:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Mr. Nazim has been denied registration of a Newspaper

Mariam Mohamed, Male' 23rd July 2004

Mr. Ahmed Nazim Sattar

The Government of Maldives has rejected the application by Ahmed Nazim Sattar the register a Newspaper on 20^th July 2004. A letter from the Ministry of Information, Arts and Culture stated that the documents he submitted to this Ministry do not demonstrate that he has 5 years experience in the field of journalism. The documents also do not acknowledge the particular newspapers in which they were published. It added that in accordance to the Rules of Journalism you do not qualify to the conditions mentioned in article 10(c) and therefore “Goveli” newspaper cannot be registered under your editorship.

Mr. Nazim say that his application is rejected because he is a vocal critic of Gayyoom’s government as well as a senior member of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) desipte providing enough evidence and proof of his 8 years of experience in journalism.

On 17^th October 2003, Mr. Nazim gave an interview to the BBC World Asia Today program in which he was critical to Gayyooms’ illicit election tactics and furthermore stated that Gayyoom should apologise to the people for the horrendous deaths of 4 prison inmates which sparked off the riots in Male’ last September. He has been continually harassed by Gayyoom since the interview. He was rejected a confirmed job at the UNDP office in Male’, he has been unlawfully arrested, jailed and charged with treason for distributing pro-democracy material but the case had to be dropped after the publicity and pressure from international bodies and foreign governments. He has also been banned from organising any public debates or meetings.

Mr. Nazim holds a Bachelors degree in Humanities (Arabic with Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies) from the University of Durham, UK. He graduated in 1998 and returned to work in the Maldives soon after. He initially joined the Foreign Ministry but later became a Social Studies Teacher at Maalhos School in Ari Atoll. He then worked as Continuing Education Outreach Specialist (Local Consultant) for an Asian Development Bank project at the Ministry of Human Resources as well as as Consultant Child Protection for UNICEF until last October. He is also a manager and teacher at Oriental Academic Centre and is involved in the management of the family business.

He is a member of the General Council of the Maldivian Democratic Party and is very active in promoting pluralistic democracy in the Maldives.

Mr. Nazim has had a passion for writing and journalism. His works have been published in school and university papers and magazines as well as in local papers. However, according to the rules of the Ministry of Information, a strict 5 year experience of journalism was introduced in order to limit the number of magazines as well as people like Nazim from getting involved in media. People with no educational background or experience in journalism are able to register magazines and newspapers provided they are somehow linked to Mr. Ibrahim Manik (Samarey) or any of Gayyoom’s elites. Gayyoom does not have what it takes to allow freedom of speech and association in the Maldives. He has far too much to hide and is scared to let people criticise him. Maldives is one of the worst countries in the world for oppressive media control, which is not denied by the government either.

"Press Freedom in Maldives has been traditionally very strictly controlled, so letting loose of such controls suddenly will not be very good. However, public opinion can best be amassed by giving press freedom” Dr. Saeed, Attorney General on 24^th May 2004.

Television Maldives (TVM) and Radio Maldives is state owned, headed by Gayyooms’ brother in law and Information Minister Ibrahim Manik. Private licenses are not issued. There are 3 major daily newspapers, Haveeru is owned by Gayyooms’ long term friend and cabinet minister, Aafathis is owned by Gayyooms’ brother in law and government official, and Miadhu is owned by the incumbent Health Minister. These papers will never publish anything contrary to the government line or critical to Gayyooms’ policies. There are several magazines which also must operate within the strict ‘no criticism of Gayoom’ policy. In addition to that, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Maldives are told to block any website that doesn’t operate under the same strict policy.