chief Justice, the three-member Bench said the replies submitted to the court do not justify under which law the civilians were picked up by the agencies. “Who gave you the right to hound people?” questioned the Chief Justice.“You are so insensitive to the human loss that the families of the missing persons have suffered lately because of you. This is a big allegation against you [ISI and MI] - you abduct people and after some days, their abandoned bodies surface,” said Chief Justice Chaudhry. “You’re an arsonist. You have set Balochistan on fire,” said Chaudhry while referring to the agencies and the situation in Balochistan. “We ask you time and again and you always tell us stories. Are we here to listen to your stories?” The Chief Justice said the agencies have become “insensitive” to the issues and referred them as the “biggest violators” of the country’s law and order. Irshad, in the agencies’ defence, said the authorities in the ISI and MI are considering this issue seriously as this is a burning issue in the country. He said the “foreign elements” involved in stoking terrorism in Balochistan are active and the agencies cannot work with their “eyes closed” to the issue. The Chief Justice remarked that whatever the agencies do should be done within the limits of law as the agencies are not “above the law”.Irshad said the current Parliament “does not represent the will of the people”, on which Chief Justice Chaudhry differed and said, “It does represent the will of the people and has also brought the 20th amendment for solving issues. If you take them in confidence, they will facilitate you as well.” In another related development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the army to explain whether or not Brigadier (Retd) Ali Khan, accused of planning attacks on the general headquarters, could be tried under army laws since he is no longer serving. COURTSPEAK
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US dismisses case against Rajapaksa
Washington, March 1 Dismissing the case yesterday, US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Rajapaksa has immunity as head of the State. The US State Department had entered a motion asking the case be dismissed because of the immunity precedent.The case was brought by Bruce Fein, an attorney who has been accused of working closely with the pro-LTTE groups in the US. Rajapaksa was sued by families of the alleged torture victims.
— PTI
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Fresh violence erupted in Maldives, including inside the Parliament that was scheduled to open today with supporters of former President Mohammed Nasheed attacking the police.
