Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson and MP Moosa Manik has expressed concern over remarks made by the opposition over an alleged maritime agreement with the government of Sri Lanka, allowing Srilankan vessels to cross Maldivian waters with prior permission from the Maldivian authorities.
Head of the DRP’s fishermen’s branch, Ali Solih, had earlier condemned the deal as “an insult to Maldivian fisherman” and “a dangerous deal,” since the Maldives did not have the capacity to monitor illegal fishing.
Moosa said today that calling neighboring countries “thieves” was “very serious” and something about which the MDP was “very concerned”.
”It is a very irresponsible allegation made by the opposition to say that the government has signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan government to open Maldivian waters for Sri Lankan fishing vessels,” Moosa said. ”Even while they are making these claims, they are not even sure if such an agreement was even signed.”
”I cannot believe that the government will do anything to damage the fisherman,” he said.
The agreement to allow Sri Lankan vessels to cross Maldivian waters enroute to the Arabian Sea has caused a rare split in the MDP ranks.
Yesterday MDP MP Mohamed Musthafa called on the government to withdraw the agreement before he submitted a resolution to the parliament forcing the government to withdraw it.
He claimed that if the agreement was implemented, Sri Lankan fishing boats would enter Maldivian territorial waters and ”steal all our fish.”
“Their intention is to steal our fish, but I cannot just stand aside and watch while they take away our fish, which is the only source of natural resource we have in abundance,” he said. “It is a right that has to be preserved for future generations.”
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ha ha...what a bunch of bloody hypocrites on both sides of the political divide! Allah help this country.
"...remarks made by THE opposition" would somehow make Mustapha part of the opposition then huh. Surprising how the entire article only quotes Mustapha yet is headlines and written with the intention of making THE opposition, ie DRP look as if it's alone in making allegations against the Lanka-Maldives Maritime Agreement.
Lord help us. Tsunamis, swell tides, etc. From the plentiful-hatefilled hypocrites we have, Lord you certainly have enough to unleash any wrath on to us.
Maldivian parliamentarian openly accuses and bashes our neighboring countries like India and Sri Lanka. My question to those honorable members is, are we in a position to be rude and unfriendly with these countries. We depend on these countries for medical services and even for food and basic things like salt! Honestly I pity the people who elected these ignorant people as their members to represent in Peoples Majlis”.
Sri Lankans have always fished in our waters illegally well now they will fish legally
You stupid old man! U have no right to call our beloved neighbours thieves!
Keep you mouth shut! it stinks of filth!
Man I hate Reeko so much!
Don't even think of calling Sri lankans as thieves. Maldivians are the biggest thieves in this region. I cannot count the number of maldivians who have played out Sri lankan and indian business. And do not forget that there are approx 30,000 maldivians living in peace in Sri Lanka and do not let this turn in to a turmoil. Whether it is education, medical, partying etc etc, such ignorant statements can ruin relationships.
Get this straight Reeko did not call Sri Lankans as thieves. In fact he said the opposition should not call them thieves.
This is a despicable and irresponsible act by the chairman of a party.
The opposition, for once, maintained that the fault was on the part of the Maldivian government and the risks lay in our lack of monitoring capacity and the past actions of individual Sri Lankan fishing vessels.
However, Reeko Moosa, MDP-sponsored commenter Hassan Ahmed et. al. had to go on a spree and use low innuendos and cheap semantics while forgetting that as a leader of a party, his insinuations and double entendre's (clever though he might think they were) reflect badly on his own image, his party's and the Sri Lankan state's.
@hate reeko - lmao.... Reeko's the one telling people not to call Srilankan's 'theives'..... hehe... how ignorant can u be!!! hahahahah!!! think before u write even if u hate someone so much!!! kekeke