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Civil Court orders Sirru Fen Fushi to remove Coralarium statues

Lujine Rasheed
20 September 2018, MVT 18:45
The 'Coralarium' at Sirru Fen Fushi Resort. PHOTO/HOTELIER MALDIVES
Lujine Rasheed
20 September 2018, MVT 18:45

The Civil Court on Thursday ordered Fairmont Maldives' Sirru Fen Fushi Resort to remove the statues featured in its intertidal gallery which is installed in the lagoon of the island.

The Civil Court's order was made in accordance to the state's request for the removal of the statues. The government had previously requested the resort to remove the statues as well.

According to the state, the request to remove the statues in the 'Coralarium' was made because it was not built in accordance to the permitted design.

Meanwhile, the Civil Court's order on Thursday described the intertidal gallery as one obstructing religious unity, as well as the community's peace within the Maldives.

The order also highlighted the protection of the highest interest of the community as well as the prevention of the statues from being idolized. Furthermore, the court order stipulated the statues be properly discarded upon their removal.

The order further warned that if the statutes were not removed over the course of seven days, the statues will be removed by the police and the military.

According to an announcement made the same day at 'Iskandar Koshi' by Superintendent of Maldives Police Service, Ahmed Shifan, the Civil Court has ordered the police and military to remove the statues if Sirru Fen Fushi fails to do so over the granted period.

"If they do not remove the statues in the allocated period of time, the police and military will remove it accordingly", said Shifan.

The "Coralarium" is the first ever museum of its kind. It was designed by English sculptor and environmentalist Jason deCaires Taylor to shed light on the effects of sea level rise. The semi-submerged museum features 14 sculptures depicting the human form, placed at skyline, inter-tidal waterline and on the seabed.

The statues inside the gallery have been extensively ridiculed by local religious scholars and political leaders.

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