[for some reason CNN forgot to mention that non-Muslims will loose citizenship according to this new constitution. dm+]
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/08/maldives.constitution.ap/ Maldives adopts new constitution COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -- Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom signed and adopted a new constitution Thursday that allows multiparty elections and other democratic reforms after decades of authoritarian rule. The new constitution also creates for the first time independent bodies for human rights, the judiciary, police, defense, elections and investigation of corruption, government spokesman Mohammed Shareef said. The first multiparty presidential election is to be held before October 10, with a specific date to be announced after an election commissioner is appointed within 30 days as stipulated in the constitution, he said. "This is an important milestone for us. Many, many things will change from this point onward," Shareef said. Gayoom has ruled the Islamic nation with tight control for the past 30 years. He promised in 2004 to enact a new constitution amid widespread protests demanding reforms. During his rule, the nation of 300,000 people living on 1,190 mostly uninhabited coral islands became one of the most attractive tourist destinations in South Asia. A special 114-member council representing political parties and elected representatives prepared the draft constitution before it was endorsed by the president. The opposition praised the charter's adoption. "For the first time the people are getting to chose a president, and we have ended the autocratic powers of the president," said Ahmed Shaeed, a former foreign minister under Gayoom and currently a member of the opposition New Maldives Party. Thursday was declared a national holiday to allow citizens to witness the televised signing ceremony. Britain's minister for Asia, Africa and the U.N. welcomed the new constitution. "This is a significant milestone in the country's reform process," Mark Malloch Brown said in a statement. "It will initiate the next important series of reforms, including the establishment of key institutions, leading to elections." ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
