Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Adbulla has said that the people of the Maldives will celebrate the liberation of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) on the first anniversary of the resignation of the previous government – February 7, 2013, local media has reported.
The comments were made at a press conference held by a coalition of NGOs and political parties opposed to the deal with the Indian infrastructure company GMR – signed by former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration – to develop and manage the country’s international airport.
Imran predicted there would be “some unrest and damage” on the day the deal is annulled, but urged people to come out and support the calls for nationalisation – although the GMR deal is actually a 25 year lease arrangement and the airport still belongs to the government.
Minivan News was unable to gain further comment from the Adhaalath Party members at the time of press.
Imran said the Maldivian population would be able to endure economic hardship should the deal be annulled, before threatening “a completely different activity” should the government fail to resolve the issue to the coalition’s satisfaction.
“February 7 this year should suffice to make this clear [to the government],” Imran was quoted as saying by Haveeru.
“We were talking about a particular thing and a particular person completed it. Therefore, when the Maldivian people carry out these activities, too, in a certain way, the people who completes it will decide it a certain way. I hope the President has the courage, ability and steadfastness to take such a measure on behalf of the people,” he continued.
Imran’s comments are symptomatic of the incendiary rhetoric surrounding the airport, the nationalisation of which the Adhaalath Party has previously described as a “national jihad”.
The Civil Coalition of NGOs joined with the seven now-government aligned parties to campaign against the former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) led administration, most famously gathering on December 23 last year to defend Islam against what it perceived as irreligious tendencies in the Nasheed government.
The Coalition explained that it was to conduct a week of activities between November 3 – 9 in opposition to the deal, referred to as “airport week”, rather than the mass protest that had previously been planned.
Sun Online reported that the decision had been made owing to clashes with school exams and the government’s plans to celebrate the anniversary of 1988’s attempted coup on November 3.
The paper also reported that the week would be accompanied by the launching of songs and a special logo in support of the movement.
A large balloon has appeared in recent days over the skies of Male’ reading “GMR go home.”
However, previous attempts to organise demonstrations in opposition to the development met with disappointing results when a September protest was poorly attended.
One government-aligned party, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), refused to join the September protest, arguing that the dispute ought to be resolved through the courts.
DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has previously expressed his concerns that reneging on the GMR deal might have detrimental effects on investor confidence in what is already a perilous financial situation for the Maldives.
Abdulla Jabir, Deputy Leader of the Jumhoree Party (JP), has also been vocal about the economic impact of politicising the deal, criticising the Adhaalath Party.
“Sometimes they are religious experts, sometimes they are financial experts. But everyone loves Islam here. Right now, foreign investors are finding it difficult to understand the climate here,” Jabir told Minivan News earlier this month.
“This is not a perfect time for this issue to be happening with GMR,” he added. “I think these protests [against GMR] are unrealistic.”
The JP were, however, represented at the press conference, with State Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture Fuad Gasim reportedly suggesting that senior government figures were being pressured into silence over the deal.
Official government opposition to the deal is currently taking the form of investigations of the $511million deal via the country’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) as well as through a Singapore court of arbitration as agreed in the original contract.
However, the Attorney General has asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether the matter might be dealt with within the Maldivian court system.
Earlier this month, INIA CEO Andrew Harrison told Indian media that the company had received no official word from the Maldivian government concerning a resolution to the dispute.
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This is definitely a cause worth spilling blood over. Big time!
Spilling blood over is a mandatory requirement in our peaceful way of life.
Good Good Good entertainment! Well thought out and a good one!
Tell me, when this is over, how do you propose you have these blood boiling events ongoing? Can you declare Anti-Sri Lankan teachers month? Anti - Japanese Sushi week? Anti-American hollywood day?
iMRANOO, HEYO NUWA NE mAUMOON GE KIBAIN gAUMU SALAAMAITH KUREAY. mI HAARU VESH MUGOO OTHEY gAYOOM GE ATHU GA.FILAA E OTHY MALAYSIA GAH.
The biggest mistake President Nasheed made was establishing a Ministry of Islamic Affairs and giving these mad men like Imran and his counterparts a platform to carry out their crazy talk and activities. Why does an Islamic country need a seperate ministry? So that such politicians can use religion for their benefit, which is exactly what we are seeing today. These sheiks and their followers are a disgrace to the beautiful religion of Islam and Waheed needs to stop them before they destroy the whole country and make us live under the taliban rule, which is exactly what these insecure men really want! And by the way, hope that none of these idiots are visiting India or any of our neighbouring countries that is not 100% islam. Afterall it might tempt them to change their religion, given the depth of their faith and belief in Allah.
Haha! I love it when men who claim to have a special connection with an imaginary god make a mockery out of their own religion. I'll watch Imran and his fellow 'sheikhs' use islam as a tool everytime they need to get something done in the political sphere.
This makes me wonder if the spread of wahhabism was step one in creating a society full of obedient soldiers who would follow any orders given by Imran and his fellow godmen. Like Jabir said, ask them a basic economics or even financial question, and I wonder if they could answer properly. Not to mention that they are completely ignorant of what happens outside of the banana republic, and the rest of the universe beyond the scope of their very small, inbred minds.
Nasheed gave so much free hands to these extremists and that is the beginning of the biggest threat from those hardcore guys.
Government need to stop these guys and need to find a way to stop having this kind of different sects in our community .
I note that they use a hot air ballon to declare their requirement for GMR to go home.
Ironic how the taliban outlawed kites and ballons in Afghanistan as an invasion against Allah's divine heaven.
I declare they submit themselves for punishment inline with their own twisted vision of Islam. Flogging comes to mind..............errr no I remember now the punishment was beheading.
Imran's language sounds like a toddler's incoherent babble. Will the people bash and destroy the national airport? Will the Indian Govt not protect its ? USD 700 million project and also protect INIA?
The question is, what do the Adhaalath party gain from all this?
Daniel, couldn't you have been a little bit more specific as to where exactly the balloon was?
if their is any thing called verbal terrorism, Adalath party is doing that...
mi dhen kihaa bodu balaaveri kameh. islaam dheeney kiyaa nukume ulhey munaafigun. siyaasy meehuney kiyaa nukume GMR aa behegothun foiyliye MVK aa Najah athun ethah lahka rufiyaa eh nagaigen ganna gandudho. e hen thaavaany, mihafthaa therey emme Banguraa fulhiyeh Airport duty free in vihkaalee us$ 58,000 ah.
Minivan, with reference to the comment made by @kaaleemother on Mon, 22nd Oct 2012.
Your publication operates in the Maldives and hence should abide by Maldivian rules.
Perhaps the person on-duty approving comments does not understand Divehi but you have staff who do.
So it is your duty to prevent comments with obvious use of profanity from being published.
They'll liberate their own beards and backsides, nothing more and nothing less. Ignorant fools...
this airport was given because few people got a cut from the deal including former President.
Airport project value will not be USD 700 million and maximum it will cost 290 million to complete the entire project.
USD 700 million is bench mark , mentioned in the contract and once it is build the value of the airport may be at 700 million. This does not mean that GMR would have spent this much of money and the valuation will be done based of many factors.
These Anni associates who had got huge finical advantages during their regime, will try to twist the reality and will keep on feeding false information to the public as usual.
There are many Foreign investors who had put more money in this country than GMR. Why people are not jumping up and down about their investments. It is because those investments were done within the regulation and there was no huge corruption on those investments.
Some of the businessmen from Singapore and Thailand, had put much more money in the tourism sector in Maldives. Ong Bensson, Centara group have put nearly a billion dollar in this country which is far more than what this GMR will ever put in this country.
GMR is not putting any money and they are using our own money to acquire the assets. All the renovations are carried out with the money that they are earning from the airport and reselling of fuel and the loan is taken on the sovereign guarantee and not in GMR guarantee.
Some of Anni associates are trying to put a all of us in dark when it come to GMR issue and the contract itself was a secret document until Anni was removed from the office.
There are other investors from India who had put money in this country like Taj group and they have been here for many years. Why Maldivian had not bothered about them . It is very clear that those investments were not a dodgy deals and they were genuine deals.
I doubt that Indian Government will get interfere with GMR deal knowing that this had become a national issue for Maldives due to nature of the deal. If GMR deal was a clean deal then Indian would consider to get involved.
Even GMR itself knows that the deal could get back fire but they took a risk thinking that Anni will stay in power for next 10 years .
Airport project value will not be USD 700 million and maximum it will cost 290 million to complete the entire project as u say, than i wonder why Former President Maummon did not completed these project in his golden 30 years . The reason we all know, they ( PPM) wants the airport that’s why they offer a big ransom to Imran of Adhaalth and other small parties to assist them to overthrow the government. Eventually we Maldivians faced lot of problems and suffering due to the current status of Waheed administration. PPM should take responsible of these problems that we Maldivians faced today.
In 2008 we voted Mohamed Nasheed for 5 year term, but out of now where Dr waheed became our president and he becomes a puppet of Maumoon and all the Inthihaad ppl that assist him in return he donated all the posts to them forgetting to fulfill MDPs 5 pledges that they owe to us. So it would be better if we compare Nasheed’s 3 year term and Dr Waheed current status .
Yes that's it, declare a Jihad against one of India's largest companies and declare war on India lol. This way they can come here and wipe the slate clean of all the fools in the Maldives and we won't have to listen to these IDIOTS anymore !
Do it, do it !
Nasheed 3 years term our total debt had gone three times higher . When Gayyoom left the office our total debt was 390 million dollars and when Anni left the office our total debt was USD 980 million.
Gayoom was also corrupted man and that is why he never did it but rather keep on doing regular upgrades where they were able to have continuous earning and side kicks though corruption .
Yes i can guarantee that the total project value will not be over 290 million and if you give me a total of USD 290 million , then I am happy to build even a better airport than what GMR had proposed.
@mody on Tue, 23rd Oct 2012 11:31 AM
"Yes i can guarantee that the total project value will not be over 290 million and if you give me a total of USD 290 million , then I am happy to build even a better airport than what GMR had proposed."
I can guarantee that I'll wipe your backside for US$1.00. You keep on an on about US$290 million. I'm afraid that your chance of investing in INIA is over and done with. Got it?
For better or worse, the Maldivian government is in a binding agreement with an international investor. The only way they can get out of it is through the means specified in that contract.
If your claims that Nasheed benefited from this deal are true, then why don't you produce material evidence? Otherwise, you're just farting into thin air dude; no substance at all.
This story reminds me of Iraq during Saddam's rule. All Iraqi's had the same official birthday, which was, of course, Saddam's birthday.
You can see where these Mullahs are coming from. I don't think they've ever heard of globalisation and international business practices.
The truth behind this is simple. Do you know how many millions of dollars were invested at Male airport over many decades? Loans from dozens of institutions were taken and siphoned off into the pockets of the Male oligarchy.
Since that tap of illicit money has been turned off, the agents of the oligarchy have gone up in arms. They want their cushy money making scheme back in place. Well, the bad news is that it will cost them quite a hefty sum this time.
yes there are many evidence to prove that Anni and his associates had taken a cut out of this deal. People like you who are the victims of Anni fever not be able to digest the truth .
If a person files a case against Anni, he will be threaten by mugs operated by Anni . So it is impossible to file any case against Anni for next 10 years.
Look at the very basics.
1. GMR was disqualified in the first round and ended up in awarding the airport.
2. Airport company was dissolved since they refused to sign the contract at the request of Anni and new board was formed.
3. New boar sign the agreement less than 24hrs from the formation of the board. The chairman would not have even time to read through the contract.
4, In GMR published finical reports it is clearly mentioned that GMR had spent over 70 million on acquisition cost and further 8 million on documentation, processing fee and contract acquisition.
5. Maldivian Government should ask for the details of expenses of the contract documentation amount of 8 million ? This is the cut taken by Anni and his associates.
Since GMR is public company, they have to show these figures and they accounted them " as documentation and procession fee".
If one is willing to dig it to find where these procession fee went, I am sure you will know where these money had ended up.
Where is the Rule of Law that the Waheed said would prevail in this country after he took office even as a traitor?
There is evidence here that Imran has plans and is planning to take over the INIA, a national asset (leased to an international consortium for management for a term and as agreed), with some unrest and damage that indicate the use of force as it was done 6th of February when people were aroused to the point of using force to break barriers and etc., before he and his coalition toppled the elected government of the people on 7th February this year!
As it is said here, Imran has no plan to approach a jury for a plea which he probably does not believe are there in procedures!
As it appear, he is planning to gather mass, step over legal procedures, dump Rule of Law his coalition partner Waheed said would prevail in this country under his rule, and take over the airport and forcefully execute the GMR GO HOME slogan as planned!
If Waheed, as president (illegal or not), is not going to uphold Rule of Law and stop this radical extremism I am afraid we do not have a Constitution to follow!
Every one has the right to do what is deemed right!
hello, "minivan news' is an anacronism left by the colonial Brit...to which Anni is totally subservient. FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOl go back to where you want to be and lick the Brit
Milk Sheikh Imran, should better know that we have no room for militant islam in Maldives.
@ barbarian
Your name is very appropriate.
we do not have a problem with militant islam in Maldives. but we have a problem with militant gangsterism. But i do not expect you to know this much. your name implies that much. peace.
Imran must really be needing an airport from where he can export heroin, child sex slaves and prostitutes to East African and middle eastern countries.
how true is Quruan where the kuffar's enmity to islam is prophesied. the more i read quruan and then ponder at our present situation, the more i see the truth of the light. here in this thread how many are commenting obliquely against islam. its not imran they are against but islam, but they do not seem to be aware of that. a muslim will love his muslim brother with his defects, he will pray for him, advise him, crticize him, but he will never revile or ridicule him....
"National Jihad". Am I reading news about Maldives or Afghanistan? If you have problem with a deal, there is always negotiations, discussions, arm-twisting and courts. Do you think GMR can do anything against a court order? But, hell, let's go around the easiest way. Let's bash these guys and throw rocks on "own airport". That would teach them a lesson. Also that would teach other foreign investors a lesson too.
Virendra, are you really out of the gutters of chaar minaar to poke into matters that are not meant for you? This shows how uncoothed and uncivilized indians are? Investors dont charge locals and guests coming to the Maldives as a foregn investor. They bring their own funds to invest and we have more 100 such examples at 5 star levels in the Maldives. Go back you gutter rat to Hydrabad gutters
The behaviour of certain elements in Maldives is an insult to India, and the failure of these people to understand all the efforts made by India is an illustration of the continued stupidity and failure of Maldivian leaders to act like dignified statesman.
And the public is just going along for the ride.