Legal Advisor Warns Ras Malé Land Sale Could End 'Maldives' as Nation

Legal advisor Ali Hussain has issued a stark warning that the planned land reclamation project in Ras Malé could lead to the end of the Maldives as a nation, particularly if a portion of the land is sold to Israel’s Equal Hills in the UAE. Speaking at an emergency action held under the banner of keeping Maldivian land for Maldivians, Ali Hussain argued that the deal would allow foreigners to settle in the country, effectively erasing its identity. "If we sign [the Ras Malé deal] with what is currently being prepared to be signed, the situation will be such that even addressing the Maldives by the name 'Maldives' will become difficult for us," Ali Hussain said. He warned that the sale would lead to a future where people speaking many foreign languages instead of Dhivehi would live as citizens, fundamentally changing the nation. Ali Hussain identified the owner of Equal Hills as a Zionist agent, asserting that selling land to such interests would end the country's nationhood. "We know directly that he is a Zionist agent. Therefore, when land is sold to Zionists, he can change any part of the shares of that company. And anyone at all can come and buy housing land there," he added. The government has agreed to sell 500 hectares of reclaimed land from Ras Malé to Equal Hills without charging a lease fee or auction fee. In return, the government will receive only 10 percent of revenue from commercial properties built on the land and four percent from apartment sales. The deal has sparked widespread concern, with religious scholars, opposition parties, and the 'National Movement' calling for a referendum on the issue.