“You are swine” and “the children that you bear from this marriage will all be bastard swine,” a tourist couple renewing their marriage vows in the Maldives were told in a ‘traditional Maldivian’ ceremony conducted in Dhivehi at Vilu Reef Beach and Spa Resort.
“Your marriage is not a valid one. You are not the kind of people who can have a valid marriage. One of you is an infidel. The other, too, is an infidel – and we have reason to believe –an atheist, who does not even believe in an infidel religion,” the ‘celebrant’ tells the couple, who appear completely unaware of the humiliation they are being subjected to.
A 15-minute video of the ceremony was uploaded on YouTube on October 24 2010 by a member of staff. Vilu Reef Manager Mohamed Rasheed told Minivan News that the staff member who uploaded the video did it as “a joke”, without “realising the seriousness of the potential consequences”.
Vilu Reef Beach and Spa Resort advertises itself as a place where couples can renew their wedding vows “hand in hand against a golden sunset backdrop” and where their “everlasting love” can be sealed by a “kaleidoscope of romantic hues” that covers the sky during the sunset.
In the video the ‘celebrant’ briefs the couple in English, prior to the ceremony, that it will be conducted according to “not only Maldivian” but also “Arabic and Islamic” norms.
Two wedding rings inside an open coconut, which appears to be lined with mother of pearl, are in front of the couple along with two fresh coconuts. The couple seem dressed for the ceremony, the woman in white as favoured by Western brides.
“Don’t look at her chest”, a man – possibly the videographer – is heard saying as the woman leans over to take a sip from the coconut. She adjusts her neckline.
Men, about ten or more, surround the area both outside and inside the palm fronds, which appears to be a make-shift wedding venue.
The celebrant twirls his thumbs over a piece of paper that he appears to be studying with deep concentration. A male voice asks him if the document is “something new”. He replies that it is “the seventh Article of the Penal Code”.
The document, of which there is a brief close-up in the video, has absolutely no relation to marriage laws in the Maldives. Words that are legible on the document refer to “staff employment”, suggesting that it is a document relating to employment regulations.
Asking the couple and other ‘officials’ to raise their hands as is customary for Muslim prayers, the ‘celebrant’ begins his marriage vows.
“Fornication has been legalised according to Article six, 1.11 of the Penal Code”, he chants in a tone favoured by religious scholars. “That is, frequent fornication by homosexuals. Most fornication is by males,” he continues.
“Research has shown that men have a higher sex drive than women,” he says. “According to Article 8 to 6 of the Penal Code, converting to Islam, or circumcision, is not desirable under any circumstances.
“Germs of anger and hatred will breed and drip from the tips of your penises,” he says.
The ‘celebrant’ then switches from his improvised “Islamic and Maldivian marriage laws” to reading aloud from the document in front of him in the same ‘religious’ tone. This time, what he chants to the couple is to do with terms of employment.
When he returns to the ‘marriage vows’, he refers to certain Articles of the Constitution and combines ‘Section e” and “Section f” to create the word “balhu”, which in Dhivehi means “swine”. ‘E’ in Dhivehi is the letter ‘baa’ and ‘F’ the letter ‘lhaviyani’.
The ‘celebrant’ mixes the two letters to make the word ‘balhu’, the full version of which, as used by the ‘celebrant’, is ‘nagoo balhu’. The literal translation of the term is ‘crooked tail’, believed to refer to a pig’s tail, and is considered to be one of the worst insults in the Dhivehi language.
“You are swine according to the Constitution,” he declares, solemnly.
He then asks the couple to stand up and hold hands. The ‘officials’, too, stand up and place their hands on the couples’. They form a séance-like circle and the ‘celebrant’ begins chanting.
“Aleelaan, baleelaan…”, he begins. What he is chanting is not a verse from the Qur’an, or marriage vows in Dhivehi, but are the words of a popular Dhivehi children’s game.
Words of the game, too, are changed to say “black swine” instead of what is contained in the original.
“Before buggering a chicken, check if the hole is clean. That is because the people of the countries that you are from are familiar with the taste of the ****holes of chicken,” he chants, still with hands held over the couples’.
“Do not treat with kindness people against whom violence is being committed. Commit more violence against victims of violence. You are not people who have been sent to this world to commit violence.”
He then returns to the matter of staff salaries, which he continues to chant in the same tone as he had done the insults. “Do not complain too much about salaries, or matters regarding salaries. That is against the Penal Code. This is not something I am saying for your benefit – it is a law that we have made.”
He begins to chant loudly about “black swine”, stringing insult after insult and delivering it in the same rather ominous tone that Maldivian religious figures choose to deliver their sermons in.
“You fornicate and make a lot of children. You drink and you eat pork. Most of the children that you have are marked with spots and blemishes… these children that you have are bastards,” he continues solemnly.
Someone else is heard at this point to tell the ‘celebrant’ to “say a little bit more, and then quit.”
The concluding chant is delivered in a gentler, softer voice: “Keep fornicating frequently, and keep spreading hatred among people. The children you will have from this marriage will all be bastard swine.”
While the couple are putting rings on each other’s fingers, someone is heard saying that the recording should stop. “Don’t you worry about it,” says someone else, and the recording continues.
“Aren’t they going to suck mouth?” someone is heard asking. “Make them suck mouth”, it is urged. ‘Sucking mouth’ is a term used by Maldivians to denigrate the act of kissing.
“So now, in Maldivian law, in Islam, you are already married”, says the ‘celebrant’, returning to English. The hapless couple are then told to relax and enjoy the celebrations that are to follow, by the end of which a certificate of their nuptials will be ready for them.
Once the ceremony is concluded, the celebrant, who is dressed in a shirt and tie – with the shirt left to hang loose over a traditional Maldivian sarong – swaggers out of the makeshift wedding venue – tugging at his tie and proclaiming himself “President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed.”
The celebrant, Vilu Reef Manager Rasheed told Minivan News, is an assistant Food and Beverage Manager named Hussein Didi. As he leaves the wedding venue having concluded his job, someone announces his presence, as “Ghaazee Hussein Didi”.
A Ghaazee is the Arabic name for a judge or magistrate, also adopted to mean the same in Dhivehi.
People clap loudly as the couple, whose marriage vows have just been mocked in some of the filthiest language known to Dhivehi, are videoed making their way to the next part of their ceremony – the planting of a coconut tree to mark the occasion.
Various types of insults about the woman and the man, their clothing and demeanour, are being spoken throughout in the form of a running commentary in a sports video.
As the bride bends down to plant the coconut tree, a man is heard is exclaiming, “Can see her breasts!” The ‘commentator’ observes, “She is wearing something”, he knows, he says, “because my beard has gone grey watching those things… I have seen so many of them now that I don’t even want to look any more when I see them.”
The groom, who is watering the new coconut tree which they have just planted, is totally unaware of the manner in which his wife and her breasts are being discussed by the group of Maldivian men ‘officiating’ at the renewal of their wedding vows.
‘Celebrant’ Didi tells the couple they should return soon to check on the progress of their plant, testament to what had taken place on the island that day.
The video concludes with the ‘commentator’ repeatedly urging the ‘celebrant’ to make the couple ‘suck mouths, suck mouths’.
The resort’s Manager Rasheed was unable to tell Minivan News how much the occasion had cost the couple or where they were from.
Asked if the couple had been made aware of the nature of the ‘wedding vows’ they had taken, Rasheed said they had been sent pictures but not the video.
“Our package includes sending them pictures on the CD the very same night”, he said. Rasheed added that the resort does not have a written ‘khuthuba’ or sermon from which to read, nor is the role of the celebrant undertaken by a designated person.
“It is done on a rotating basis. We have been doing it for ten years now, and from a very small start, it has grown into a very successful part of what we offer at Vilu,” he said.
Rasheed said he had become aware of the nature of the ceremony conducted by Didi shortly after it happened. He had banned Didi from performing any more ceremonies, but did not feel it was necessary to take any further action, until the video appeared on YouTube.
The staff member who uploaded the video, Ali Shareef, a shop assistant, is not being disciplined or investigated further, Rasheed said. He complied with the request by the management to remove the video from YouTube.
The ‘celebrant’, Didi, however is currently under investigation by the Head Office in Male’, Sun Travel and Tours.
Minivan News has learned that the ‘wedding package’ offered by Vilu Reef Resort lasts an hour, costs US$1300 which includes the services of a ‘celebrant’, a sailing trip and Maldivian music and dancing.
The happy couple can obtain photographs of their beautiful ceremony in the Maldivian sunset on Vilu Reef Resort for an additional US$440.
CEO of Sun Travel Ahmed Shakir was unavailable for comment.
Warning: Video contains profanity
(1)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
Police arrest ‘celebrant’ as President expresses disgust over false wedding ceremony
Sun Travels to compensate couple while police investigate ‘wedding ceremony’ video
No staff complaints received following termination of Hilton management agreement: Tourism Ministry
Cancellations and resignations after Iru Fushi Resort terminates Hilton contract- A flavour of “real Maldivian life”: The Observer newspaper
Maldivian cultural dances to be held at Expo 2012, South Korea
So sad, I was going to Maldives for the fantastic diving, but I will take my money elsewhere where I'll be treated with some human respect atleast.
A DISGRACE TO THE MALDIVIAN NAME!! A message to the rest of you commentors: please know that this is not how the majority of Maldivians are and that we ourselves were truly shocked by what these employees have done. know that the resort has taken severe action against all present at the ceremony, by firing and banning them from the resort. The maldivian government, including the president have commented on the event and are now setting new policies for wedding ceremonies in the maldives. This has been a total disgrace to the Maldives, and we are all very ashamed. Our wish is that you do not hold this event against the Maldives. I, like many other maldivians, am truly sympathetic to the couple who had to undergo this, and wish them a long and happy marriage! I hope that they will forgive and not judge this humble country.
I am from Maldives. There is simply no excuse or justification for what was done. While some may disagree, I applaud Minivan News for translating the Dhivehi version to English. Yes, it will hurt us, but we deserve it. Who know how many such incidents have occurred? With the publicity on this issue, the Authorities and the Hotels will ensure such a thing is never repeated!
Maldivian, I feel so bad for the good people of your nation. You are right that with correct policing of these things something like this is now very unlikely to happen in the Maldives again. No one knows if it is also happening elsewhere.
Kudos to the employee who rightly blew the whistle. I hope he is not punished.
This is very unprofessional. Management has to keep civilized and decent, mostly who knows to respect other human despite the difference to oversee its operations.
According to the quaran it is fully ok to cheat and lie to "infidels", so never trust or do any kind of business with muslims!!! I would never ever set my foot in a muslim country.
Try Carribean instead, Dominican Republic recommended!!
At some stage in our lives, we all should be ashamed of who we are, because we have all gone away from what is good. But once we admit our shame, we are shown Divine Mercy which reveals to us who we were created to be, something beautiful and good, and this mercy gives us the strength to work towards coming that. Enough Maldivians are tender hearted enough to see that there nation has gone wrong.
No other Muslim country would have expressed so much collective remorse at the behaviour of one or two fruit loops. This is why, you Maldivians are really, truly beautiful! Right when I am about to give up on caring for Maldivians because I decide I HATE you all because you are all so nasty, I realize how much I really LOVE you all because you are all so lovely, and I change my mind. Hehe, funny frickin love hate thing goin' ON
This is utterly disgusting, disgraceful, and unprofessional. Vilu Reef Beach and Spa Resort should be ashamed.
I will not be visiting the Maldives. There are better places.
This video is all over the world now, what a way to treat people.
I know one place that I will always avoid in the future, the Maldives. Why on earth would any sane person spend their money in such an awful place with such awful people.
If the boot were on the other foot and that had been an Islamic ceremony treated in such a way, all hell would have broken loose with cries for them to be beheaded etc.
If you want respect then you have to be respectful.
So you won't be getting any of my hard earned cash.
Good-bye.
I was going to visit the Maldives this Summer en route to Sri Lanka. Consider it cancelled.
This story is now gaining momentum in the UK. It will probably be in the papers tomorrow.
Disgusted, quite frankly.
@David Heffron
Your concept of 'harmless fun' is bizarre.
I've worked in the hotel industry for 30 years, and have never seen anything like that before.
Reading another article in this matter ...
"I don't even want to know what's going on in the kitchens of these hotels where they prepare food for infidels without any surveillance"
Something to think about before buying a ticket to a muslim country?
"Let us not become so tolerant that we tolerate the intolerant".
In the Maldives, intolerance is built into the constitution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_the_Maldives
They have more than tourism to suffer with opinions like this - they face a breakdown in society and the death of innocents due to facism.
This is just an example of an endemic problem in the Maldives which permeates to the highest echelons of government.
Wow, way to destroy your only source of income in just a few minutes.
It's unsurprising that the record of this ceremony would appear on the Internet as families very often want to record these in order to share the event with as many people as possible.
I am only surprised that it was a resort employee and not a tricked, unsuspecting client who uploaded this video. The latter would've looked very bad for everyone.
VTV reported the so called 'celebrant' is a convicted drug adict. Question is what process Sun Travel have hiring people? Did anyone bothered checking on this guy? Who is asking the same from law enforcement authorities in the Maldives? Everyone in Maldives is a politician in BLUE or YELLOW and this happens. Undoubtedly many other similar incidents must have happened unreported.
Apparently everyone in Sun Travel is more engaged in the forthcoming Shiyam's wedding with a 19 year old or less and no one really giving a damn about what happend. see their GM's comment to AFP. the guy made it sound like its nothing at all.
They should sue their tour operator and the tour operator should sue the resort.
Any tour operator who features sun travel resorts should think twice now since this definitely happened to more guests in their past.
@all tour operators reading this. Send ur clients to resorts with int. background even if the rate is higher it will be worth it. To save ur own reputation as well.
If the GM or the directors hv a little dignity they should send off their GM immediately. He knew what was happening there and if he didn't know then he is not a good GM anyway.
It's clear he was a Maldivian:-) this wud never happen with an int. Expat GM that's for sure.
"Well if people had that attitude towards me then they’d get a little bit more thn me swearing under my breath."
Shows what a man you are, big boy.
To all the Maldivians, just punish the lot and they'll come back...., 'tourists'
have short memories. Good luck.
Maldivians, thank you for telling us what you think of us, westerns. That video really says it all.
The New Zealand Herald reports (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10683628) that 'Vilu Reef general manager Mohamed Rasheed said the hotel had apologised to the couple who had the ceremony on October 11 and had taken disciplinary action against those involved.
"The man had used filthy language. Otherwise the ceremony was OK".'
Curious that the hotel manager supports the incorporation of the hotels employment contract into wedding ceremony.
Of course we are outraged,
while meanwhile in life and death world,
white armies are ravaging countries and spilling blood. But it's much easier to rant about a few words. They have a saying, "What you don't know can't hurt you." In this case that applies.
Let's quit feigning outrage over words and try to save someone's life.
Actually I think the comments on this page are what really show the nastiness of Maldivians. This is your great excuse for even more unsavory language and behavior.
thanx to minivan news for playin the number one role in spreadin this news all over the world.. ure done a great job nn congratulations on humiliatin this country more than wat the idiots have done.. 🙂
"just punish the lot and they’ll come back…., ‘tourists’
have short memories. Good luck."
Maybe in the 90's but not anymore. That video is going to be one of the most watched internet virals forever. In real terms the cost of these holidays has been falling for sometime. This is good news for places like Thailand.
Apparently tourism accounts for 20% of GDP. This is going to fall considerably in the short to medium term. I cannot begin to tell you just how angry and offended this is going to make Western toursits, particularly couples looking for romantic breaks.
Its running on all the major UK news channels. The religious supremacism and the misogyny directed at the woman is most shocking to people here.
This particualr industry, these 'marriage blessings' will be virtually wiped out forever in Maldives.
Maldives is one of the most beautiful countries i have been to.
ANd believe me, i have gone back there, just for the fact that the time i spent there was wonderful And twice I stayed in VILU REEF. Never have i had a bad experience as of yet.
My husband and I love it, and will definetely go back there. And we 'will' enjoy it. we are not going to judge a place just by the mere fact that they made one mistake, or judge blindly without knowing the truth
this is why we don't like to work in Maldivian resorts, people who work in these resorts are from islands. just want money. its not the only thing happening. so many shits happening here in Maldivian resorts... its aint so pro...
shame man on Maldivians who work in such resorts.. ...
@Mike O
2 wrongs don't make a right. I'm a westerner and object to the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Your point?
Don't generalize. That's what causes all these problems in the first place.
If i go there, I'm not sure that I will feel welcome. This has now been broadcasted to the entire world and probably will have consequences for the tourism.
According to Wikipedia Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.
Quote-
Tourism accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.The development of tourism has fostered the overall growth of the country's economy. It has created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries. The first tourist resorts were opened in 1972 with Bandos island resort and Kurumba Village.
-Unquote
"Maldives is one of the most beautiful countries i have been to.
ANd believe me, i have gone back there, just for the fact that the time i spent there was wonderful And twice I stayed in VILU REEF. Never have i had a bad experience as of yet.
My husband and I love it, and will definetely go back there. And we ‘will’ enjoy it. we are not going to judge a place just by the mere fact that they made one mistake, or judge blindly without knowing the truth"
This is one of those comments by villureef management to salvage their company.
Non-Muslim tourists have plenty of options for marriage renewal ceremonies. They do not need to spend money in an Islamic country where they will be mocked in such a manner. This is just more proof that Muslims will never be able to peacefully coexist with other religions. They can have the Maldives. Once tourism dies off, good luck making a living.
One of the people who posted the comment about the kitchens has a very good point. If this hatred and contempt for Westerners is so endemic amongst the Muslim staff at this Maldives resort, how can you trust they aren’t spoiling the food with extra ingredients as another joke on us stupid infidels? I’m afraid I just cannot bring myself to visit the Maldives ever again after watching this disgraceful video a few times.
The economy at Maldives are depended on tourism. This story has already been announced world wide.
Tourism accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.The development of tourism has fostered the overall growth of the country's economy. It has created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries.
This piece of news has made the headlines on CNN, BBC, BFMTV (France news channel)...
Just check on Google News, it's enormous.
I wouldn't be surprised if Maldives tourism revenues drop more than 50%. Internet viral news are very powerful.
Writing from Norway, I think Minivan comes out as the only honourable thing here. Exposing and dealing with problems is what creates change. Instead of blaming the journalists, you people should deal with the underlying problem, namely that some people feels vastly morally superior and despise "infidels", forgetting that it´s their religion, which requires, that they should lower their gazes.
Foreign guest should behave decently when visiting the Maldives (doubt if all do that) and Maldivians should similarly treat visitors with courtesy and respect.
For those blurbing idiotic comments on the collective guilt of "whites", Westerners etc. We aren´t collectively guilty of anything, as little as muslims are collectively guilty of atrocities committed by carbombers in Pakistan.
Those who think this couple only regarded this as a bit of entertainment think again. For many retaking wows is something serious. Unlike what some of you may believe a lot of those couples have been married and been totally committed to one another for many years.
Yes, this is giving the Maldives a bad name. It´s up to Maldivians to get back their good reputation. Not by showing the problems under the carpet, but by openly dealing with it.
Those in the film should go back to gutting fish or remove trash from the beaches.
Adding as I only now read, the comment about the total lack of religious freedom in the Maldives. I didn´t know this, but found it unsurprising, if this is the result.
I personally am going to remove the Maldives from prospective visits. Religious beliefs should be voluntary and no state or religion has the right to enforce them. If muslims wishes to enjoy the their free unencumbered religious right in non-muslim countries, they must naturally allow other religious beliefs the same rights.
It really is that simple.
Maldivians are good people. I suggest you dont let the arabs dictate islam for you. You don't have to treat non-muslims like they do. You are better than that.
I just called my travel agent and asked her to cancel our plans for the Maldivian resort we were going to spend our anniversary on. Wife wanted to go to Brazil anyway - thanks to the uploader for educating us stupid swine.
This has hit the major newspapers and tv-staions in Norway too!
As of this we are going to cancel our annual business trip to the Maldives next summer. This was supposed to be a bonus trip for about 40 people in my company.
I think this will hit the tourism industry very hard and hope this is not common amongst resorts in the maldives.
Best of luck to you...
I'm looking forward to when the maldivians need to re-locate due to global warming. Then they are in the mercy of other populations. And if this attitude continues, nobody will want to have anything to do with the maldivian people...
"And if this attitude continues, nobody will want to have anything to do with the maldivian people…"
Worse than that. This incident reflects upon and brings shame and shunning to all of Islam.
Why anyone not of Islam would want to go to any Islamic country and spend money and trust in the good will of the population is crazy.
But it's good to know what is really in the hearts of "moderate Muslims..." hate and intolerance. And for that they will, sooner of late, pay dearly.
It's utterly disgusting and frightening. The resort keeps silent on their site. My wife and I watched the video four times. The tone is deadly serious, aggressiv and violent. This is an act of verbal terror, the underlying misgivings, maybe jealousy (?) frighten us. We will go to Vietnam or the Philippines instead.
This is a top story on Google and MSN. WAY too late to stop it now. It's world-wide, baby. To those who are correcting the translation from "swine" to "dogs": newsflash: us Westerners don't really care. We don't want to be called "dogs" on our wedding day, either. To those who thought it was "funny": if it was so "funny", then why not say it in English and share the joke? Yeah, that's what I thought. To those who blame a lack of education or sophistication: it doesn't take education or sophistication to be a decent person with respect. Little kids understand the concept of treating other people the way you want to be treated. To those who think this is about religion: as so many have said, true Islam does not stand for being mean to unbelievers. Besides, to mock a MUSLIM ceremony by having a F&B employer impersonate a religious officiant and read an employment contract and in what is supposed to be a MUSLIM holy ceremony is mocking Islam, not Christians. Talk about sacrilege! To those who think this was a one-time event: the ofifciant doesn't even pause. NObody smiles. It's obviously EXTREMELY routine. To those who think the management is sorry or doesn't care: the guy wasn't fired - he was merely told not to do these ceremonies any more. Excuse me?! Not only that, have you read the resort's apology? It's in the BBC version (first or second in the Google search). THey don't once apologize to the COUPLE -- they say they are sorry this came out and they hope it won't affect tourism. In other words, they're sorry they got caught. Besides, if they're charging outrageous prices for a religious ceremony, why on earth is ANY hotel staff performing it? Why isn't a legitimate cleric performing it? To the naive person who said they had a lovely time and will go back and everyone was so polite: unless you speak Dharevi, how would you know? Finally, to the Maldivian people: you seem like wonderful folk and your genuine horror is heartening. I'm truly sorry this happened. HOwever, can you see how somebody who's saved up for months or years to be able to afford this vacation doesn't always want to be wondering if they were insulted just now? It's not relaxing. So, I agree -- not coming to the Maldives. Ever. I'm sorry some stupid chuckleheads ruined it for everybody else.
i am a Maldivian and i am disgusted with this. i am a western educated maldivian and i lived in western country for sometime and learnt to respect various religions, belief amond many other good
things.
This is what the extremist people want in maldives.. they dont want tourism to grow in this country as it brings wealth and western education. when the tourist stop comming these extremist will win.
decline in tourism means the economy will collapse and the country will no longer afford to provide western style education. when poverty hits the country, people could lose meaning of their life, thats when mullas and extremist will prevail to get onto more young minds.
I have read all the comments in this posts, i just could not let go without telling you all what i believe, and i know you all dont have to agree with me. but it goes a long way if you all think
differently.. i dont want these extremist people to win, and please dont let them win. if comming to maldives choose a resort that respect and values humanity and the environment.. frankly these people cant take care of its environment.
keep us up to date minivan?
This is a really good example of why Westerners have no tolerance for the Islamic religion and its followers. The world offers them a place wherever they choose to go but they refuse to accept anyone's culture or beliefs other than their own They are narrowminded. So screw them and their island. May their economy fall apart and leave them all destitute.
It's gratifying to see that some Maldivians are almost as disgusted as every past and possibly future Western tourist now is.
However, this mockery and contempt has clearly been going on for a long time and is well-established.
So, the Maldives is now on my "Never want to visit this country" list.
This is a great illustration of why Bali is so much more popular than the rest of Indonesia as a tourist destination. The great thing that Bali has over the rest of Indonesia is that it isn't muslim, and so the people are genuinely respectful and friendly towards outsiders. Obviously the Maldives has the same dsease as the Muslim bits of Indonesia. Beats me why tourists go to countries where they should know that the locals are always going to harbour an underlying jealous resentment, or downright murderous hatred of them (i.e. anywhere where islam is dominant). The resort workers were disgusting, but that is to be expected. The tourists were just plain stupid, pretentious knobs.
The action of about 20 idiots who proclaim to be Muslims, should have no affect on the Muslim community whatsoever. No one should assume that all Muslims behave the same way these fools do, because they don't. No one can disagree with the fact that there are black sheep in every community, and as such, in every country and religion. On behalf of every Muslim I apologize to the couple and to everyone else who felt insulted by this humiliating act.
I've been thinking about a nice place for a holiday to celebrate 20 years of marriage in January next year. Until just a few minutes ago the Maldives was on my list of possible destinations. Not any more. Sorry if this hurts genuinely nice people in the Maldives by taking away their income, but really, after hearing of this, who would risk taking their wife/family there for a holiday?