MRCS should not be influenced by politics – Aneesa

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

Maldivian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) should not be influenced by any politics, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis and Member of the Majlis for Meemu atoll Aneesa Ahmed has said.

Speaking at the Majlis sitting held on Monday on the bill on MRCS, Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group Leader Aneesa Ahmed expressed that everything in the country today is tainted with politics and that Maldives Red Crescent Society should not be allowed to be influenced by any politics. She expressed that there are some 186 Red Cross societies established across the world and that Maldives Red Crescent Society would another addition. She further noted that establishing Maldives Red Crescent Society is a work initiated by the previous government nearly 4 years ago.

Deputy Majlis Speaker Aneesa further said that she was not in support of state allocating funds to society despite members’ opinion otherwise said that opportunity must be afforded to those wishing to provide assistance and financial assistance to the society.

Thaa member and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group Leader Hassan Afeef speaking at the Majlis on the proposed bill on MRCS said that bill is an important bill aimed to provide financial assistance equally to all such organizations and that during the time of the previous government foreign aid were discarded and rejected because it was provided by certain organizations. He also noted that in the past Red Cross was regarded as an organization run by Christians.

Members at the Majlis expressed that importance of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society was realized after the tsunami of 2004 and that when the proposed bill becomes law the country’s Islamic faith and unity should not be allowed to be compromised. They also noted the importance on providing legal protection to such an institution as MRCS and on establishing a system to monitor the society’s finances.

Laamu MP Moosa Manik also noted on the importance of having MRCS and said the importance of establishing a Maldivian Red Crescent Society was realized following the 2004 tsunami as a result of the difficulties faced by the donor agencies in providing support and assistance.

He noted that such foreign aid during the previous government was labeled as aid given to the government and that the cabinet ministers of the previous government are claiming credit for every thing the incumbent government launches.

Faafu member Abdul Gafoor expressed that even though some members have said the bill on MRCS should be influenced by politics, the bill is already influenced by politics. He further said even though members have said the importance of such an institution was realized following 2004 tsunami , the importance was , in reality , realized long ago , after November third incident when foreign mercenaries invaded the country and shed the blood of innocent citizens.

The bill was presented to the Majlis by the Attorney General Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed. In presenting the bill, she called on the Majlis to endorse the bill as early as possible and make MRCS the 187 organization of the Red Cross.

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