#islamothugs

For failing to protect the human rights of citizens, a motion of no confidence against the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) is being considered by the MDP Parliamentary Group, said Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Mustafa to Minivan News yesterday.

When HRCM was approached regarding the situation of Homosexuality in June 2011, they quoted growing religious extremism as the reason why the Queer community of Maldives was being ignored by them. They have failed to answer e-mails and phone calls since regarding this matter.

"We have noticed that the HRCM members that we appointed have failed to protect the rights of the citizens, and are more concerned about protecting the rights of particular persons", said MP Mustafa. "I am ashamed of HRCM for they have showed no effort in fulfilling the duty assigned to them.”

He boldly went on to claim that "... there is no use of the current HRCM members and paying money to them is a big waste". He also called on the resignation of the commission members and said the commission would be “better with empty desks”.

Sex between same-sex adults remains criminalized in the Maldives. According to the Section 15, clause 173 (8a) “Sexual activity with a member of the same sex”, under the “Rules of adjudication”, the punishment is to be lashed (tha’zeer) between 19 to 39 times and banished or imprisoned for a period between 1 to 3 years, taking into account, the severity of the offence.

The consideration of the overdue motion of no confidence against HRCM arrives after a teenage boy was seriously injured and left disabled, and exactly two years after the Islamic Ministry criticises HRCM whilst in an attempt to shift focus from the issue of child concubines in the Maldives by saying that Homosexuality is rampant and being promoted after a letter on Homoesxuality was published on Minivan News in September 2009.

Hilath Rasheed is a prominent and noteworthy figure in the LGBT community of Maldives. For the past 10 years, he has been slowly pushing the envelope with controversial subject matter via his blog. But this week, he shut his blog down due to the nuisance of Homophobes and Islamothugs conspiring to silence him.

No stranger to death threats, the latest unwarranted death threat to Hilath appeared on 9 September 2011 on an online newspaper against the governing party called Minivan Adu (Free Voice). The article was entitled, Is there no one to exterminate the traces of Hilath Rasheed. It is written in Dhivehi.

The article which does not attempt to conceal its endorsement of hatred and violence, called for the murder of Hilath Rasheed by way of asking the general public to do the dirty work. The article stated, "the punishment for such peoples are death according to the Shari'ah Law". The next line read, "[Hilath] is a plague on this society". Minivan Adu also says that there was no need for Maldivians to go abroad to Afghanistan or Pakistan to perform Jihad when Jihad was attainable right here at home.

This somewhat expected turn of events occurred with no provocation from Hilath, but as a direct result of hypocrisy, bigotry and self righteousness that is rampant in the majority Muslim island nation of Maldives. Hilath reckons a lack of education regarding sensitive issues plays a huge part in homophobic attacks on individuals such as this.

In an exclusive interview via the phone, Hilath confirmed he was safe and that he was not prepared to back down. However, he has given up the futile battles on the internet in favour of taking the fight to a street level with anticipation of real change. "We can't get our rights unless we take it to the streets", he said. Hilath doesn't encourage violence but stressed that he won't hesitate to do so in self defense.

Hilath went on to say that Queer Maldivians fighting the good fight on the internet everyday should continue to fight the good fight, and that if any one was ready to join him on the streets, they are welcome to and should do so.

Hilath revealed that he is working on a well thought out plan before taking the proverbial it to the streets. He refused to comment any further at this time.