Dr Afrasheem Ali, Islamic Scholar and MP for Ungoofaaru, was buried shortly before 5:00pm at Asahara cemetery in Male’.
Thousands gathered for the funeral prayers which took place at the Islamic Center. The prayers were led by former President and leader of Afrasheem’s party Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Long queues of those wishing to pay their last respects formed by Republican Square, where the national flag will fly at half mast for the next two days.
Local news source Sun Online covered the day’s events via a live feed.
Sun reported that arrival of the members of Afrasheem’s family in Male’ this morning, as well as the presence of several MPs at the Islamic Center – today’s session of the Majlis was cancelled.
The MP was subjected to a brutal attack last night when returning to his home after appearing on state television.
Afrasheem’s wife found his body, displaying multiple stab wounds to the head and back, at the foot of the stairs outside their home.
A councillor from Afrasheem’s home island told Haveeru that the community had come to a virtual standstill following news of its MP’s death.
“Many still find it hard to believe that Afrasheem is gone. Their faces show despair,” council member Hussain Najeeb told the paper.
Afrasheem’s coffin was draped in a Maldivian flag, which was handed to his son shortly before the final burial.
Reaction
Afrasheem’s murder has made headlines around the world, with news agencies such as the BBC, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal carrying the news of the Majlis member’s death.
Politicians and institutions of all stripes have today joined with the mourning nation in condemning the slaying and calling for swift justice.
The Maldivian Democratic Party, Adhaalath Party and Afrasheem’s own Progressive Party of Maldives released statements to this effect.
Speaking to local media from the ADK hospital, where Afrasheem’s body was initially taken, Gayoom told Sun Online that the Maldives had lost a talented and unique scholar.
“He was a great teacher. We lost a scholar today, and I am saddened by this. I strongly condemn this act. God willing, the perpetrators will be found and brought to justice through a Court process,” said Gayoom.
Vice President Waheed Deen told local media there would be swift retribution for the crime.
“Law enforcement authorities will not stop until a result is obtained within 24 hours. The investigation won’t leave a stone unturned,” he said.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed, currently campaigning in the SouthernAatolls took to social media to declare his sharing of the nation’s fear and sadness following the murder.
Local media cited “reliable sources” in saying an arrest had been made just before 5:00am this morning, although – more than 12 hours later – Police Spokesman Sub Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that police were unable to confirm this.
The police have set up a toll free number which can be used for anyone with information regarding the murder: 334 0026.
Numerous institutions including the Elections Commission, the Judicial Services Commission, the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives, and the United Nations have released statements.
The United Nations, on its International Day of Non-Violence, condemned the murder of an “accomplished scholar”.
“The United Nations team in the Maldives is shocked by the murder of Member of Parliament Dr Afrahshim Ali. The United Nations condemns this crime in the strongest possible terms, and hopes justice will be brought to bear,” read the statement.
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Happy Minivan?
murder of thought?
Enough. Stop blaming Minivann, stop blaming radical Muslims, stop blaming radical secularists, stop blaming PPM, stop blaming MDP, stop blaming Waheed.
Don't blame anyone until we have all the facts and we know who's behind this.
It's this kind of small mindedness and politically motivated finger pointing degenerating into personal vendettas and calls for violence that has destroyed this nation.
Stop this insanity.
And no, Akram K, no one is happy. No one should be happy. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
We can only pray that he rests in peace.This barbarian attack should be punished and I sincerely hope the death penalty is applied.RIP
I sincerely hope the perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly. I am not going to repeat what has already been said, since there is no crime worse than the wilful murder of another human being.
I am not at all optimistic that we have a capable regime that can bring an end to this madness. In a week or so, they'll soon forget about this murder, just as they quickly forgot the murder of a police officer just recently, who was also buried with full honours. The only thing they are capable of doing is getting photo opportunities at times of tragedy and making speeches about how important they are.
They'll get back to their old ways of scoring points over each other and how best to hold on to power and fatten their bank balances.
Mark my words. What I've said is as predictable as night follows day!
The brutality used to assasinate this lovable and very amicable shcolar is a message to all the moderate Muslims in Maldives. Talk against their veiws and you shall be brutally killed. This fear tactics were used in every country that followed a brutal campaign. Pls wake up the three powers in Maldives. Nip this in the bud. Find the group behind this terror and let the Maldives be a moderate country.
Muslims killing other muslims.....we see this growing trend in Afghanistan, Yemen, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and now the fashion has arrived in Maldives!!
The teaching of hate and intolerance after friday prayers has come full circle and now haunts you.....muslims are now the biggest victims of this doctrine of hate.....oh the irony!!
At the current rate of M on M violence, you will soon wipe yourselves off this planet.....the twenty first century will known as the time when radical islam finished off all the muslims!!
I don't expect your useless police to catch the murderers.....the thugs who attacked Hilath Rashid are still at large.
May MP Afrasheem rest in peace.
Dhonbeyyyy, dont bil your blood....I just said are you happy minivan, there will be a vacant seat in parliament, MDP can win, I mean try to win
My condolences for Dr Afrasheems wife, children, family, friends and everyone who respected him, honoured him and loved him.
My condolences too for the families and friends of all the other people who have died violent deaths, murdered , raped, bashed, and who are still waiting for the perpetrators of these crimes to be brought to justice.
Murder after murder. And how many sentenced?
Count on your five fingers, perhaps not, three fingers.
Case after case thrown out of courts for apparent lack of evidence.
How can we believe that whoever murdered Dr Afrasheem will be tried and sentenced. Just this week a court released a suspect arrested for murder for lack of evidence.
So whats going on? If the Police is doing such shoddy work as the Courts imply with their claims of "insufficient evidence.. blah blah blah" , and the courts cannot deliver justice, then what IS the Police doing?
If indeed the Police ARE doing their job properly, then WHAT is going on with the PG Office OR the Courts for that matter that violent men and women are being acquitted of heinous crimes?
Can the CONI endorsed leader of the nation get your butt over here from New York and set up a National Investigation to inquire into ALL the cases thrown out of courts, and ALL the cases where Judges REFUSE to issue search warrants and arrest warrants?
The Justice system is a JOKE. Kangaroo Courts (no offense, kangaroos).
@Ahmed bin Addu bin Suvadheeb
Well said. Agree with you. What a mess.
I wish our leaders will stop being so self absorbed and focussed on being right and making others wrong and start walking their talk of "taking care of the people".
Your Excellency, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Your Excellency Mohamed Nasheed, Your Excellency Dr Waheed, Dr Hassan Saeed, Honourable Gasim Ibrahim and Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, can you please make an effort and sit down and sort out the phenomenal mess that YOU guys have created in our country.
Here we are today, mourning the loss of yet another son of our nation, collateral damage of the wars you have been waging on each other in your quest for power and control.
How many more sons and daughters of our nation have to die before you set aside your personal agendas and took on the responsibilities that come with leadership.
Please, can you stop your insane speeches and posturing and finger pointing and look at this tragedy and make this a turning point for our nation to walk a different path.
The path of ownership, forgiveness, reconciliation and partnership.
Restore the integrity you have lost and restore what we have lost as a nation.
If you cannot do this why don’t you resign your positions as leaders of your political parties or better still, dissolve your parties. Our people deserve better.
How to overcome a society for easy rule. First, silence the general public through intimidation. Second, kill opposition voices. Third, destabilize the governing structures. The communists in Russia showed how to do this best. Maldives is just following a script.
If the police are doing their job then crime will be less and murders won’t happen so frequently.
It’s been 24 hours after the murder and still the perpetrators are at large.
Br. Afrasheem was my classmate in Malaysia. He was a very soft spoken person and always amicable in his behavior. It is hard to believe that he had to die such brutal murder. May Allah bless him with Jannah.
"Vice President Waheed Deen told local media there would be swift retribution for the crime." ...and they buried him without a Post-mortem / autopsy examination. What a deception and insult to Afrasheem's family.
Dr Afrasheem was probably murdered by religious extremists, most likely the DOT crowd who subscribe to Salafi thinking!
well said Dhonbe. It is very sad to note in which direction this tiny nation is heading on. A peaceful country a decade ago is on its way to disaster. It is time every citizen of this country think about it, work to stop such brutalities, if not the country will be destroyed for ever.
Dr. Afraasheen will be remembered as someone who corrupted the judiciary when he had the power.
The demise of the hard won democracy laid to rest after the corruption of judiciary.
i think u should know how to talk first. and respect other people and their families and loved ones . mostly when they are dead. think what u are saying before its too late , coz death is some thing that u cannot hide from . hope u ll understand it barbarian.
Dr.afraasheen death is good for Maldives its democracy a and Islam. he will be
remembered as corrupted man who use Islam as political gains.