A 30-year-old man has died in Faafu Bileiydhoo this morning while removing moss from the hull of a boat docked in the island harbor.
According to local media the incident took place around 08:50pm, and by the time he was taken to the hospital – within five minutes – he was dead.
Quoting an island council member local media reported that it has been considered a natural death as the person suffered from a heart condition.
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(0)Three more stabbings have occurred in the capital Malé within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of attacks in the past week to nine.
Two men – both aged 18-years-old – were attacked in broad daylight in the area near Henveiru Park this morning, while a 19-year-old was attacked in the same area yesterday (August 1).
Those attacked this morning were treated at the nearby Senahiya military hospital before being transferred to ADK, while yesterday’s victim has been taken to IGMH.
Local media has identified the 18-year-olds as Ali Arif, from Henveiru Shaiban, and Mohamed Mazin, from Dhiggaamaage in Meemu Miladhoo. Mazin’s condition has been reported as serious.
The spate of attacks – which has included a fatal stabbing in Kaafu Thulusdhoo – has prompted the Jumhooree Party to call on authorities to end the spike in violence that has accompanied the end of Ramadan.
There have been no reports of arrests being made in connection with any of this week’s incidents, barring the murder in Thulusdhoo, for which a local man has handed himself in – having his detention period extended yesterday.
Earlier this week four men and a woman were attacked in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday. One man was mugged in Maafannu ward, two men were stabbed in Hulhumalé, a woman was stabbed in Galolhu ward, and another man was stabbed – again, in the Henveiru area of Malé.
The weeks prior to Ramadan saw a number of abductions and assaults in the capital which victims claimed to have been related to their alleged association with online secularist movements.
While an online group associating itself with these earlier incidents had promised a post-Ramadan resumption of campaigning against those perceived to be mocking Islam, police have not said whether they believe this week’s attacks are linked to one another.
Police have today said that the serious and organised crime department is investigating this week’s attacks. Malé’s gang culture has been well-documented in recent years, with leading politicians and businessmen often closely associated with organised criminals.
Police statistics reveal 95 incidents of assault reported in July alone. The number brings up the total number of assault cases to 697 this year. Approximately 1500 cases of assault are reported annually in the Maldives, of which a majority occur in Malé.
(2)Dislikes(0)A 35-year-old man has been stabbed to death on Kaafu Atoll Thulusdhoo Island.
Local media has identified the man as Ali Shiham of Thaa Atoll Kimbidhoo Island. The father of two is married to a Thulusdhoo woman.
According to the Island Council President Ahmed Anees the attack occurred tonight at 7:00 pm near Shiham’s house. He died from his wounds at the Thulusdhoo health center.
One man has been arrested in connection with the murder, the Maldives Police Services have said. The man handed himself in voluntarily and confessed to the murder.
The police have declined to reveal further details.
Vnews have identified the suspect to be a Thulusdhoo man called Niyaz. Citing sources from the island, Vnews said the suspect has a previous record of theft, assault and drug abuse.
A large crowd has gathered at the police station calling on the police to hand the suspect over. “Things are quite heated up here,” Anees said.
According to Vnews, Shiham had broken his fast was smoking a cigarette on the beach near his residence when he was attacked.
There have been 29 murders recorded in the Maldives since 2007.
On Monday, 34 tourists were evacuated from the island after a group of protestors from Malé arrived on the island to call for the expulsion of Israeli tourists after a guest destroyed an anti – Israeli sign.
The sign featured a swastika alongside the Israeli flag in protest of the war in Gaza.
Thulusdhoo – just forty minutes from Malé – is home to one of the countries’ top surf breaks, with a majority of bookings coming from Israeli surfers.
It is too early to say whether there is any connection between the protest and the stabbing, police said.
Meanwhile, five people sustained serious injuries in a spate of street violence in Malé on Monday and Tuesday.
The first incident took place near the Eid Mosque in Maafannu ward around 7:40pm. Muggers attacked a pedestrian from the back and demanded he hand over his mobile phone. The man was hit on the back of his head, police said.
Minutes later at 7:45pm, two men were attacked in Malé’s suburb Hulhumalé Island near Flat no. 60. One of the men was stabbed in the shoulder and the other was stabbed in his head, the police said.
At 8pm, two masked men on motorbikes stabbed a 23-year-old woman in the back in front of a known gang hangout at the junction of Kalhuhuraa Magu and Husnuheena Magu in Malé. The ADK Hospital in Malé said the woman had suffered serious injuries.
An 18-year-old was also stabbed in the back in Heinveiru ward of Malé at 8:40pm on Monday.
(4)Dislikes(0)Three senior staff at Palm Beach Resort in Lhaviyani Atoll have been dismissed after 50 staff staged a strike over alleged discriminatory polices at the resort.
According to a staff member on strike at Palm Beach, 50 housekeeping and food and beverage personnel at the resort stopped work at 10:00pm on Tuesday night following a public dispute between General Manager Fabrizio Dani and Restaurant Manager Ali Ashraf.
“We are calling for the removal of general manager from the resort also calling for an end to discriminatory policies between the European and Maldivian staff here,” Ahmed Abdulla told Minivan News.
He claimed the Maldivian staff were fed poor quality food compared to their European colleagues and said the management had failed to provide adequate arrangements for breakfast during Ramadan.
“We were not even given dates to break our fasts,” he said. “We will continue with our strike until demands are met.”
There have been no negotiations between the workers on strike and the management yet, Abdulla said.
In addition to Ashraf, Assistant Manager Ilyas Ibrahim and Supervisor Abdulla Mohamed were dismissed last night. The three have now left the resort.
Speaking to Minivan News, Ashraf said his dismissal had been “unfair.” He alleged the management of Palm Beach resort employed Russians, Italians, and Bangladeshi workers without work visas.
He also claimed the resort’s management had failed to sign employment contracts with the staff and were not paid for overtime work.
Minivan News was unable to contact either Fabrizio Dani or Palm Beach Resort despite repeated attempts.
In March, 18 members of staff at Vilu Reef Resort were fired after a petition detailing grievances. Workers at Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) also staged a strike in the same month over low quality of food and cuts to annual bonus pay outs.
Maldivian staff at One and Only Reethi Rah also held a strike in January over alleged ill-treatment by the management.
In a similar case in September 2013, staff at Irufushi Beach and Spa resort reported a “firing spree” affecting staff members professing to support the Maldivian Democratic Party.
According to the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act 2013, tourist resorts, ports, and airports fall into a category of places in which protests are prohibited.
(2)Dislikes(0)Four men and a woman sustained serious injuries in four separate incidents of violence in Malé City on Monday and Tuesday, the Maldives Police Services have said.
The first incident took place near the Eid Mosque in Maafannu ward around 7:40pm. Muggers attacked a pedestrian from the back and demanded he hand over his mobile phone. The man was hit on the back of his head, police said.
Minutes later at 7:45pm, two men were attacked in Malé’s suburb Hulhumalé Island near Flat no. 60. One of the men was stabbed in the shoulder and the other was stabbed in his head, the police said.
At 8pm, two masked men on motorbikes stabbed a 23-year-old woman in the back in front of a known gang hangout at the junction of Kalhuhuraa Magu and Husnuheena Magu in Malé. The ADK Hospital in Malé said the woman had suffered serious injuries.
An 18-year-old was also stabbed in the back in Heinveiru ward of Malé at 8:40pm on Monday.
All five have been hospitalised.
Police said they do not know if the attacks were connected and declined to reveal further details.
According to the police no arrests have been made yet. However, police have confiscated a motorbike in connection with the attack on two men in Hulhumalé.
Police statistics reveal 95 incidents of assault reported in July alone. The number brings up the total number of assault cases to 697 this year. Approximately 1500 cases of assault are reported annually in the Maldives, of which a majority occur in Malé.
A 2009 study by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has identified a weak criminal justice system to be the root cause of high crime rates in the Maldives. The HRCM said delays in court processes, failure by law enforcement agencies to implement sentences and failure to prosecute drug traffickers also contribute to growing crime rates.
The study also highlighted social factors such as a housing crisis, lack of employment opportunities, and lack of entertainment facilities for young people as a driver of crime.
Approximately 43 percent of respondents in the HRCM survey said they did not feel safe in their Malé homes, while 63 percent said they do not feel safe walking alone on the streets of Malé during daylight hours.
(2)Dislikes(0)A 38-year-old man has been arrested in Malé on charges of sexually abusing an underage boy.
The Maldives Police Services arrested the man under a court warrant at 6:00 pm on Tuesday. The suspect has been detained for 15 days.
A family member of the victim reported the incident to the police.
Reports of sexual abuse of underage boys have been increasing in the Maldives.
On June 10, the Criminal court sentenced a 38-year-old man to 14 years in jail for molesting a 16-year-old boy. In January, the Ungoofaru Magistrate Court sentenced a 51-year-old man to 10 years in jail for abusing a 14-year-old boy on multiple occasions.
(2)Dislikes(0)A 24-year old man has died today after falling from a tree in Fuvahmulah Island.
According to local media, Fareed Mohamed, fell head first from a height of 25 feet when the branch he was standing on gave way. The fall reportedly broke his neck.
Mohamed had climbed the tree to pick a purple coloured berry called dhambu.
(2)Dislikes(0)The India – Maldives Friendship Festival kicked off on July 25 with a cricket tournament between SAARC countries.
The three-week long festival – organised by the India Club Maldives in association with the High Commission of India in Malé and the Friendship Association of India-Maldives – runs from the Independence Day of the Maldives, July 26, to the Independence Day of India, August 15.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh competed in the first match on July 25. The final match is scheduled for August 1 at Malé Ekuveni Stadium.
The festival also includes a friendship walk on August 8 and a cultural evening and magic show at the Olympus Theatre on August 12.
“It is hoped that the festival would help further strengthen people to people interaction between both the friendly countries,” the India Club Maldives said.
(2)Dislikes(0)Security services evacuated 34 tourists from Kaafu Thulusdhoo Island following unrest after an Israeli tourist destroyed an anti-Israel placard yesterday (July 28).
Thirty Israeli tourists, and four of other nationalities, agreed to be evacuated last night after police intelligence revealed that more protesters were travelling to the island to join those calling for the guests’ removal.
Managing Director of the Batuta Maldives Surf View Mohamed Hashim said the incident occurred outside his guest house, after an Israeli surfer took down a placard featuring a swastika alongside the Israeli flag and snapped it in two.
Anti-Israeli sentiment has been growing in the Maldives as the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestinians continues to result in heavy civilian casualties in Gaza.
As news of yesterday’s incident spread locals became agitated, explained Hashim, who subsequently informed Island Council President Ahmed Anees. Anees then contacted the police.
Around 30 additional protesters subsequently travelled to Thulusdhoo from Malé and were detained upon arrival, said Anees, being kept at the local station and the island’s social centre.
“Police intelligence said that more were coming from Malé,” explained Anees. “They said it was the best thing that they leave for the night.”
A police spokesperson has said that they provided assistance to the Thulusdhoo Island Council and the Ministry of Tourism, although they declined to give further details.
Neither Anees nor Hashim were certain of the guests’ current whereabouts while officials from the tourism ministry were not responding to calls at the time of publication.
Anees explained that 10 tourists – all non Israelis remained in – the island, while those protesters detained by police were released after the Israeli tourists’ evacuation at midnight yesterday.
Thulusdhoo guest houses
Nine guesthouses have been registered in Thulusdhoo since the relaxation of guest house policy in an industry still dominated by the high end one island/one resort model.
The island – just forty minutes from Malé – is home to one of the countries’ top surf breaks, with a majority of bookings coming from Israeli surfers, explained Council President Anees.
“This is a big loss for us because most of the people depend on guest houses,” he explained, pointing out that this type of incident was unprecedented on the island.
“It is a calm island. Only a few people were involved in this thing,” he explained, suggesting that the unrest had been fomented by outsiders from Malé.
Guest house manager Hashim – who lost all 8 of his guests last night – also suggested that the incident may have been due to the large number of non-locals present on the island for the Eid holiday.
“There have been no problems since we opened two years ago. Tourists are always very friendly with locals,” said Hashim who noted that around 60 percent of his bookings came from Israelis.
“It is a big blow for our business. There are three months of surfing left. I don’t know what we will do now.”
Israeli tourists represent only a small fraction of tourist arrivals to the Maldives, making up just 0.3 percent of the more than one million people who visited the country in 2013.
Anti-Israeli sentiment
The incident in Thulusdhoo was followed by small but vocal protests in the capital Malé during which protesters burned the Israeli flag.
Maldivians have been increasingly active in their calls for an end to the bloodshed in Gaza, with an estimated 13,000 marching through the capital Malé in solidarity with Palestinians earlier this month. Smaller demonstrations were held throughout the country.
Last week the government announced a boycott – admittedly symbolic – of Israeli products and the annulment of all cooperation agreements signed since the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2009.
“I do not think Maldivians want any help from Israel or want to keep up relations with Israel,” said Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon who has described recent attacks on UN shelters in Gaza as “cowardly and shameful”.
During last week’s meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, the Maldives joined 28 other member states in calling for an independent inquiry into Israel’s violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in Palestine.
Maldivian citizens have also donated over MVR2million (US$130,000) to the Gaza Fund which will be distributed via the Qatari Red Crescent after August 17.
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