maldives united
The recent calls by the Friends of Maldives and Maldives Aid (both UK based charities) on tour operators, travel agents and tourists to boycott selected resorts in the Maldives has resulted in widespread condemnation of these organisations.
The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Adhaalath Party and the recently registered Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) have called on the FOM and Maldives Aid to withdraw all such statements without delay.
It is not surprising that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have remained silent over the matter. Secret documents that have surfaced recently have proved beyond any doubt that these organisations are in fact arms of the international wing of the MDP. The leader of the MDP international wing David Hardingham of Wiltshire, UK, heads both organisations.
Although clandestine websites (also operated by Hardingham) such as minivannews.com claim widespread support for the calls by the FOM, evidence points to the contrary.
Minivannews claimed that FOM had strong support within the European Parliament. But within hours of the release of the FOM brochures, the European Parliament approved extensive loans to the Maldives Government. This is a major indication that the European Parliament does not regard the Maldivian Government to be breaching any human rights laws. It is in fact a ringing endorsement of the Governments commitment and competence in caring for the general public.
Furthermore, the United States Government has also extended its aid to the Maldives. If people were to believe minivannews.com are they also to believe that the US government (which is widely believed as human rights and democracy ambassadors) will support governments guilty of gross human rights violations?
The fact of the matter is, that FOM and Maldives Aid are in fact politically motivated organisations trying to discredit the current Maldivian government in an effort to pave the road into power for the MDP. Olhuala.com has recently published contracts signed between the Friends of Maldives and Tourism Concern, which requires Tourism Concern to launch a massive campaign of branding the Maldivian Government as human rights violators, and of branding President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom as a dictator. In actual fact such contracts are illegal under UK law, as Tourism Concern, another UK based charity (Registered Charity No. 1064020) is prohibited by law to sign such contracts.
The FOM brochure also accused several well-known businessmen of either being corrupt or being terrorists. The brochure accused Mr Gasim Ibrahim, the current finance minister of the Maldives of corruption and illicit activities. It is surprising how minivannews.com has changed its attitude towards Mr Ibrahim since he joined Gayyoom’s DRP. Minivannews was a keen supporter of Mr Ibrahim before his defection to the DRP.
Mr Ibrahim is in fact one of the biggest philanthropists in the country. He is respected by his peers and colleagues for his honesty and integrity. The general public adores him.
The brochure accused Mr Ali Umar Maniku, of Universal Enterprises of being corrupt and of unlawful acquisition of resort islands through Gayyoom’s government. While FOM called for tourism boycott of Kurumba Village owned by Universal, it failed to call for the boycott of Full Moon Resort, which is operated by Universal but owned by MDP governing council member Ahmed Abbas.
The FOM brochure also accused Mr Shiva of the Lily group of far greater crimes. The Brochure accused Mr Shiva of being a member of the Tamil terrorist organisation LTTE. Furthermore the brochure accused Mr Shiva of personally plotting the assassination of the former Sri Lankan foreign minister the late Lakshman Kadhirigama. Spreading such slander is a gross violation of human rights. Olhuala.com calls on David Hardingham of FOM/Maldives Aid and minivannews to withdraw these statements immediately. Mr Shiva is a well-known and respected businessman. He has been residing in the Maldives since December 1978 and has never been implicated in any wrong doings. He is known to be a mild mannered, kindhearted man.
Olhuala.com is duty bound to mention the violent crimes committed by the MDP’s leadership and the MDP’s financiers. Sikka Ahmed Ismail Maniku (chief financier of the MDP) uncle by marriage of MDP’s current interim Chairman Mohamed Nasheed (Annie) planned and carried out a terrorist attack on the Maldivian Capital Male’ on the 3rd of November 1988, killing 19 innocent Maldivians. Although not convicted, it is widely believed that MDP interim Chairman Mohamed Nasheed was also involved in the planning of this attack. Sikka was convicted and sentenced to death by the Maldivian High Court. He was spared from death by a special presidential pardon granted to him by Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom. Was that a human rights violation, one wonders?
The recent calls by the FOM caused several anti FOM and anti MDP demonstrations in several atolls. A record 14,000 demonstrators attended the rallies held in Seenu atoll Maradhufeydhu.
Several observers termed these events as the ‘beginning of the end’ of the MDP hence the FOM and Maldives Aid.