Halloween illegally celebrated in Maafushi; Council says they were unaware

Even as the Halloween celebration of Christians was announced and carried out in K. Maafushi one of the most developed islands for local tourism, the Island Council claimed it was "unaware" of the event.

Maafushi’s "Kaani Hotels and Tours" announced on October 24 that a Halloween party would be held at "Kaani Palm Beach" on October 31.

The event was publicly announced across their social media platforms for everyone to see.

The announcement stated that the Halloween party would feature a buffet and a DJ, and encouraged attendees to come in costume.

Following this public announcement, the party and DJ event were held last Saturday night, and videos of the party were subsequently published on social media by Kaani Hotels.

As the matter drew widespread criticism, "Voice" reached out to Maafushi Council President Ali Shammoon to check if it had come to the council's attention.

He stated that it had come to their attention. However, when asked when they became aware of it and whether any action had been taken regarding the matter, he provided no response.

When no response was received despite repeated calls, "Voice" contacted Council Vice President Hussain Aamil, who stated that he was unaware of the matter.

According to information obtained by "Voice", Kaani Hotels has celebrated Halloween in Maafushi in previous years as well, as evidenced by their social media platforms.

Under Article 9 of the Regulation on Protecting Religious Unity among Maldivian Citizens (R-40/2022), framed under Law No. 94/6 (Protection of Religious Unity Act): "It is prohibited for non-Muslims living in or visiting the Maldives to publicly express their religious symbols, conduct such religious activities in groups in public spaces, or for any Maldivian to participate in any such activities of theirs."

Although celebrating non-Islamic festivals such as Christmas and Halloween is prohibited by Islam and the Constitution of the Maldives, such events have increasingly been observed in inhabited islands in recent times.

Many believe that the exposure of younger generations to such events and becoming accustomed to them will damage the social fabric of the nation.