WorldMaldivian opposition parties protested Friday a planned visit by King Salman following reports that Saudi business interests were buying an entire atoll in the politically-troubled Indian Ocean republic. A coalition of opposition parties and dissidents said they would stage street demonstrations against the alleged sale of islands when the Saudi monarch and his 1,000-strong entourage visits the Maldives. He said there were persistent reports in the Maldives that either the Saudi government or a Saudi business entity was buying an atoll of 28 small coral islands for billions of dollars. The announcement by the Colombo-based Maldives United Opposition (MUO) came a day after the government of President Abdulla Yameen denied it was selling islands to the Saudis or anyone else. The Maldivian opposition accuses Yameen of ceding control of the inhabited atoll of Faafu to Saudi Arabia.

Source: Sunday Times March 10, 2017 15:02 UTC