Author: Minivan News

Dear Editor
I am very disturbed by the fact you have published a very inflammatory letter from Ibn Khattab. Clearly the letter encourages for people to commit acts of terrorism. The author’s argument and his justification of jihad is absolutely unacceptable by any standard of morality and common sense.
Do the so-called scholars give news conferences only when someone calls for gay rights? Isn’t it their responsibility to come open and condemn this letter which calls for religious violence and applauds a Maldivian who was reportedly involved in a suicide attack in Pakistan.
Regards
Mao Hussein

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
A man arrested and convicted of sexually exploiting Maldivian children and also forcibly destroying the minds of these children got only six years in prison?
What a joke. It’s as if he got caught smuggling some opium – that’s how light the sentence was. In six years (or even faster, if the parole system is anything to go by, if he gets out of prison alive), he’ll be back on the streets again – and the vaunted “justice” that was served for his victims will be just a memory.
Whatever that unnamed NGO who said such a weak sentence was a “promising future” is either wearing rose-tinted glasses, snorting cocaine or just foolish to realise that six years is not enough to help the exploited children to heal, or to keep a convicted race-killer penned in.
25 years and no parole is more fitting; it will give his victims the peace of mind to develop and heal – and will increase the chances of his summary execution in prison.
I have lost all faith in the judiciary system of Maldives. As the father of two children, I am willing go above and beyond the so-called law to protect them from criminals like Hussain Fazeel.
Regards,
Anonymous

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
It is sad and disheartening to read your article on the aforementioned topic, but I commend the efforts of the Minivan News team for bringing these kinds of controversial cases to our attention.
I feel as if we are moving backwards, engulfed in the biggest mistake the current government has made in separating the religious component from the Executive. The Islamic Ministry has become a nationwide pest now, trying to take away one freedom after another.
If we do not take action now it will be too late, for they are brainwashing this moderate liberal community and trying to make our beautiful country one that reflects the dry deadly deserts of Arabia.
In today’s time and state, every women should have the access to education and healthcare. They should have a right to choose what they wear, whom they marry and what kind of people they will be.
I was watching the Miss Maldives Beauty Pageant of 1953 on Youtube today and wishing for such a glorious time for Maldivian women again. I ask every reader of this letter to exercise your freedom of expression and try to get some common sense back into our people, for that is the least we can do as individuals.
Regards,
Anonymous

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
The excellent article by Munirah Moosa on this subject gives a foreigner a great insight into some of the problems confronting the movement for reform in the Maldives, and I hope it is equally enlightening for Maldivians.
As an Irishman in the wake of the Ryan Report into sexual abuse by state ignored, if not actually endorsed, clerics, I am painfully aware of the dangers of equating Church with State, and would strongly advise any country to steer well away from such troubled waters.
As your columnist points out (without resource to cliché), you can lead a horse to water but it is up to the horse whether or not he avails of the facilities when he gets there. If anything, this is even more true of intelligent human beings following the dictates of an informed conscience, no matter which religion that conscience is informed by.
Regards,
Philip Cummings

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor
Our nation is now at alert level 4 on Swine Flu. I wonder how the alert level officials keep expenses on Flu alert level. In my experience, every such national alert level (e.g tsunami) buying short eats, betel nuts, soft drinks and lunch packs is common.
Today i heard our health minister Dr. Anth Jameel saying that since the flue outbreak in North America, our health sector is on Alert Level, spinning between Level 1 and Level 2, unfortunately the level lifted to Level 3 now, and is likely to jump into level 4.
I hope the increase on alert levels wouldn’t increase the quantity of short eats and lunch packs.
Regards,
Mohamed

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
Do you think if your mother or your 10-year-old daughter wanted to have sex with someone, you would agree? Mind you. Its their right. So cut the crap.
Now imagine if you had to fight with your neighbour every day for the next 50 years what would be your life be like?
If you can’t agree to your mother and daughter’s sexual desires and if you can tolerate 50 years of violence, I guess then only you should go for such public opinion polls.
Do you really think you are doing resonsible journalism?
Regards,
Didi

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
The behavior of MPs in the Maldives is purely disgusting. Whether opposition or not, I do not understand why any MP should have a problem taking a pay cut. They earn a lump sum, this is not their only source of income and many of them do not even live up to the responsibilities of being an MP! It is ridiculous to say that the country is not going through hard times. Anyone with the ability to retain and process information will undoubtedly know and understand about the global recession and how the Maldives is being affected by it. Just how stupid does these politicians think the average Maldivian person is? Also to think that the government does not have Rf7 billion in revenue is a nightmare! The comment about MPs being personal bankers. Now I do not know whether that is true or not, but the fact that this was a comment made by an MP (without any shame) means that he undermines the reform process…All of this makes the reform and the idea of an “Anneh Dhivehi Raaje” sound like a mere joke! What a laugh!
Regards,
Khadeeja Hamid

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
In my opinion, the Maldivian society is not educated well enough on Islam. Islam remains as a second thought to many Maldivian citizens, particularly among the younger people.
Most of the younger Maldivians wouldn’t even give a second thought about drinking alcohol. They won’t remember how it is banned in Islamic sharia, and the sin they commit by drinking it. Some of them even crave for an opportunity to drink that stuff.
Even now, it’s too easy to obtain alcohol. Allowing sale of alcohol on inhabited islands would result in total chaos! It would open up a new form of drug that is already being restricted in several non-muslim countries.
I wouldn’t mind the ban being lifted, as long as the sales are strictly monitored, and abusers of alcohol are given hefty punishment (in Britain, for example, a shopkeeper could go out of business for selling alcohol to a juvenile). The problem is that people in the Maldives already don’t get enough punishment even for serious crimes, such as adultery, rape, etc (some even get released!). This would encourage more people to take part in such crimes, because they know that they won’t get serious punishment for it!
I believe that allowing the sales of alcohol in the current Maldivian society is not sensible. Unless the Maldivians are taught more about Islam, and younger people are taught about how dangerous drugs and alcohol are, our society isn’t safe.
Regards,
Anonymous

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Dear Editor,
It’s about time the government did something to improve the facilities and services at the IGM Hospital. My last visit to the place was a nerve racking experience and the place is clearly overloaded with patients. The ER looks more like its dealing with a disaster. There are people along the corridor to the extended area and you can barely walk with the beds on both sides. On Saturday there were at least five women in labour waiting for the doctor or a place in the labour room. Three patients that were supposed to be put into ICU were left in ER due to the ICU being full. There were no rooms available and the wards were full. The corridor leading up to the laboratory smelled of s**t and I’m not s***ing you.
The mismanagement of the past regime is visible but now it reflects very badly on the current goverment. The hospital has been largely ignored by the democratic sarukaaru [government]. While privatisation was announced just last week, I for one don’t think that the place can handle the current numbers. All the doctors look tired and overworked. Health Minister Aiminath Jaleel is clearly not a capable choice. Yes, we know that the former goverment was corrupt, it didn’t care about the people – that’s why we elected you to govern. Be the change that you promised, no more sick leaves.
Regards,
Aishath Maleesha

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)