The Maldives’ spotless beaches mask the story of a troubled nation

The Maldives’ spotless beaches mask the story of a troubled nation. The country’s former president, Mohamed Nasheed, is in exile in Britain, having been sentenced to 13 years in prison on what are widely seen as spurious terror charges. Protests on the streets of the capital, Male, are frequent. Soldiers recently locked down the country’s parliament in an apparent bid to block a no confidence vote. Violence is also on the rise: earlier this year, a liberal blogger, Yameen Rasheed, was murdered – hacked to death in his apartment block. In the run-up to his killing, Rasheed said he has been targeted by radicalised Muslims incensed at his posts about Islam. The changing situation has led to the Foreign Office recently updating its advice to British tourists, warning them of the threat of violence. British tourists are also now told that terrorists are ‘very likely’ to attempt attacks in the Maldives. It’s all a far cry from the paradise islands so loved by honeymooners.

The Maldives is not alone in facing the threat of terrorism but, in an entirely Muslim country so heavily reliant on tourism (it accounts for nearly a third of its GDP), it’s a toxic mix.