Vilu Reef Maldives Marriage Hoax!

[Gatorshark]

Copy of article text:

"A Swiss couple who thought they were renewing their vows in a tropical ceremony were actually the subject of vicious verbal attacks by the officiator, reports the AP.

In a video taken of the ceremony, the officiator chants in the local language, Dhivehi, in what would appear to be prayer. In reality, the resort employee is calling the couple "swine" and infidels, reports the Guardian. The paper quotes the man as saying:

The children that you bear from this marriage will all be bastard swine. Your marriage is not a valid one. You are not the kind of people who can have a valid marriage. One of you is an infidel. The other, too, is an infidel and, we have reason to believe, an atheist, who does not even believe in an infidel religion.
The BBC also reports that the tirade made frequent references to homosexuality and bestiality, and that after the ceremony, "various comments are made about the bride's breasts." Video below.

The video was uploaded to YouTube, and has since gone viral, complete with subtitles. The marriage mayhem not only ruined the couple's Maldivian memories; two employees of the resort have been arrested, says the BBC, and President Mohammed Nasheed condemned the hoax in his weekly radio address, saying:

Bad behaviour, such as that depicted in the YouTube video, can cause enormous damage to the country's tourism industry.
Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed has also issued an apology and asked to meet with the couple, according to the AP. The archipelago is a common wedding destination. "

Vilu Reef Maldives Resort Marriage Hoax Leads To Arrests

 

[gee13]

Can anyone who speaks dhihevi confirm the accuracy of the subtitles?

 

[beautybelow]

From the government's reaction, the President in particular, I would say they are accurate.

http://minivannews.com/politics/president-apologises-to-vilu-reef-couple-asks-media-to-respect-their-privacy-12901

 

[The Chairman]

No matter what country, people like this exist and seem to love to berate people. How mean!

 

[gee13]

Yes I read the minivan article and discussion board I just cant believe such a disgraceful act can happen. Realy feel for that couple and many other couples that have been subject that experience particularly when a union is celebrated. Imagine roles reversed and an islamic couple were mocked somewhere else. My recent experience of Maldivian has been generally welcoming peoples there was a feeling in some parts that western tourists are only good for the money they bring in. This is indeed a real embarassment for the country I feel for those whose lives depend on general tourism because this news may well result in a decline in tourism for how long it will take for the smoke to cease.

 

[Luko]

My recent experience of Maldivian has been generally welcoming peoples there was a feeling in some parts that western tourists are only good for the money they bring in.

I think the real problem with Maldives is that Maldivian people are not really involved with tourism, they are left aside, they remotely have any "cultural" exchange with foreigners as most of the staff a tourist would meet are either Sri Lankan workers or westerners... unlike such welcoming asian countries like Indonesia, M'sia, Phils or Thailand where almost everybody knows there is a benefit from exchanging with outsiders.

This is also why I banned Maldives from my own diving list. I don't travel far away only for fish, once was enough.

 

[gee13]

Really Luko? Im sure you cant generalise this. All the staff I was involved in my LOB from booking personnel to the entire boat crew was Maldivian - except the cook was an Indian. I was really looked after. Admittedly when I went to one of the resorts there were some Sri Lankan workers there. Perhaps my experience is more unique than others - I do know of many European businesses that dominate the region's tourism. Can I ask is the main reason you are boycotting travelling to the region to do with the lack of input and involvement of Maldivian people in tourism? Or that the main tourist ventures are run by outsiders.

 

[Luko]

Can I ask is the main reason you are boycotting travelling to the region to do with the lack of input and involvement of Maldivian people in tourism? Or that the main tourist ventures are run by outsiders.

The Swiss management resort I dwelled was only staffed with Sri Lankan workers, I asked the tour operator, it happens most of the resort they were selling were also SL staffed... so it does seem quite frequent with landbased operations.
You neither can't deny cultural exchanges between tourists and locals are very low, the Maldives gvt (at least before 2008 elections) wanted to control everything, was happy to restrict any kind freedom and probably welcomed any kind of conservatism, including religious.

When traveling, I am expecting more than just diving, I usually split my holidays half diving/half traveling, hence the Maldivian resorty tourism system is not really my cuppa. I also tend to avoid places that are not locally operated, because I enjoy the variety of cultures and gather that locals know their place better, even though the initial investment might be foreign.
On the diving aspects, I wouldn't think diving Indonesia, Malaysia or the Phils without an Indo, Filipino or Malay born guide... all I had in the Maldives were german or european imported guides.. No thanks!

 

[gee13]

Hey Luko Ah yes I understand what you look for in a trip. Same with me when Im dive travelling. Yes if you did the resort based then yes this was what I experienced at a resort catered for Europeans, and it was a European operation with European DMs. I think there may have only been one Maldivian but he spoke German and behaved very 'Europeanised' There was a real air of snobery there which I didnt get at all on my LOB experience which was all Maldivian and down to earth. There was quite a bit of cultural exchange. We even got taken to a remote island and our head DM showed us around the local dwellings, we watched a game of Maldivian school football, went to the local primary school etc... Had a dance and song night with traditional instruments. We even had a selection of Maldivian spicy food on board. I had a good time exchanging many valuable conversations with the staff members.

Back on topic this incident does really highlight the extremes of experience that can be had in Maldives for sure.