Govt Orders Male' City Council to Close Mosques

Local Government Authority has ordered the Male’ City Council to close all mosques in the city. This order also extends to closing all the toilets and shutting down water supply to the ablution taps on mosque premises. In addition, Police presence is to be maintained around mosques during prayer times.

These orders were communicated to Male’ City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu via an official letter sent from the LGA, signed by the authority’s Chief Executive, Afshan Latheef. The letter stated that the authority’s policy group had made certain decisions in order to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in the city, and that it had come to the authority’s attention that some mosques in the city aren’t closed, and that their toilets and water taps are still open for public use.

Thus the authority had decided that forthwith all mosques in the city must be closed, with this order extending also to the toilets and water taps on the premises, as keeping these places and services open is contributing to the uncontrolled spread of the virus in Male’ City.

The letter went on to order the City Council to close all mosques under its purview and cut off water supply to their attached toilets and taps posthaste. “The Maldives Journal” has received information regarding the decisions made by the authority’s policy group. They include establishing police presence around the mosques in Male’ City during prayer time, in addition to the aforementioned closure.

This decision has prompted many to express their concerns, as many Male’ City residents depend on the mosques to offer their prayer during the workday, as they are unable to go home to offer their prayers. This closure will also impact the many foreign workers within the city whose residences are usually unfit for praying in. Many have taken to calling on the government to impose guidelines to be followed in mosques instead of fully closing them.