The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has continued its campaign against the businesses of those it alleges to be involved in financing a coup on February 7. Yesterday’s protests occurred outside the Shell Beans cafe, owned by the new Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen and his family.
The group continued its ‘Noon’ campaign (meaning ‘no’ in Dhivehi), gathering outside the popular restaurant on Male’s northern harbour front.
Former Education Minister Shifa Mohamed said she was pleased with the protest, having forced the cafe to close at one point.
Shifa said “I don’t think [the staff] truly know what kind of order they are working for. We will protest until they know what these people have done. We will ask foreigners to boycott Shell Beans.”
The campaign was launched just under two weeks ago and has gathered 1900 supporters on its Facebook page. The boycott’s list of products to target includes Granini juice, Lavazza coffee, Red Bull energy drinks, Marlboro cigarettes and Lindt chocolate.
These products are imported to the Maldives by Euro Store. Shops under boycott include MP Saleem’s ‘Redwave’ grocery chain and MP Mahloof’s clothing store ‘The Jeans’.
Protestors also called for a boycott of Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Gas and his airline Flyme. The campaigners alleged Gasim Ibrahim to be one of the main financiers of the coup.
Rasheed Carpentry and Construction Company, alleged to have ties to defense minister Ahmed Nazim, and PPM VP Umar Naseer’s security services Alarms and Whale Submarine tourist attraction are also included in the list.
After the protest the group from the MDP women’s wing, marched back towards the newly established demonstration area at Dharubaaruge. Shifa stated that the group will shortly be sending representatives to Thimarafushi and Kaashidhoo. Both constituencies are to hold by-elections in one week’s time.
The group also intends to engage in demonstrations tonight, focussing on the World Health Day theme. Shifa stated that she was particularly concerned with the recent discussions in parliament regarding the Aasandha health care scheme.
“We are very concerned. It is the only successful measure of redistribution [of wealth] that we have given to the people. They are trying to take it away,” Shifa argued.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed, addressing his followers at Dharubaaruge on Wednesday night, argued that the government was wasting state funds that could finance the scheme on promotions and bonuses for security forces personnel.
The Maldives Police Service (MPS) recently announced plans to promote 1000 officers, whilst the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) announced two years of allowances was to be paid to qualifying officers in a lump sum.
After financial problems with the scheme were discussed in the People’s Majlis this week, Financial Committee Chairperson and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim described the current application of the scheme as a “hole in the pocket of the government” but vowed to reform the system, assuring that “Aasandha is here to stay.”
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The traitor who fled during palestinain UNICEF, vote calling others traitors! What sick joke? Shifa, it's really disturbing to hear that you r now talking about rights of the Maldivians! While you abused the rights of many palestinian Muslims when you were in power! How much money did you get?
Pin head, r u serious . Rights of palestnians what r u talking abt?
Shifa well done. PLEASE DO ENOUGH THAT BANDIT WAHEED, AND BANDIT BURUMAA GAASIM WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO COME OUT ON THE ROAD. PLEASE REMIND THEM OF INDIRA GANDHI....
Don not talk about palestinians, first talk about our brothers and sisters
Maumoon , Yamin , Riyaz , Nazim and Waheed what they have done to our people
a great start shifa keep itup!!
what nonsense talking of Palastine while Maldivian are killing own people? Maldivian police is beating same manner that of Izrail is doing to the Palastine.
Maldivian police and national security forces is worse than Izrail....
we no need military state run the nation but need an election as soon as possible....
I will never buy the listed items and services from coup supporters.
Egad ! Malboro cigarettes ? You guys serious ?
I mean come on ! We do all the protesting and the walking and the yelling "BAAGEE WAHEED, ISTHIUFA" at the top of our voices, and now they've decided to take away our cigarettes ! Where's the humanity people ?
Im all hyped up about fighting for democrazy plus Shiuzs chis chis songs are pretty awesome, and participating in protests is jolly good fun, but BOYCOTT malboro cigarettes ! No way man ! Thats really asking TOO MUCH !
I smell a conspiracy by the girls here !
Why dont they call for a boycott of stuff like high heels or lipstick or makeup ? Doesnt anyone else there's something fishy here that Shifa and the babes are advocating for stuff US GUYS CRAVE ?
Why arent they calling for a boycott of all Lipstick ? Or highheels ? Or fashion handbags ? Or Nail polish and expensive perfume ? I betcha that would hurt these baagee people more than us boycotting malboro cigarettes....
Show us some leadership ladies ! First boycott your perfumes and your high heels and your expensive handbags and then we'll talk !
Boycott Malboro cigarettes my foot...
The European and Singaporean benefactors of Euro Store such as Granini juice, Lavazza coffee, Red Bull energy drinks, and Lindt should be written and told what polarization, disharmony and hatred that Waseem had wrought using their products.(send photos of Dhiyana with Red Bull)..Also Travel agents, whose advances are being used by Deen, Champa, Sun Travel Siyam and Lolly Jaabir to finance hate speech and the Coup de'tat...Also Deen's Singaporean benefactor should be told..Follow the money trail for the Coup de'tat. Tks
I never went to Shell Beans. Mainly becoz the cafe was frequented by Shifa, Maria and such true yellowies. Now that this crowd don't hang around there, I can enjoy my coffee there.
What and who is this Shifa howling around like a jay acting too big for her shoes!!Shifa if you are a woman with guts, by all means get rid of Nasheed. A brighter future awaits MDP without Nasheed in deed. The so called " international community" you are referring to only wants Nasheed to be in power here to execute their sinister plans here in Maldives. The globalists or Illuminatis, whose agendas are pushed forth by Nasheed here, necessarily do not need to make churches and synagogues in Maldives, neither do they want to convert us to those religions but to Lusiferians and Atheists. " That's the recipe to be advanced and civilized people." ???
Why is so much of onslaught leveled at Gasim? Why are so many bad and impolite remarks hurled at Gasim? Why are so many attacks are targeted at him and his properties?? Simple!! He is the individual who spent the largest sum of money for MDP before it came to the power in 2008. He gathered largest support for Nasheed in 2008 Presidential Election.In spite of all these support Gasim has accorded to Nasheed, he kicked Gasim out the window no sooner he sat on the " thrown ". This is age old " use and discard " tactic. Nasheed knows, one day Gasim will revenge on his betrayal. Of course Gasim and his supporters will not allow Nasheed to play smart card all the time.
we will keep up the Noon campaign until we get justice and are free from the Maldivian Hitler Maumoon and his family and his trained Police and MNDF DOGS
Agree with protest. The best way to hit rich greedy people is in the pocket.
very good as at least the service may get better and the food may get a bit cheaper if less people go there.
Buruma Gasim video ga ronikoh fenifa hama hairaan vi. Kaaku gabool kuraanee "aniyaa veri sarukaareh" vegen rui kamah.
Libey billion dollarun KUDA KUDA ethikolheh tax ge gothuga nagan ulhen fesheema LAARI MADHU VEGEN rui.
Tax nunagaa oiiy laari gan'dakun varah kuda ethikolheh beys faruvaa ah meenaa haradhu kohfa, mibunanee meenaa ah Raees kamah vote laadheyshoa. Hah hah
hit their pockets....
Akeel ah thaaeedhu!!!
Burumaa Gasim miulhenee alhefahe libey laari madhuvegen tha?? Hama yageenneh nu.
Meenaage hiiyfureynee kon dhuvahakun? Kahvalhah ves dhaanee sandhoakah laari alhaigen kan yageen...
Meenaa ah libey laarin varah kuda percent eh nikamethinnah dhinumah tax nagan ulheythee birun nunidhigen sarukaaru badhalu kohlaafa huregen ronee!!!
The level of debate here now is unsurprising.
It matches the article.
For a party whose government claims to have introduced goods and services tax to the country I think the Nasheed faction of MDP needs to learn the basics of economics.
If they are alleging that wholesalers and their commerce are to be targeted based on allegations against them for something that happened in the past, then I think the consumers should be hit really hard for their part in providing the wholesalers with business. I hope Shifa et. al. did not consume any Lavazza, Red Bull or Granini in the financial quarter prior to February 7th. Or else I think by extension they funded the so-called coup themselves.
LOL! Silly antics deserves silly logic.
Is this a conspiracy by the girls to get rid of guys smoking malboro and drinking lavazza coffee all the time ?
Why hasnt these feminists called for a boycott of womens stuff ? Perfumes and shoes and stuff... Why must it ony be the guys who must suffer by being deprived of coffee and cigarettes ?
This is a conspiracy i tell ya ! First lets see the girls boycott their expensive perfumes, and shoes and handbags and then we'll see if their intentions are true or not ! I dare you to include womens perfumes and handbags and high heeled shoes in the boycott list !
I am participating fully in the boycott. It is hated but will persevere!
Yes boycott all Bhagee products. When they stole the vote from us they didn't think twice, we certainly will not spend our money on them.
@doublstandards, expensive perfumes are brought into the Maldives from a company that didn't participate in the coup for your information.
Doesnt anyone think it is kind of convenient that Malboro cigarettes and lavazza coffee are on the boycott list ?
Villa Trading imports a lot of perfume brands like Guess and obsession and Escape on a regular basis and lots of other womens perfumes and wholesales them to a lot of retailers in Male. Its not just Lintel (the guys who own Lecute) that import womens perfumes that import womens perfumes. Why arent we calling for a boycott of womens perfumes then ?
I think we should include womens perfumes in the boycott list. That way it would be fair. If guys boycott cigarettes and malboro cigarettes and lavazza coffee then girls should have to forgo womens perfumes.
Lets all say no to womens perfumes people !
IF MDP thugs want to hit the rich people pocket then you are wrong. If Anni, the dictator thinks that damaging the country economy is going to bring him back in power you are wrong.
If our economy hurts, then the affect on the poor will be much more severe than the rich guys like Gaasim. Gasim and other rich people must have a huge reserves in thier different bank accounts and the poor people will never have any savings. Buy hurting our economy is not help us in any way.
You are fooled by Anni because he has lot of money and he is filthy rich and he does not need to worry even if this country gets bankrupted.
MDP and all Maldivian need think seriously about Annni tactics to come back
this is stupid ...what about the maldivians who work in these cafe's and shops n places...are u yellowies going to give them salary or new jobs when these places close down.....by putting a hole in the rich mans pocket u guys are basically ruining the life of hard working maldivians who has to work to provide for their families....is this what u call democracy! how are these people going to earn anything..feed their kids..pay rent...if these places close down....THINK before u do stupid things !
All MDP members should boycott ADK Hospital ! Since ADK naashid actively supported Qasim, and was formerly a member of Jumhooree party and has not done anything to condemn the coup he is definitely a BAAGEE !
I call on all MDP members not to goto ADK Hospital, and instead to goto IGMH whenever possible. Sure we may have to wait long hours in queues, sure it maybe our families who suffer the consequences, but as MDP members we must all do everything we can not to goto ADK hospital. Our party must come before everything else.
As part of the noon campaign, we must stop all consultations to ADK doctors. It doesnt matter if the level of service in IGMH is pathetic, or that we MDP members may have to pay to receive medical care, or that some of our family members may receive poor medical care in emergencies, what is most important is that we do everything we can not to associate with the coup masterminds. BOYCOTT ADK hospital ! Dont support ADK naashidh and other Jumhooree party people ! Even if our families die from sickness and disease we must not goto ADK hospital !
I'm wondering why the list doesn't include Gasim's Villa College. Boycott Villa College and join Mandhu College. Send your children to Mandhu instead of villa. They also have teaching, business and IT courses.
the first paragraph is a lie. it is not owned by waheed deen. it is owned by his daughter.
if we target every family, relative and connection of the people we hate - then we need to shut the country down.
this is the problem when you hate with a passion - you are blinded by it.
why is my comment awaiting moderation - if it doesnt appear - you would prove to THE WORLD that MINIVAN NEWS PRACTICES CENSORSHIP - when it's not in their agenda. these comments are being screenshot and pasted on facebook. so people will know - we're all as bad as each other.