Haveeru Daily ހަވީރު. History of the Longest-Running Newspaper in Maldives

photo: web.archive.org, mihaaru.com/haveeru_online

The island nation of the Maldives is often associated with vacations, beautiful sandy beaches, and a massive waste pile on one of its islands (Thilafushi). Located across 26 atolls and 1,190 islands, only 202 of which are inhabited by 515,132 people, the Maldives’ population is concentrated, with a quarter of its people living in the capital, Male.

The Maldives gained independence only in 1965, becoming a republic in November 1968. Previously, it was a British protectorate for nearly a century. While English is familiar to locals, the widely spoken language is the unique dhivehi, written in the thaana script. And it was in this language that the daily newspaper Haveeru (Evening) first appeared in Male on January 1, 1979.

When the English-language paper Moonlight ceased publication on December 9, 1978, Mohamed Zahir Hussain, a doctor of theology and philosophy, journalist, minister, and later chancellor of the Islamic University, together with Abdullah Sodiq, registered the daily Haveeru on December 28.

Evening in the Native Language

The name of this evening newspaper was not accidental. In Dhivehi, "Haveeru" means the cool onset of evening after a hot day and, in literature, a gathering of writers and poets to exchange views. They decided to merge these concepts and envision the paper as a guide for information, news, and literature. A significant advantage was that it was published in the native language, rather than English.

Hussain, the paper’s official owner and also Minister of Education, became the company president, with Sodiq as the editor-in-chief. Both men already had journalistic experience, having written for various local and Sri Lankan newspapers and magazines, so producing the first issue swiftly was not too challenging.

With connections in higher government circles, they obtained permission to print at the modern Novelty Printers, with the newspaper’s office also located in Henveiru ward Neelvilla house. The offset-printed newspaper was of high quality, featuring clear print and vibrant photos.

Hussain and Sodiq gathered a small but highly professional team of experienced journalists. Besides the founders, the editorial team included three part-time journalists who, years later, would contribute to the company’s challenges and lead to a halt in publication.

• Farooq Hassan
• Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa
• Mohamed Naeem

The editorial team also included photojournalist Mohamed Zahir, known for his environmental report series that earned him a UN award. The new publication aimed to cover the Maldives, its issues, successes, and culture, and it did just that.

A Newspaper Printed by Hand

Haveeru quickly found its place among the few media outlets at the time, gaining readers` trust. However, as with many startups, not everything went as planned. Troubles began in 1981. On April 1, the paper did not come out. Many readers assumed it was an April Fool’s joke, but the editorial team wasn’t laughing. The printing house refused to print, having gone bankrupt.

As the owner, Mohamed Hussain rose to the challenge, and on April 2, the paper hit the market. It was in a smaller format (30x42cm), printed on a Gestetner 360 hand press, with lower quality in both print and photos. Dr. Zahir (using the first part of his surname) set a goal to acquire a top-level, preferably in-house, printing press. He embarked on complex fundraising efforts, securing donations, and after five years, achieved his goal. A new, in-house offset printer began operation in September 1986. At that time, the decision was made to redesign the newspaper, switch to a larger format, and print on better quality paper. Both readers and advertisers were very pleased.

While the newspaper was striving to establish its own press, in 1983, the Haveeru News Agency was founded by three former staff members (Farooq, Moosa, Naeem). Although “Haveeru” was in the name and Dr. Zahir was among the founders, the agency was an independent entity. The newspaper was not part of it, but in 1985 a dispute arose over ownership rights, particularly concerning its assets. The case went to court, which ruled that Dr. Zahir was the sole rightful owner of the paper.

The First Newspaper with Satellite Connectivity

Haveeru was re-registered, but the problem didn’t go away. From time to time, the issue resurfaced in court, with each ruling overturning the last. Meanwhile, in 1985, Haveeru Daily became the first in the Maldives to partner with a foreign news agency, signing an agreement with the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). Seven years later, they began working with Agence France Presse (AFP), and in 1994 with Reuters.


Haveeru was also the first newspaper to adopt satellite communication due to the instability of radioteletype (RTTY) receivers, and in 1985, the office became fully computerized. Contrary to expectations, it wasn’t an easy task, as processors and keyboards had to be adapted to the native Thaana script. Haveeru was the first in the country to solve this issue.

Journalist Ali Rafeeq witnessed the benefits of modern technology. He joined the newspaper in 1983 as a part-time reporter. In 1987, his dedication and achievements were recognized, and he succeeded Abdullah Sodiq as editor-in-chief. He held this position for the next 23 years, until 2010. He was the first Maldivian to earn a doctorate in journalism. Reflecting on his early days as chief editor, he said:

- News was primarily produced from government-supplied information; articles and in-depth stories were largely translations of foreign editorial content. Journalism was more of a literary discourse than a serious outlet for reporting and analyzing local events and issues.

But Rafeeq was full of ideas to develop the newspaper.

• he introduced training courses (including overseas) for all employees, not just journalists
• implemented five-year plans
• established a retirement fund
• focused on brevity, conciseness, and more accessible reporting
• ensured content was unbiased and free from prejudice
• collaborated with the Asia Foundation and the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU)
• launched an environmental protection campaign
• listened to readers and was open to their needs
• paid more attention to the issues of other islands
• expanded the network of national correspondents, who provided news from the islands via their own intranet, HaveeruNet
• transformed the newspaper into a tabloid format (1994)

In May 1998, the first regional news bureau was established on Addu Atoll on the island of Feydhoo, staffed by two full-time journalists. A year later, in 1999, Haveeru celebrated its 20th anniversary as the most popular newspaper in the Maldives.

HaveeruNet in 1994. A Website Three Years Later

Under Rafeeq`s watchful eye, Haveeru gained experience and became a more professional newspaper, appreciated by locals. Although it had government support and sympathy, the government was less enthusiastic because the journalists of this popular island newspaper didn’t hide anything from readers. Besides the news and cultural sections, there was a vibrant opinion and social section that advocated for the disadvantaged in various sectors of life.

As the Maldives welcomed more foreign tourists, and as locals emigrated from the atolls, Bulletin Board System was launched in 1994 for them, where Haveeru news was posted. The project was named HaveeruNet, conceived and implemented by Ali Rafeeq. Connecting to the platform required a modem, but even so, the service had 150 subscribers, which was a very good result.

Three years later, the internet reached the Maldives. In January 1997, the newspaper’s website went live. One of the first news stories posted on Haveeru Daily Online was about President Gayoom’s visit to Addu Atoll for Youth Day celebrations.

Although Ali Rafeeq was the chief editor of both Haveeru Online and the print version, with Dr. Zahir as its president, the website was registered separately with the Ministry of Information. At the same time, to facilitate the work of journalists and historians, the Haveeru Multimedia Information System was created, a digital archive of texts and photos.

Political Tensions with the Editorial Staff and Within

Ali Rafeeq led Haveeru according to the original editors` principles. Despite frequent criticism, the newspaper was friendly to the government, but after the 2008 elections, when Mohamed Nasheed took office, it became more independent, with some calling it opposition-leaning.

As with readers, journalists were split into two camps, but Rafeeq ensured they didn’t go too far with their opinions and assessments, maintaining a balance of professionalism and decorum.

Until now, news editor Moosa Latheef managed the domestic and international sections, Mohamed Shaheeb reported on sports, and Ismail Naseer covered various topics, excelling in the economic and business sections. Daily articles and columns were crafted by Rif`ath Mohamed, Ahmed Abdullah Saeed, Ahmed Hamdhoon, Abdul Rasheed Hussain, and Niumathullah Idhrees. These are only a few names, as the editorial staff numbered nearly 70, and the newspaper remained a leading media outlet in the Maldives.


When Ismail Naseer took the editor-in-chief seat in 2012, no one anticipated the battle they would all face to protect the newspaper and their jobs.

Social Media and a Battle for Money

For the next year, Haveeru’s journalists worked hard, writing about environmental protection and the immense waste left by tourists, about official visits of dignitaries, and the daily struggles of locals. And as they set up Facebook and Instagram accounts, tensions were brewing within Haveeru Media Group, a company founded in 2013 by Dr. Zahir Hussain’s three children, who became the newspaper’s owners. Two owners of Haveeru News Agency, Farooq and Moosa, once again claimed their ownership rights to the newspaper, demanding compensation and a share of profits. Thus began the battle or, more accurately, a war over money.

Meanwhile, at the January 2014 anniversary celebrations (35 years), Vice Premier Mohamed Jamel Ahmed stated: One of the main foundations of stability in this country today is the hard work done by diligent Maldivian journalists, editors, and active individuals in those editorial offices. No government official or minister will try to intimidate journalists over their reports on government policies and programs.

Celebrations aside, the government continued its work. Journalists realized this all too well two years later. When the Civil Court ruled in favor of Hussain in 2014 regarding Haveeru’s ownership and assets, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but unfortunately, another appeal overturned the decision. In August 2015, the High Court ruled that the newspaper had four owners with equal shares in the business, and in March 2016, it ordered the rehiring of the three suing journalists.

In media circles, this decision was considered a political move, a retaliation against the newspaper for its stance toward the government. On March 29, the HMG owners made the difficult decision to suspend the print edition but kept the website active.

On April 3, an occupation strike was organized in protest, leading to the arrest of 18 journalists. In response, 183 journalists signed a petition to the government defending not only Haveeru but also fearing for press freedom in the Maldives. The closure of the nation’s leading newspaper coincided with the abduction of The Maldives Independent journalist Ahmed Rilwan and the appointment of unqualified people to the Media Council.

In retaliation, on April 9, the civil court barred Dr. Zahir and his company from using the Haveeru logo and name without the participation of the new owners, resulting in no updates to Haveeru Online. Other media were threatened with closure for spreading false information. Readers and former employees rallied to defend the newspaper, with sportspeople, politicians, lawyers, and more speaking in unison: shock and disbelief... scandal.

Suspended Publication, Frozen Accounts

Farooq Hassan defended his position in an interview for Sun Online: “Why would we want to cut down the tree we watered and nurtured? The Civil Court ordered that the newspaper be managed with my and Rasheed Moosa`s participation. But instead of complying with the order, the management of Haveeru decided to cease publication.”

Former editor-in-chief Ali Rafeeq commented on this statement:

“This is the most absurd claim I’ve heard in recent times. As a budding reporter, I always sought insights and inspiration from senior editors, looking for guidance and advice to refine my journalistic skills. But none came from those who now claim to have been behind making Haveeru a modern, top-class newspaper. Haveeru News Agency didn’t operate as intended. Initially, it didn’t fully comply with government guidelines for news agencies. It was likely too ambitious, and given the technical and operational challenges, Haveeru News Agency practically never took off. It was a news agency only on paper. No articles were submitted.”

Head of Haveeru’s news section, Moosa Latheef, publicly announced that “the newspaper was closed to comply with the Civil Court’s ruling, but an appeal has been filed with the Supreme Court”…“because running the newspaper with competing owners is ‘unacceptable.’”

The court also prohibited any financial transactions from or to Haveeru’s accounts. In light of this decision, employees of the company were left without salaries. The situation began to escalate. Most employees, concerned about their future, decided to seek new jobs, including journalists.

Mihaaru Replaces Haveeru. For a While

With no end in sight to the dispute, which had already lasted two months, some stayed to fight while others, in late May, launched Mihaaru News with a new newspaper in mind: Mihaaru (Now), whose first issue was published on May 24, 2017, initially functioning as a website.

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Then, in July 2016, the Civil Court banned all Haveeru journalists from mass resigning and founding a new newspaper until the dispute over the oldest newspaper in the Maldives was resolved, and ordered the founder, management, and staff of Haveeru not to undertake any actions that might compromise Haveeru’s archives, assets, news, information, photos, videos, finances, all resources of Haveeru, or any other items owned by Haveeru.

Simultaneously with the Maldives court ruling on Haveeru, Channel News Maldives was closed for political reasons.

Arguments from lawyers that this deprived the newspaper`s employees of their constitutional and legal right to conduct business and seek employment were unsuccessful. Protests from the global community didn’t help either. The ruling was considered an act of aggression by the state against independent and free media. The Attorney General joined in defense of the new newspaper, deeming the decision unconstitutional. This led to a heated exchange with the court, which declared the Attorney General’s remarks “invalid and illegal” and threatened to charge him with contempt of court.

Meanwhile, Haveeru ceased to exist. Most journalists were already working for Mihaaru, but the dispute over the newspaper’s ownership and finances continued. Dr. Zahir appealed the court’s decision, presenting his arguments:

• the newspaper had been in circulation for four years when Haveeru News Agency was founded and was never transferred under its management
• after the 1987 settlement, the newspaper was re-registered as Dr. Zahir’s property
• only Dr. Zahir bore the development costs for the newspaper, investing his personal assets; loans and credits were taken in his name. None of the plaintiffs invested a single rupee
• in 2013, the newspaper was taken over by Haveeru Media Group, owned by Dr. Zahir’s children, which was when the plaintiffs started claiming influence.

The Supreme Court ignored these arguments and decided to divide the assets into four parts. The appeal was sent to the Civil Court.

"You Cannot Kill Our Idea"

Some locals also expressed hostility towards the newspaper. On Friday, April 29, 2016, at 2:30 AM, an attack on Haveeru’s offices was reported. Someone set fire to the building. Quick action by the fire department prevented the flames from spreading, but the reception area, furniture, and glass doors were completely destroyed. Witnesses saw the arsonist fleeing, and his equipment was found at the scene. The offices were empty, so no one was harmed, but the damages were substantial. The police launched an investigation, which remains unsolved, as do other similar incidents: the complete destruction of Raajje TV offices, the abduction of Ahmed Rilwan, and armed attacks on journalists.

“You can attack us. You can kill us. You can rob us. But you cannot kill our idea, our vision, our motivation, and our hunger for press freedom. We will uphold the legacy of Dr. Mohamed Zahir Hussain. He is the father of Haveeru. He is the pioneer of modern media in the Maldives,” wrote Haveeru journalist Mohamed Hamdhoon in a Facebook post.

The legal battle for Haveeru in Maldivian courts continued until March 2024. One court would overturn the previous decision in a continuous loop. Plaintiffs and defendants appealed alternately, with local media like The Edition and Maldives Independent covering the proceedings. When, on March 31, 2017, Haveeru News Channel’s operations were suspended under a temporary injunction, all information was transferred to Mihaaru’s website, where the address https://mihaaru.com/haveeru_online was displayed from the start.

The End of the Legal Battle. Is Haveeru Coming Back?

On January 31, 2019, the Supreme Court once again overturned the Civil Court’s ruling and ordered a re-examination of the case, which went back to trial in 2021. As a result, on March 3, 2024, a message appeared across all Maldivian media: “Haveeru is the property of Dr. Zahir: The Supreme Court upholds the Civil Court’s 2014 ruling.”

Three days later, the Maldivian Journalists Association expressed their joy at the decision in The Edition, hoping that Haveeru would return to circulation.

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Will it happen? Is this the final legal decision? As of today, Dr. Mohamed Zahir Hussain has won. Journalists and the publishing house have won, but the newspaper is gone. Its role has been taken over by Mihaaru, whose core team is made up of former Haveeru journalists. The newspaper, which celebrated its 8th anniversary in May 2024, has proven to be a worthy successor to Haveeru. With a professional approach to journalism, engaging articles, expert advice, and above all, editorial independence, Mihaaru has won readers` appreciation, earning various awards, both national and international.

Haveeru existed for 37 years; let’s hope Mihaaru reaches its 100th anniversary...

Haveeru Daily Timeline:

• 1979, January 1 - first issue of Haveeru published
• 1981, April 1 - the newspaper does not publish due to the printer’s bankruptcy
• 1981, April 2 - Haveeru returns to the market in a reduced format
• 1983 - Haveeru News Agency established
• 1985 - ownership dispute over the newspaper begins
• 1985 - Haveeru becomes the first Maldivian newspaper to sign a partnership with a foreign agency (Kuwait News Agency)
• 1985 - complete computerization of the editorial office
• 1986, September - newspaper returns to large format and offset printing
• 1987 - newspaper re-registered as Dr. Zahir’s property
• 1992 - partnership with Agence France Presse
• 1994 - partnership with Reuters signed
• 1994 - Haveeru becomes a tabloid
• 1994 - HaveeruNet launched
• 1997, January - Haveeru goes online as Haveeru Daily Online
• 1997 - digital archive of the newspaper created
• 1998, May - first regional office established (Feydhoo Island, Addu Atoll)
• 1999, January 1 - 20th anniversary of the newspaper
• 2009, January - 30th anniversary celebrations
• 2013 - Haveeru Media Group established, becoming the newspaper’s owner
• 2014-2016, March - legal battle over newspaper ownership and assets
• 2014, January 1 - 35th anniversary
• 2016, March 29 - Haveeru’s print edition suspended
• 2016, April 3 - strike in defense of Haveeru
• 2016, April 9 - court bans use of the Haveeru logo, name, and financial transactions
• 2016, April 29 - Haveeru office arson
• 2016, May - Haveeru journalists establish new publisher Mihaaru News
• 2016, July - court bans Haveeru journalists from leaving the company and working for other newspapers
• 2017, March 31 - suspension of Haveeru News
• 2017, May 24 - first issue of Mihaaru, Haveeru’s successor, published
• 2019, January 31 - rulings overturned again, case returned to court
• 2021 - retrial begins
• 2024, March 3 - final decision: Haveeru is solely owned by Dr. Zahir

sources:

• https://maldivesindependent.com/feature-comment/lost-in-translation-the-story-of-haveeru-124392
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110722223048/http://www.haveeru.com.mv/haveeru/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haveeru_Daily
• https://rsf.org/en/maldivian-authorities-urged-not-gag-media
• https://edition.mv/news/32164
• https://en.dhidaily.com/supreme-court-overturns-high-courts-decision-dr-zahir-named-as-the-rightful-owner-of-haveeru/
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• https://maldivesindependent.com/tag/haveeru
• https://doreview.blogspot.com/2009/03/its-official-haveeru-is-opposition.html
• https://maldivesindependent.com/politics/children-of-haveeru-founders-launch-counterclaim-in-ownership-battle-123563
• https://maldivesindependent.com/politics/time-stands-still-maldivians-react-to-haveeru-closure-123295
• https://maldivesindependent.com/politics/supreme-court-throws-out-appeal-over-haveeru-ownership-123474
• https://minivannewsarchive.com/tag/haveeru-newspaper
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