Tourists told to steer clear of ‘emotional’ Maldivians
Tourists should respect physical boundaries as well as dress codes when visiting local islands to avoid provoking Maldivians, the defence minister said.
11 Mar 2018, 9:00 AM
Tourists should steer clear of “emotional” Maldivians on local islands, the defence minister said Sunday, citing the advice as evidence of counter-terrorism.
Officials talked about the steps taken to counter violent extremism and radicalisation at a press conference to mark two years since the establishment of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC).
“When tourists visit local communities, it’s important for them to stay within certain boundaries as Maldivians are emotional people,” said Defence Minister Adam Shareef. “We note it’s important to give special attention to religion,” referring to dress codes on local islands that prohibit skimpy clothing.
The international community portrayed the Maldives as a place that produced extremist ideologies, he said, but the NCTC’s work had changed that perception.
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