Everybody knows what an important thing Islam is in the Republic of Maldives. In Finland, religion is not an essential or important part of peoples' national identity. The result of this is diversity in society which is regarded here as a point of strength. People form their national identity in other ways. For people who are born as Finns, it is parentage, education and culture. For foreign born people it may be marriage, education, language learning and taking an oath of allegiance to the nation of Finland. Maldivian practice in this matter indicates lack of self-confidence and self-esteem in Maldivian society.

Freedom of expression is not without boundaries. Exaggerating the existing situation is what the MDN report has done. The criticism of religion in such a nasty way raise the question about the real intention of the authors. Why would the authors include such hate speech in the report and spark unrest. Is that freedom of speech. Why is amnesty not condemning the Australian Police who sacked its officer for anonymously criticize the government. MDN or any other party should not be addressing such a sensitive issue in such a way if there true intention was to establish democratic and tolerant society

Islam is a hot potato in the Maldives. Do not touch it. Do not play with it. And don't swallow it. Otherwise, no less than your precious life may be exposed to danger. Be forewarned.

The differences between the public sector and the private sector are not things Maldivians are experienced in talking about. Is it only the public sector that is corrupt, or is the private sector equally corrupt? That there is corruption in Maldives is beyond doubt. But is the private sector better, cleverer and cleaner? What is corruption anyway? Why does not our Islam come to grips with it?

Islam is used in the Maldives for political purposes and ends. That was not the purpose of Prophet Mohammed who gave us Islam. The purpose of Islam is not political revenge taking but something else. Well educated and rich Muslims in Sri Lanka recently attacked and killed and maimed more than 300 innocent Sri Lankan Roman Catholics, and destroyed their properties. Caholics are not enemies of Sri Lankan Muslims and they have done no harm to Muslims. Roman Catholics were attacked because they are a defenseless minority and they are Christians. Islam is as good as its adherents and as bad as its adherents. Maldivians, who are Muslims simply because of a historical accident 800 years ago, must look at their faces in the mirrors and consider their behaviour which is by means perfect.

The presence of so many illegal immigrants in the country is proof, if proof was needed, of massive corruption and maladministration in this country. Illegal immigrants are making the capital city of Male more congested and overcrowded than it would otherwise be, and they are also taking away jobs that Maldivians themselves should be doing. Maldivians are, perhaps, very lazy and stupid. That is why this is happening.

Birds of a feather flock together, says a wellknown English proverb. In this context, it simply means that like-minded people are friends to each other. In other words, all Maldivians must be alike in matters of Islam.

I find it difficult to believe that mixing religion with politics and police will serve any useful purpose in Maldives. It looks as if somebody is trying to find an excuse to put the MDP government in trouble, rehabilitate Abdulla Yameen the opposition leader and find a backdoor entry to the *white house* to Hon Gasim Ibrahim,MP. Maldivians must find better things to do.

I am writing about the comments of Speaker Mohamed Nasheed about China. He seems to suggest that China may be exporting its own form of government to Maldives amongst other countries. As for Maldives in particular, Maldives does not need to be taught by China about dictatorship, one-party rule and even one-man rule. These characteristics are in the blood of Maldivian rulers exactly like in China. I have known Maldives from the time of Mohamed Ameen as prime minister and then president. There are remarkable similarities between China and Maldives and they have been in touch with each other from the earliest times.

Greta Thunberg 16, Sweden and President Solih of Maldives are competing for influence in the world and even Maldives, which is clearly a part of the world. Greta seems to be winning. Why? Solih must learn to concentrate on one thing at a time. This time it should have been Climate Change only.

It seems that nobody has the political will to take on Islamic fundamentalism once they come into power no matter how liberal their rhetoric sounds before they acquire power. "Anni"(Nasheed) is speaking big now, as though he is the one who can liberate Maldivians from this danger. When Nasheed first became President I emailed him my concerns about death threats made online towards a critic of Islamic extremism. I have no idea if it was really Nasheed who replied to my email or not as he may have had a system in place whereby someone else responded to emails in his name, there is no way Nasheed could have personally responded to the thousands of emails thrown at him in those early times. But whoever it was, I was assured (under Nasheed's name) that this was all sensationalism and that the online threats were just empty threats. There was no-one in Maldives who would really go that far, a few just say it but would never actually act on it, was the advice I was given by even Nasheed himself. This was years before there was any violence committed towards liberal bloggers, so Nasheed's attitude was understandable, in a way, but given everything he said about Maldivian society being threatened by extremism before he came into power, he came across later as sounding as though he did not believe his own rhetoric, like, it was just a lot of prpaganda he himself had quoted. BUT we knew the threats were real, and felt like we were being treated like a bunch of loony tunes for suggesting that such violence could occur in such a peaceful society, supposedly. History has proven we were, tragically, correct. It actually hurt me that Nasheed treated us like crazies. There was no-one in Maldives who would really go that far, a few just say it but would never actually act on it, was the advice I was given.

Dear President, I know how you are trying to cut down corruption in your country. But i also know lots of cheaters/ murders are also in your country. I am faced with a v big problem and thought of sending this msg to you as i am helpless. I run Frangipani Dehiwela Colombo and Shafraz Ibrahim (who was the main suspect for stabbing Ex Presidents Nasheeds Lawyer) his wife and friend stayed at my place in Last October and ran away without settling my bill for 170,000.00 LKR and now we cannot locate him.Pl help us and my no is 0094710681465 Many blessings if you can help me please.We are innocent and not rich people and this is my only bread and butter.Thank you again.Best regards,Harshini Fernando.

Good news and bad news. Yes, both are there but not in the right proportion. There is perhaps a little bit more bad news than good news. One thing more. What's all this religious fanaticism that you write about? To hell with it. It is definitely holding you back. Yes, it is.

Dear rich There r no justice in the world. Justice is only a name,no judiciary be freed by influence of rulers, which could happened in Maldives too. It also factual secret. Maldives is always safe n fully secured for right and clean investors. From 1995 till today your in Maldives, So if the country is bad for investors you won't be there for such long time. Still today your very ambitious for expanding your business in Maldives. Everyone must purify own self and then criticize the others.

I’m worried that you didn’t mention anything about the island given to you in a dubious manner by the previous government. Former editor of Maldives independent Zaheena wrote a comprehensive article on your involvement in corruption during the last regime. I hope your hard effort to whitewash these actions may go in veins even if you buy off an op ed.

These are tragic deaths that should not have taken place at all. Lives of all the Maldivian citizens should be equally valued and respected no matter where they live and what their socio-economic status. All the Maldivian islands are surrounded by deep sea that can often be very rough and difficult. Boats that are in use for crossing the seas must be rigorously checked and licensed by the relevant authorities. Life-saving equipment must always be at hand. Weather warnings must always be heeded. This boat and its crew and passengers did not obey the rules. It is good to go to paradise but life on earth must be cherished also. Teachers and parents must be examples to others.

That is how a serious government should operate but not in Nigeria.lets wake up!

I did all my schooling in Sri Lanka and I have vivid memories of my life in Sri Lanka. The school which I attended was one of the best: St Peter's College Colombo, a legacy of British and European colonial rule in Sri Lanka which went on deeper and longer in Sri Lanka than in Maldives. Unfortunately, just after I arrived in Sri Lanka Maldivian students in Sri Lanka stopped learning Sinhalese language. That was the decision of the Maldivian government. It was a great mistake. With hindsight I know that I should have learnt Sinhalese. My school leaving certificate was in Tamil with a later given English translation. That was also a mistake. My certificate should have been in Sinhala. Divehi language is not even remotely like Tamil.

Maldivian society, its culture and politics have remained largely unchanged even after the events of 2008 and what followed. The same beliefs and customs practised basically the same people give us a misleading impression that everything has changed simply because they have changed their clothes and hairstyles. The truth is quite the opposite. The old Progressive Party led by Yameen may now be dead. But its spirit and body remain very much alive. Please watch the JP and its leader Gasim now. He will be the next King. At least that is what he expects himself to be.

Women will rule the Maldives one day soon. It is true. Women are already doing that in Finland where I live. There are more women in the Cabinet of Ministers now in Finland. But then this is possibly The Land of Kafirs. Islamic Clerics in Maldives perhaps know best. Beware.