A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
The road to the southern sandspit of Kelaa curves through thick vegetation, snaking past the coral stone armoury belonging to the British in the Second World War. The overgrowth hides the remains of the Japanese radar station from the 80s, with the end of the hike opening up to a pristine natural pool. Mohamed Khaji* […]
People making fun of Islam on social media will get house calls from government officials who will educate them about the faith, authorities have said. It was common for Maldivians to use social media to insult or disrespect the country’s official religion, Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Ziyad Bagir said at a news conference, and the […]
Former president Mohamed Nasheed was the target of vituperative speeches at a ruling party rally held to commemorate the failed coup attempt of November 3, 1988. All the speakers at Thursday night’s rally sought to tie Nasheed with the violent attempt by a group of Maldivians and Tamil mercenaries to overthrow former President Maumoon Abdul […]
A key witness in the bribery trial of MP Faris Maumoon has alleged attempts to coerce false testimony against the opposition lawmaker. Ahmed Shafiu, a Jumhooree Party activist, was arrested on July 4, a day after the opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against the parliament speaker. Citing lack of evidence to support alleged bribery of lawmakers, the […]
Families whose homes will be demolished to make way for an airport in Kulhudhuffushi have yet to be told about relocation plans. A list of 18 houses was circulated on social media, but the government has not contacted the residents or told them about a formal plan for relocation and compensation. Speaking to the Maldives […]
Ruling party lawmakers rushed to declare that former president Mohamed Nasheed cannot contest the 2018 presidential election after he asserted that foreign pressure would secure his candidacy. The exiled opposition leader told newspaper Mihaaru in London that joint diplomatic efforts by India and the US would pave the way for inclusive elections and the release […]
MP Riyaz Rasheed has accused Sri Lanka of assisting alleged opposition efforts to overthrow the Maldivian government. Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Riyaz said he was concerned that neighbouring countries were allowing exiled Maldivian politicians to plot attempts to oust President Abdulla Yameen. “Every Maldivian citizen has the right to believe that the efforts […]
The detention of former Maldives defence minister Mohamed Nazim, who has been behind bars for 1,000 days, has been condemned by the US and the UK. Nazim was found guilty of weapons smuggling in 2015 and sentenced to 11 years in prison. A UN rights panel found that Nazim was not afforded a fair trial and […]
Tourist arrivals have increased 5.7 percent in 2017 compared to the first nine months of 2016, reaching nearly a million visitors at the end of September. According to statistics released this week, 105,984 tourists visited during September, up four percent from the same period last year. The continuing decline of Chinese holidaymakers was offset by […]