Minivan News rejects absurd claims published on the Adhaalath Party website on May 30 that we are running “a campaign” against corporate support of a cultural event organised by Islamic NGO Jammiyyathu Salaf, ‘The Call’ 2010.
The Adhaalath Party fails to distinguish between ‘coverage’ and ‘support’ of an event, in this instance a letter-writing campaign by feminist group Rehendhi. Minivan News has no links to Rehendhi and this represents a leap in logic akin to suggesting that by covering a tsunami disaster, we are promoting tsunamis.
The Adhaalath Party further claims that Minivan News is conspiring with Rehendhi to promote “national sissyness” and “lesbian relations among women”.
Minivan News has translated and published these allegations in their entirety, allowing our readers to make up their own minds about these ridiculous and bizarre claims.
We also understand that as homosexuality is a criminal offence in the Maldives, such false allegations are strong grounds for a defamation suit.
We were disappointed to learn today that DhiTV has aired this Adhaalath Party statement without contacting Minivan News for comment. ‘Both sides of the story’ is a central tenet of journalism and Maldivians have a right to demand a higher standard from their news media.
Furthermore, Minivan News also rejects DhiTV’s echoing of the Adhaalath Party’s claims that we are connected to the current government.
This is due to frequent confusion with the now defunct Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) newspaper ‘Minivan Daily’, a confusion DhiTV is aware of but has seen no need to clarify.
Unlike most media outlets in the Maldives, Minivan News has no active links with the current government, former government or big business interests, and is entirely self-funded through banner advertising. This allows us to report fairly and impartially on all issues affecting the Maldives, without fear or favour.
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Yeah right!
As if you guys present both sides.
You are promoting homosexuality in Maldives in addition to creating disorder & unrest in Maldives.
And that article was a letter sent to the website by an AP member. Its not sth stated by AP official. So again, see how you are creating mischief.
You think we Maldivians are fools?
InshaAllah, the days of radical elements in Minivan News are outnumbered. You will be deported for good from Maldives. We will not allow such wicked people to destroy our country.
It's as if homosexuality in the Maldives is a recent phenomenon? Prominent businessmen and politicians of this country have been known to be homosexuals for decades.
At least papers like Minivan News are bringing social issues to the mainstream so we can all have a debate about it.
Just ignore religious fundamentalists like Adhaalath.
I am not a religious person but I hate people who try to create disorder in our country. I know there are extra smart journalists working for minivan news.
I congratulate Minivan not only for giving Maldivians a platform to discuss matters very relevant to our society, but also for covering issues which other media outlet would have dared to enter into. I've been a loyal reader ever since this website came into existence and I am proud of your work so far. Keep up the good work
"minivan news s**ks"
Tell you the truth?
There is NEVER any "NEWS" on Minivan News!
What I always find is second hand news with ambiguous HEADINGS, designed to attract anti-islamic comments from 'ISLAM HATERS' to quench their thirst!
What I also find is that MN also tries to create SUBTLE demand for SAMER SEX MARRIAGE in our beautiful country !!
MN seems to be trying to create and build a network of 'ISLAM HATERS' to achieve a 100 percent Western style government in Maldives in which all kinds of rights in the UDHR are freely practiced in the Maldives, be it against Islamic principles.
I strongly think their website should be banned and all their foreign "journalists" expelled from Maldives as persona-non-grata as they are trying to create and distinguish socio-politico-religious divisions in Maldives.
MN could well be a threat to national security in the very near future and I support the allegations that MN is strongly linked to underground elements of MDP, who think that the current administration has a moral right to listen to their lone voices because they think that this government would not have been possible without their "crucial" support !
MN is the only newspaper brave enough to touch on taboo subjects. MN was first to criticise the Gayoom regime's torture (along with DO), was first to expose Adam Zahir getting warning from UK police; was first to talk about child abuse' was first to talk about abuse of women by police etc etc
we owe you guys and girls a lot. carry on being independent and brave. somebody has to in this nation of deniers and cowards
Everyone else in this country are free to do what ever they want: Mullahs, Wahhabis, Paedophiles, Corrupt Politicians, Disgusting Actors and Dancers, Bitchy Maldivian girls, Gang Violence gangsters, Antisocial behavioureres, Drug Addicts, Drinkers, Illegal Immigrants and workers and Christian Missionaires etc. Our country is full of all these people and they all do what ever they want. The society has become a mess regarding life values, safety and decency. So why isolate homosexuals and stand against them Let them also live with the freedom they want. Atleast one group of the society will be quiet and peaceful.SHOOOOO
Well everyone knows that since the beginning of this intellectual war the media has been a weapon which has been used broadly by the western secularists ideologists who try to defame religion especially islam. Ever since mdp had started their campaign, minivan news has been there to support them, create a platform for mdp to gain control the mind of the ordinary maldivian and to defame islam.
My best guess is this a campaign to weaken the islam beliefs of muslims in Maldives whch is supported by the conservative party of Uk, have been running secretly by Nasheed and his allies of anti- islamic propagationists, and implemented by a mixture of anti islamists like Aniya , Hilath, Shauna , Iranian apostate Mariyam Omidi and many other anti islamic activists.
So let us stand against these people who have no knowledge what so ever against Islam which the present government with their so called democratic views, cannot support the views of the majority of the MAldivians who have called to close down the operation of minivan news in Maldives
mini-ONE-News
@heck,
I totally agree with you.
I support the expulsion of foreign journalists working at minivan news.
@heck, why do you care read the second hand news. i see you commenting on every piece written here. sure serve as a vent to blow some steam off ya, don't you think...
go minivan, don't listen to the jokes of adalat, unless they have something constructive to say. perhaps one day.
Minivan News ..carry on. Don't worry be happy. Homosexuality in Maldives was promoted at its level best at Atolls Ministry in the former regime. Only sweet gents could survive in key positions THOSE DAYS.
what i think is minivan news gives small points(not related) and carry on with other big (directly related)points so most people do not notice these small points.and as we all know minivan news is a nest for Islam haters. so these haters come in and clarify these small by-standing points and create confusion amongst Muslims. and by the way, these small points are their in the first place so that they can carry on with their propaganda of hatred towards islam without being labellled as themselves unislamic
@Hassan,
Its not MN thats trying "to achieve a 100 percent Western style government in Maldives in which all kinds of rights in the UDHR are freely practiced in the Maldives". Its the Constitution that guarantees all these UDHR kinds of rights. A Constitution drafted by elected lawmakers.
And its not MN thats "trying to create and distinguish socio-politico-religious divisions in Maldives". MN is just reporting on such issues, and bringing it out in the open, so that the ordinary people are aware of it. Its what any media should be doing! With or without MN or any other media, our country will still have homosexuals, atheists, gangsters, child molesters etc.
and then, they all read MN. how lovely.
Minivan news is the only news source which actually has guts, all the others are sissy's.
And the only one that consistently practices good journalism by bringing both sides of the issue.
MN dares to write about issues that other newspapers dare not write about. MN highlights issues that are critical to this society, for this i salute MN.
I heard you guys agreed that the editor of yours is Nazim. Brother of Anni. So how can you claim there is no relationship. Even if hes not actively involved, as the official editor he will be the one responsible for all the articles. Not your so called foreign editor.
Minivan News is going beyond the limit of freedom of expression in Maldives. I love this government but really hate minivan news for such articles which contradicts our beloved Islamic religion. There were very interesting articles which i like a lot in minivan news. So guys please dont try to spoil our relegion.
"I know there are 'extra smart' journalists working for minivan news."
Oh no. The lingering after effects of his Naikness.
Minivan News is pretty much the only website I turn to these days for local news, for the simple fact that the news is written in intelligible English.
Any news Media that cannot provide coverage of facts is not a news media at all, they're just shilling for their political masters.
Finally, I see that just like how some commentators here are parroting Zakir Naik's words without caring a hoot if it even makes any sense, similarly they're repeating their own paranoid rants about 'Islam haters' (where are they?) on Minivan.
This is not new. And perhaps will never change. It's just the mullah line of defense.
A word of condemnation is due to pathetic party mouthpieces like DhiTV who pose as legitimate news organizations.
It's disappointing for those of us who cheered when private television media was introduced in this country.
DhiTV has proved to be a worthless propaganda channel, without the slightest journalistic ethic - and instead "serves the public" by shamelessly whoring for ratings, and airing completely unpardonable partisan filth.
Dear decent honest Maldivian people, contrary to what some on this site think - Westerners have too much going on in our own lives to be concerned with religion, a factor many of us have decided has no significance in our lives other than directly affecting our choice of drinking hole.
However, Minivan in attempting to be an indepedent news source designed to frame challenging, often difficult debates. It can be difficult to hear, but it is essentail, a western concept that should very much be cherished in the spirit of Hemingway, Dickens, Pilger - even Clive James.
You could be a great country, just give yourselves a chance. Surely your faith after all is stronger than the whims of politicians on whatever side.
just file a case to police or civil court (for damages) for creating unrest and promoting homosexuality which is prohibited in qaanoonul uqoobaath and that will take care of minivanews journalist who are working against our constitution. enough is enough
i luv minivan news. really
I'm confused.
What website are all these other commenters going to? I haven't read anything here that could be called "un-islamic", let be said to promote "lesbian relations".
I read an article about gang violence yesterday, and half the comments were raging about how "un-islamic" Minivannews is and how getting rid of the website would somehow, solve all of the Maldives' problems(?).
I don't think most people even bother to read the articles anymore.
If they did, they'd find this has consistently been the best reporting the Maldives has to offer.
mini-one is mostly a bit slow in reporting but when they do, its worth the wait. unlike most of the lazy maldivian journos the do report views from all sides.
a totaly rubbish media and a shame to all the Maldivians. As Zakir Naik said all these Atheist,feminist,homosexuals are trying to be oversmart,shame on you guys.
"As Zakir Naik said all these Atheist,feminist,homosexuals are trying to be oversmart"
When did Zakir say all this? :-/
How can you be oversmart? Doesn't that equate to intelligence. Presumably Zakir Naik is undersmart then? He's done well for himself hasn't he?
These pakistani educated patans think they owns islam and they're the sole agents in this 100% muslim country. We behave more islamic ways than Patans. Since the begining of islam in Maldives, we always had a scholar from Saudi Arabia, who were the original muslim. bye, bye Pakistani Educated patans.
Minivan News and Minivan Daily are two different things and owned by two different parties. Nazim was one time editor of Minivan Daily. You Pakistani's wont know what is happening in Maldives. Go and bow to Salaf. Long live maumoon.
@Hassan
Nonsense!
Islam has it's own UDHR.
(Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Last Sermon)
We don't need another crap which can't even define a virtuos "marriage" as a relationship between two human beings of OPPOSITE sex!
Maldives holds a "reservation" about UN's UDHR, and that reservation must never be removed for the sanctity of HUMAN kind!
"We were disappointed to learn today that DhiTV has aired this Adhaalath Party statement without contacting Minivan News for comment."
Wth, minivannews! so DhiTv cannot air a statement by a leading political party?
But you can cover a sexually perverted group's wet dreams for your readers to "decide" without consulting anyone?
Now i have seen everything!
Quote: "Unlike most media outlets in the Maldives, Minivan News has no active links with the current government, former government or big business interests, and is entirely self-funded through banner advertising. This allows us to report fairly and impartially on all issues affecting the Maldives, without fear or favour."
Very nice statement. But you gotta be kidding yourself. Anni's younger brother ran both this 'online' one and the 'daily', right out of kanareege, and that's public knowledge. Immediately after MDP won the 2008 presidential election, he publicly announced that the 'daily' would be closed 'as there was no longer any need for it', but the 'online version will continue'. The fact that minivan news is run by Anni's family is openly acknowledge even by them. So, are you only kidding yourselves, boys?
Lastly, even now, senior political appointees in the President's Office and other Government circles frequently try to distribute Minivan News Editor's mobile phone number etc in coffee shops to people engaged in local politics, quite proudly claiming that they run the show (which, ironically, you proudly call and have always proclaimed as "independent news for the maldives"...!). heh.
No, not ironic. Just plain idiotic. Actually, quite amazing in a funny way. Seen Shutter Island? Much like the story and "thinking" of the lead character in that great movie. You tell yourself a lie over and over again until you no longer believe in reality.
We sometimes wonder the so-called great white (:)) journalists (and spin doctors) you have there are all rejects from their own countries...?
Good-luck on the fight with Adaalaath Party (your other schizo partner in Government).