Gayoom did not name FOM explicitly in his speech on state broadcaster Television Maldives, but said “people calling for the boycott of the Maldives on the tourism front,” must "share some responsibility."
FOM is the only group calling for a tourism boycott. A spokesman for the President’s party told Minivan News he was “suspicious,” of “people living abroad, not from the Maldives,” who have targeted the tourism industry.
The President’s comments came as the government and opposition moved to blame each other for Saturday's incident.
All parties had condemned the explosion. But the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) later said the blast showed the “government has failed to tackle crime.”
MDP spokeswoman Mariya Ahmed Didi went on to accuse the Government of, “tolerating extremism and not taking action against extremist activities in the country.”
The MDP and the Maldives Government have been at loggerheads since the opposition movement began a campaign in 2003 to end President Gayoom's thirty year rule, after four prisoners were killed in police custody.
Friends Of Maldives was set up in the UK in 2003 to “raise awareness of human rights abuses in the Maldives.” It was closely linked to the MDP, supporting the party in its infancy, when many of its leaders were exiled in the UK.
In 2005 the Salisbury based group, led by outspoken campaigner David Hardingham, launched a “selective resorts boycott,” calling on tourists not to patronise resorts owned by government ministers and their associates.
The Government and many normal Maldivians have characterised the FOM campaign as an attack on the entire tourism industry, and by extension the Maldives economy.
The Government is now implying FOM was involved in some way in Saturday’s explosion.
Ibrahim Shafiu, spokesman for the government’s Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party told Minivan News, “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.”
Shafiu also refused to name FOM directly, but did not deny he was referring to them, saying, “when foreign organisations say these things, it makes you think.”
In a statement emailed to Minivan News on Sunday, David Hardingham dismissed the government's accusations as “ridiculous.”
“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,” he said.
“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.
With the President and his opponents trading accusations over the explosion, Tourism Minister Dr Mohamed Shaugee again 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,” Shaugee told Minivan News.
The minister urged, “all parties to come together to try to find who is responsible, and ensure nothing like this ever happens again in our beautiful, peaceful country.”
The government appears convinced Saturday’s explosion in the capital Malé was a deliberate attack on the tourism industry.
Twelve tourists were left injured after what police have called a “home made device” exploded at the entrance to a park popular with tour groups.
The eight Chinese and two Japanese injured in the blast have been released from hospital.
Two Brits remain in a private hospital in Malé receiving treatment for burns. They are expected to fly to Qatar, where they are resident, on Sunday or Monday.
Two Maldivians nationals were arrested as suspects late Saturday night, as the police announced they were seeking help from “counterparts overseas” as they struggle to deal with one of the island nation's first ever bomb blasts.
Courtesy: Minivan News
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