Yes! The MRC bill has been accepted by the Citizens Majlis. Great news for the supporters of the national society formation.
After two days of debating underlined with political commentary, majority, if not all Ministers of Parliament (MPs) endorsed the bill and highlighted the urgent need for such a society. Having debated on the general concerns; defining auxiliary role and the impact of such a society on religious beliefs,
some MPs even proposed an open house vote bypassing committee stages. As the bill had no major issues it was passed to a the standing committee on Social Affairs for further analysis.
Local media have finally found the MRC formation process as newsworthy. Newspapers such as Haveeru, Haama Daily and Miadhu news have featured the majlis debate in the past two days.
Evident from the Majlis debate and reports in the media, the general public has more misconceptions about the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and its activities than an understanding of how a humanitarian organisation as such has existed without discrimination and transparently all over the globe for over a century.
Majority of MPs and the Attorney General (AG) herself were adamant MRC should never be politicised. AG assured the doubts about the neutrality of the organisation by highlighting mechanisms were in place to keep checks and balances of the society and its operations throughout the Maldives.
A lot of work is still required to form an active society throughout the Maldives, but today all those who have worked on forming MRC since 2005 can take a appreciative breath. Their hardwork is materializing.
Majlis news: February 2, 2009, February 3, 2009
Haama news: February 2, 2009 (english), February 2, 2009 (dhivehi)
Miadhu news: February 3, 2009, February 4, 2009
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