Maldives: The difficulties faced by independent newspapers
The example of the Minivan newspaper shows the difficulties independent newspapers are facing in countries where the situation of press freedom is critical.
In July 2005, after having waited for over one year, Minivan has been granted a license to print newspapers in the Maldives. A daily newspaper called Minivan and a weekly newspaper called Vagutu have been registered. The company already runs a radio station and web sites from abroad. Already then the website Minivannews.com was citing an industry insider saying, "The government may well allow lots of newspapers to register but those that do – and are critical of the government – will find themselves constantly in court with huge fines. It’s a subtle way to censor the press whilst projecting to the international community that you have press freedom because all these newspapers are granted licenses."
The new newspaper successfully launched on July 26th. As Minivannews.com reported on July 27 the first edition was sold out in 2,5 hours. Reactions were generally positive like "Finally, we have a newspaper that expresses the true sentiments of Maldivians? or ?so refreshing to have a newspaper without Maumoon?s (president Maumoon Abdul Gaymoon) picture on it", reports Minivannews.com. Though there is said to be also criticism, as one reader said the "headline article (Mohamed Nasheed, head of the Maldivian Democratic Party, opposed to the government) was very similar to how Haveeru (a regime-owned daily) places the first article about Maumoon.?
In the middle of August Friends of Maldives, a UK-based NGO, reported that as part of growing tensions "threats against the printer of Minivan Newspaper the only Independent newspaper in the Maldives results in his refusal to print the newspaper (on August 15). The editor is a target of threats and intimidation but insists on printing her newspaper on a normal printer using A4 paper."
Yesterday Minivannews.com reported that six articles of the paper were sent from the Ministry of Information to the Attorney-General for criminal prosecution. The prosecutions could lead to prison sentences for many of the paper's senior workforce including Aminath Najeeb, the editor. A source close to the paper said on Minivannews.com: "Even if Gayoom doesn't outright ban the paper, he appears determined to render it ineffective by ensuring that the staff are simply unable to go to work... either because they are in jail or because they are being hauled up to the police or courts for hours every day."
Sources: Minivan (July 18), Minivannews.com (July 27), Friends of Maldives (August 18), Minivannews.com (September 21)
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Some of us thought that when the new Information minister took oath he would realy be on people's side.
Which infact is not the plan, The real plan for appointing a high profile lawyer (who is loyal to the regime) is to find a way to charge these inocent reporters.
Simple!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Maldivian justice system. “Failing to do justice and regularly doing injustice”
Some of us thought that when the new Information minister took oath he would realy be on people's side.
Which infact is not the plan, The real plan for appointing a high profile lawyer (who is loyal to the regime) is to find a way to charge these inocent reporters.
Simple!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Maldivian justice system. “Failing to do justice and regularly doing injustice”
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom will play the dirtiest political game ever in the history of Maldives and the world tooo.. if you compare the size.
In the mean time the classic Dictator is in the UK meeting Islamic religous ppl...
REASON: The British Goverment seems to be in favour of Friends of Maldives rather than the Dictator.
The Answer I leave to those many people who could possibly read what I wrote.
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom will not give up unless he gets enough preasure from the Interntional Community, which infact is only watching and doing nothing.
And the people of Maldives are tooo afraid to do any thing possible.
I wish we can all suspend our daily routines and come out on the Streets for a Freedom Rally.
I wish the International community could at least help us doing this.
I wish the MDP could help us to do this.
But who care's about my wish.
Hussein
The only reason that maumoon doesnt outright ban these newspapers is international pressure.He is saying look there is freedom of press while putting the staff of these newspapers and magazines throught all sorts of pressure. One of the dissident magazine had their editor jailed for 3 weeks without charge.While different contributers to minivan gets summoned to the police regularly. There will be no true freedom of speech or press until Maumoon resigns and paves the way for a government loyal to the people and ready to serve the people is elected.Right now freedom of speech and press exist sort of, its just that after the words come out thats where your freedom ends, with you inside an 8 ft cell.
Minivan Daily also cannot be called independent. For example the information "daily newspaper called Minivan and a weekly newspaper called Vagutu have been registered. The company already runs a radio station and web sites from abroad." is not accurate.
Minivan Daily is registered under a Company owned by Mohamed Nasheed (Chairman Maladivian Democratic Party). Minivan News website and Minivan Radio are owned by Friends of Maldives.
If freedom of speech and press means publishing of unconfirmed allegations daily, then Minivan Daily fits the picture perfectly. Unfortunately, the some of the "reporters" the paper has employed are people who have served drug related sentences, and are still alleged to be involved in this. The detaining of any of these people in a drug related charge automatically gets publicised as arrest of journalists.
If Minivan Daily is to make use of the oppotunity, the editor and management should use better foresight, employ reporter with clean records, publish material which is fully backed with evidence or at least a relaible source.
Minican Daily has become another version of the pro Government papers, difference being biased in favour of MDP. The same goes for Minivan News and Minivan Radio. For example, I was there at the January 24th demonstrations which Minivan News reported as 8,000 - 10,000 crowd. The actual figure would not have reached even 1,000.
We still have to wait for an independent paper in Maldives. Haveeru would most probably take this slot as there has been a big change in their reporting since the new press regulations. Constructive criticism can be see almost everyday now.
Minivan cannot be called a free newspaper at all. It is run by malicious individuals with criminal backgrounds who have a personal vendetta against the Maldivian Government. It's chief financier, Sikka Ahmed Ismail Manik, has led several armed coup attempts against Maldivian Presidents even before Gayoom.
Sikka is the uncle of current opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed Anni, who also happens to own Minivan.
Jumping into the bandwagon along with anyone claims 'freedom' or 'democracy' is all too easy. People should really research things before believing anything that is claimed about Maldives today. Have a look at www.kalhala.com - they detail, with references, what Minivab really is.