The not so sunny side of life for Christians in the Maldives
Posted: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 10:45 (BST)
The Maldives government claims to tourists that the Indian Ocean archipelago represents "the sunny of side of life", yet it severely represses freedom of thought, conscience and belief. The Maldives is one of the few countries - such as Saudi Arabia - that legally allow only one faith to be practised publicly. However, the Maldivian authorities go much further even than that, insisting on homogeneity in religion and that all citizens must be Muslims. Islam itself can only be practised in the
government version of Sunni Islam. The public practice of any other faith -
including other varieties of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity -
is banned.
The Republic of the Maldives is a collection of 1,190 coral reef islands in the Indian Ocean, south west of Sri Lanka. Only 200 islands are inhabited, with 44 used exclusively as holiday resort islands. The Maldives has a population of about 300,000 citizens, plus about 65,000 migrant workers. About one third of the population lives in the capital Male, in an area of about 2 square kms or just over three quarters of a square mile.
This means that most Maldivian houses are overcrowded, and individuals mostly have no privacy. State control of the opinions and actions of Maldivians is made easy by these poor living conditions.
Since 1978, the Maldives has been under the regime of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. For the first time ever, multi-party presidential elections were held on 8 October 2008. According to the official count, President Gayoom won the largest share of the votes of the six candidates. But this was not enough for an outright victory, so a run-off election (currently due on 28 October) will take place between President Gayoom and the largest opposition party's candidate Mohamed Nasheed.
In 2003 the death of a prisoner, who had allegedly been beaten by police, sparked public protests. Demands escalated for political reform and human rights. In June 2004, yielding to internal and external pressure, President Gayoom announced plans to make changes to the Constitution to bring it into line with modern democratic and human rights norms. On 7 August 2008 President Gayoom ratified the new Constitution, a major step in the political reform process. Yet, the reform process bypassed the issue of religious rights.
The Maldives has ratified many international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). However, on acceding to the ICCPR in September 2006, the government lodged a reservation over Article 18 (which covers rights to freedom of religion and belief), specifying that "The application of the principles set out in Article 18 of the Covenant shall be without prejudice to the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives.". This reservation effectively nullifies the
commitment.
The lack of religious freedom for all Maldivians (whether or not they are Muslim) is enshrined in the present and previous Constitutions, and clearly violates the ICCPR's provisions. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, in a February 2007 report (A/HRC/4/21/Add.3) following her August 2006 visit, expressed concerns about a wide range of restrictions on religious activity. She urged the government to change the law to allow all residents of the Maldives to be
allowed to choose their own religion or belief, to end the ban on manifestation of non-Muslim religions or beliefs, and called on the government to review its reservation to Article 18 of the ICCPR.
Government-defined Islam the only permitted faith
The new 2008 Constitution brings in separation of powers and a bill of rights. However, religious freedom remains a taboo subject in the Maldives. The government claims that Islam is a vital cultural trait of being Maldivian, and therefore religious freedom is not an issue in the Maldives. It categorically ignores the existence of non-Muslim Maldivians. The new Constitution spells out more strongly than before that all Maldivians have to be Muslims.
Article 36 states that, "The exercise and enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms is inseparable from the performance of responsibilities and duties, and it is the responsibility of every citizen: (..) (g) to preserve and protect the State religion of Islam, culture, language and heritage of the country".
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 9:20 (GMT)
We repect other religions. that does not mean that we maldivians have to practice as others.. Why other people (other religion's people) attacking to us and forcing to bring those practices in this country.. why they not respecting us and our religion? her no chance for other religions other than Islam.. We every Maldivian proud to be Muslim.
xiya, Maldives
Added: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 18:50 (GMT)
Islam Respects other Religions, But Maldivians and The Maldives doesnt need anyother Religion other than Islam. We Muslims Are Proud to be Muslims. Thats One only thing that we wont REGRET.
juna, Maldives
Added: Sunday, November 2, 2008, 15:05 (GMT)
You think we want other religions in our beloved country, better don't think of that,
there is no other religion actually, your making your own religions, there is only one religion from god, islam, one god ALLAH..we will pray only ALLAH. we means all MALDIVIANs, all Maldivians are muslims, if not not a MALDIVIAN..remember there is another world after your death, you have to answer ALLAH one day, remember there is a reason you came hear, you have to beleive nothing appears without a reason, so find the reason, you cannot get non-questionable answer asking this question with a non.muslim, better ask it. " what is the reason I came to earth"
adam, Maldives
Added: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 12:21 (GMT)
People in the Maldives wants practice only Islam in the Maldives. Maldives is not for christians. and never will be.
Ali Waheed (balak), Maldives
Added: Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 22:37 (GMT)
for your kind information. the religion rights we are talking here is ONLY about us maldivians. None of us want any other religion. And we all agree on it. "WE" meaning all maldivians!So i dont think it is any of your damn business to butt in our rights.
We respect our visitors and tourists who come here to enjoy our beautiful country. We never force them to convert to islam or anything! this is a peaceful free country. I can see that you are trying to destroy our image as the SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE. it is indeed the sunny side of life and will always be.
Lets us live our lives.
maldivian, male, maldives
Added: Monday, October 27, 2008, 10:00 (GMT)
its what religion we want in our country not what religion the other foreign countries want ...its our country and we want only islam here in the maldives ......so stop forcing us to allow freedom of faith its our country not your country ...its wat we want not wat you people want .......
sharig, male,maldives
Added: Monday, October 27, 2008, 8:16 (GMT)
we dont want come here another religion with then name of rights. opposition party is tring to do it. No Room for that!!!!!!!!!
everybody, Maldives
Added: Monday, October 27, 2008, 6:42 (GMT)
I believe that Maumoon Goverment is doing the right thing, we should not allow any other religion for MALDIVIANS, We are talking about Maldivian citizens, so other citizens should not interfere...im saying this with all due respect for the foreigners in Maldives(christians,hindhus,budhists). This is actually one of the reasons why our country is peaceful nation compared to the rest of the world.
cnacaid, Male' & Republic of Maldives
Added: Monday, October 27, 2008, 5:18 (GMT)
i believe there must not be any room here in Maldives for any other religion. this is my personal opinion. and i do believe that the international community should not interfere the local politics of the country. we have all that we want and if we want any changes we will bring it ourself.
thoriq Ahmed, Maldives
Added: Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 14:15 (BST)
Maldives is looking for a better leader but not the opposition leader who is trying to destroy the country by giving freedom for christians to live here.
mohamed, maldives
Added: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 18:48 (BST)
I'm a maldivian, a muslim and I'm secular. As you may know, we are having the run off to the presidential elections on the 28th of this month. The incumbent president is campaining, accusing the opposition of trying to spread christianity. This has damaged the reputation of the opposition. What I'm trying to say is religion has been used in propaganda by the ruling president for 30 years now. It will take some time after democracy is established, for our conservtive and rural population to accept that other religions would not threaten islam. I follow the US election and rural US voters too have similar problems accepting islam, especially when Obama is portrayed as a muslim.
AR, Male, Maldives
Added: Thursday, October 16, 2008, 12:03 (BST)
The runoff election is coming on the 28th. The opposition is fighting hard to win the election. If the opposition could get rid of the 30year dictatorship than we could work together to work out on a responsible way to provide freely and legally the rights of the people.
Anonymous, Maldives
