DUBAI: The Maldives government is now looking to rethink a decision to close down all spas at the country's resorts after the tourism industry threatened protests if the decision was not reversed. “We are considering allowing resorts to operate spas,” Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa was quoted as saying on the news website Haveeruonline on Monday. “They are also aware of the reasons that led us to take the decision.” The small islands nation's presidential office said on Friday that the “the government has decided to close massage parlors and spas in the Maldives, following an opposition-led religious protest last week calling for their closure.” The tourism ministry has yet to issue a statement over the matter, but officials according to local news sources said that the ministry has been notified by the president's office of the decision. The Indian Ocean archipelago with 1,192 tiny coral islands is known for its expensive and exquisite resorts. Many of the resorts often are featured on travel shows for their beauty and high-end spas. Last week, thousands protested in the country calling on the government to stop what they called “anti-Islamic” activities. Sunni Islam is the official religion in the Maldives and practicing any other faith is forbidden. Last week's protest was called by the opposition Adhaalat, or Justice, Party and several other groups that accuse President Mohammed Nasheed's government of compromising principles of Islam and want strict Islamic law. The protesters also have called on authorities to stop the sale of alcohol in the islands, shut down brothels operating in the guise of what they said are “massage parlors” and demolish monuments gifted by other countries marking a South Asian summit last month because they are “idols.” Debates on religious issues have emerged since a group vandalized a monument gifted by Pakistan marking a South Asian summit last month with the image of Buddha. Buddhism was part of the present Islamic republic's history. An angry protest in December also followed a call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay for the Maldives to end floggings of women being punished for adultery. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/Er53C Tags: Islam, Maldives, Massage, Spas, Tourism Section: Latest News, Religion, Travel
