Tourists hurt in Maldives blast
By David Browne and Ajay Makan
Twelve tourists have been injured in an explosion in the Maldives. The blast occurred at the entrance to Sultan Park, in the capital of Male’, in what appears to be a planned attack on the Maldives tourism industry.
MALE’, Maldives (eTN) – The Maldives’ Foreign Ministry said two British nationals are seriously injured in an explosion at a tourist spot here in the capital Malé. One Japanese and eight Chinese tourists suffered superficial wounds. All are believed to be visiting the capital from the Full Moon, Baros and Soneva resorts.
Tourists to the Maldives must stay on resort islands and relatively few stay in the capital Malé. But the Sultan Park, located near the northern edge of the island and adjacent to Malé's main mosque, is visited by all tour groups. The Sultan Park is in the shadow of the Maldives army headquarters, and several surveillance cameras are trained on the area.
Local media report the explosion was triggered by a home made device involving a mobile phone and washing machine motor attached to a gas cylinder. Witnesses report seeing nails scattered in the park, before the area was cleared by security personnel.
Maldivian Tourism Minister Dr. Mohamed Shougee visited the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital where he has been assessing the seriousness of injuries.
The Maldivian government is refusing to speculate officially on motives for the attack. But one official said the attack on the seventeenth day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, coincides with the battle of Badar, fought by the prophet Mohamed against the Meccans.
"This looks like an attack by jihadists on our tourism industry," the source said.
Meanwhile, Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom condemned the Malé bombing during a visit to meet injured foreign tourists in hospital on Saturday evening. President Gayoom said the people responsible would be found and punished. Two local men have been taken into police custody for questioning.
"I want to say that this has been a very sad day for the Maldives. This is the first time that we have suffered such a terrorist attack in the Maldives and in Malé, the capital of the country. The people responsible for this act must be found. The Government with the grace of Almighty Allah will find them and they will be punished under law," said Gayoom.
"I also want to say that our feelings are with the victims of the incident today. We wish them a very speedy recovery."
Gayoom then made a surprising reference to a campaign run from England by Friends of Maldives that calls for a selective boycott of resorts in Maldives owned by government officials and associates of the Gayoom regime, and seemed to link the bombing to UK-based Friends of Maldives.
"I must also point out that some people who for political reasons have been calling for the boycott of the Maldives on the tourist front. They have been calling on tour operators to boycott the Maldives. They also had to share some responsibility for what happened today because they have been jeopardizing the stability and peace of the country and our economic benefits for political gain. I think that is a very selfish and irresponsible thing to do. They have to take part of the blame for what happened today," said Gayoom.
Friends of Maldives, based in Salisbury in southern England, firmly denied any involvement in the bombing and said that as tourism to Maldives could be badly affected by the incident, FoM would suspend their boycott campaign for the time being.
"Gayoom has accused me of being a Christian Missionary and also of being an Islamic Terrorist so any statements regarding me or the work of Friends of Maldives should be taken with a pinch of salt," said FoM chief, David Hardingham.
"Friends of Maldives maintains the importance of the installation of a liberal and democratic Maldives where tourism and free enterprise can flourish and prosper. The current dictatorship and their refusal to allow a real democracy and respect for human rights will continue to create an environment where criminal activity and extremism will flourish," Hardingham added.
Ibrahim Shafiu, spokesman for the government's DRP party, said: "In a situation like this you think about who your enemies are, and who has something to gain. The first thing that comes to our minds is that their tactics have failed and so they have resorted to this.
"Unless proved otherwise by the investigative authorities, we will be unable to believe they are not involved in this," he said.
Tourism Minister Dr, Mohamed Shaugee appealed for calm. "It is not appropriate to prejudge guilt. This is an issue of national interest. An attack on the tourism industry means the livelihood of all Maldivians is at stake," he said.
The Maldives receives over five hundred thousand tourists a year, and the industry is the lynchpin of the country's $1 billion economy.
The Maldives is known as a tranquil island getaway and the capital has not seen explosions or gunfire since an attempted coup in 1988.
October 1, 2007
Posted in: Maldives