Addu City Council has begun removing monuments gifted to the Maldives by SAARC member countries during the “Building Bridges” summit in November 2011.
Bhutan’s monument, a wooden sign, was taken down on Friday following a demand from demonstrators at the opposition-sponsored ‘Defend Islam’ protest on December 23 that all monuments be removed as they were “idolatrous”.
Councillor Hussein Hilmee told Minivan News that a small group of people had been vandalising the monuments and that police had needed to provide 24 hour security, which was unfeasible.
The leaders of Bangladesh, Pakistian, India, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka unveiled their national monuments to commemorate the Maldives’ hosting of the SAARC Summit.
The night before the unveiling of Pakistan’s monument a small group of protesters knocked it over, contending that carvings detailing the history of the Indus valley civilisation and a bust of the country’s founder Mohamed Ali Jinah were idolatrous. The monument was removed by Addu City Council and replaced on its plinth prior to the unveiling ceremony.
That evening a group of opposition MPs, including MP Ahmed Mahlouf from former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), were arrested attempting to take down SAARC banners at the airport which they claimed featured Christian imagery.
The Pakistani monument was subsequently set ablaze by demonstrators, after the Adhaalath Party issued a statement claiming that “no Maldivian of sound mind” would allow idols or iconography of other religions to be erected in the country.
The Pakistani monument was “part of efforts by adversaries of Islam to turn the faith that Maldivians embraced 900 years ago upside down,” the party said at the time.
The fate of the monuments quickly became a political football in the wake of the SAARC Summit, as the government began to juggle the perceptions of its regional neighbours with antagonistic public sentiment triggered by opposition-led demands that the monuments be removed.
Meanwhile, the wave of vandalism continued. The head of Sri Lanka’s lion statue monument was decapitated, and police were deployed to provide protect the surviving structures.
A month after it was unveiled Nepal’s monument, a metal plaque with a coat of arms resembling the country’s national symbol, was stolen during a police shift change.
“We regret what has happened,” Addu City Mayor Abdullah Sodig told Minivan News following the theft of the Nepalese monument. “It was not a religious monument. There is some political motive behind this theft,” he emphasised, citing “opposition party members” as likely suspects.
Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari subsequently requested that government authorities remove the SAARC monuments that conflicted with Islam, although he did not specify which.
State Minister for Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, was more muted, telling Minivan News that he did not believe that the monuments contradicted Islam.
“The Pakistan monument showed how Pakistan became an Islamic country from its Buddhist origins,’’ he said, but added: ‘’Although the monument does not contradict Islam, it should not be kept there if Maldivian citizens do not want it to be there.’’
Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair observed at the time that taking down the monuments would diplomatically be very difficult for the government, “especially where it was handed to us by another Islamic country.”
Removal of the contentious monuments was one of the five demands of the December 23 protesters, who also demanded that the government apologise for a statement to parliament by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay concerning a moratorium on flogging for extra-maritial sex.
Today, Addu City Councillor Hilmee said the council had sent a letter to the Foreign Ministry requesting that it inform SAARC member countries that it was taking the monuments down.
Deputy Sri Lankan High Commissioner Shaanthi Sudusinghe said the Sri Lankan government had not yet been informed of any decision.
“We have requested that if [the government] is unable to preserve the monument that they hand it over to us,” she said.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Intolerance growing in the Maldives: Asia Times
Mosque, SAARC monument vandalised in Addu
Vandalism of Pakistani monument damaging to Maldives’ image: Foreign Ministry 
SAARC calls for greater integration, recognises vulnerability of small island states
Rising interest in South Asian regional grouping: Eurasia Review
Week in review: February 16 – 21
It was that way that the old portuguese wall was destroyed, its value being of millions today. Madness, pure madness. NO respect whatsoever for the culture.
Ther are still statues inside clothing stores and false idols permeate our very walls!
Shall we end the struggle for our nations soul at this critical moment? Be not apathaetic, ye faithful Maldivians!
Shameful. Those who want this monuments removed should refrain from travelling to these neighbouring countries also. Its a shameful day for all Maldivians, Politicians have made religion into a political weapon now, and talks whatever nonesense they like in the name of religion.
Who are you that say you represent GOD and the only thing we see from you is anger and destruction? GOD desn't need you to destroy monumemts as monuments are part of HIS creation. HE THE ALMIGHTY can do it alone. Did you never heard of the words tsunami? Who are you to destry what GOD gave as a gift allowing others to create? If you believe really in GOD than you should believe ful power. Who are you to act as if you where GOD? GOD and the Prophet can destroy and create by themselves but we have never saw a sign that you where gaven that mission or power. Monuments just like people and animals are the creation of GOD as he creates all. Don't bit never the hand that feeds you and yor family because tha hand migth come back to you one fine day asking you to be held accountable for what you have destroyed. Don't you fear that? You should.
I agree with DH! The ones inside stores should be taken down too, for they are the idols of worship for Jews, dressing them in clothes which reveal the aura of pious women!
Mashallah for the removal of these idols! The jews have been defeated on this day! Allah SWT always makes the Muslims victorious!
Allahu Akbaru! Allahu Akbaru!
A truly responsible government should have assessed the possible fallout from this whole fiasco.
It should have moved to prevent cultural sensitivities of its own people from being offended. The government should have advised foreign parties of what would be acceptable to the Maldivian public and what would be not.
It should have prevented at all costs, the depiction of Maldivian citizens in the region and across the globe in a negative light. A sad day when our own government actively works to make us look like barbarians. A sad sad day.
We have a President who utterly despises the Maldivian people. This should never have happened.
Mr.Antonio
Spain has a proud history of "persecuting" heresy; neither Charles V nor his son, Phillip II, were tolerant men.
I am a great scholar of history and let me remind you that the rise of the Spanish Hapsburgs can be entirely credited with the expulsion of its Jews (who promptly fled to the Ottoman Empire and turned what was once a great Sultanate into the bastion of homosexuality and Oogah Boogah worship that it is today).
Thus, we too have right to be wary of foreign elements and deal harshly with our heretics; these are our internal affairs, and you do not need to concern yourself with how Maldivians conduct themselves.
I agree with tsk tsk.
He is a scholar of history hehe.. oh dear god help dat poor scholar find piece in his stupid medieval mind. Let him rethink n undestand the ways of our foreva and always beloved prophet. Amen!
But Dhivehi Hanguself you just dont get it do you. We ARE barbarians!
Allah Akbar
@ Dhivehi Hanguraama on Sun, 15th Jan 2012 7:52 PM
Grow up, DH! Don't talk like an unruly child!
Idols of-course a PROBLEM for almost many of us..... BUT what about the bloody youth, our children running around showing their pubic hair to our children who are moving with their moms, fathers and other relative sisters???? What about the filthy words they use so loudly on the roads???What about the Illegal Immigrants and a very few Maldivians and unskilled expatriates spitting here and there, throwing rubbish here and there, even around the Dust Bins kept for wastes???? What about the guys who are smoking very close to young children making the passive smokers???
Sheikh Imran! Does Islam allow you to observe SILENCE looking at such ill behaviors of your neighbors????
Sheikh Imaran, please comment on this..till what time are u waiting without arranging a DEMONSTRATION against such CRIMES???
Idols of-course a PROBLEM for almost many of us..... BUT what about the bloody youth, our children running around showing their pubic hair to our children who are moving with their moms, fathers and other relative sisters???? What about the filthy words they use so loudly on the roads???What about the alarmingly huge number of Illegal Immigrants and a very few Maldivians and unskilled expatriates spitting here and there, throwing rubbish here and there, even around the Dust Bins kept for wastes???? What about the guys who are smoking very close to young children making the passive smokers???
Sheikh Imran! Does Islam allow you to observe SILENCE looking at such ill behaviors of your neighbors????
Sheikh Imaran, please comment on this..till what time are u waiting without arranging a DEMONSTRATION against such CRIMES???
If cultural monuments given by other nations are to be destroyed we should also ban all the dolls and animal and human figurines in our shops . Not just that. Indian films should be banned because their films often have Hindhu idols and their "Gods " as a centre point in their films. we should also ban cable tv for importing the cultural values of all the religions in the world into the living rooms of our citizens. We should also ban photos, facebook, the internet, books, schools and universities because they teach us about other cultures. Have I left out anything? Feel free to add.
It is really a shame that monuments gifted to the Maldives by SAARC member countries during the “Building Bridges” summit, as a token of friendship and coorporation, was accepted by our own Governmnet and later destroyed by its own people.
Poor Sheikh Imran. He has so much to do and so much to protest and so little time. There is very ittle one can do at the rate the world is changing today.
Even the change is a creation of GOD, and HE the almighty and THE ONE who knows what we the human does not know, knows all the secrets behind each change. HE definiteley will forgive us for what we do not know and what happens beyond our ability to charge. That is the GOD I know.
@ tsk tsk
Cultural sensitivities of Barbarians???
With all due respect, the issue has been blown out of proportion.
Without analysis, without thought, a mockery has been made of the symbols of friendship of neighboring countries.
The monuments were brought into the country only after due approval by both the Government and the Islamic Ministry.
It is sad that there is no self restraint or strength amongst the authorities to maintain or protect the monuments.
This story has reached its illogical conclusion. It has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth and a big question mark about Maldives readiness to be part of the international community it so readily abuses.
Whatever the country, would such a reaction be possible anywhere else?
Those idols in public spaces offended many people. The most offensive aspect is the shear disrespect of the government to its people, trying to shove this own our throats
But the irony is the big white bird that sits at the gate of the Feydhoo/gan is no problem but the lion and tigers are.
@respectDAfact: when u say it is sad authorities do not have strenghth or restrain to protect the monuments, are u suggesting that the limited police resources should be spent on protecting them. Many islands just have 2 or 3 police officers, and many don't even have police presence, yet, there are nearly 20 or so more police still engaged in protecting the remaining 3 monuments.
DH and all the writers in this news paper: I know, I know what Spaniards did in the XII, XIII and afterwards. I now the history and that is the reason why I write in several interational news papers. !!! what other reason would I have otherwise. History repeats itself too often, that is the reason why I lecture in universities and I write.