boycott
FOM Calls For Tourism Boycott Again
Maldives Aid (FOM) MDP’s dogs in Europe call for tourism boycott in the Maldives. Olhuala.com uncovers evidence proving the existence of contracts signed by the UK charity and Tourism Concern in an effort to starve the Maldives population as a means to discredit the Government. Such contracts are illegal by Uk Law. . . . .
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Maldives Aid, formerly known as the Friends of Maldives (FOM) a UK based Charity organisation (UK registration number 1108658) has called on European travel agents, tour operators and travellers to boycott ‘certain’ resort hotels in the Maldives. The stated objectives of this charity organisation are:
“THE OBJECT OF THE CHARITY IS TO RELIEVE PERSONS IN THE MALDIVES WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS AS A RESULT OF NATURAL DISASTER OR WHO BY REASON OF THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE”
(http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1108658).
These calls by the Charity organisation are in direct conflict with the charity’s own stated objectives as no organisation working to relieve hardships (economic and otherwise) caused by the tsunami will take measures to stop income earned by the local communities through tourism, which has been the major foreign currency earning industry of the Maldives for several years.
Maldives Aid has recently been uncovered as the international wing of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), based in the UK. David Hardingham of Salisbury UK heads this wing.
Maldives Aid, claims in their printed and online media that the owners of the resorts on the “Boycott List” are in violation of the universal declaration of human rights, through their support to Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.
In actual fact, President Gayyoom is widely loved by his people and was elected for a sixth consecutive term in office, in 2003 by an overwhelming majority of over 90 % of the vote. Mr Gayyoom is also a dignified statesman respected by the international community. This was portrayed in the recent CHOGM held in Malta. Queen Elizabeth II of England, the head of the Commonwealth honoured Mr Gayyoom several times, as widely covered by the world media (see also olhuala.com in recent articles). Mr Gayyoom further received a warm reception from the Islamic states, at the OIC meeting held in Jeddah last week.
Hence it is widely accepted that, Mr Gayyoom is considered as a leading statesman and an ambassador for human rights and democratic reforms by the West and the Islamic communities alike.
Members of the general public have since condemned Maldives Aid. They also accused Maldives Aid of being a political organisation employed by Sikka Ahmed Ismail (MDP Chief financier also convicted on 19 counts of murder, and terrorism in 1989, and sentenced to death, later pardoned by Gayyoom) and Ali Shiyam of AAA Company in an effort to increase their profit margins by eliminating serious competitors by discrediting competitors’ products.
The Maldives Aid has publicly accused high profile Maldivian businessman such as Hon Gasim Ibrahim (owner of the Villa group, and current Minister for Finance), Hon Hussain Afeef, fondly known as Champa Afeef (MP, owner of several tourism ventures), Mr (Malla) Nasir (partner in the Lily Group), Mr Shiva (Partner Lily group) and Hon Ali Umar Maniku (Universal Enterprises) of gross human rights abuses. These accusations appear on Maldives Aid’s printed leaflets and newsletters circulated to various stakeholders. The leaflets further accused Mr Shiva of planning the assassination of the former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, the late Lakshman Kadhirigama, and branded Mr Shiva as a terrorist.
It is surprising that minivannews.com, a clandestine website operated by Maldives Aid leader, Hardingham failed to include several names they mentioned on the Maldive Aid leaflets on their website. For the purposes of clarification olhuala.com presents the full list of islands that Maldives Aid included in the ‘boycott list’ distributed in Europe.
In another article minivannews.com accused the Government of the Maldives of using ‘underhand’ methods of awarding resort islands to the Government’s political supporters. Minivannews.com failed rather conveniently to inform the world that its financier Mr Ali Shiyam’s company AAA Pvt Ltd won four resort islands through the Government bidding procedure in 2005.
It is also disturbing that, a registered charity organisation such as Maldives Aid (UK registration number 1108658), is meddling in the internal politics, and the economy of another sovereign country.
It is also disturbing that Maldives Aid has hired on a contract basis the Organisation known as Tourism Concern, in an effort to ‘rock the (political) boat from the inside’ as stated by David Hardingham, by starving the population for the MDP’s political benefit.
Olhuala.com is proud to present to the world the contract signed between Maldives Aid (during its FOM days) and Tourism Concern. This contract breaches UK laws and should be taken very seriously by the Charities Commission of the UK, and the UK Government.
Full List of Islands on Maldives Aid “Boycott List”:
Bandos Island Resort
Cocoa Island
Tulaagiri Island
Dhonveli Beach resort
Hakuraa Club
Alidhoo
Dhonakulhi
Paradise Island resort
Olhuveli Beach resort
Lily Beach Island Resort
Vilu Reef Beach resort
Kandooma resort
Sun Island resort
Fun Island resort
Holiday Island resort
Royal Island resort
Vakarufalhi Island resort
Dhonimigili resort
Biyadhoo island resort
Kalhufahalafushi resort
Maavelaavaru resort
Funamadua resort
Coco Palm resort
Makunudu Island resort
Meeru Island resort
Rangali Hilton
Veligandu Island Resort
Kurumba Village
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