The following is an English-language translation of a press release press release issued by the Maldives National Journalists Association (MNJA) on October 28 2010, in response to our coverage of the Vilu Reef ‘wedding’ video.
The verbatim translation of the filthy language used by a ‘celebrant’ in a symbolic wedding ceremony conducted on a Maldivian resort published by Minivan News is not the type of journalism that should be practised by a responsible newspaper. The publication of filthy language by anyone, in whatever language, falls outside the standards of professional journalism.
This organisation condemns the use of unacceptable language of low standards in any newspaper or website that can be read or accessed by children, adults and families. We would also like to take this opportunity to note that the translation published in Minivan News will damage Maldivian tourism and business.
SIM Ibrahim Mohamed
President of the Maldives National Journalist Association
Minivan News responds:
Minivan News heartily agrees that the Maldives National Journalists Association (MNJA) should be concerned about the filthy language used by a Vilu Reef staff member in the leaked video, in which paying tourists seeking to renew their wedding vows are mocked and degraded by up to 15 complicit resort staff.
However Minivan News feels such concern would be better voiced by the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), easily done as the two organisations are headed by the same individual, Sim Mohamed Ibrahim.
Minivan News is in fact surprised that MATI has yet to comment on an incident which has sparked worldwide concern about the humiliating and degrading treatment of guests on a resort, and hopes it has not adopted a head-in-the-sand approach to an issue of such national importance.
Furthermore, Minivan News believes that the duty of a ‘responsible’ news publication is to bring such sensitive issues to light, without fear or prejudice, holding big business to account when its behavior damages the Maldives’ cherished reputation for tourism excellence.
We sincerely hope that MNJA/MATI stops ‘shooting the messenger’ and uses its respect and political clout to ensure that such shameful behaviour does not happen again in the future.
Minivan News
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I do not understand the complicated nature of Maldivian politics,,but I do know that ,that couple were very badly mistreated and with all the publicity I would hope nothing similar will happen again..The resort apology is late,but very welcome,,now can this be the end of the matter??/
F*** ol those wrkin at ur website. U guys suck!
MNJA ..WHAT>>?? the whole of tourism sector should apologies to the couple which in turn would be the right thing to do. and again MNJA.. WHaT ..... r u guys really serious journalists .... like the judges in MALDIVES. .... CRABS...
well said minivannews.
what are the 'standards of professional journalism'?? and who decides these standards?
isnt MNJA trying to stifle the little free press we have?
@ Larry
The matter will only end when those responsible are willing to take the responsibility. It does not sound very nice to our ears but brushing it away cos it is unpleasant is the unwillingness to address it till you reach a solution.
This does not necessarily mean it has to be done here on this platform. Media did its part. Now the authorities and the Associations should do its part.
It also means the Maldivians should assess their own behavior, and the stop being so destructive.
There is no paradise unless there is love that is universal.
Who the f**** do they (mja) think they are?
And why did the Minivannews even bother respond to such an ignorant organisation?
One day they will say goverment is blockin free media.. What the heck are they trying now???
Already the fallout is huge, the authorities need to take action immediately, I have a trip planned abroad and now i don't know how i would show my face. such a disgrace.
i smell a scent of the remnants of dictatorship in Mr Sims/MNJA press release.
Cover it up, hide it, deny it...
Has Mr Sims seen that BBc and the other world class international media have also printed the disgusting language. Condemn them too?? Move with the times Mr Sims.
MNJA needs to know a bit abt journalism if they wanna go around shooting minivan news for publishing the verbatim of the video.
Actually am not surprised as that is exactly what this country has done for the last 30 yrs when everything was covered up.
what worse than the actual event, whatever it may be and in this event the mock wedding, is its cover up.
I weep
Maldives the next Bali
Is this the unpleasant smell of dictatorship coming from the pompous MNJA?
Cover it up, hide it, deny it...
Much of this 'unacceptable language' sir - is across the major newspapers of the international world - AS WE SPEAK!
I dont know about you guys. But there really was a sense of mischief about the original article. Misinterpreting the words to cater for a western audience to get them more emotionally charged. Getting religion and politics into it. Its either Minivan had some agenda or got some bad journalists. Or perhaps they just wanted to get the news out ASAP and didn't go through it much.
Mr Sim Ibrahim happens to be the chair of MATI as well; so he's trying to cover up the despicable acts carried out by his members in the pretense of "good journalism". In a word, Mr Ibrahim, pi** off!
The body that Mr Ibrahim is in disrepute all over the world. This incident is definitely not a one-off. This is a systematic affair that has been going on behind the scenes for years whilst members of Mr Ibrahim's trade body has been raking in millions of dollars from their visitors.
The reputation of a 40 year old industry gone in a few minutes of video. Time for Mr Ibrahim and his members to confront the gravity of the matter and start making amends now!
Hassan:
Do subtle agendas matter much when you have someone (not a website; a person with free will) swearing at two people with made up Islamic marriage vows for nearly 10 minutes straight? They didn't put the religion or politics into it; it's already all there.
Well handled MNJA. Clearly you've identified that what went wrong with this whole situation was the words used by Minivan in the report. The fact that they were said in the first place is not the issue, right?
This isn't irresponsible journalism, this is first-class, world-standard work. Shooting the messenger or burying your head in the sand is the response of children.
these is a mouth piece of of the activist and nepotistic MDP... its a very clear fact these guys have a hidden agenda against Islam... These guys have translated it and published it just to Mock our religion as it state as we are an Islamic nation and also those guys who did the heinous act did mention abt its how the marriage is done in Islam... definitely this what the minivannews did is clearly against the morals and ethics of responsible journalism...the one who translated it would think that one has done a grate job... i would like to remind that one.. a lot of maldivian can knows how to translate it but they didn't do it cox it's spreading those swearing words are against the morals... if you guys are doing things to destroy our image every single individual has the right to voice against you guys...
this press release kind of support scuh actions happened in vilu reef in my opinion. why i say this is, it seems they just wanted dig and burry the videos and keep the victims ignorant about it. thats very much like Maldives. for such a grave problem, it was too late for the concerned authorities to condemn the act and to apologise. im not a fan of mininvannews, however i very much support minivannews' job in bringing this matter to the attention of those concerned bodies who were sleeping over the video and also to the attention of the international media. otherwise such acts would repeat in the long...
Its painful how SIM and those in the industry is undermining the issue. The only way forward is dealing with the issue without editing its scale and taking full responsibility to address every aspect and being sensitive to all involved. Sensitive does not mean compromise but acknowledging so all feel that they have been considered in the solution.
minivannews is just a mouthpiece of the the present government. it pretends to be free and unbiased. suntavel boss siyam is not a lackey of either the government or the english church friends of the mdp. maybe the church will now give the mdp more money. well done,mnja !
This telling attempt by Sim Ibrahim Mohamed to muzzle media coverage of an important issue may be because he depends on handouts by unscrupulous resort owners, who exploit their workers and dupe their guests, for a living. Sim Ibrahim Mohamed has long used his position at MATI to attack employment rights and may now be trying pull a double trick to limit press freedom and parrot the sentiments of his patrons. Just like his lack of understanding of the obvious concept of conflict of interest here and human rights (he once quipped to Minivan that resort workers "had no right to demand their rights") in general, this man hasn't a clue as to what good journalism is. In all his years at the TVM's newsroom he never once was responsible for a good piece of reporting. I'm amazed they put this clown at a journalists association.
the sad fact is that this entire country depends on handouts from the tourism industry.Some people find it hard to swollow that reality.
including minivannews and the mdp,we might add
Haha, these "associated journalists" are just the same "damage control" morons trying to downplay these crimes.
What next will they try to downplay? This?
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/33118
And presenting these so-called resorts as "paradise on earth"? Now THAT is irresponsible journalism.
madam surely knows that the joke is on minivannews. Why pretend to be fair,accurate and responsible when this joke of a news organisation deems it fit to continue to ignore the reality of life in this country?, the complete breakdown of law and order,the political system in anarchy,people existing hand-to-mouth,abominal housing conditions and the much-hyped transportation network only a distant dream? Government offices don't function and the streets are not safe at any time of the day or night.An acknowleged black market for foeign currency operates freely, unchecked.Crime is rampant and hardcore convicted criminals are on the loose. Now bring out the box-cutters! Perhaps minivannews should cover these stories.
Minivan new sucks. u guys busted everything. Is is your responsibility to let peoples in to hatred or save it from hatrecy. What u have done lead to hatred towards maldives. Suck guys. Suck u all. Dhivehin will get over u soon
Aliased,
"paradise on earth" was not created by journalists, but rather evolved from the tourism sector. Perhaps tourism ministry is more responsible for that phrase. But the whole world came to know of the couple mockery video when Minivannews made it famous. Now there is a conflict of interest there between the Country of Maldives and minivannewsarchive.com. Minivannews won and I bet they are proud of it. Now if that is responsible journalism, selling a few more papers by humiliating my own father for his loud snoring, I'd be doing a great job.
The perpetrators THEMSELVES added subtitles and put it on YouTube which is a global platform. Minivan News certainly didn't make it worse by explaining the context and help people to follow it up.
If that videao went viral without any local media-coverage, that would make a sad picture.
Racists are everywhere, but it makes a diffrence how they are handled.
Gentlemen
As a journalist myself, I have to say that Minivan News did nothing wrong. It simply reported the facts.
From where I sit (in Berlin, Germany), it seems to me the newspaper acted correctly and the Government reacted with commendable speed to apologise for the incident. I personally doubt if it will put a single tourist off coming to the Maldives.
And maybe you guys are too close to see it but it was also bloody funny! It certainly appealed to my British sense of humour.