It has emerged that the Imam of Goidhoo, Ali Rasheed, who in July was accused of sexually abusing 5 girls aged 11-19 years, is the head of the island’s Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP. The tiny island community in south Baa Atoll was outraged when police released Mr. Rasheed back into the island, after failing to find enough evidence to convict him.
Under Maldivian law Sexual offences such as rape and child abuse require a confession by the alleged perpetrator, or testimony by two witnesses in order for a successful conviction to take place. Protest by outraged Goidhoo residents have fallen on deaf ears and no reply has been received by distraught parents who wrote to child rights minister Aishath Mohamed Didi.
The government of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has come under attack for its unwillingness to protect children from sexual abuse. There are a number of well-documented cases of paedophiles receiving lenient sentences or special pardons by Gayoom. The dictator’s shameful child protection record may have turned the Maldives into the paedophile capital of the world.
Goidhoo, in particular seems to be a magnet for sex offenders. For some reason, the island was chosen for the banishment of a man convicted of sexually abusing a 12-year-old with 3 other men in July. The judge gave the men the minimum sentence of eight months because the victim had apparently not screamed loudly enough which to the judge was evidence enough to suggest that she consented to her own abuse.
In addition there are about five other men on the island who’ve previously served sentences for child sexual abuse. Meanwhile the assistant island chief has been summoned twice to Male for investigations related to sexual offences against a minor. According to the islanders, he currently has a sexual relationship with a Grade 8 student.
But the right links have in the past protected sex offenders. Imam Ali Rasheed, in addition to having links with the DRP, also heads a prominent community based youth NGO. Goidhoo islanders doubt if justice can ever be done against people like him.
Even the police are not interested in reports of child sexual abuse anymore, they say.
DRP founder is that infamous asia’s longest serving dictator Maumoon. So its known that all the senior members of his DRP gang are corrupted and famous child molesters and drug dealers or abusers.
Comment by FUK maumoon — 27 November 2007 @ 1:35 pm
There is an international organization which works in the interest of abused children and such cases. I am wondering that an NGO who is more capable could contact them and work with them .
Comment by maldiveshealth — 27 November 2007 @ 7:34 pm
I believe the Issue of Child Abuse goes much deeper with our President than anyone of us knows. As far as I heard, he himself had underwent an underage sexual relationship with an older man when he was a student in Sri Lanka en route to Egypt. This other person was sent back to Male’ because of this, while Maumoon proceeded on to Egypt. So it is a case of the abused turned abuser (or atleast turning a blind eye to those being abused). Maybe this is his way of dealing with it…by getting other children be abused. Really tragic for the children.
Comment by Ali — 28 November 2007 @ 2:24 pm
[…] as obvious from the case of the Goidhoo Imam who is allowed to remain within the community because he happens to be the DRP head in the island. On Children’s Day in Maldives, we urge all bloggers and individuals involved in citizen media to […]
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