Thinking of heading to the Maldives? Think again

This couple was mocked and ridiculed publicly instead of the beautiful wedding that had planned.

I would spend my tourist dollars in an infidel land I think.

Story below.

Resort employees humiliate tourist couple in ‘wedding ceremony’

MALE, October 27 (HNS) – A video surfaced on social networks and popular video sharing website YouTube, showing employees at Vilu Reef Beach and Spa resort mocking a tourist couple renewing their marriage vows as “swine” and “infidels.”

Tourism Ministry and Maldives Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents (MATATO) raised concerns over the video amid mixed criticisms on social networks for disesteeming local laws, customs and Islam.

Vilu Reef promises to offer a tranquil beach for US$1,335 (Rf17,000) where couples can renew marriage vows “hand in hand against a golden sunset backdrop” where their “everlasting love” can be sealed by a “kaleidoscope of romantic hues.”

The date of the ‘ceremony’ and the couple’s identity are unknown. MATATO, however, identified the couple as having a European origin.

While the young ‘celebrant’ referred as “Hussein Didi” performs the ceremony, about 10-15 employees in resort uniform witness the ceremony in and out of the small place built on the island’s beach with coconut palm leaves. No one, however, was seen trying to prevent the ceremony.

In a statement which expressed “deep concerns and regret” over the matter, resort management, Sun Investments said the employees involved in the ceremony have been “removed from the resort premises” and the case has been sent to police for investigation. The company further said work is being carried out to apologise to the couple and offer compensation for the abuse.

In the video, Didi briefs the couple in English prior to the ceremony that it will be performed in Dhivehi language according to “not only Maldivian” but also “Arabic and Islamic” traditions.

The video shows Didi allegedly using a copy of an employment agreement, which he frequently looks at while giving the ‘sermon’ and jokes about Penal Code.

Didi asks the couple and ‘witnesses’ to raise their hands as is customary for Muslim prayers and begins his rants in a high-pitched voice often favoured by religious preachers while delivering sermons.

The couple, unaware of the humiliation, exchange wedding rings placed inside an open coconut. With loud applauses, the couple move out and plants a coconut palm as was asked by the celebrant, where they pose for a photo along with the officials.

In the video, Didi is seen debating with the person videoing the ceremony in Addu dialect, but later gives up saying “I do not care.”

Sun Investments noted that while “the entire business of this company is built around services rendered to tourists and tourism,” the video shows an activity which “contradicts the very core values of our corporate policy.”

“The company assures all stakeholders and concerned parties and persons that it would take resolute action against every member of the staff and management found responsible for this disgusting act,” the statement read.

Deputy Tourism Minister Ismail Yasir said the ministry is investigating the matter which came to the ministry’s attention two days ago. The ministry, however, is waiting for the management’s promised investigation report, he added.

“Ever since we received the report day before yesterday, we are investigating the matter through the resort management. The management yesterday informed us in writing that it would send us its findings as the matter involves the company’s employees,” Yasir said.

A MATATO statement said, “A European couple intended to renew their marriage vows in the tranquil environment of the Maldives and held the ceremony with sweet hopes by spending a large sum of money. If the couple comes to know of the humiliation they were subjected to in the video, the Maldives good name would be clouded.”

The association further stressed that “any employee involved in the Maldives tourism industry should not commit degrading actions such as using offensive language against a tourist couple who came to Maldives for honeymoon” and “improving the mechanism to evaluate tourist services would be a measure to prevent such inappropriate activities.”

More here at the Daily Mail also:

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

2 Replies to “Thinking of heading to the Maldives? Think again”

  1. Anyone going to any Moslem nation right now is short of brains, things are real tense and the Moslems don’t believe in the idea of not harming civilians. But the people doing the humiliation should be punished harshly, they won’t be but they should.