Tweets go wrong for Maldives

Maldives tourism campaign backfires as Twitter shows darker side of island life

Social network users leap on promotional hashtag to oppose ousting of president and alleged police brutality

Maldives tourism authority wanted to portray the country as a paradise, but residents had other ideas
When the Maldives tourist authority thought up the idea of a Twitter campaign to boost the country’s credentials as a paradise island, it is unlikely it was expecting tweets about police brutality, coups d’état and political illegitimacy.

But that is precisely what it got when it urged the Maldives tourist industry to help make #SunnySideofLife a global trend last week.

While @myvisitmaldives boasted: "Maldives has been awarded as the Most Romantic Destination in the World #SunnySideofLife", Ali Adil tweeted: "#SunnySideOfLife: Pristine white sandy beaches, crystal clear lagoons filled with blood of its citizens who are fighting for democracy". And there were plenty echoing Adil. "#SunnySideOfLife: A place where a chicken is not allowed to cross a road without being intimidated by Police," tweeted @gaanagaa. Others posted pictures of alleged victims of police brutality.

Many of the tweets were aimed at the current government, installed after the ousting of President Mohamed Nasheed, a respected climate change campaigner, in February. Nasheed claims he was forced to resign at gunpoint. He has said the current government is illegitimate and has called on his successor, Mohamed Waheed, to resign immediately and hold elections.

Amnesty International has accused the current government of using excessive force against supporters of the former president and his Maldivian Democratic party (MDP). Last month, Amnesty said it was "deeply concerned at the Maldives government’s continued repression of protestors, including beatings, pepper-spraying, and arrests. Those attacked include peaceful demonstrators, members of parliament, journalists and bystanders."

The Maldives tourist authority’s Twitter campaign coincides with a hearing on Thursday of the UN human rights committee, which is discussing concerns about a deterioration of human rights on the island.

Farah Faizal, from the MDP, was among those tweeting criticisms of the human rights situation in the country using the #SunnySideOfLife tag. Faizal, who resigned as the Maldives ambassador to the UK the day after Nasheed was forced out of office, said there was no co-ordinated opposition response to the tourist authority’s campaign but that it had touched a nerve with ordinary citizens.

She also said the intent was not to encourage tourists to boycott the Maldives, but simply to raise awareness. "It’s important that people know the truth. There’s a lot of brutality going on in the Maldives," she said. "It’s just for people to understand that for people of the Maldives, the luxury resorts are far removed from their lives."

The negative responses to the campaign helped the tourism authority achieve its stated aim of making #SunnySideofLife trend. But their role went unacknowledged by the Maldives tourist minister. He tweeted: "Thank u all the Resorts, Tour Operators, Tourists & all those who love Maldives who gave positive tweets for #sunnysideoflife making a trend".

Source Guardian UK Haroon Siddique

Valere Tjolle
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