Bill prohibiting establishment of non-Muslim worship places sent to committee

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

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The Bill prohibiting the establishment of worship houses of religions besides Islam proposed by Fares Maathodaa constituency member Ibrahim Muhthalib has been sent to a temporary committee in yesterday’s People’s Majlis session.

This decision to move the Bill to a temporary committee was supported by 47 members from the 49 who were in attendance.

Speaking at the presentation of the Bill, Ibrahim Muhthalib said that this Bill was proposed for the purpose of maintaining Islamic principles in the country and to prevent the spread of religions besides Islam in the country.

For this purpose, he said, the Bill proposed by him would legally forbid the establishment of worship houses and also forbid worshipping to religions besides Islam in public places in the country.

During the debate stage, members conflicted on the provision of the Bill which does not provide any obstacles to expatriates in Maldives for worshiping in privacy of their homes to religions besides Islam. In this regard some members said that no provision should be made for anyone to worship religions besides Islam in any corner of the country and that if such provision is made, then it conflicts with the article 10 of the Maldives constitution.

Members who refuted this said that Maldivians going abroad are given the freedom to practice Islam and so expatriates coming to Maldives should also be given the same freedom and right and that they should be given the opportunity to practice their own religion in the privacy of their homes.

Verbal clash between two main political parties of the country went on as usual. Ruling Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) accused the former administration of diminishing Maldivians Islamic belief while opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) accused MDP of trying to wipe out Islam from this country.

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