A part of the wall surrounding the Old Friday Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Maldives, has been destroyed.
The heritage ministry has filed a police report over the incident.
The Old Friday Mosque is on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage cultural list.
On Twitter, heritage minister Yumna Maumoon said that no changes should be made to such a historic landmark and urged the police to investigate the matter.
މާލެ ހުކުރު މިސްކިތަކީ ޔުނެސްކޯގެ ދުނިޔޭގެ ތަރިކައިގެ ވަގުތީ ލިސްޓުގައި ހިމެނިފައިވާ ދިވެހީންގެ އަގުިުހުރި ސަގާފީ ތަރަކައެއް.މި ފަދަ ތަންތަނަށް. މގޮތަށް ބަދަލުގެނެވިިގެން ނުވާނެ.. @PoliceMv އިން މި ކަން ބައްލަވައި ދެއްވާ. @MACH_MV @ManadhooThoriq pic.twitter.com/64gcCFUqU6
— Yumna Maumoon (@yumna_maumoon) January 14, 2019
The mosque, located in Male’ opposite to Muliaage, the official residence of the president, is 300 years old but the wall had been built later. But since the wall was included with the mosque when it was added to the UNESCO list in 2008, the heritage department needs to sign-off before any changes are made to the wall.
The destroyed part of the wall was near an electricity distribution board, and looking at the photos it is likely that workers were attempting to place a bigger board.
