The Indian High Commission has issued a statement slamming local media in the Maldives for “misrepresentation and twisting of issues”.
“The High Commission has noted a recent trend in a section of local media to publish negative, unsubstantiated reports, while blacking out objective and positive news on Indian issues,” the Commission said.
“These reports have the potential to create negative public sentiment and reflect a non-serious approach by the media concerned while dealing with sensitive issues,” the statement added.
The statement highlighted several recent examples, such as coverage of the Maldivian national Ahmed Ruffan Ali, who was reported as alleging he had been “tortured” in an Indian jail after being detained for illegally smuggling peacock feathers.
“The High Commission facilitated major help and assistance for the release of the youth while in distress in India,” the statement read.
“While prominently covering the unsubstantiated and motivated statement of the sentenced youth, the media concerned did not verify the facts from the High Commission and chose to overlook the statement of the youth. His subsequent rejoinder that he was not ‘tortured’ in India has not been carried by the media, so far.”
In a rejoinder statement forwarded by the High Commission, Rufwaan expresses “deep regret” that in an article on Sun Online, “using the word ‘tortured’ is a misrepresentation made in translation of the original statement I made on January 26, speaking to the media at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), upon arrival from India.”
Rufwaan said he had been asked by reporters as to whether he was beaten in custody, to which he “regretfully responded, “It is a jail after all, and we will get beaten. Yes I was beaten. The rules of the officers there is that, once jailed we have to beg for mercy at their feet. I refused to do that, which is why I got the beating.”
However, Rufwaan stated, “Using the word ‘torture’ insinuates that I was exposed to extreme violent treatment which was not the case. It is also the ‘cultural’ language barrier that the Dhivehi language consists of limited vocabulary which when translated to English, can fit to a variety of synonyms.
“Also, the lack of literary expertise in linguistics of the journalists can often provide misleading information and I believe this could have caused this mistake. The concerned media has taken it very lightly and when requested to correct it, responded as ‘I’ll give it a thought’,” he added.
“Hence I kindly apologise to all concerned authorities for the unfortunate choice of word used in the article, which in my understanding, creates a far more negative and graphic image of how I intended to express,” he said, expressing “profound appreciation” for the High Commission’s “constant support and assistance” throughout his detention.
Editor of Sun and head of the Maldives Journalists Association, Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir, told Minivan News that the specific word Rufwaan had used, “aniyaa”, translated to “torture”, according to Sun’s audio recordings.
“We [later] received a call, not from him, but from somebody on his behalf,” said Hiriga, acknowledging that media had a responsibility to issue a clarification or correction if this was later required. “We will be making the correction. We do not want to create any problems.”
In a second example, the High Commission highlighted a report in a daily newspaper titled “India to stop export of sand, rice to Maldives”.
“The report is grossly unsubstantiated and does not provide any credible source of its information. As far as the High Commission is aware, the government of India has taken no such decision to ban export of rice or river sand to Maldives. There is a local court injunction for the export of river sand from Tuticorin, though the importers are free to source it from any other region/state in India,” the Indian High Commission stated.
Sun Online carried a story today that the State Trading Organisation (STO) had decided to import aggregate from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka “following a temporary suspension of export of aggregate from India.”
“The Maldives has been importing aggregate from India under a special quota extended by the Indian government. The Indian Ministry of Commerce has notified Indian suppliers that the aggregate quota has been temporarily suspended from the 15th of January onwards,” Sun reported.
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Remember few years back one Maldivien innocent woman tourist was kept in prison and tortured in Kerala simply for a fabricated story saying she had involved in smuggling nuclear secreat of poverty India ?
This fakir(India) in loin cloth and empty stomach love to call himself look here ...I am the super man..you must obey for me..
Well, the Dhivehi word, "aniyaa" can be translated into many other English words apart from "torture". Perhaps Ahmed 'Hiriga' Zahir is not acquainted well enough with the English language to find the right words.
In fact, the word "aniyaa" commonly translated as "injury" cannot be translated into "torture" without further qualifying words in Dhivehi, as there is no single word in Dhivehi for "torture".
The system in India is like a dictatorial system though it is referred as democracy.
The system is good for the elite and for the normal people, they need to lick the ass of the superior. This is the fact whether people believe or not ?
But for sure for the elite people, even police or government official can not go beyond the law and they will be given all the protection and they will be served justice . But for the normal person it will be a night mare.
For a normal person they will not have a courage to open their mouth in front of a policeman even?
This makes no difference whether it is Indian or a foreigner.
People kept in the sun from dawn to midday in front of the Indian High Coma for a simple visa (its not like India is a EU Shengen state!! ). Is that not torture.
Also as @kurevi, Maldivian prisoner issue needs to be properly investigated..
Malaysia is 3000 X times advanced than this poverty India go and see how they treat people who come for visa...at Soooper Indian Consulate...
May be these jokers think once foreigners landed in India where milk and honey flow..they will never return
Apparently beating is not torture in India
I wonder what/who has forced this kid to retract his previous statement. It is certain from both statements that he was beaten while in detention. Clearly someone has coerced him to issue the latest statement. I have serious concerns about Indian interference on local affairs.
@ Ahmed Bin Addu Bin Suvadheeb
Yes, the Divehi Word "aniyaa" can be translated as "injury, harm, etc. However, may be YOU are the one with a narrow-mind, as "jalugai aniyaa kurun" is a context which suggests not injury but torture, when not explained further.
me: You want an Indian official to visit you at home and give you the visa, return tickets and a cup of Chai in the morning while you are busy sleeping?
While just surviving in the god forsaken sinking hell on leftovers, the shameless jokers can be so ungrateful, it is high time the world leaves them to drown in the ocean and move on
and 'aniyaa' need not necessarily be physical.
India should sponsor more English language courses and journalism training for the Maldives media
The present Maldivian govt. is facing international pressure over its validity. Maldivian economy is in bad shape and given the GMR fiasco, the confidence level of international investor has not gone up. With a young population, limited job opportunities and growing fundamentalism what can the govt. do? Simple, find a scapegoat. In present case - India. So now onwards, root cause of all problems that Maldives face is result of India and Indians. And they hope Indian rivals like China will help them out with that. Unfortunately, this tactics never works in long run. Maldives has no Chinese card and you can't live in shadow of a giant while irritating it. Hope sense prevails soon.
Should we Indians really be concerned at what the press of a small, insignificant, politically unstable and bankrupt state like Maldives is saying about us?......I certainly will not be losing any sleep.
If you hate us so much......and we couldn't care less about your opinion......why are you constantly pestering us for visas?......Why are you morons laying siege to us embassy every day?......is it because you cannot survive without us?
There are many more nations where you can get medical treatment and higher education......Please form a orderly queue outside the embassies of China, Malaysia, Pakistan (your sunni brothers), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Singapore, Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Mali and North Korea.
We have nothing in common with you drug addicts......Just give us Indians a break!!
@virendha, since when being beaten does not count as tortue? beaten in prison for a non violent offense, being beaten and forced to beg for mercy, what do you call that? you call tender affection in india? I cant imagine what actual torture must be like in your country..
Present government does not face intentional pressure like Naheed government.
But India is trying to show their muscles because GMR was asked to leave the country due corrupt deal that they had done with Nasheed.
India is backing GMR because some of the senior leadership of Congress party is close to GMR company.
This is the fact and some people will have very little tolerance to digest this.
India is one of the most corrupted country in the world and you need to pay money to officers to get anything done there.
Taxi driver to homeless people living on the road side cheating is their daily work
English language is very difficult to be translated into Dhivehi. Is becoz the maldivians have not grown culturally and educationally. There are no linguistic scholars who can rightly translate the word used by this peacock feather smuggler.
Go and see the crowd in front of Western consulates in Soooper India where 50+ unmarried virgins love to call themselves Miss...but western consulates treat people like humans....
Highest number of immigrants to Australia next to Chinese are Indians who are fed up with their DEMOC-CRAZY..and poverty .soon a columbian drug Princess will become head of kangress parrty(inglis for congress party)after marrying this school drop out Iranian-Italian Rahul Feroz Khan alias Gandhi ....
Gud Marning Saar ( inglish for good morning Sir) get more Indian teachers to Maldives if you want your kids talk Inglsih.
Many western universities are not accepting Indian first degrees for admission....Many African countries today are not recongnising Indian degrees..becaues of Kuwalidy(inglish for Quality)
But grade 12 pass from a neighbouring country of Soooper India is accepted by all international universities for admission...becaues of standrad and quality....over to 50+ Miss India New Delhi....probabaly a Mallu Aunty...
Better talk about your quality and development and demok-crazy in your chai party ,,how many rapes in Delhi today Aunty?
Misss India. There have been numerous reports from places like Trivandrum Chennai that they are facing trouble at local economy due to short fall in arrival of Maldivian to these places and specially in the health sectors.
Some Hospital in India are very disappointed about the visa issues?
We are not going there to get free medical treatments and we are paying for the services and it is a huge market for you for some cities .
Same way, Maldivian also require support from India also and we need to skilled and semi skilled labor from India also , We need to foods and other goods from India to import also.
People like yourself who are so narrow mind does understand why bilateral relationship is there and why it is required for both the countries.
India can not provide jobs for all the Indian and you do not have the capacity to do so and unemployment in India is the highest.
Don't talk bulls**ts
korvi2 AS HOLE WHAT IS THER IN YOUR COUNTRY WHAT YOU PRODUCE TILL NOW INDIA WAS HELPING WITH YOUR FINICIAL SYSTEM YOUR ARMY WAS TRAINED IN INDIA INDIA GIVE YOU SUBSIDISED RICE SUGAR VEGETABLES WITHOUT THAT YOU PEOPLE WILL DIE IN HUNGER TILL NOW INDIA DID SO MANY THINGS BUILT A HOSPITAL AND GAVE YOU YOU PEOPLE ARE BEGGER AND BEGGER HAVE NO CHOICE WE DONT WANT YOU ALL STAY IN YOUR ISLAND AS PRIMITIVES AND PRAY 5 TIMES
people who think indian teachers n doctors aren’t good enuf,why havent u been able to find a replacement in ur whole bloody ages of existence.
the only national facility in the country is a donation from india.i think india shud close it down.
with ur size,education level,brain(inbreeding retards) n i.q.-this country will never be able to self sufficient in medicine and education.accept the truth or perish.
it is actually india’s mistake.they shud have screwed this fly eye in time.then this bunch of illiterate beggars wouldnt have opened their mouths.
it will take india 30 mins of travelling and 3 minutes of militia power and u wouldnt ever know that somethimg existed here.saving nuclear power.
-most of the weird rules and actions come from nations who have no sensible nationals.
-maldives-many dont even know exists on the globe.
-indeed a beggar nation that cant fend for any of its needs on its own.
-people who wandered from south india/somalia came here,impregnated the few tribals and thats how the so called nation emerged.
-confused in terms of religion.Born buddhists,converted muslims and now not accepted muslims by bangladeshis even.
-ZERO CONTRIBUTION AT WORLD LEVEL-TALK OF ECONOMY,ART,CULTURE,LITERATURE,EDUCATION,ARCHITECTURE,SPORTS,MUSIC.
-most are school dropouts.adults at class 2 and most present generation at 10th.
-the word called humility simply is unknown to them
-from breakfast through dinner,clothes,housing,roads-everything is donated by other countries.
-0% export and 100% import.0% agriculture,0% textile industry.no production except more morons they call their children.
-no sense of dressing/eating/talking/education.terrible english.
-no culture,history,tradition.
-lazy bugs with no expertise.begging all life for each n every activity of their life.
-entire dependence on india/sri lanka for even minor ailments.country level hospitals smaller than clinics of other nations.
-not even 10 brainy individuals in the entire country,they also probably migrated.
-dress like tribals,music is all copied,talk like jokers.no social mannerism.
-women wear burqas but are no less that prostitutes.no moral values at all.
-housing-smelly,dirty,unaesthetic,overcrowded,poorly lit,poorly ventilated.
-even education begged from other countries.no medical/engg/IT college.
-live and die in 2 km span.amazing.
-maldivian courses not recognized in any country.
We are not going there to get free medical treatments and we are paying for the services and it is a huge market for you for some cities -hahaha
even if all the 3.5 lakh maldivians combine all their wealth,even then they cant bring profit to a single medical giant like fortis/max etc in india.ur peanuts mean bulls**t to us.one fortis can with its wealth buy entire maldives shit small place.
the problem with u people is ignorance.u dont know ur stand in the world.u are totally dependent,useless,drug struck... proud beggars perish,so begin the countdown... and what are u proud of???
u talk of providing employment,idiots all ur money is being pumped to india by a few 100 indian doctors/teachers...thats why they encourage it...ur whole economy is being moved by a few hundreds of indian/srilankans which are billions in number actually... thats why india encourages NRIs its such a good economy pool.
indian/sri lankan doctors and teachers come here not because they have less money in india but because here it is money for no work...its like 2-3 yrs of retired life...and save n send money home...u are getting poorer and we r getting richer...the average amount of income spent by a maldivian on transport and healthcare is 67-70% and by indians is 4 - 5% yet u r struck with thallasemia and hundreds of diseases,the average health is better for indians.
indians spend money in assetts...it is entirely foolish to spend major income on unnecessary investigations and travel,but good for us,we have been able to cripple ur entire economy with just a few hundred individuals.
i wanted to ask-WHAT ARE U PROUD OF ANYWAYS? WHAT O U HAVE TO BE PROUD OF?
Sure a begger ..or crippled always have a big mouth...I mean this empty stomach fakir in loin cloth called himself sopper man....the India ..patch work of tribes
Indian contribution:
These beedi smoking Indian army is in UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE serve in Sierre Leon..Liberia but it is a common sight to day on the streets here full of African children with INDIAN face ...guys now you know the contribution of India.
The amount of open air shit of Indians-- million of Tons --move with air to neighbouring countries and make people sick.
Most Indian jokers are not aware that Maldivien people lived on the export of Maldive fish to Sri Lanka and exclusive Maldivian owned cargo ships before the arrival of tourism industry.It was the Sri Lankans who have developed..education..telecommunication and Airport plus Air service not Indians.
Medical facilities to public in India by state???? it is a joke....people under tree,,on road sides..under the bridges die like animals every minute....Sooper India has got the No:1 AIDs population in the world....but state of Maldives pay USD 6,500-for each citizen for their treatment abroad..
The kuwalidy(inglish for quality) is so high this ex-baby sitter Italian imported mother India go to U S A for medical treatment on private jet while 90% poor Indians are unable to buy disprin...
A country with an ethinic group..culture religion...can be proud about herself irrespective of size.
This patch work of tribes called India never existed before the arrival of British has nothing to be proud...Andaman Islands people are negros..Arunachla Pradesh people are like Chinese Biharies are like monkeys..etc etc..what is there to be proud about...even these fools have given their country to an Italian woman .on silver plate .go and ask her caste in Italy then vomit..these dirts are worshiping her..shame ...
Maldives then and now ruled by a Maldivien...
@damn Beating certainly is torture. I hate people who use terrorism, even if he is Indian. What I don't get is - why there is no news when Maldivians are tortured in Saudi Arab or Malaysia? Why is there no comment, let alone a discussion when you guys are ill treated in Arab world? You people have just found out India is easy punching bag, without realising, Maldives is an insignificant spec in world map. Apart from fact that China may use Maldives as a military base, India will not even looking towards this part of world.
Good or bad, Maldives can't stand against india
There are enough enemies for China in the Pacific Sea (Japan, Vietanam, Phillipines, Australia..ASEAN) backed by USA. China needs to keep India in good humour to keep India from joiing this front.
Maldives and Srilanks are in Indian Ocean in Indian sphere of influenze and Maldives will turn back to india after their fragile economy crashes owing to double cost import of sand aggregates (from Pakistan) and high liablity loans from China.
As far as Maldives count on Pakistan, its funny. They already lost their half country due to india and cant stop Indian advance. May be they can train Maldives citizens as terrorists for suicide mission and bread !!