After thousands of protesters gathered last Friday and demanded the government “close the spas and massage parlors and such places where prostitution is conducted”, the Tourism Ministry has today published a circular asking all the resorts to shut down their spas and massage parlors.
Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair today confirmed to Minivan News that the Tourism Ministry had issued the circular.
The circular informs that the government has decided to shut down all the spas and massage parlors in accordance with demands made by the general public during last Friday’s protest to “defend Islam.”
Speaking at a press conference held yesterday, Zuhair said the protesters did not specify where exactly the prostitution was conducted but mentioned that prostitution was conducted inside spas and massage parlors.
He said the government does not know how to differentiate between the spas and massage parlors that are complicit with prostitution and those which are not.
Therefore, Zuhair said the government has decided to shut down all such locales because Maldivians, including high-profile individuals, have been visiting tourist resorts and having spa treatments.
He said the government does not want those high-profile individuals’ good names being damaged by visiting places accused of such crimes.
Zuhair added that some of the individuals making these demands last Friday also conduct business in the tourism industry. Therefore, the government believes that, given their insider understanding of the resort and spa industry, their accusations are well-founded and there is not much to investigate.
This week, five spas run in five resorts owned by opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) Leader ‘Burma’ Gasim Ibrahim were asked by the Tourism Ministry to shut down operations over similar allegations.
The company subsequently sued the government. Meanwhile, the Civil Court issued a warrant permitting those spas to continue operations until the suit has reached a verdict.
Tourism Minister Dr Maryam Zulfa was unavailable for a comment.
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This government has gone totally nuts. To prove a point, they will not mind destroying the countries economy.
It is your choice, money or religion!!!
Message for MATI, we can not believe you are lining up with the religious extremists and hypocrites like this? An old saying for you goes something like =
"when good people do nothing, evil flourishes".
Say something??????!!!!!!!!
President Nasheed has become a bloody extremist. He seems to have gone nuts after seeing the numbers gathered at the demonstration. His twisted mind seems bent on revenge against the demonstrators even if it means destroying our economy. The demonstrators demanded brothels to be closed and Nasheed has responded by ordering tourist resorts to shut down their spas. Tomorrow he will probably ban tourism.
The resort owners desrve this as the people who really funded the extremists are the resort owners. Well lets see now that they have been put to task
Shame on you Gasim you filthy Hippocrate. Now you've got what you asked for. I hope gov bankrupts his stinking businesses, that are funding the likes of Adhaalath.
I don't think it was a good idea of the government to ban all the spas and alcohol use in the whole country. The spas in the resorts and alcohol use in the resorts shouldn't have been banned. This ban is going to affect the only vibrant source of our economy which is tourism industry. This will affect our nation as a whole.
Where was MATI when MATI Vice Chair was getting the Mullah's to sharpen their knives. Kirtzner Yahudi partner Thasmin and Gasim, among the biggest booze sellers and spa operators got the Mullahs to say that the govt was planning city hotels and therefore govt are booze sellers, just so that these people can be seen as super Muslim Sheiks, while implying the govt as an irreligious lot. Why? City hotel sales, if at all they sell booze, would be a small percentage of what Gasim and Kirtzner partner sells. However they got the Mullahs to say this part of it is haram just because the greedy pigs may suffer the slightest loss. MATI should discipline Gasim. Throw him out of the board.And Throw out Israeli flight? Ask and Sol Kirtzner, two Israeli's who owns the One & Only Reethi Rah..Isn't this Palestinian blood fr the Mullahs???
You Tube slot of Sheikh Gasim of MATI and Judicial Service Commission Chief hollering Allaahu Akubaru is being mailed to travel agents. Lets see who are the irreligious lot. Lets see who imports booze by the ton...The real culprits should be exposed. Give us numbers..How many tons of booze did Gasim and Thasmeen and the lot import?? How many massage parlours?? Footage to the refrain of the hollering, with the Zaeem song playing in the background??
The government will simply forward a letter to MATI, MATATO, TOMATO, Live Aboard Association, Divers Association to issue a notice in seven days of the impending doom and gloom due the threat of booze in the vicinity of Maldivian inhabitants at Resorts seducing them to guzzle it on the sly. These NGOs would be told by govt to advice them that MATI Vice Chair himself and the leader of the largest opposition party had outlined what a haraam thing such a thing is to masses primed to a frenzy by shouts of Allahu Akbaru led by Gaasim himself. In short, govt will ask MATI to willfully ask members to ban booze and to dispose at sea remaining stocks...which, should they refuse..would then be submitted to parliament..there'll be a nice merry go round and the real booze sellers and massage parlours would then be bared naked...where are the numbers Mr. Press Secretary ???
The Bad - The ordinary folks who do not know much about religion but claim to know it all.
The Bad - The Shekhs who preach extreme and fear laden form of Islam.
The Bad - The businessmen whose sole objective is to make more and more money.
The Bad - The politicians who will use anything good or bad to stir up hatred for their benefit.
The Bad - The president who is ready to destroy the country to prove a point.
THE GOOD - nobody in Maldives right now...
The extremists are trying to tear this country apart. Can not believe how stupid Gasim is. Expect this from Yamin.
Yes Bangalhee you are correct. It is the resort owners that have funded and allied themselves to the fundies. The organized attempts by Champaa and Gasim has threatened to disrupt social order and elected government. They must accept the consequences of their actions.
Financing support from loans is all well and good. However consider the risks this country is facing.
Confidence in the government is low and especially when it comes to fiscal matters. Speculation alone would drive prices up. The real exchange rate is expected to rise and the resulting increase in prices coupled with the burden of taxation threatens to drive consumption low.
The government should have followed suit by pursuing less ambitious goals. Then again Nasheed wants to get re-elected so come hell or high water money is going to be spent.
Is the populace ready for the inevitable crunch? Does the Maldives as a whole really understand the situation it is in? I do not think so. We need to create more focus on economic issues. I agree that every Ahmed and Aisa cannot comment at the policy level. At least they should be provided information on the real economic situation in this country.
Someone needs to step up because the media is too politicized. Minivan mostly glosses over the actual situation while emphasizing government aspirations and goals rather than results. Haveeru caters to the public like any big franchise and pays mere lip service to highlighting non-political issues. The rest of the dailies are not widely read. The government channel is a joke and the other two private broadcasters are too busy promoting opposition causes.
The Civil Society should step up on this front without immersing themselves in politics, governance and abstract rights advocacy. Then again most Civil Society organizations serve the political ends of one party or another.
The reality is the government has pushed through another State Budget that is designed to drive up the cost of living and increase liquidity. The US Dollar exchange rate on the black market is expected to hit around 19 rufiyaa for a dollar very soon. This means our import-dependent economy will experience a period of rising costs. The political atmosphere is becoming increasingly confrontational so it becomes almost impossible to have this conversation at a national level without financial and coordinating support.
Cut out the hypocrisy.
Even the most devout knows, deep inside, divinity is just faith. Belief in something you don't see!
There never was and never is, empirical proof, for divinity.
And so, the more educated the country gets, their faith, the belief of the unseen, diminishes. That's a fact.
What is difficult to fathom and raises conflict is, what to do with clerics who have felt so important in the past, is now gradually getting dismissed. To combat this, the clerics, revive hell stories to scare the wits out of elderly, and incite hatred within young.
At what expense?
1: 40 years of tourism at risk.
2: labeling ourselves as extremists, when in reality, we have to grovel and beg rest of the world, for survival.
Truth be told, the young needs entertainment, livelihood, education, enjoyment with family, health, social well being.
We are blocking the path to any of the above, by the religious path, the unseen unproven unattainable imaginary destination. In fact we are not just breaking progress here, but we are heading back to dark ages!
And the youth knows that. That's hypocrisy.
Just another nail in the Tourism industry coffin...
Is this a president trying to prove a point? NO way people!
This is a five year old kid saying if you try to take my baloon I will burst it!
How can Maldivians accept such a poor decision and be happy?Do we want to go back to fishing for survival?Religion should make us better not worse off...We seem to have gone back to the 7th century!!!Next why not go again on the streets and request we go back to our primitive state and using caves instead of too much privacy with 10 blocks appartments?
Ali hashim.... You are 100% correct.
Now, this debate is a time bomb. If It did not happen now, it will happen in 5 or 10 years. The President has the guts to do something about it now.
The solution is moderate Islam. That is what the majority want. Gasim has most of his money safely hidden but the rest of us do not. I will never forgive him for stirring up this economic mess for his own craving for power. She how the rich like Yamin etc leave a wake of destruction for us ordinary people... No doubt they also have their own supply of alcohol and women stashed too.
Well decided government.. Ban Buruma Gasim (BBG) from Maldives! Exile him.. We can bury him with all his money, the second hand Villa Air 'Fly me' flights inside the spa of Paradise Island Resort when he eventually dies.. He has got enough money to live anywhere in the world.. Wannabe im the richest and no one can challenge me including God is a little too much.. I wish his flight crash, villa gas tanks blow up and his resorts with booze and prostitution be burnt to ground.. What the hell kind of a person is he? Sick asshole.
@shahid
I do not think MATI would interve in this issue as MATI chairman is sleeping with tourism minister -
Good proposal: Give one autonomous atoll to Mullahs to run their sharia, let people chose to go under Sharia, and we live peacefully without Sharia. I am sure slowly all mullahs will come to us begging, please give us freedom we can’t open our mouth under Sharia. Same thing happening some Mullah from these Islamic countries who cannot open their mouth under their Islam, migrate to liberal countries and open there the dirty mouth.
Where is MATI????? Dont keep quiet... say something to this insane government.
I am a member of MDP, However, i am ashamed of these acts by the government hat will destroy our image and the good name of the country. This will very negatively affect our Tourism industry.....Nasheed. Be careful of your acts. you will be made accountable.
i think this serves as a lesson to the demonstrators... the idiots such as gasim and thasmeen called for closing of SPA's which was a political move.. they got it... i'm personally awed by the audacity of such a decision by anni.. wouldn't have thought he had it in him...anyways they got wat they wanted... at the expense of the economy. lets see how fast they reverse their position
This is completely insane! Why do they have a death wish for the populace?
Mashallah! Finally, Allah SWT has shown the right path to the members of the government, who I formerly believed were Jews due to their very Jewish activities, such as bringing Jew Pillay to Maldives! We do not need the Jewish invention of 'Spas' in our nation! If you want to feel good, go do salat! There is no greater form of relaxation than what you get from salat, both physically and spiritually. And those who want to fornicate in these prostitute hubs....fear the creator, for on the day of judgement, you shall see the harshest of punishments!
“But when Allaah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector”
al-Ra’d 13:10
Nasheed is responsible for the destruction of our economy and he is the one who could not run a carpentry and how you expect him to run a country ?
Guys think sensibly and you will realize why Nasheed is destroying our economy.
This is a government seized by panic. Remember what Nasheed said, 'aharenge nulafaakan dhahkaalaanan'. He is showing it. We are witnessing the true nature of Nasheed. His mad tactics to pitch one against the other in this tiny society is nothing but 'nulafaakan'. He is certainly not a smart man because he is creating his own downfall. There is a similar pattern in the rise and fall of all dictators in the world. The more autocratic he becomes the more the people will rise against him and soon he will become a tyrannical ruler in order to have his way. The masses will be helpless at first, kept in check by law, tear gas, smoke bombs, till one day things get so out of control there will be a bloody revolution and the dictator is brought down to his knees. Another characteristic trait of a dictator is he will not step down easily even when he knows the majority is against him. He will hold onto his rule to the very end. His departed mind will make him imagine things he wants to believe in. He will imagine the crowd he had at his rally is bigger than the crowd rebelling against him. That is a very necessary part of seeking consolence for himself. All dictators do that. The world is watching the beginnings of the demise of Nasheed brought about by his own making. Soon his followers will leave him one by one. The world will wonder what happened to their 'global president'! What they do not know is this is the real nature of this man. They are being taken for a ride at the moment. This little kid we have for a president is the biggest joke we have seen in our history. Time will show more of his petty nature.
Gov should give MATI and its vice chair Qamin the gun to kill themselves: make them close down their own spas.
@ Hassan Ahmed on Fri at 0921hrs: MATI chariman is the husband of the tourism minister and thus they can sleep anytime anyway they want. They are legally married muslim couple and we have nothing to say at them or against their relationship. So shush!
Maldivians come across like little children shouting and pouting."I want this, I want this, I want this." They scream and daddy gives in. Maldivians also think that denying things of this world will make them disappear. One of the biggest issues Maldivians have is that deny, ignore and forget they real past and replace it with a religion that Maldivians do not even understand. Maldivians need educating and finding out about the world urgently, otherwise Maldivians are going to be their own demise.
Its not the president who's destroying the goverment. its YOU who comment at minivan news and dosn't do anything about it.
its easy to talk and give ideas but that's not always what really happens. If only you understand the pressure of the religious extremists and their mentality.
yea keep on talking and pretend you know better than the rest of commentators while the extremists take over.
Maybe the government needs to have some foreign inspections of spas! What happen there… Is it really happening… Why we give stars to hotel and restaurant and not Spas? Get certification.
@Ali hashim is spot on.
The fundamentalists cannot have it both ways. People like Gasim are multi-faced. They like to be seen as defenders of Islam and philanthropists. Then they hide behind their 5 or 6 star alcohol, pork and massage serving multi million dollar businesses! This is true of every single Sheikh that proclaims to "protect" Islam.
So, the government is absolutely right to do what they did. Islamic faith applies all over the country! You can't exclude bits of it out, just because some people are earning millions of dollars from them. If the Sheikhs want Islamic Sharia, then let them have it; but you'll hear them cry when it starts hurting their pockets. So much for "defending" the faith, eh?
Stupid asshole Buruma Gasim! What an arrogant and illiterate jackass! We are seeing the consequences of such a person having too much money. Money has gone to his brainless head. He reminds me of Homer Simpson.
All the problems come when retards get free will to expose their dirty thoughts. When someone becomes a Mullah, it is due to lot of social issues. Mullah goes through lot of psychological upheavals. The go through fear of rejection, uncertainly of own ability to face the challenges, less sexual appeal to women, sadism, hatred towards sexy muscular men, and lower libido. They measure everyone from their mental standard. Since they have no consciences, they think everyone is the same. For them people are good because fear of severe punishment after life and in this life, because that’s what makes them good. They don’t know that Spas, bars and other entertainment what a civilized person seek is not because they are immoral. People go to spas not for sex, but for relaxation, may be this not the case for Mullahs, because Mullahs have no experience of what a modern man goes through physical and mental exhaustion, they go spa to be free from these exhaustion not for sex. But this is not the case for Mullahs and probably for the less evolved subhuman, for these subhuman Mullahs, the life is only for sex and they know nothing except sex. If we follow these psychopath Mullahs, we are not going to be good normal human being, those who follow them probably are in the same mental fold as the Mullahs are.
MATI secretary general, Sim Ibrahim Mohamed sleeps with Tourism Minister. They are bed fellows. MATI will not say anything against the Government. Not much anyway. MATI chairman is also an Anni lover!
Nasheed and his knee-jerk politics. I wonder if he ever thinks or even cares about the repercussions of some of the decisions he make. Probably not since he and his family are rich enough to flee back to England and still live a good life even if the whole country falls apart. To an extent the damage has already been done since this news is all over the international media and makes the general population of the country (most of whom are not involved in any of this) look like a bunch of morons.
I'm not saying the opposition consisting of a bunch of hypocrites are acting any better but the government should really start acting a bit more responsibly since ultimately they are the one's in charge after all.
@Kasim: "This is a five year old kid saying if you try to take my baloon I will burst it!"
Excellent observation!
No political party is seriously concern about religion issue - Those who want to play religion card - MDP will not afraid to play it along - ultimately those big guys behind the protest will think against...$$$ first, other issue later.
This is not an issue of Mullahs.... this shows that the current administration is failing in all aspects....
this is a great shame - for the past years I've thoroughly enjoyed going to spas & salons in Male' and have a nice happy ending with some Maldivian girls or some from Thailand - fuss over nothing!!!
The administrations seems have lost plot on this issue. Its common knowledge that beauty saloons in Male' and spas in resorts are miles apart in difference.
Especially In hard times don't play the religious card.
From far away (being in Germany) I think that Maldives having a hard time and people start feeling unsure about too many things in their lives. Don't let them fall for easy explanations and fake solutions.
The ones who've been already rich and the ones who just recently became really wealthy through their new positions in government and economy are both to be controlled by the people -
by people who don't put their earthly trust (alone) in in the belief of this or that god, but by people who seek for transparency.
I know it is easy to say from far away - But please don't led some powerful people pour the oil of religious hate in the fire of social unaware times.
One of the first comments here wrote down a choice which is wrong in my opinion: "money or religion". Please don't make this such a unreal black/white way of not-solution.
Organize yourself as a civil group which seeks for transparency, justice and another way of communicate with each other. Don't let yourselves become part of uprising anger.
And please - don't fall the trap and discuss the important matter of your state and country by shouting at each other because of some spas - IT IS NOT about spas IT IS a fight of powerful men foggying the public debate about a peaceful, open and beautiful maldives and the future of its people.
I feel this is a sound decision. We are in a democracy aren't we? If such a large number of people want to ban spas and alcohol and pork consumption, it is best to close down every outlet that partakes in such activities. Resorts enable its guests to engage in such un-Islamic activities. Unless resorts are willing to take in only guests who observe Islamic dress code and refrain from all anti-Islamic activities, they must be closed down without delay. Single women or those unaccompanied by mahrams must not be permitted. Couples must be scrutinised to ensure they are in possession of Sharia-compliant marriage certificates before they are allowed in on resorts. Those kuffars must not be permitted to dictate us terms. We are the people who must dictate terms to them. If the government and the opposition have the courage to do likewise, I too will comply and drop my pen name and replace it with Allah and Rasool Lover. So how about it? Let us shut down all resorts. Ball is in your court.
Suffer you fools, all you Maldivians deserve this because you don't appreciate tourism and that fact that without it your insignificant little country is completely insignificant. As they say for every cloud there is a silver lining, I know what the silver lining of the global warming cloud is, can you guess? Sri Lanka will welcome the tourists you loose.
@Dave Jones - it is people like you that give us visitors and expats a bad name. The hardworking expats the ones that is serious about helping this country is totally for the closure of prostitution and illegal massage palours that offer those services.
For the rest of you reading this article, please understand that it is a political game play by the oppositions and the ruling party and it is sad to see all these happenings, can they both just grow up and work to build this lovely country for the sake of the citizens here.
This reaction from government is totally unacceptable. The timing of this ban couldn't have been worse as the resorts business is usually at peak during the new year period. The losses in monetary terms is huge. The Maldives economy is far more vital to be used as pawn in political and religious battles. We will not tolerate irresponsible politicians, Sheikhs, Mullahs and all extremists!
It's a form of ultimate hypocricy by the religious fanatics to demand the closure of spas just in Male. This double standard will allow the rich and influential to seek their services from the spas operating in tourist resorts. This is why the government took the decision to close that loop hole straight away!
Such loop holes have been created by wealthy resort owners who want to deny anything to the ordinary folk. Gasim is fully clothed in this hypocricy.
The same applies for the consumption of alcohol. Banning the sale of liquor on inhabited islands has no effect whatsoever for those who'd like a drink. They can readily order it from other avenues such as resorts. Getting hold of an alcoholic drink ANYWHERE in the Maldives is like drinking water; dead easy.
MDP and Nasheed made a big mistake by labelling themselves as "moderate" Muslims. It's true that no such label exists for a Muslim. You're either a Muslim or you're not. Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Moderate etc do not exist as labels for Muslims. The "moderate" label is used by Western agents who fear Islam. If you look carefully at any "moderate" Muslim, you'll find a Munafiq! So, MDP are in effect a group of Munafiqs lead by Nasheed. Well, what would you expect from a lover of Sula Shiraz wine?
Mullas are destroying our country. How can this government allow this. Its sad the majority of this country don't voice up their concern and gave up to a bunch of idiots.