hardingham questioned
Letter to Mr.Hardingham- Editorial -
Dear Mr Hardingham,
Having called several times, and having e-mailed you several times within the last couple of days, it has proved to be immeasurably difficult to get some answers from you.
Reading your erstwhile proclamations brought a niggling uneasiness to my mind. I hope you may find it in your goodly Christian heart to clear up these matters for us backward types.
In case we are so insignificant that we do not deserve your time (as alas seems to be the case) we have taken the liberty of sending these questions to a number of reputable (and some not so reputable) organisations and media agencies. You may soon have the good fortune of an opportunity to respond to these issues.
1. What is the legal status of “Friends of Maldives” in the UK? Is there not a British Charity named “Friends of Maldives” run by Ms. Toni de la Roque that has nothing to do with you?
Is your use of their name not therefore in contravention of “the Law of England and Wales”?
2.You say it is the ‘regime’, which makes the MDP, FOM and Maldives Aid the same thing.
Can you tell us how the ‘regime’ made:
• MDP, FOM and Maldives Aid hire the same attorneys – Clyde & Co?
• Made Clyde & Co assign the same reference (Matter number 0401704) to documents they produced for both the MDP and FOM?
• FOM and MDP use the same person, Ahmed Moosa (Sappe’) council member and junior spokesman of the MDP, deal with Clyde & Co as their representative?
• You appoint Ahmed Naseer (Bondhu) member of the MDP council, the company secretary of your UK registered company Minivan Radio Limited?
You cannot avoid addressing these issues. Apparently the ‘regime’ is all-powerful, even within the MDP, FOM and Minivannews.
3.In your “boycott campaign” you refer to “resorts that are directly linked to the regime” and say that you hope to affect the ‘regime’ by denying them income.
In what you claim is a “brutal dictatorship” how would that affect the ‘regime’s’ hold on power?
Are these resorts the only income the government has? Do the other resorts (who in your kindness you spare – more on that later) not pay any annual fees or bed taxes under their contracts with the government?
And what exactly are these links you claim? Maldives is the number one destination in the world today and world travel agencies investing heavily in the Maldives do so because of its transparency, stability and security.
Are you also claiming that world travel agencies are also ‘linked to the regime’?
Perhaps you need to understand the Maldives better. I know you have made an effort to this end, but is there not a slight possibility that you may not know what you are talking about? Since you have not been to the Maldives even once?
4. After telling tourists where not to go, you go on to tell them the resorts they should go to. Is it just a coincidence that these resorts are “directly linked to the MDP” to use your phrase?
For example, although you list Kurumba Village, operated by Universal Enterprises as a resort “linked to the regime” you fail to list Full Moon resort, also operated by the same company, but owned by MDP council member Ahmed Abbas.
Since when is it ‘ethical’ to visit a resort owned by convicted mass murderers?
Ahmed Ismail Maniku (Sikka), one of the chief financiers of the MDP and owner of Maayaafushi, Dhiggiri, Bodu Hithi and Kuda Hithi in 1988 murdered 19 Maldivians in cold blood.
5. Why have you changed your tone since you published your “boycott list” leaflet? Is it that you trod on someone’s toes without thinking?
Have you posted your denial in writing to the concerned organisations that originally received your leaflet?
Are you aware dhivehiobserver.com frequently retrospectively edits material posted earlier?
Do you later intend to deny your denial?
6.You make several references to “government sponsored websites” and thereby state your belief that any support for anything has to be “sponsored”.
So who sponsors you?
The MDP? Sikka?
Having lived in the UK since 1982, why have you purchased two properties worth £136,000 and £137,000 since you started work for the MDP in November 2001?
Let me rephrase that. Having lived in the UK since 1982, why have you purchased two properties worth £136,000 and £137,000 since you started work on the Maldives front?
How do you explain the funds you have received from:
Account Number: 011-066186-101
HSBC Bank,
Colombo – 3,
Sri-Lanka.
The US$ account of Ahmed Ismail Maniku (Sikka).
7. What good do you expect to gain from mocking Maldivians’ intelligence?
I hope that you will provide the answers to the above questions speedily. It need not be in an email, it can take the form of an interview as they always do, on one of your websites.
Eagerly awaiting your reply,
The Editor – olhuala.com
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