Prominent lawyer Ali Hussain warned last night that if a portion of Fushidhiggaru lagoon—reclaimed under the guise of providing housing for Maldivians—is handed over to Eagle Hills, a UAE firm supportive of Israel, the country may reach a point where it can no longer even be called the Maldives.
Speaking at a gathering titled "Maldivian Land for Maldivians," Ali Hussain said that signing the Rasmalé deal would pave the way for foreigners to settle in the country, eventually making it difficult to refer to the nation by its rightful name.
"Once this agreement [the Rasmalé deal] currently being pursued is signed, we will reach a stage where it becomes difficult to even address the Maldives as the Maldives. This means that if the agreement is signed, those residing here as residents will change," Ali Hussain said.
"There will be numerous foreigners living here as citizens who do not speak the Dhivehi language. If foreigners are allowed to settle in the Maldives, it means we are at a point where we might as well stop calling the Maldives the Maldives. It changes the very identity of the people living here."
Highlighting that Mohamed Alabbar, the head of Eagle Hills—the company set to receive a portion of Rasmalé—is a "Zionist agent," Ali Hussain asserted that this move would signal the end of the Maldives' unique identity.
"We know exactly who the party receiving or attempting to buy this land supports. We know for a fact he is a Zionist agent. When land is sold to Zionists, he can transfer shares of that company to anyone. Furthermore, anyone would then be able to purchase property and move here. Once they settle in the Maldives, what remains of the Maldives? This is why the Maldivian identity of this nation is effectively facing its end," he said.
Ali Hussain further argued that before the government undertakes a matter of such magnitude, it must seek the consent of the people through a public referendum.
The government has agreed to hand over 500 hectares of land from Rasmalé—reclaimed at significant state expense—to Eagle Hills without charging any acquisition fees or ground rent. The only state revenue from the deal consists of 10 percent of the revenue from the sale of commercial properties and four percent of the revenue from apartment sales in Rasmalé.
The decision to cede a portion of Rasmalé to Eagle Hills has sparked widespread concern among religious scholars and opposition parties, particularly due to Alabbar’s ties as an ally and supporter of Israel. The "National Movement" opposing the project, along with the main opposition MDP, have called for a public referendum, warning that the project opens the door for followers of other religions to establish residency in the Maldives.
