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Victory Day- Political ambition and treason.

Hamdhan Shakeel

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1980- The beginning of a decade of unrest.

Political ambition has always been the fuel for coups and foreign aided attacks in the Maldives sine time immemorial. The 03rd November 1988 attack was no different. However, before we can look into the attack, it is imperative that one acknowledges the events that preceded the attack.

In April 1980 during his first term as the President of Maldives, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom faced his first coup when nine British ex-Special Air Services mercenaries were hired to assassinate him.

In February 1980 former SAS Staff Sergeant Harold Stanely Davidson and former SAS Corporal Philip Anthony Sessarego flew to the Maldives to confess for the attack after being misled in carrying out the operation.

According to the pair, the nine of them were hired by Ahmed Naseem who was then living in exile in Singapore through British security firm. They were approached by former SAS NCO Robert Wise and was promised £60,000.00 for the assassination of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Harold Stanely Davidson is recorded to have stated that they were led to believe that they were working with former President Ibrahim Nasir who was pro-west and that President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was “working with the Libyans and that the people were oppressed”.

They revealed that they arrived in Sri Lanka on 04th February 1980 and was supplied with weapons, bullet proof vests and knock-out gas cannisters. They also revealed that they unsuccessfully attempted to carry out the attack thrice. This was in part due to doubts arising within the group on the exact situation they were being thrust into. According to Harold Stanely Davidson, “The whole situation briefed has been misleading” and members of the group began to have second thoughts on carrying out the mission.

Exerpt from SIngapore’s The Straights Time published on 29th April 1980.

While the group ultimately decided to travel back to the UK, Harold Stanely Davidson and Philip Anthony Sessarego decided to inform he authorities of the plot and provide a confession.

Based on their confessions, charges were raised against Ahmed Naseem, his brother-in-law former President Ibrahim Nasir along with then Health Minister Mohamed Musthafa Hussain and businessman Mohamed Yusuf.

While the 1980 attempted coup and the 1983 attempted Parliamentary coup did not pose much of a threat to the sovereignty of the country, the 1988 coup would forever change the course of history of Maldives.

1980-Victory Day

On the early hours of 3rd November 1988, guardsmen at the National Security Service headquarters noticed men in shorts gathering on the opposite side side near the waterfront. At around 04:15, a gunshot was heard and officers scrambled to inquire whether the guards on duty had accidentally discharged one of their guns.

However, they were notified of the men gathering near the waterfront and soon after, bullets started to rain down the headquarters. What they did not know was that some 150-armed enemy combatants had already landed and was strategically spread themselves throughout the capital city, cutting off communication between the Maldives and the outside world. What they also did not know was that their leaders including the notorious guerilla Wasanti had already visited the Maldives and scouted locations to get a lay of the land weeks prior to the attack.

However, what the enemy combatants did not anticipate was for the guardsmen to fire back. Hussein Adam who was stationed as a guardsman fired back preventing the guerillas from finding cover behind a wall at “Dhoshimeynaa building” as they intended to. This meant that they were forced to abandon their initial plan of attack and forced to improvise as they continued to use Maldivians as human shields while relentlessly attacking the NSS headquarters.

Shaheed Corporal Hussein Adam.

This preemptive attack and Hussein Adam’s subsequent sacrifice for the nation bought the National Security Service enough time to bring out arms and launch a counterstrike. Concurrently, Lt. Moosa Ali Jaleel led an operation to gather intel on the enemy by leading 11 brave souls outside of the Defence Ministry gate. Out of the 11 members, 9 ventured outside the gates with only 6 returning. 3 of the brave men who stepped out knowingly into the line of fire made the ultimate sacrifice for the motherland.

The 8 brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

This operation allowed for the National Security Service to essentially identify enemy locations and take control of the attack as the enemy combatants grew desperate by the hour. Finally, they received word that their missing primary target, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had managed to successfully contact the outside world and request India for aid in thwarting the attack.

Combatants in the area hassled to escape. In their rush they took over the nearby harbored vessel MV Progress Light along with 27 hostages including then Education Minister Ahmed Mujuthaba and his wife.

According to official records, India commenced their “Operation Cactus” 16 hours after President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom made the request, by which time the guerillas had escaped aboard the MV Progress Light.

When Indian troops arrived at 22:00 of 03rd November 1988, a handful of dispersed enemy combatants were scattered around the capital city. They were promptly apprehended by the National Security Service with assistance from the Indian military personnel without much resistance.

The 03rd November 1988 terror attack was a wake up call for the nation.

Meanwhile MV Progress Light made its way towards Sri Lanka in a desperate bid to escape. However, off the coast of Sri Lanka, Indian frigates Godavari and Betwa intercepted MV Progress Light and called for the surrender. The guerillas retaliated by executing hostages. While it is unclear exactly how many hostages were killed at the hands of the enemy, it is speculated that some may have died from the bullets fired by the would-be rescuers as they sank MV Progress Light.

India’s role in thwarting the 1988 terror attack.

Contrary to popular belief and nationalistic propaganda by India, Indian forces did not “save” the Maldives from PLOTE in 1988. But rather played a minor support role in the whole incident by sinking the MV Progress Light and retrieving the terrorists.

Indian warship INS GOdavari attacking the MV Progress Light where the PLOTE members where keeping the hostages aboard.

It is also to be noted that India was not President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s first choice when requesting for aid. According to official sources, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom initially requested the U.S for intervention but was told that it would take 2-3days for their forces in Diego Garcia to reach the capital city. The second request for aid was made to the British, who advised to seek Indian aid given their close geographical proximity.

While President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s request for aid was promptly accepted by India, their forces did not arrive in the Maldives until 16 hours after. By then, most of the enemy forces had dispersed throughout the capital city in a desperate attempt to blend in with the locals and flea when the opportunity rises. Some had even reportedly abandoned their weapons in desperation.

It was the brave soldiers of the Maldives National Defence Force who gave their lives to save this nation. It was our soldiers that disrupted and obstructed the enemy’s plan and our soldiers that killed Wasanti. It was our soldiers who mounted machine guns on top of the Defence Minister’s table and launched a counter strike against the terrorists. It was our brave soldiers who walked the streets of Malé while bullets rained from all sides. It was our soldiers that forced the terrorists to abandon their mission.

Sagar Ahmed Nasir escorted by the NSS.

Who were behind the attack?

The subsequent inquiry into the attack found that several locals had conspired against the state to launch the terror attack in a bid to assassinate and end President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration. The mastermind behind the attack was local businessman Abdulla Luthufee who was allegedly aided by businessman Sikka Ahmed Ismail Maniku and Sagaru Ahmed Nasir.

7 individuals were found to have committed treason.

Along with them several other Maldives were also arrested. Abdulla Shahid, Karo Abbas Hussain, Umar Jameel, and Pilot Naeem were arrested.

According to the official records, Abdulla Luthufee befriended Uma Maheshwara. Uma Maheshwaran was the Chairman and one of the founding members of the Liberative Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) with which the Sri Lankan government waged an almost 3 decades long civil war. However, following an escalating rivalry with Velupillai Prabhakaran, Uma Maheshwaran left the organization and formed a breakaway militant group PLOTE.

PLOTE leader Uma Maheshwaran.

Abdulla Luthufee is reported to have made a deal with Uma Maheshwaran where the latter would provide militants to topple the Maldivian government while Abdulla Luthufee would allow Uma Maheshwaran to use certain uninhabited islands in the Maldives as a drop-off point to run arms smuggling operations to Sri Lanka.

Political Ambitions and Treachery.

Throughout the history of Maldives, we have repeatedly seen people in their pursuit of power, commit treachery by bringing in foreign powers as muscle. This pursuit of power and political ambition has always led to treachery.

Event today we have seen politicians call for foreign military intervention in the face of conjured up imaginary oppressions here in the Maldives. Foreign minister Abdulla Shahid who currently sits on the UNGA President’s seat made paved way for treason by openly calling for the Indian military to intervene to bring an end to a democratically elected government.

Words are the means to an expression, and an expression is the means to an act. Such words inciting treason will pave way for treachery and when that time comes, the Maldives will be ready, as it always has been. A new generation of soldiers will be ready to ensure the victory of the Maldives.

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Nasheed to form new party

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The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s leader Mohamed Nasheed has decided to form a new political party.

Nasheed initiated a separate political movement within MDP, ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’, following his loss in MDP’s presidential primary held back in January. After major conflicts with the government and its policies – all lawmakers from the faction tendered their resignation from MDP on Wednesday.

The move came after Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim was expelled from the party on Tuesday and banned from rejoining for at least one year over involvement in opposition political activities surrounding the Chagos archipelago dispute.

The 12 members who resigned from MDP on Wednesday are;

Parliament’s Deputy Speaker, North Galolhu MP Eva Abdulla
Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed (Wadde)
North Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahumy (Inthi)
West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef
Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb
North Kulhudhuffushi MP Yasir Abdul Latheef
Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef
Central Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde)
Madaveli MP Hussain Firushan
Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan (Gita)
North Mahchangoalhi MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu)
Gadhdhoo MP Ahmed Zahir
All 12 members are close acquittances of Nasheed. MP Hassan Latheef, during a meeting at Bodufenvalhuge on Wednesday, announced Nasheed’s decision to form a new political party. The meeting was attended by supporters of Nasheed.

Should Nasheed form a new political party, that party would be the largest opposition party in terms of members in the parliament, thereby, the minority party. The minority party at present, opposition PPM-PNC coalition has only eight members in the parliament.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

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MPs loyal to Nasheed leave MDP

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Multiple members of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) loyal to the party’s leader Mohamed Nasheed have left the party.

The members who resigned from MDP include 12 MPs. They include Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla, MP Mohamed Waheed, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi), MP Hassan Latheef, MP Ilyas Labeeb, MP Yasir Abdul Latheef, MP Hassan Afeef, MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde), MP Hussain Firushan, MP Hassan Shiyan, MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu), and MP Ahmed Zahir.

They submitted their resignation letters Wednesday.

The move comes after MDP’s parliamentary group had requested action against Inthi, Hassan Latheef, Ilyas, Yasir, and Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim earlier this week, for forming an alliance with the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoory Party (JP) and Maldives National Party (MNP), after accusing the government of failure to protect the interests of the Maldivian people in the case lodged with the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) over the disputed maritime territory between Maldives and Mauritius.

The party’s disciplinary committee decided to expel Azim from the party on Tuesday.

They are all members of Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ faction.

However, Nasheed has yet to resign from the party.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

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The Cambodian Prime Minister arrives in the Maldives on an official visit

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The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, arrived Sunday morning on an official visit to the Maldives at the invitation of H.E. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It is Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen’s first visit to the Maldives.

The Cambodian Prime Minister and accompanying delegation were received at Velana International Airport (VIA) by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid (ODRI). The government will hold a ceremony on Monday to officially welcome the Cambodian Prime Minister to the Maldives.

During the visit, President Solih would meet with Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen and hold official talks on strengthening bilateral cooperation, followed by the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries. President Solih and the Cambodian Prime Minister would also deliver a joint statement on the outcomes of their discussions.

The Maldives and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1995.

Source(s): President Office.

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