As previously reported, the government of the Maldives has responded to a December 23 Islamist protest led by opposition parties by ordering all hotel spas closed. Here is more information on the complicated religious-political-economic background and developments in this Island chain that is a popular high end tourist destination.
In 2008, Mohamed Nasheed became the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, defeating long-time President Abdul Gayoom in a run-off election. (Background.) In June 2010, thirteen members of Nasheed’s cabinet resigned en masse, protesting Parliament’s undercutting of government policies. On the same day, police arrested two members of Parliament on bribery charges. They were former President Gayoom’s half-brother. The other was Gasim Ibrahim, head of the Jumhooree Party and owner of a number of tourist resorts. Among the six opposition political parties supporting the pro-Islam demonstration last week was the Jumhooree Party. (Minivan News).
Responding to the demonstrations, the government initially ordered spas at 5 resorts owned by Gasim Ibrahim to close down on the ground that they were in fact engaged in prostitution. (Background). Gasim promptly sued, claiming that the order was issued without any investigation. The court cancelled the closure order while the case was pending. A government spokesman says Gasim is pretending to be a victim for political gain. (Minivan News.) Meanwhile the government expanded the closure order to include all spas and massage parlors, saying it did not know how to differentiate those that were prostitution fronts from those that were not. (Minivan News.) Now the government says it is also considering a ban the sale of alcohol and pork at tourist resorts, both of which were also demands of the demonstrators. (Minivan News). Apparently alcohol sales are permitted now through the government declaring portions of inhabited islands to be "uninhabited". (Haveeru.) Those sales bring in substantial revenue to the government through its goods and services tax. (Dhonisaurus.) [Thanks to Bill Poser for part of the lead.]
