The problem of religious extremism can be solved by the Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) as the party's previous government resolved disputes that arose due to religious disagreements, former Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said.
Religious disputes and radicalism were widespread during former President Abdulla Yameen's administration but extremism and the problem of separatist prayer congregations were largely solved by the end of the term, Shaheem said.
The former Islamic minister responded to claims of PPM-PNC presidential candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu supporting extremism.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Hagnameedhoo during a tour of Alif Alif atoll, Shaheem said Muizzu was being called an extremist as part of negative or anti-campaigning.
"Consider the dangerous things that happened in [Himandhoo] because of religious unrest and differences of opinion. Who solved that? Yes, it was solved by President Yameen's government. Those who were principally involved in solving it are with Dr. Muizzu today," Shaheem said.
"We solved it without military power through the medium of knowledge. The people who solved it are by Dr. Muizzu's side today. It was us who solved it."
In 2007, members of a separatist prayer congregation in Alif Alif Himandhoo confronted the police in a violent incident unprecedented in Maldivian history.
They clashed with the police wearing helmets and carrying sharpened wood and swords. Of the 53 people involved in the unrest, 37 people were charged and several were handed lengthy jail sentences.
