The ‘December 23 coalition’ of NGOs and opposition parties has condemned the government for “making a mockery of the demands” and equated its decision to shut down resort spas and massage parlors with “committing atrocities to defame Maldivians in front of the world.”
In a press statement today, the coalition noted “with surprise and regret” that the government has “not shown any indication either through words or deeds of complying with the demands and respecting Islamic principles.”
On December 23, the coalition rallied thousands of protestors across the island nation in a call to ‘Defend Islam’ in the Maldives.
Five demands were addressed to the government: prohibit Israeli flights from operating in the Maldives, close all massage parlors “and such places where prostitution is practiced”, reverse the decision allowing the sale of alcohol in areas of inhabited islands declared ‘uninhabited’ – such as in Addu City and Fuvahmulah where the government plans to build city hotels – condemn UN Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay and apologise for her comments against flogging, and remove allegedly “idolatrous” SAARC monuments in Addu City.
The coalition previously set January 5 as the final day for the government to address the demands.
Observing that deadline, the coalition today made notice that participants of the December 23 mass protest “are not enemies of the Maldivian economy and made no calls for any measures that would limit or undermine opportunities provided within the law for tourism or any other economic activity.”
The coalition argued that the government “gave a deaf ear to the demands, insulted principles of religion and mocked the Maldivian people.”
Religious party Adhaalath’s spokesperson Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed was unable to comment on the discussions. Referring to the coalition’s next step, he said the party “will always prefer to solve problems peacefully.”
Speaking in his own capacity, ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy predicted that “it looks like another protest.”
Fahmy disagreed with the coalition’s allegations against the government. “The government has been really responsible in this matter, it has made progressive moves to respond to the demands from the coalition and those who supported it,” he said.
Fahmy said MDP leadership had not yet convened to discuss the matter, and he could not comment on behalf of the party.
Following the December 23 demonstration, in the interest of “respecting Islamic principles”, the government adopted an all-or-nothing approach. The Tourism Ministry ordered that spa operations be shut down while the government announced it was considering a nationwide ban on pork and alcohol, two commodities prohibited in Islam.
Parliament’s National Security Committee also passed a resolution advising against licensing of Israeli national airline El Al to operate direct flights to the Maldives.
The government noted that the monuments in Addu fell under the remit of Addu City Council, and added that only Parliament could issue or request a statement against Pillay as it was to that independent body that she made her claim, noting that her visit was organised by the UN office in Male’.
President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday
lifted the week-long ban “because the government does not want the economy to suffer any damage during the time Supreme Court takes to come to a decision.”
The government has lately sought a
consultative opinion from the Supreme Court over whether operation of spas and the sale of alcohol and pork for tourism purposes within the Muslim nation of Maldives is constitutional.
Tourism is the nation’s leading economic contributor, generating 70 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP) indirectly. Attorney General Abdullah Muiz yesterday pointed out that a substantial amount of the 2012 state budget of Rf14.8 billion (US$959.8 million) relies on expected revenue from the tourism industry.
Although no statistics are currently available, tourism officials have noted that the industry has suffered booking cancellations and “irrevocable damage” since mid-December, when news of Islamic extremism and political unrest began reaching international media.
Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI)
filed a case against the government at the Civil Court over the spa ban earlier this week.
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The government's request for a consultative opinion from the Supreme Court is ridiculous.
What about the Attorney-General? Can he not understand legal language? His mandate is to carry out this function for the President.
There have been Acts of Parliament and regulations in force for decades allowing the sale of alcohol and pork on private islands where resorts are operated.
The fact that Maldivians are employed on these islands is not a legal dilemma and it does not contravene convention either. Maldivians are employed across the world as well. I suggest Nasheed ask the Magistrate Court in Maalhos whether it would be right for companies based abroad to employ Maldivians in trades where alcohol and pork are sold.
And also Minivan, please maintain consistency in your formatting. The final part of your article looks like it was copy-pasted from a communique sent from the Press Unit at the President's Office.
This is madness! The government should ban alcohol and pork immediately. I always described Sheikh Shaheem as a bit of an Adhaalath hippie, since he always seems to add 'peacefully' at the end of sentences. However, heed my words, Maldivian Jews and adulterers! Your days are numbered, for our country is opening it's eyes to true islam, away from the traditional version we used to practice, which was full of bidua! Subhanallah! May Allah SWT forgive our ancestors, for they had not been enlightened. But we shall make it right inshallah!
Allahu Akbaru! Allahu Akbaru! Allahu Akbaru!
It is pity that Maldivian Politicians are taking the Maldives to cleaners. The self-confessed religious scholars are not helping either. With two digit IQ I tend to believe that religion and politics has to be separated, because there are no saints in the world any more.
Many would agree that power corrupts people (the most obvious recent example is Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) so all powerful people like Qasim, Anni and others are trying to corrupt the whole nation.
People like us with a small IQ jump on bandwagon to follow these highly intelligent “morons”.
On 23rd December opposition failed address any real issue highlighting petty things like SAARC monuments and prostitution.
The real issues for which affects all Maldivians specially poor are ignored like Tax, Cronyism, corruption, and increasing lease of all resort the islands to 99 years. Anni and all MPs have vested interest on all these issue so they do not want people to talk about this, therefore no media channel has highlighted or debated real issues.
Anni’s government has now embarked on really nasty plan of depriving the next generation of any wealth as he is leasing all the inhabited islands and lagoons in the Maldives to his cronies. Anni even does not have a master plan to develop tourism. He is randomly picking islands and lagoons and distributing to his cronies. He undermined Maldives managed tourism industry, which will cost ordinary folks dearly for time to come.
Come on Maldivian folks, wake-up before it is too late. Maumoon in his 30 year rule nearly took us to the door of cleaners, but Anni is determined to finish the job Maumoon started, that is bankrupting the country for ever. Please note “Lakum Deenukum Valiyadheen”. But only good Maldivians can save the country from greedy politicians.
You bloody fools. Anni will not grovel and luck your bottom on these ridiculous demands?
You claim all the people who attended the demonstration is sincere? Can you explain how come all women prayed that day? None of them were having periods?
Anni will play you and ditch you, while spitting in our face!
You can go and wring your wife's neck to make sure they comply with your demands.
Don't ask others to live your pathetic life!
I think the only way to resolve these ongoing issues is for the government and the opposition to sit together and talk towards a negotiation which please both sides and the national interests of the country. Sacrifices and acceptance need to be laid down by both sides. The coalition should agree for the country to have spas, alcohol and pork served in the resorts as this depends on our main source of economy. The coalition can also agree for the religious freedom as it is written i Quran itself that a religion cannot be forced on to anyone. In return the government should remove the SAARC monmuments and ban Israeli Ailrlines as they are the words of the constituion and the voice of the people respectively. I think steadfast stubborness from the government is rather leading Maldives into a deeper state where people are going more towards the extreme side rather than the moderate side.Just guys, sit together and talk talk talk.. Negotiate things in the best interest of our people, country, cultural and democratic values.
Dear "coalition",
You have long been exposed as utter hypocrites who are only worthy of being sadly laughed at.
Stop already, and find another drum to beat.
As irresponsible as President Nasheed's move to shut down spas and consider an alcohol ban was, it has definitely exposed the opposition's two facedness.
If you want to 'defend Islam', then defend it properly. Find a spokesperson for your alcohol ban demand, who is not the biggest alcohol importer in the country.
Find a spokesperson against religious freedom, someone who hasn't written a book academically arguing for of religious freedom in Islam.
If you just want to somehow attack the government, then have the decency to admit this is just politics, instead of sullying the name of a religion by associating yourself with it.
Instead, you want to have your cake and eat it too. That's just pathetic.
It is true. The Government have sold out their religious principles in their pursuit of worldy gain and material benefit.
I condemn the Government! While our women remain immodestly dressed; while drug use is rampant; while the infidels and apostates plot and toil to introduce Western immorality into our nation - the Government would rather leave us vulnerable to these evils, in order to appease their foreign sponsors.
The atheist infant grows into an adolescent now! We should have garroted it while it was still an infant - for its cognitive ability and deviousness will only grow with age and experience, but it is not yet too late!
It starts with strengthening the basic unit of society - the family. And family begins with marriage and motherhood. So away with cumbersome restrictions on marriage I say!
Inshah'allah, if our women shalt be married young, then they shalt be well disciplined and shalt be clothed modestly; under which conditions they shalt be moulded into suitable mothers, that shalt breed the most pious and excellent of men.
Stalwart and valiant warriors fighting for the one true faith, bursting in multitudes from the wombs of their God fearing mothers; sword in hand, ripe to do battle with the cancerous minions of the secularist shaytans!
Against the forces of promiscuity!
Against the pseudoscience of evolutionism and neurology!
Against man-made systems of government, that will lead us to jaahiliyya and hellfire! And Shariah shalt emerge triumphant!
___
(Please know that my first paragraph was metaophircal, before the Islamophobes accuse me of wanting to strangle babies. I would never condone such barbarity.)
i dont know what the two of you are on about, i thought this was a good read.
dont worry about these two man! you write good crap! the best crap ever! love you!
Idiots!
Why on earth would the 23 December demonstrators call for a ban on something that is banned already? Spas are banned in inhabited islands. So are bars. We have spas and bars only in resorts. So what nonsense are they coming out with now saying the government misinterpreted what they asked for? And these are the parties that think they can win the next election? . This is what happens when we have people like Gasim in politics.What a joke.
Haleem: You seem to be very confused. Are you living in Maldives or in a distance land? The demonstrators called for ban on massage parlors, which you can find plenty in Male with Thai prostitutes who will offer you "extra" service for more money. Similarly they also called for ban on selling alcohol in inhabited islands, which the government had legalized by declaring that particular piece of land where the hotel is in as a separate uninhabited island. That, for me is the joke!
boycott israel now.
http://www.inminds.com/boycott-israel.html#list
Religion is the root of all evil. Can anyone name one war that has been fought in the name of Atheism????
......no, I Didn't think so!!!
@mohamed
"Similarly they also called for ban on selling alcohol in inhabited islands, which the government had legalized by declaring that particular piece of land where the hotel is in as a separate uninhabited island. That, for me is the joke!"
No, the bigger joke is your lack of intelligence, mohammed! Do you think alcohol and pork can be "quarantined" in islands separated by water? Do you think bottles of alcohol fear the sea so much that they can't cross it?
What on earth are you talking about? Do you know the geography of my home land, Suvadheeb (or Addu City as they call it now)? This place literally consists of numerous, geographically separate islands joined up artificially! What's the matter with declaring or not declaring an area here is uninhabited? What's your real agenda? Stop the progress of Addu and Falklands? We know your real aims.
On what grounds are you allowing the sale of alcohol in Hulule hotels? Is that not physically joined by land to satellite community of Male? May Allah punish these Munafig for defaming the name of Glorious Islam in order to profit their own pockets and further their political agenda. May Allah punish them both here and the hereafter!
Is 'Dhivehi Hanguraama' serious in all his comments? I am no longer sure now but it is frightening.
There are lots of idiots on both sides. What is the problem of selling alcohol in a resort in an inhabited island? Aren't there any Maldivians working in the resorts? Of course they are. If any Maldivian wants to drink alcohol, they would drink it no matter if they are sold in the inhabited islands or not.
Addu is a good example. It is connected by land from Gan to Hithathdhoo. So you cannot sell alcohol in the resort in Gan because you can drive or walk from Gan to Hithadhoo?
In this case one can take a boat and go to Willingili too. So what does that mean?
These Mullas are real imbeciles. I wonder if the they teach any sense in these so called "Universities" they attend.
As far the so called "massage parlours" are concerned I see no reason why they should be open like that. A regulated one like "foot massage" is a good one but these things must be regulated and if this so is the case I see no problems.
However all these violent rhetoric from these Mullas is threatening our economy as they do not seem to understand how bad it looks abroad. Violent religious extremism is the biggest concern for the World Wide society and this would be extremely harmful to us and our economy.
As the "Skeik" Shaheem said, the Hilton in Medina/Mecca is always full and they do not sell alcohol.
I am sure the Bandos and other hotels in Maldives would be full too without selling alcohol if we had the Birth place of the Islam in the Maldives too.
It is time Maldives woke up to the fact that tourism is our only income and we are not Arabs and we do not have oil or other natural resources like them and we cannot live like them.
If we kill tourism, we are going back to old days of unpaved roads, and 40 years back in life.
The so called NGOs should be responsible for this great loss to our country as much as the Government is.
These people are playing politics with our lives and our future and it is time that a new protest movement against these protests should come out and save the Maldives from all these protests.
@manik on Fri, 6th Jan 2012 8:37 PM.
Exactly.
The idiots are willing to sacrifice everything hardworking Maldivians have built for the past 40+ years. These guys are hungry to lick the asses of Arabian pigs.
"Ahsan_Sulaiman on Fri, 6th Jan 2012 9:36 PM
@manik on Fri, 6th Jan 2012 8:37 PM.
Exactly.
The idiots are willing to sacrifice everything hardworking Maldivians have built for the past 40+ years. These guys are hungry to lick the asses of Arabian pigs."
Well why don't we just allow prostitution then, if it benefits our economy? What about legalizing drugs and then taxin the revenue?
What depths are you willing to sink to, you vile man?
It is better that we remain virtuous and starve now, than feed ourselves content in this earth, and forego the hereafter.
Perish the thought! And may those who advocate such evil conduct meet their demise by way of garroting!
Remember this! Our maker will not judge us by the strength of our tourism industry!
Halaaku huri!
The Munafiqs value their fat children, and their money more than the afterlife! Garrot them all on the spot!
The maldive govt should also see how the girls of maldives are living in big indian towns like Bangalore , chennai and trivandrum
Our Country is and will be dependent on other countries and we go begging every year to find out a country which can fund us and today we are speaking Maldivians are disrespected
Some jokers( Pakistani and Afganistan) have come who are spoiling our country image kick them out
We want to be happy and do not restrict
For me the funniest part of this protest is the fact they didn't find an Arabic or dhivehi word for "demand" somehow the word doesn't go well with Mullahs.
Government is succeeding in distributing tourism wealth across the country. In places like Addu and Foamulak where typical isles are scarce, the only hope for some action is developing city hotels. The opposition doesn't want to see government succeed and one way to block these projects to play the religious card. We have to understand that today's demanding tourist wants all normal services expected in all hotels of the world.
The Maldives is not the end of world and the patience of the tourist is limited and he has many choices! Better we behave in a civilized manner!
islam, islam, islam, islam, islam, islam...............is there any other newsworthy item in the Maldives?
Why are muslim countries...........especially 100% muslim countries.............so BORING?
Massage parlours...........unislamic
Spas.......................unislamic
Prostition.................unislamic
Pork.......................unislamic
Alcohol....................unislamic
Nudity.....................unislamic
Music......................unislamic
Art........................unislamic
Education for girls........unislamic
Casinos and gambling.......unislamic
SAARC monuments............unislaimc
Freedom of religion........unislamic
Drugs......................islamic?
Say no to organizations linked with terrorists. Anni is clever to show the two face of these protest organizers. Now Shaheem is having his own affair & Gasim locked in his own business interests.
MN... You removed my second comment along with the comment of Bill... SMART. Is this how you show how independent you are?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsj4pUkeQBA shaheems video part one
That video might never see the light of day.
Or else we would have a "Qanoonee Huskan" on our hands. LOL.
However, all things said and done, perhaps the government's refusal to follow up on its threats through Raajje TV last night is a sign of more pragmatic moves in the future.
Indira NewDelhi, cease your vile attempts to defame our religion!
Islam is most certainly not against the education of girls! Though we recognize the limits of their abilities and do not encumber them by expecting of them, what is beyond their capacities.
Nor do we let her mingle with with the other sex and make a display of herself - and allow her to dress without modesty; for in doing so, she would be divesting herself of the virtue vested upon her by God almighty.
Thus - in demanding that she conduct herself with dignity, we elevate the woman to a position unheard of where the vulgar and decadent faiths prevail!
Gasim, humiliated.
Shaheem, exposed.
Now who shall we strike down next?
Eenie, meenie, miney, mo...
"As the “Skeik” Shaheem said, the Hilton in Medina/Mecca is always full and they do not sell alcohol."
Ah, well, the good Sheikh probably would know a thing or two about Hilton and other high class hotels. He has been caught on camera, frolicking with a young lady who doesn't happen to be his wife!
Now, I'd like to hear his side of this story. How did he end up fondling and massaging a young lady's palms in close proximity? Is that a new form of Islam that he learned in Saudi Arabia that we don't know about? If so, then please enlighten us mortals.
@ Mohamed As far as I know, the massage parlors, which you claim the demonstrators called to ban are already banned in Male' and all inhabited islands. Massage parlours are not registered with any government agency. They are illegal. So why call for a ban on something already banned?What a joke.
So, it is you who seem not to have the knowledge or to be perhaps living in a "distance" land.
And fyi, Mohamed, spas are not massage parlours.
@Manik
Covered almost all points. Good one Sir.
@ Dhivehi Hangyourself
'Islam is most certainly not against the education of girls! Though we recognize the limits of their abilities and do not encumber them by expecting of them, what is beyond their capacities'.........really?.........I'venever heard such crap before.
How do you explain that I have ten times the education, intelligence and ability of a hate filled fanatic like youself?