“Kill me before you kill a fellow Maldivian,” President Mohamed Nasheed has said, after several slogans calling for the “slaughter of anyone against Islam” were published yesterday on a website calling for a religious protest on December 23.
The organisers of the protest yesterday removed the slogans calling for murder, attributing them to “a mistake on the technical teams’ side.”
The website, 23December.com, this morning appeared to have been targeted by hackers, replaced with green skulls and the statement “We’ll come out against you with machetes if you protest.”
The original site promoting the protest is now back up at the domain.
Speaking at a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally last night, President Nasheed promised that should the protests target Maldivians, “The government and MDP will come out in defence of the people. We’ll not come out on the streets with the defence forces but with bare hands. No one can confront us on these streets,” Nasheed was reported as saying.
His statements followed an attack on Saturday against a group of ‘silent protesters’ on the Artificial Beach calling for religious tolerance. Several people were injured in the skirmish, including controversial blogger Ismail ‘Khilath’ Rasheed who’s website was last month blocked on the order of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
That evening, Nasheed gave an address at a function marking International Human Rights Day, in which he said that “Islam stands for the dignity, honour, and nobility of mankind, on which Islamic Sharia is based”, and contended that those who claimed Sharia conflicts with fundamental human rights “are clearly unable to comprehend or accept Sharia verdicts.”
The explosive reaction against UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, following her recent call for a moratorium and debate on the practice of flogging for extramarital sex, and an amendment to the “discriminatory” constitutional provision that all Maldivians be Muslim, was a lost opportunity to showcase Sharia’s compatability with human rights, he said.
“Our scholars lost the chance by reacting in a provocative and ‘Jihadi’ manner, even calling to harm the High Commissioner,” Nasheed said.
Religious figures were yesterday quick to publicly condemn the calls for violence.
Speaking to Minivan News, Former State Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said that the slogan calling for murder was “not good”, adding that “Islam is a religion of peace, not of violence”.
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Another stunt of Anni
After seeing the uprising in Middle East countries these Mullahs are trying to get power through illegal means. Using Islam as a curtain they try to destroy this country and take us backward and live like Thalaban...
President Nasheed, as much as i admire your personality, i think you fail on this one. your bold statement now does not mean much. you let lose the extreme element and let it foster in our soil. i know its been a long time coming, since previous regime, but it had been worse than ever before in last couple of years and instead of multiple warnings to tackle the issue before its too late, you and your GOVT ignored it. instead MDP activists and members like the rest of the political hooligans made use of religion as a cheap political tool. look at what we have to pay for that careless now.
we reap what we sow president. perhaps its too late come out in defence of nationhood, brotherhood, humility and compassion.
I hope you can still make a change but i fear it may be too late already.
How many people have been already killed in Maldives? Have you done anything about it? The only thing you have done is you have given a second chance for the murderers to kill a second person.
Thank you for condemning the religious zealots, Mr. President. A hand also goes out to your press secretary Mohamed Zuhair for bravely criticizing their actions. Few Maldivians would do this while holding office.
The problem with our president is that he believes too much in freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.
The barbaric Mullahs are taking advantage and showing their monkey tricks.
Also there are crook politician like Qaroon (Buruma) and tyrant Gay Yoom who pay these dirty Mullahs to mislead the semi literate mass.
Thanks for the brave statementMr President. But I have to say, it was the fact that you protected and at times defended these zealots that they have been able to gain so much public support. Looks like this has come back to bite your a#$ real bad.
About time President stood up to these zealots. They are all whips behind their slogans.
Let us not forget the invisible hand of Gayoom behind this 23 December protest
Actually the citizen are not that educated either on Islam or whats happening around them.... Due to this, the deceitful politicians like Mr. Qayyoom and his foxy pals are taking advantages of the fellow citizen.
Now, he is saying all this.
question, how many people died in maldives due to gang crimes
nevery stood up for that now suddenly he is there and says kill me first - some stunt i must say
Mr. President, you are still alive while so many people have died on the roads. And still you are giving second chance for the murderers to kill another person. You have failed your peopel!
What a farce.....he will be probably be out of the country trying to get into the christmas spirit with couple of expensive bottles of SHARUBATh and some good old green herbs! eh? Mr.president?
I have as much rights on this land as any other.
I say we vote to amend the constitution to eradicate Islam from this country!
oh puleeeeese mr president. shut it. you are the one who brought these mullahs out of closet and made them a coalition partner. you are the one who made a ministry of islamic affairs and gave it to the mullahs. you did all this to get their support for your presidential bid. your big bold statements dont mean anything to us. you wont even be there when they come out and even if they kill your supporters. you might send in your army but you will be somewhere celebrating christmas.
We have a lunatic as a president.
How many of our "fellow citizens" have been killed by gang violence, right infront of our eyes in our streets. Yet, the president did nothing. Not even a single word. No extra police to provide us security. Yet the president has posted police to guard the SAARC idols in Addu. and now the president is jumping up and down for a comment an anonymus user sent to a website which was promptly removed by the protest organisers. He is a true lunatic who has fail to run the country. No wonder our economy is on a nose dive, corruption sky rocketting, a failed heath care and a country on the verge of becoming a failed state.
and btw i'll be participating in the protest and if MDP attack us as they are threatening now, then i'm sure the peaceful protest will turn very ugly, which none of us want.
I think this is the best time to arrest these guys and keep them where they belong. I think this is the worst thing we can do in this country. No one is trying to change our Religion. This is all orchestrated by Gayoom and Yameen. All what they want is to destabilize the country.
It is Buruma Gasim who is sponsoring all this. Only an idiot can do these types of things.
Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said that the slogan calling for murder was “not good”,
what about denying a choice that god gave us with the threat of death or banishment
i thought islam was suppose to be a safe heaven for all mankind
frankly i think the rise of irreligious is due to the intolerance of the "true" muslims of maldives
Buruma, Gayoom, DQP, you are nothing but OPPORTUNIST!! May god have mercy on your sordid miserable souls.
Whether you like it or not, apostasy calls for execution. Now, to avoid deep embarrassment, most will point out and clutch at straws to prove execution called-for, is not really execution. Similar to stoning to death, of adulterers.
But truth be told, if anyone leaves Islam, he is to be executed. Chopped head off.
President Nasheed is been is distroyed by Dr.Waheed (Asia Foundation agent), Mariya Ahmed Didi (US agent to propel into popular party), Rekko (father of corruption and father of alcohol) and also many other gay and alcohol activitist who are minority in MDP!!!!! It is sad MDP ordinary members dreams for a humble and sincere government is now sattered and distroyed to it's roots due lack of wisdom and vision to lead a Islamic nation to excell as a new Islamic state that could set new standards in Islam (mind you not the twisted Islam that US is promoting like Sufism, which Maldives have an agent who is Dr,Afrashim). I have simple questions to ask: 1. Why was in the previous regime (Gayoom) and now (Nasheed) tolerating and participating in alcohol drinking and prostitution among key ranks?
2. why is president Nasheed protecting Gay activist Hilath (look at his blog)? How many young kids have been abused by these pathetic gays in Maldives from their childhood? look at WHO report 2004 on AIDS.
3. Why didn't President Nasheed condem the rally for religious freedom few days ago while he condem Constantly islamic scholars?
4. Why is he blinded from the constitution that Islamic Sharia is the basis of our constitution?
We have US agents in our society such as Mariya whose blood is full of corrupt money and hate for Islam. Have chat with this loose cannon!
Already Kamini and endheri Families are attacking us with Stone next they will be sending people with guns to kill us DIK Families tonight was just the beginning
Pls do not make this a political issue. This is a Gaumee issue. Everyone who love this country should join this demonstration. We are not demonstration against MDP.
Stunt Man Nasheed!
He will talk all this nonsense yet he'll be the first to run, leave the citizens and hide and if something really happens. This idiot should have never been elected in the first place. A mistake we Maldivians (including me) made - a very big mistake!
Secondly, tolerance fellow Maldivians. Violence is never the answer!
Everyone is right who noted the fact that a number of fellow citizens have been killed in gang violence in the Maldives and the president is still alive moving around surrounded by well-built and highly trained bodyguards. I agree with you and everyone else would. President Nasheed's vow makes no impression on us. All from President to Adalath is after power and would seek it no matter how dirty are the tricks to be played on one another.
Religion for the politicians is a tool to influence the people ill-informed of it. Actually, religion is not their business. It is between God and the man. This is evident in the fact that no one has the means of enforcing religious duties including the five prayers of the day which is the most important pillar of Islam. It is said that one who had kept these prayers kept the religion. What can be more important than this? Just as no buidling could stand without its pillars Islam would not exist without its pillars - the five prayers of the day and the rest. There are five of them.
On the other hand, Islam does not encumber its followers. Enforcing the religion on others is so difficult to be impossible. So how can the beard-wearers assume a task that Islam did not ask them to in the name of Islam, at least?
God has completed His religion and sent it to mankind to be followed. No man has a right to interfere with the religion of others in the name of victory for God.
Actually, they misunderstand God's promise of victory to those who win victory for Him. The man by following God's religion makes God victorious and the reward - the heaven, 72 virgins and running rivers of wine - He gives man is the promised victory . Man does not have to go to war against his fellows in order to win victory for God.
Ridiculous what religion has become in the Maldives. So let's lean back and enjoy the show.
President Nasheed is displaying all the elements that very soon his governement will fall back to a Dictatorial leadership.
Ridiculous, what religion, politics and democracy has become in this country. Mdp has to realise that they are not an activist group any more, the are the elected government for heavens sake, act like it and provide concrete stratergies to deal with all these issues instead of screaming antics and mob rule
Im just a regular guy, working in a regular job in a regular company. But after seeing those guys at Artificial beach protesting for freedom of religion, Ive decided to join the protest against freedom of religion. I mean, where did they get the nerve to do that kind of stuff ?
We DON'T NEED freedom of religion in Maldives. Do we want our daughters and sons to grow up and question whether they should follow Islam or Christianity or Judaism ? Are we paving the way for our future generations to perceive that there are Maldivians who are Jewish and Christians and its okay for them to practice Judaism and Christianity ? No way !
I dont know why MDP is demonstrating against a demonstration that is advocating for the rights of Islam on maldivian soil. Probably they are scared because EVERY MALDIVIAN IN EVERY ISLAND IS A MUSLIM, AND EVERY MALDIVIAN IN EVERY ISLAND IS AGAINST MALDIVIANS LEAVING THEIR FAITH.
And MDP is scared that if every religion conscious Maldivian joins the 23rd December 2011 Protest then MDP (as the defender of freedom of religion) would be utterly and completely humiliated.
Sigh. What the world has come to. Even when the greater good is completely and utterly obvious (Protecting our religion and our Islamic faith), MDP chooses to side against Islam just because they do not want to see their party lose or appear weak.
What a sad day.
What an illogical logic u have mr logic. U shudnt b let t have kids in this civilized world,cos u shud b living in a cave and hidden frm the rest of the world n it's collective knowledge. Shame on the tamed. This country is just as ours as any of these self-declared Islamic pathogens. We are hearing so many new religions and sects of Islam that Maldivians hav not heard before; sufism,Zionism, shafism, wahabism,..n more isms. I don't find a problem in lettin ur kids know that different ppl have different thoughts and live by their beliefs, to their outmost knowledge, like christians, budhists and Jews. After all we are all carbon based life forms feeding off frm this land to reach our ultimate goals, be it spiritual or material.
Thankyou Anni. I am a little speechless at the moment, but I am reexperiencing why I respected him so much.
i think the benefit of this will go to the next generation.we r at war against those who r trying or going to bring another religion to this country so if none of this is going to happen nobody needs to worry.
Go president Anni! let the people experience their own mistakes.
President Nasheed's words do not seem to reflect what he stood for before coming to power. If he understands that Maldivians do not like any politician playing around with their religion (Islam), than why not just keep away from it. Especially when there is so many other things to benefit from?
People have a right to vote and MDP should respect that if they want to have any legitimacy in the international community.
Giving a good poetic phrase or a statement is easy, but the truth is after President Nasheed took the office (now 3 years as a president) he violated Constitution of Maldives and the Judicial Decisions and more than 30 people had been killed.