2014 ended in a bad way for reggae superstar Sean Paul. He cancelled his performance at The Maldives scheduled for December 31st after a death threat was published on YouTube December 25th: “Sean Paul, if you visit the Maldives, the world will see your burned and blood-drenched dead body!”.
Watch the video (a hoax?) below, read the official statements published in the past days by Sean Paul, The Maldivian Government and Bilad Al Sham Media.
SEAN PAUL via Facebook [December 29th 2014]
As a Jamaican reggae musician, I have always promoted love and unity of all cultures, races and religions.
Unfortunately, the world has reached a point where cyber threats must affect real life decisions. With that said, due to safety concerns for my crew and the people of The Maldives attending the Tourist Arrival Countdown, it is with deep regret that I have come to the difficult decision to cancel my appearance.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of the The Maldives for their invitation and wish for them peace.
I thank the fans for their continued support and wish for their continued safety.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT – MALDIVES GOVERNMENT [December 28th 2014]
The Government of Maldives wishes to assure all prospective visitors and holidaymakers that the country continues to be among the safest destinations in the world. The Government attaches the highest priority to take all possible measures in ensuring the continued safety and security of every single visitor, including those who travel to the Maldives as our esteemed guests.
Welcoming over a million tourists annually, the country prides itself in retaining its reputation as a home away from home for visitors from all corners of the globe, which it has earned over 40 years of exemplary service in luxury travel and tourism.
The recent threat issued against international artist Mr. Sean Paul was investigated with the utmost seriousness by concerned local law enforcement authorities, in partnership with their international partners. The investigation has revealed that the threat is a local hoax, and therefore no cause for alarm. The investigation has revealed that the threat is designed to dissuade visitors, create an atmosphere of fear and disappoint the many thousand fans of Mr. Sean Paul who eagerly await the landmark concert in the capital, Male’. The threat is also aimed at tarnishing the longstanding reputation of the Maldives as a destination of peace, security, and tranquility.
However, local authorities will take every possible measure to ensure the safety of Mr. Sean Paul and all his adoring fans in the Maldives, to ensure that the concert is a resounding success.
Maldivians are valued by friends from across the world as a welcoming and tolerant people, who value peace and progress. The landmark concert of Mr. Sean Paul and associated announcement of yet another record-breaking year of Maldivian tourism success are eagerly anticipated by all.
SEAN PAUL via Facebook [December 28th 2014]
First, I would like to thank the people of The Maldives for inviting me to perform there. Through social media, I have felt the love and support from many Maldivian citizens looking forward to the concert.
I have also heard the concerns of some citizens regarding the concert and the concerns of my fellow Jamaicans.
It is because I have the utmost respect for various religions and cultures that I have sought to travel the world to learn and to share. I support freedom of expression within whichever context best suites you and do not judge others based on their religious beliefs.
BILAD AL SHAM MEDIA [December 26th 2014]
Statement regarding the video threatening Sean Paul
It has come to our attention that a video has been released in the name of Bilad Al Sham Media threatening Sean Paul if he comes to the Maldives.
Bilad Al Sham Media have nothing to do with this video even though it claims to be from us. Any thing released by Bilad Al Sham Media will be done through our official facebook page or twitter account and no one should accept anything from any other source claiming to be from us.
We suspect that the video was released by MDP supporters/secularists or other such anti Islamic elements who have been pushing hard to potray a threat to the Maldives which in reality does not exist, and their mouth piece Minivan News is also pushing the same lies and has been the first to report on this video.
Regardless of who it was then what is clear is that those people are liars and this is something for which they will have to answer to Allah.
While this video is not from us, we are absolutely against such filthy concerts and we believe that they are part of the ideological attack being waged by the kuffar and their allies on the Muslim youth to take them further from their Deen. This concert is haram and those who organised it and helped with that in any way are fasiqs and whoever attends it is sinner who does not care much about Islam.
We ask people to spread this message from us and to stop spreading a video which falsely claims to be from us and which is has clearly been released to further a particular agenda. And we urge the youth to abandon such dirty kaffirs as Sean Paul and follow instead the example of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam and the Salaf of this Ummah.
Watch the death threat video below. This is a re-upload of the original video, which was deleted and is obviously a fake as explained in the official statements above:
Sean Paul had to cancel show... After death threat
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