for me it means to hold an ID card and a passport issued by the Maldivian government. Hmm.

wow. that definition of being a maldivian carries such responsibility eh.

as for me, being a "maldivian" means just what the word literally means - ie. of or belonging to maldives. i doubt anyone would willingly buy into the sort of duties that you seem to impose upon a maldivian...

oh well, my 2 cents...

i think the saying goes 'to each his own'...

Maldivian: carryin a laptop bag, daily visits to every single cafe' in town with suckey & this other guy.. sorry i dont remeber his name. kekeke...anekkaa bandhu kohfaane thihen ulheni koh.

Necessary conditions: being Muslim & being intolerant.
Sufficient conditions: ?

some type of psychosis would be sufficient in addition to the above requirements.

I'm a Maldivian. I've been trying for 4 hours now to know what made me a Maldivian. I think as Jaa says if you 'belong' to the Maldives, it makes you a de jur Maldivian. But, to be a Maldivian in another sense one needs to share certain 'characteristics' of Maldivianess. "Being 'Muslim' and being intolerant" are very characteristic of many if not most Maldivians. Say a typical Westerner naturalizes as a Maldives citizen, can he/she be a Maldivian in this latter sense?

persona non grata's conception is normative, it's a conception of what a Maldivian ought to be, rather than what a Maldivian is.

Here's the Maldivian test:

1. If you're unable to survive in foreign countries without Felivaru tuna
2. If you like thelli faiy and mas mirus
3. If you drink coffee at 12am and go straight to bed
4. If you bear witness that Dhivehi bas is actually the Language of the Birds (spoken by Solomon)
5. If you think Mr. Allah is god
6. If you are a director of a company (apparently every two maldivians have formed a company)

It's a global village. If you are registered in the national identity department then you are a Maldivian.

Once a birth-right, it has now been opened to everyone. Reason? Classified.

at least all of you know there is a problem. at least you will not make the mistake the americans made in their last elections, even when they offered such a brilliant alternative in john kerry. the only problem we have is we haven't been given a choice yet (but it wouldn't hurt to discuss what our designs would be once that choice is given eh?).

Who said we made any mistakes during the last elections?

And why would Maldivians make the same mistake Americans made and elect George W. Bush?

And regarding choice... when can we have an actual election rather than the referendum that we so happily accept and refer to as elections? Ignorance is bliss.

Personally I don't think being a Maldivian per se means that I've to responsible for every other Maldivian's safety and their well being. Probably more selfish that that, but I do think it entitles a need to be respectful of nature. What it does mean to me is that I was born in a country that was once a carefree society and where people lived in harmony with nature. Well mostly, regardless of cracking up coral reefs to build houses and so on (it didn't go really out of hand). Now? - it means to me a place of nostalgia. To earn a decent living, one has to reside in Male' (the normal case), and to get any social, or intellectual stimulation too (which is missing in Male' too mostly - or maybe I don't know the right people) and then I've to live with the knowledge that the choice I've made to live in Male' means that what I love about the Maldives is too far within reach. Bloody hell, being a Maldivian sometimes mean that I have to either choose the beach, and no stimulating human interaction that's socially and intellectually complex (just a tingle would do too) like living on an island with no person my age, nothing in common, and no social activities, but living within minutes of a beach that no 'good' women are allowed to swim in. Male' means I get work if I choose to work, but nothing much else, except on a rare occassion meet someone who can have a decent conversation without getting insulted about a debate. I have to say that being a Maldivian was something I was proud of when I was younger, but now it just seems to be trying to survive in a sexist pompous society. :) Ah the Maldives, Paradies on Earth.