David explains the Maldives 'selected' resorts boycott campaign :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

Special Interview

David explains the Maldives 'selected' resorts boycott campaign

16 December 2005

DO interviews David Hardingham, founder and chairman of Friends of Maldives, regarding the recently launched campaign "Selected Resort Boycott in the Maldives". Since the launch of the campaign there has been much speculation about the campaign. Furthermore, Gayyoom's regime have made several attempts using fabricated material to bring FoM and Maldives Aid to disrepute. This interview with David Hardingham explains in detail the objectives of the campaign and clarifies certain recent issues surrounding the campaign.

DO: The campaign has been rather controversial David, why selected resorts and not a full boycott?

DH: well, FOM does not want to damage the economy of the Maldives, especially after the difficult recovery following the Tsunami. By selecting resorts that are directly linked to the regime we hope to affect the regime directly, doing as little as possible to affect the population at large. There are at least 60 other resorts to choose from!

We are saying to Europeans - Please go to the Maldives - but make an ethical and informed choice which resort to visit. We urge them to stay away from the resorts with close links to the regime.

Unfortunately following the increasingly intransigent attitude of the government of Maldives, particularly following their rebuttal of the Sir Ivan Lawrence Report, we saw no other choice than this Selected Resort Boycott Campaign to increase the pressure on the government to improve the human rights situation in the Maldives.

DO: What do you aim to achieve with this call on boycotting the listed resorts?

The campaign is focussed on the most recent and obvious breech on human rights: Mohamed Nasheed and Jennifer Latheef. However we also call for the release of Ahmed Didi the last Sandhaanu journalist in detention. His case is dramatic considering the fact that he is a heart-patient and is unable to get the treatment he needs. And why keep him when all the others are free? The same applies to Naube. The campaign will be ongoing until they are all released.

DO: Since the launch of your campaign there has been flourishing literature on the government sponsored websites. One has published a document supposedly from Maldives Aid. Could you clarify if you have made accusations against Shiva and, is Maldives Aid involved in the boycott campaign?

DH: Yes they have been brought to my attention. Well the document is a fraud. We have never published such a document, and I had never heard of Shiva, and quite frankly FOM accusing someone of being involved in the murder of the Sri-Lankan cabinet minister is absurd. [In fact Lily Beach is not even amongst the selected resorts.]

These websites are mostly fabrication and desperate lies. Read our website if you would like to learn the facts about our campaigns. www.friendsofmaldives.org

Friends of Maldives and Maldives Aid are two different organisations. Friends of Maldives is a human rights organisations that was set up after the death of Evan Naseem and the ensuing murders in Maafushi in Sept 2003. The world needed to know about the dark side of life in the Maldives.

Maldives Aid the British charity was set up following the Tsunami. Maldives Aid worked in Partnership with the Friends of Maldives but has nothing to do with the Human Rights work or the awareness campaigns of Friends of Maldives. Although operating from the same address they are two separate entities.

DO: People often say that MDP, FOM and Maldives Aid are the same thing. Is this true?

DH: The regime would like to paint the picture that DO MDP FOM Maldives Aid and Minivan are all the same thing. The regime knows that the reality is very different. All these groups are completely independent from each other. That's why each is so effective. They each play their own important role and their independence is their strength.

DO: Do the MDP agree with your campaign?

DH: well, I have no idea…. This campaign has nothing to do with the MDP and they have made no formal suggestions, criticism or support for our campaign. If they were to contact us we would respect their views as we would anyone who approached us with the right intentions. We are a Human Rights NGO and we cannot consult all the political parties in the Maldives whenever we launch a campaign.

DO: Was this a good time to release the Campaign?

Everyday Jennifer and the other prisoners spend in detention is a day too long. The campaign was released on human rights day and as this is a campaign based on human rights we thought this was most appropriate. We cannot release campaigns based on whether it's politically a good time or not to release it. This is also a good time to create awareness as people here in Europe are planning their next year holidays.

DO: Can the resorts list be amended?

It clearly states this on our website. If people feel that the placing of a resort on the list was unjustified then we want to hear about it. We also wish to hear if there are resorts that we have missed out. This is a long term campaign that will grow and grow and create more and more awareness of injustice and repression in the Maldives just so long as it continues.