Two years after registration the Friendship Association of India-Maldives (FAIM) launched its website last night in honor of India’s Republic Day, pledging new opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue between the two nations.
Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said the country would “continue to get aspirations and lessons from the Indian experience.”
In conjunction with the cultural classes and services available through the Indian Cultural Center (ICC), FAIM aims “to strengthen the relationship, create friendships and build mutual understanding between the peoples of India and Maldives through organizing social, cultural, academic and other activities of mutual interest.”
Highlighting India’s artistic traditions, FAIM staff expressed a strong interest in supporting arts in the Maldives.
“The Maldives has very little internal support for the arts,” said a FAIM secretary. “We would really like to see what we can provide,” he said, acknowledging that the Maldivian community has a lot of hidden talent.
India and the Maldives enjoy close partnerships in education, technology and transportation development; India recently passed a regulation allowing Maldivians visa-free entry for 30 days.
In addition to encouraging cultural exchange, FAIM encourages a greater understanding of the distinct cultures. “Although archaeological finds indicate that the Maldives was inhabited as early as 1500 BC, much of the country’s origin is lost in history – most of which is as much folklore and myth as fact,” states the FAIM website.
While welcoming guests for “a light evening”, Indian High Commissioner and FAIM patron Dynaneshwar Mulay addressed the ongoing political turbulence and judicial crisis in the Maldives by affirming the close ties shared between the two nations.
“A democracy will see upheavals,” he said. “The Maldives is perhaps one of India’s closest partners. The Indian High Commission will always be there to help the Maldives.”
Mulay recollected that the Indian public protested against corruption last year, upholding rights embedded in its 1950 constitution. The protests, triggered by Anna Hazare’s Ghanid-esque hunger strike in April, captured world audiences and was voted one of Time Magazine’s Top Ten Stories of 2011.
Affirming the importance of India’s warm relationship with the Maldives, President Mohamed Nasheed said consolidation of democracy, including establishing a rule of law and an independent judiciary, is “our biggest and most important project.”
Thanking the Indian “people, its government and its institutions for the very necessary and good assistance they continue to give to the Maldives in our work to become a democratic society,” the President assured those gathered that the government shares concerns raised about the nation’s judicial crisis but views them as part and parcel of the task at hand.
“We have heard many criticisms, and we will continue to hear them. Would the end justify the means?” he queried.
“What I am sure of is that the people of this country aspire for a free and fair judiciary. And they want the judiciary to look like them. They wanted the presidency to look like them. They wanted the Parliament to look like them. And therefore the new judiciary has to look like them. They have to look like the Maldives. That is what has been asked of me, and that is what I am going to do.”
“Very often we have to invent, and invent out of the box,” the President said, asking for other powers to understand the Maldives’ current situation as a necessary, if complex, path to a stronger democracy.
Emphasising the value of cross-cultural dialogue in diplomatic matters, the President expressed hope that the traditional Indian thabla music would “broaden our minds and give us means to understand what is happening around us.”
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India backs Maldives’ “inventing outside the box”
Nowhere in the article does it show the Indian High Commissioner saying anything about supporting or backing "inventing outside the box"
India just said that democracy has upheavels, and discussed about the close cultural ties.
MINIVAN NEWS WHAT BULLSHIT!
India to support this dictator?? The founders of Indian democracy will never imagine to do what current dictator Nasheed is doing in Maldives. 1.Judges are in gun point. 2. Corruption at its peak in Excecutive, Judiciary and Parliament. 3. Government and his excellency himself supporting gang volience (What happened to Ex Finance Minister by MDP thugs and Rekko Moosa and Labour Minister Hassan Latheef openly calming to have the capacity to send thugs). 4. Openly and daily breaching the consitution at all levels of the state!! What a crumbling state!! What a shame!! I wonder what shame does Indian high commissioner to associate with these thugs and then sing the national song of India or preach the vlaues of mother India!! What a shame!! Shame on you Muley! You own citizens are raped, robbed, murdered in the streets of Maldives and the corrupt system in Maldives cannot protect! What pathatic situation we have in Maldives.
India supported Gayoom and now Nasheed. Guess they will support whoever is the President of Maldives.
We don't need to be friends with idol worshipers! Have you seen how disgusting they are, sharing their chapati with the rats inside the temple? This is how illogical their religion is. This itself shows how superior Islam is to their Jew-made religion!
India, please stay away from us.
@mariyam
If the Judge is involved in misdeeds by releasing the criminals according to whims and fancies of politicians ,does it make maldives safer?
As long as you work towards proper Justice peace will never prevail.
@sheik Imran
Religion is once personal choice and u cannot force it through once throat and also according to Quran there is no compulsion in religion..
Ofcourse we as muslims have a right to guide people through Beautiful Preaching without ridiculing false gods hence the non believers will ridicule Allah through ignorance.
@Sheikh Imran Abdullah
Be sensible when you make comments about other nations. You are only good for disciplining women. So be at your home and rule your kingdom there.
Who are you to interfere in the bilateral relations of the nations??
I cannot believe Minivan would stoop this low.
The Indian government should demand this articles headline to be re-written.
The writers of Minivan should just move into the Press Unit at the President's Office and discontinue this farce of operating an independent online news daily.
Minivan never reports on actual events but rather drafts long and tedious articles promoting the government or attacking the opposition.
To think this is the best the UK has to offer for Nasheed. I guess poster-boy never deserved the Conservative Party's full attention.
Sheikh Imran Abdulla YOU please stay away from us!!!
@Asif
It's not a 'personal choice' as you claim it is. This is a claim also commonly made by Jews to distort Islam, and my best guess is that you are also a Jew. If it was a personal choice, do you think the leaders in Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and the Maldives would have included clauses about being Muslim in the constitution? Of course not! Plus, it is clearly stated in the Quran, right after the verse you mentioned, that truth stands out from error! I do not see why we should allow error to run free, or even be friends with people who preach falsehood.
@Fazeel
I'm from the Adhaalath Party! Why shouldn't I comment on this country's matters when I hold such a prestigious position in the country's only pious political party? And if women needs to be disciplined, they should be to prevent the country from producing kaafir children! May Allah SWT's wrath be upon jews like you!
@Sheikh Imran
Do not preach Taliban here!!!!!!!!!!
India has a vested interest in taking our country in a certain direction that might please the "secular" liberal Munafiqs in our country, because they are worried that any tumult here would allow certain Pakistani elements to recruit from here and "exploit" our nation in order to fight their proxy battle over Kashmir.
We are not interested, and we stand firm with our Pakistani brethren - (though their womenfolk are mostly harlots and imbeciles. I greatly fear for their next generation!).
We should round up the entire Indian government, and have them garroted on the spot! Save our children from the worship of their four armed Oogah Boogah Gods!
Classic Eleanor spin. But its interesting that a Briton can be recruited by Nasheed to promote dictatorship in the Maldives.
Minivan please have some respect to individuals weather you like it or not. That comment is not made by Sheikh Imran and who ever thinks he/she is please for peace shake be a true muslim and do not make fake comments pretending to be who you are not.
God bless you.
@Fazeel on Thu, 26th Jan 2012 11:11 PM;
@Deen on Fri, 27th Jan 2012 5:37 AM
Guys, don't feed these trolls here. They are here purely to gain attention by spewing out as much bile as they can. Just ignore it and don't respond. They'll soon go away, once everyone ignores them! Please!
@ Sheik Imran
Just because u insert a clause in your constitution does it make a nation Islamic nation?
If Quran says there is no compulsion in religion do you believe the quran or your constitution?
There are several muslim countries but yet difficult to find an true islamic country.
@ sheik Imran
Yeah truth stands out from error is a point that all muslims should convince through proper preaching and share with other humanbeings.
Please note sharing does not mean forcing.
Eleanor Johnstone is to dictator Nasheed as Britisher Bob was to dictator Idi Amin.
Nice spin!
Thank you for correcting that headline.
Seriously Eleanor, your paymasters really should contain themselves.
Diplomacy is hard enough in today's murky waters without aggravating the situation any further.
Perhaps India truly is hinting that it might throw its support behind Nasheed but news writers, no matter how close they are to the President, cannot parade such knowledge in front of the people.
Tsk tsk,
MV is independent. Stop making false accusations. Mind you, that is not possible for you...
India backing maldives . What bulll , as far as i know india is one of the lamest democracy in this world. How dare such a country with millions of idols and false religions show aspiration to this dictator nasheed , maldives has one mouth one faith and one religion , dont come teaching us about ure cows and crow gods to this islamic nation . They only dared once to erect a demigod statue in this nation and look at the consequences , u can never eradicate islam from this land however hard u try.
I have never been able to understand the fanaticism of sunni muslims in the Maldives..........the 100% muslim country. I refer to retards like the self proclaimed 'islamic scholar' and 'sheikh' who endlessly rant here. The sad truth is that arab muslims do not even consider you to be true believers and that is because you are not arabic speakers............if you don't believe me ask a saudi the next time you go on haj or umrah.
The koran was written in arabic.......and not dhivehi, hindi, urdu, bahasa indonesia, malay, turkish, mandarin, hausa, yoruba or somali. That is why you have to force your kids to sit on the floor in the madrasas.........rock back and forth..........and remember all the chapters of the koran by endlessly repeating and memorising them..........and not understanding a word of the original arabic text!!
Maybe if you understood arabic and the true teachings of the koran you wouldn't be so ignorant and intolerant of other faiths.
@Indira New Delhi
Try to preach your Oogah Boogah religion in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE or Yemen; see if they are more or less "tolerant" than we are.
Perhaps this will give you a clue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Hegazy
While the Egyptian authorities have been far too lax in their efforts to behead him, insha'allah, an apostate (May God curse them) will never be able to walk the sands of Arabia unmolested and with his spine intact!
As for being a "fanatic" "Sunni" Muslims, I am afraid I no longer wear labels. Our blessed Marja, the Ayatullah Khomeini, may his name ever be praised - did not label himself such, yet he remains an inspiration to me, as I follow in his footsteps to become one of the great scholars of the aeons, garrotting the enemies of God as I see fit!
@ Dhivehi Hangyourself, islamic scholar and Minivan's resident psycho
Indians.........in particular hindus.........do not ram their religion down other people's throats............we are problably the only major religious group that does not proselytize (means to convert others moron)........have you not heard of the Maldivian mullahs thrown out of Sri Lanka recently for preaching illegally in mosques?
I think it's a outrageous for sunni muslim fanatics ......like your good self......to deny freedom of worship to others yet go to other countries and preach your backward intolerant seventh century ideology.
Judging from the comments on this website your extreme views are not even acceptable to Maldivians. You need to see a psychiatrist you poor delusional fool.........your rantings are not 'normal'.........but please don't go to the IGMH in Male...........its paid for by the taxes of hindu infidels like me.
One last thing.........start learing ARABIC so you can understand the teachings of the koran.
Maldivians, don't be so indifferent and ridiculous. Stop criticizing other religions. try to maintain the best practice of your own religion. Otherwise you will loose it too...
@Sheikh Imran Abdullah
Shut ur pie hole...how dare you call another person a jew. Its coz of extremist bastards like you ISLAMS name is been tarnished...islam is aboutt peace and harmony...and submission to ALLAH's will...i guess what the holy Quran says is true about the sign of the arrival of Dajjal
1)The rulers will be corrupt
2)The scholars will be hypocrites
and your a true example of a hypocrite, always preaching violence instead of peace.Islam doesnt permit violence on muslims and non-muslims alike, and you mullah bastards have shed countless bloods of innocents in the name of jihad and tarnishing its name too, and you ,and you mullahs always criticize and accuse on useless topics which doesnt even have an atomic level of evidence. Do yew know why your not winning this battle?. Coz yew have all evil and greed for power inside your hearts rather den love 4 your country and islam and Allah wont grant wishes of the wicked and there shall b no rest for the wicked. And i agree wit fazeel, dont preach taliban here. We will never yield to Extremist mullahs like you.