MDP MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has called for an investigation of the “silent protest” for religious tolerance, held last weekend at the Artificial Beach.
The religious Adhaalath Party and NGO Jamiyyathu Salaf have also asked the police to investigate the participants.
The group, who dubbed themselves ‘Silent Solidarity’, issued a press release following the event stating that the cause of the gathering was “to make the Maldives and the international community aware of the rising religious intolerance in the Maldives, and to condemn the constitutionally-endorsed suppression of religious freedom. It is also intended to denounce the increasing use being made of Islam as a tool of political power.”
The actual protest, held on International Human Rights Day, turned into a bloody affair when controversial blogger Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed was struck on the head with a stone. The other 15-30 protestors were also attacked.
Moosa has said that the protests should be treated in the same way that slogans calling for the murder of non-Muslims, published “by accident” yesterday on the Maldivian website 23December.com, are being investigated by police.
The website is currently organising a protest to “defend Islam” on December 23. The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) recently announced its intention to hold a counter-rally on the same date.
According to Haveeru, Moosa said the rising number of religious activities are the “first in a series of events conspired to create chaos in the Maldives”. He insisted that the protest threatens national security, and admitted that MDP’s decision to protest against the religious rally would create further problems.
Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair today said that those organising the public demonstrations to protect Islam had a “hidden agenda”, and had “increased the scale of danger to public order”.
According to a statement published on the President’s Office website, Zuhair claimed religious scholars Sheikh Adam Shameem bin Ibrahim and President of Adhaalath Party Sheikh Imran Abdullah had publicly associated their names and images with the 23December.com website. He believed that their reputations as respectable scholars were at risk over the affair.
Although the violent slogans were removed and said to be the result of hacker activity – at one staged blamed on intelligence officials – Zuhair called the removal “meaningless, because newspapers and internet websites are usually published as daily editions.”
The publishers have not refuted their violent objectives by simply removing the slogans published on their inaugural edition, he added.
Head of the National Security Committee and Thodoo MP Ali Waheed noted that the cases were of national interest and would be put on the agenda soon.
Moosa further claimed that the religious agitation was a reaction to the country’s successful tourism industry. “The Maldives’ tourism industry’s growth has attracted the foreign eye”, and foreigners are joining hands with locals to create national instability, he claimed.
Secretary General of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) ‘Sim’ Mohamed Ibrahim said the recent political and religious activity has not affected foreign investment or tourism.
“By and large, the Maldives is peaceful and a good place to invest,” he said.
He said MATI is not taking a stand on the issue.
“All people have the right to express themselves according to their constitutional rights. All we are saying is that you have to present a balanced picture of what’s going on. There is enough written about the Maldives for people to decide for themselves” if and how to invest, he said.
Foreign travelers and investors are not concerned about the politics on Male’ and other islands, Sim explained.
“The question for them is, how safe are their investments and how safe are they on resorts,” which Sim said “exist by themselves.” He added that an investor’s chief concern is whether the Maldives’ legal system enables or protects his/her business.
“The Maldives’ system still makes it very difficult for foreigners who want to invest,” Sim observed. Under the current system, investors wade through “layers and layers of bureaucracy” involving multiple ministries and councils.
“You would assume that foreign investment could be handled by the Ministry of Economic Development, or that a Foreign Investment Services bureau would allow someone to do everything in one go,” Sim suggested. “But often, people are referred to a website for information. Now, it takes time for paperwork to be processed, and too many people are needed to make a decision. It’s very discouraging to an investor,” he said.
Formerly, foreign investment was handled under Invest Maldives. Since the company drifted into an inoperative stasis following the successful GMR bid, Sim said no other government group has actively promoted foreign investment in the Maldives.
“MMPRC [Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation] is in charge but it is hard to see them carrying the Maldives’ banner and selling the various products Maldives offers,” he claimed.
“Environment is the main selling point for the Maldives, and you don’t need to do much to sell that. But someone needs to build confidence and value among investors.”
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Reeko Moosa talks a lot without really saying anything. He's also very loud. These are signs of stupidity.
This article is all over the place. Tourism and Investment in the Maldives has absolutely nothing to do with the religious problem. Whatever influences Reeko is talking about, it is not tourism and business investors - the notion is ridiculous. If there are more subversive or extremist elements that Reeko is referring to, then he should just say it outright instead of beating around the bush. God knows he has no problem talking about anything else.
And who calls for the investigation of protesters, without calling for the investigation of the people who attacked those protesters? It might have been slightly idiotic to protest against the constitution, but a protest against the politicization of Islam is valid!
I disagree with their call for religious pluralism in the Maldives, but the violence showed against them is not acceptable. Anyone who commits violence and acts of hate against another Maldivian should be immediately investigated, arrested, and prosecuted. That any Maldivian citizen was attacked with impunity shows the status of our nation. It shows the radicalization of conservatives. And it shows the scale of our social regression. God help us.
There is no COMPULSION in Religion, please refer Soora Baqara. Quran very categorically stipulates that one cannot be forced into believing a religion. Why then is the Maldivian Constitution against the tenets of Islam? One should take the matter to Supreme Court and get them to decide. Because the Constitution itself says that no article of it should contravene the Islamic principles...! By forcing the people to follow a particular religion and a specific of a particular religion is AGAINST ISLAM!!!
initally when jj robinson wrote about the protest, he wrote hilath was hit with a "rock". next day he wrote hilath was hit with a "stone" and today eleanor johnstone is writting that it was a "brick" that him. so much manipulation. i wont be suprised to know if he was actually hit with a "pebble"..
Why should religions not be tolerated? Religious tolerence featured in Prophet Muhammad's dealings with heads and rulers of other faiths. We should follow the footsteps of the Prophet when it comes for religion. So, religious tolerence is no new idea and should not be construed as apostacy. Those who are calling for religious tolerence are not necessarily denouncing themselves their own faith. What they mean by religious tolerence is that non-Moslems must have equal right to life and faith as do others.
Violence is definitely not the means of upholding religion rather is one of offending it. Hatred breeds hatred not love. Besides, nothing can be enforced on others against their will, so we must win their hearts if we are to have them do what we want. If you want them to understand what you do, make them listen to you. No one will listen to the enemy. You become the enemy by rising against them regardless of the aim.
The nefarious activities of our governmet, to besmirch the holy warriors of our noble faith, and their admirable goals – shalt be in vain!
Take heed from the lessons learnt by that most heinous and odious of all men, Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi; who toiled and burdened greatly to besmirch our most illustrious Marja the Ayatu’llah Khomeini, may his name ever be praised!
Time and time again, it is the secularists that have failed! And though they burden and toil greatly now, to bring the judgement and the calamity of the wrath of Altmighty God upon us all – they shall fail again! And they shalt fail thorougly!
Our faith is our fortress; an impenetrablae citadel – whose defences, the forces of ‘religious tolerance’, satanism, homosexuality and the pseudosciences of evolutionism and neurology can never hope to overcome!
Take heed! Our women shalt remain chaste! And their offspring shalt remain pious!
Sim, wait and see when they stard bombing resorts where infidels enjoy everything that is prohibited in Islam, especially the version they practice. then may be its too late to protect the foreign investments;-P
a> how about he was hit with GOD himself.... does that please ure desire's.
There is no COMPULSION in Religion, please refer Soora Baqara. Quran very categorically stipulates that one cannot be forced into believing a religion. Why then is the Maldivian Constitution against the tenets of Islam?
Maldivian Mullahs translate everything according to their 07th century teaching. They may have a notion that any voice that speaks against religious fundamentalism is Jewish or Christian conspiracy to defame Islam despite its superiority. When will these idiots use any commonsense. The people who voice against their crazy ideology is solely, because these moderates don’t want religion to be meddled with politics and the country ruled by theocracy. No one cares what Mullahs do, or any other Maldivian in that matter, as long as the country is ruled on democratic rules, that every citizen is free from fear of oppressions, punishment and death, and the roles of government is only to guarantee people’s basic rights that every citizen has employment, education, and health care. The policies of government should be how to provide, these basic human needs. The Maldivian never had opportunity to appoint governments to work to provide such of their basic needs. When today, we want to build good governance with democratic principles, the Mullahs, like a deadly virus infested and there is fear that this disease could spread and can easily be infected the fragile innocent and gullible Maldivians society. Mullahs should not be allowed to take advantage from immature Maldivian society, who by nature is superstitious and always believed in supernatural powers even before the Islam, It will betreacherous to let these people take advantage of democracy and do whatever they wish with pretext that they represent majority. How can mullahs claim that they represent majority when there is no choice for people to think freely.
I remember this same sort of panic during Maumoons last days in office.
Alas, the indications are clear. The Nasheed government is well and truly frightened.
true, tsk tsk
same like maumoon, going to foreign trips coinciding with protests.
lovely, started with reeko moosa calling for investigation of Silent Solidarity protesters, ended with Sim talking about tourism investment.
excellent news coverage, very in depth, focused, and sweetness to max! now lets sleep it off.
These political parties and monkey brain politicians are using religion as a tool to play their dirty politics.
Other signs of social regression, certain city council members are said to rake in 100,000 per month from local eateries
nice news any way..LOL...started with moosa's call to investigate the protest on religiouse freedom, and ended talikng about foreign investment and Tourism..LOL..keep it up.
The people who comment against Islam, should be burnt at the stake, beheaded, or sold at a fair price to pious men who could use them as slaves. Reeko Moosa is right this time! Silent Solidarity was an event organized by Jews, funded directly from Israel, and led by the Jewish blogger, Hilath Rasheed. He is a man who deserves a beheading, like Jibue so often advices our youth! But they fail to take his word seriously, which I think is a big mistake, one so big that the Lord's anger might be upon us! Repent now, and kill that Jew, if the authorities fail to do anything about it!
I thank Reeko Moosa for saying what needs to be said. Tourism is also haram, the way it is being done now! We should follow the concept of Islamic Tourism, as proposed by Dr.Zakir Naik (Warrior Lion of Modern Muslims, and may the Lord grant him Jannat after his death), which I think would be better because then, only pious men and women on the right path would be our customers. An example would be tourists from Afghanistan, Chechnya and the more Islamic parts of Pakistan and Somalia!
Think about it. How long can we really be hard headed and ignorant about what is reasonable and common sense. We are the least self sufficient country in the world and have to go overseas for smallest sewing needle to big fat education to necessary medical needs. We proudly demand that we should be allowed to practise Islam whereever we go and demand that we should have mosques and be able to carry Quran with us. But when the rest of the world who wouldn't feel a thing if we no longer exited are not allowed to have the same freedom.
Let's be reasonable. How long can this go on? Hard as it may be it is going to happen sooner or later.
@ Ahmed
"Why then is the Maldivian Constitution against the tenets of Islam?"
You are confusing two things here.
Maldivian constitution is not against the tenets of Islam for it does not call to punish or kill anyone who is non-Muslim.
Our constitution says you cannot be a non-Muslim and a Maldivian.
This means you can be a non-Muslim if you want, but then that will have to make you a non-Maldivian. Go wherever you want and get your citizenship. But you cannot be a Maldivian.
Islam does not say you cannot deprive the citizenship of someone who changes into a non-Muslim. So this is not against the tenets of Islam.
I will give you an example.
A European cannot be a Maldivian just like that. He or she will have to either marry a Maldivian or be born to a Maldivian parent or blah blah blah in order for him to become a Maldivian.
Does the fact that a European not being able to get Maldivian citizenship without fulfilling the requirements amount to discrimination? If so this is also against the tenets of Islam.
But surely, you will not agree that this is against the tenets of Islam.
A message to Reeko Moosa.
Any harm brought to those who protested peacefully against wahhabist tyranny will guarantee that Maldives is marked as a terrorist nation, and yes, it means your precious tourist dollars will run very quickly.
Oh, and yes, The Maldivian constitution has abrogated the quran. Expect the big tsunami soon. 😉
Moosa is scared!! Moosa is scared!!
you know what will damage tourism? religious fundamentalism. there is a case to ban alcohol sale in resort currently in Civil Court. They are holding it right now. But if we are going down, dont think the rich people can just sit around enjoying. The more power you give to fundamentalists and help them frack with our lives...the more problems you will face. You can force barbaric laws on citizens and live in all glory yourselves. if we are going down, we are taking you with us. The day taliban kill a Maldivian for religious reasons, the lives of politicians and businessmen will also be in danger. and the livelihood of "we dont care, we just sip coffee and have sex" average maldivian hypocrites too!
If you want taliban law...then taliban law you shall have!
Karimudeen: You do realise that asking someone to leave his birth land for his/her religious belief is against Quran 2:256? Compulsion is not just by threat of beheading. You cannot twist Quran for your own ulterior political purpose. There is NO compulsion means you cannot pressure in any sense of the word. You cannot demand anything in return for religious freedom. If you do you are going against Quran.
@kareemudin... you really have no idea what you are talking about do you? Becoming a European doesnt have anything to do with any religion... If you are a European Citizen, they dont strip you of your nationality if you decide to switch from one religion to another... You are comparing apples with oranges..
Is Islam a religion or political system? When Islam was only a religion, the call to submit to Allah for 13 years was heeded only by 150 followers. This was peaceful Islam for 13 years. Even peaceful Islam was a doctrine that threatened with hell and severe punishment for those who rejected that call. The other part of Islam is political Islam. When its founder was forced to leave his home town he became a political leader and a worrier, during the 09 years of Mohamed’s life in Madheena, the Islam took another turn, there was wars and violence every six weeks and Islam has garnered 100,000 Muslims. Islam spread with violence so we cannot say Islam is a religion, Islam is political ideology that uses violence and fear to survive. Islam’s success, based on religious call was only 03 % compare to 97 % success was politics during Mohammad’s life. The bottom line is, Islam is not a religion it is a political system and a failed system like communism and fascism.
we do not have to justify anything - this is democracy - the majority do not want other religions in the country - it is simple as that.
few years ago majority of the switzerlanders decided that the muslims cannot built mosques with minarets - this might sound harsh - but hey this is democracy
I drink and fornicate. Then go on TV and 'defend' Islam!
hilath and maumoon a gayoom committed the same sin as they say.religious freedom.. so why is this maumoon free?
Reeko you are the biggest hipocrit i have ever come across. You have no right to even think about this subject. You are the pot calling kettle black!
Majority decision cannot be accepted when it is against universal reasoning. You can’t go to mental institution and ask for a vote from retards for their own goodness.
Are you all morons trying to prove Charles darvin theory !!!!! Are we all monkeys ? The simplest thing about religion is that it is someting between the beleiver and god. Can call it faith, trust of whatever you want to . There is no way that this can be forced it to anybody. Learn and live together
@Good maldivian?
So we muslims are all retards and you are the bright one? Really?