History of the Maldives
This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (March 2024) |
History of the Maldives | ||||||||||||
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Pre-dynastic | ||||||||||||
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Dynastic ages | ||||||||||||
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Modern history | ||||||||||||
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The history of the
After the 16th century, when
The Maldives gained total independence from the British on July 26, 1965.
The greatest challenge facing the republic in the early 1990s was the need for rapid economic development and modernization, given the country's limited resource base in fishing and tourism.[1] Concern was also evident over a projected long-term sea level rise, which would prove disastrous to the low-lying coral islands.[1]
Early Age
Much of the history of the Maldives is unknown, however based on tales and actual data, it can be deduced that the islands have been inhabited for over 2500 years, according to an old folklore from the Maldives' southern atoll. Allama Ahmed Shihabuddine (Allama Shihab al-Din) of Meedhoo on Addu Atoll wrote down this account in Arabic during Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar I's rule in the 17th century. Kitab Fi al-Athari Midu al-Qadimiyyah was the title of Allama Shihabuddine's book ("On the Ancient Ruins of Meedhoo"). The account is strikingly consistent with known South Asian history, including referencing Emperor Asoka, the legendary Indian emperor.[4] It also backs up parts of the facts found in old Maldivian records and the loamaafaanu copper plates. Legends from the past, facts written on old copper plates, ancient writings engraved on coral items, and repeated in the language, traditions, and ethnicity of the people tell the tale of the Maldives' legacy.[4]
In comparison to the southern islands, which are up to 800 kilometers away, the northern islands may have had a different migratory and colonization history.[5]
The first settlers to the southern Maldives
A delegation from the Divi people sent gifts to the Roman Emperor Julian, according to a 4th-century note published by Ammianus Marcellinus in 362 AD. (1937, Rolfe). Divi is remarkably similar to Dheyvi, and it is possible that they are referring to the same people. The Redi and the Kunibee, both from India's Mahrast area, were among the later settlers. The Aryas (Indo-Aryans) arrived in the Maldives about the 6th-5th century BC, roughly three centuries before Emperor Asoka built his state in India. According to folklore, they were not native to India and had arrived from another country. Hinduism was also brought to the Maldives at this period (Shihabuddine c. 1650–1687).[4]
Dheeva Maari
The Dheyvis found Suvadinmathi (Huvadhu Atoll) after their first settlement in Isdhuva in Isduvammathi ( Haddhunmathi ) according to Shihabuddine.[4][6] These people gave the term "duva" to each island where they first lived and discovered.[6] They established the Dheeva Maari[6]
The first known monarch of the Dheevis
The kingdom of Adeetta Vansa was formed in Dheeva Maari by Sri Soorudasaruna Adeettiya which was his formal name. This was the first known monarch of the Dheevis of Dheeva Maari. He founded the kingdom of Adeetta Vansa just before the kingdom of "Malik Aashooq" was created.[6]
Dheeva Mahal
A group of individuals from Bairat came to Dheeva Maari to preach Buddha's beliefs and works. Dheeva Mahal was the name given to Dheeva Maari during the time.[6]
The first settlers to the northern Maldives
According to mythology, the northern atolls of Maldives were populated by other tribes from southern India with deeper skin colors. The islands they populated were given names like Nolhivaram, Kuruhinnavaram, and Giravaram, according to legend (Shihabuddine c. 1650–1687). These islands are now known as Nolhivaramu, Hinnavaru, and Giravaru. It's probable that the names have evolved over many centuries to their current form.[4]
Comparative studies of Maldivian oral, linguistic and cultural traditions, and customs indicate that one of the earliest settlers to the northern Maldives were descendants of fishermen from the
Some argue from the presence of
Kingdom of Adeetta Vansa
The Kingdom of Adeetta Vansa (Solar Dynasty) formed in Dheeva maari ruled until the establishment of the Kingdom of Soma Vansa (Lunar Dynasty). Soma Vansa was born in Kalinja, and Adeetta Vansa was born in Kalinja as well.[clarification needed] This kingdom was founded by the son of a Soma Vansa monarch who ruled in Kalinja at the time. Dheeva Mahal turned to Islam over a century and a half later. Sri Balaadeettiya was the first king of Soma Vansa. Queen Damahaar, his wife, was the final queen of Adeetta Vansa. So, while the dynasty's name was altered to Soma Vansa, the monarchs were still related to both Soma Vansa and Adeetta Vansa.[6]
Kingdom of Soma Vansa
At the start of the Soma Vansa dynasty, the Indian ruler Raja Dada invaded Dheeva Mahal's northern two atolls, Malikatholhu and Thiladunmathi, and took control of them. Sri Loakaabarana, (his son) Sri Maha Sandura, and his brother Sri Bovana Aananda were the most recent five monarchs of Soma Vansa before to the advent of Islam. After his brother, Sri Maha Sandura, passed away, he ascended to the crown.[6]
Mahapansa
Sri Maha Sandura's daughter, Kamanhaar (sometimes spelled Kamanaar), and Rehendihaar were exiled to the island of "Is Midu." She took Maapanansa, a book that contained the history of Adeetta Vansa's kings. In his work, Al Muhaddith Hasan claims to have read the entire Maapanansa, which was written in Copper. He also claims to have buried all of Maapanansa's parts. Sri Mahaabarana Adeettiya, Sri Bovana Aananda's son, ascended to the throne after him. The Indians who controlled Malikatholhu and Thiladunmathi, the two most northern atolls, were defeated by this King. The Indians belonged to the same tribe as Raja Dada, who was the first to conquer these two atolls. He was then given the title of monarch of 14 atolls and 2,000 islands. Malikaddu dhemedhu [between Minicoy and Addu] was his "Dheeva Mahal."[6]
Ancient names of atolls of Maldives according to Mahapansa
- Thiladunmathi[6]
- Miladunmaduva[6]
- Maalhosmaduva[6]
- Faadu Bur[6]
- Mahal Atholhu[6]
- Ari adhe Atholhu[6]
- Felide Atholhu[6]
- Mulakatholhu[6]
- Nilande Atholhu[6]
- Kolhumaduva[6]
- Isaddunmathi[6]
- Suvadinmathi[6]
Archaeological remains of the first settlers
These first Maldivians did not leave any archaeological remains. Their buildings were probably built of wood, palm fronds and other perishable materials, which would have quickly decayed in the salt and wind of the tropical climate. Moreover, chiefs or headmen did not reside in elaborate stone palaces, nor did their religion require the construction of large temples or compounds.[9]
Earliest written history
The earliest written history of the Maldives is marked by the arrival of
Alternatively, it is believed that Vijaya and his clan came from western India – a claim supported by linguistic and cultural features, and specific descriptions in the epics themselves, e.g. that Vijaya visited Bharukaccha (Bharuch in Gujarat) in his ship on the voyage down south.[8]
Caste system in Maldives
Maldivian society serves as an example of a social structure that has lately shed a lot of stratification related characteristics while still perhaps holding onto certain remnants of the former caste society.[11]
Buddhist period
Despite being just mentioned briefly in most history books, the 1,400-year-long Buddhist period has a foundational importance in the history of the Maldives. It was during this period that the culture of the Maldives as we now know it both developed and flourished. The Maldivian
Before embracing Buddhism as their way of life, Maldivians had practised an ancient form of Hinduism, ritualistic traditions known as Śrauta, in the form of venerating the Surya (the ancient ruling caste were of Aadheetta or Suryavanshi origins).[citation needed]
Buddhism probably spread to the Maldives in the 3rd century BC, at the time of
In the early 11th century, the
Unification of the archipelago is traditionally attributed to King Koimala. According to a legend from
Western interest in the archaeological remains of early cultures on the Maldives began with the work of
Early scholars like H.C.P. Bell, who resided in Sri Lanka most of his life, claim that Buddhism came to the Maldives from
In the mid-1980s, the Maldivian government allowed Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl to excavate ancient sites.[16] Heyerdahl studied the ancient mounds, called havitta by the Maldivians, found on many of the atolls.[16] Some of his archaeological discoveries of stone figures and carvings from pre-Islamic civilizations are today exhibited in a side room of the small National Museum on Male.[16] Heyerdahl's research indicates that as early as 2,000 B.C. Maldives lay on the maritime trading routes of early Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Indus Valley civilizations.[16]
Islamic period
Introduction of Islam
The importance of the Arabs as traders in the Indian Ocean by the 12th century may partly explain why the last Buddhist king of Maldives
The person traditionally deemed responsible for this conversion was a
Following the Islamic concept that before Islam there was the time of
Compared to the other areas of South Asia, the conversion of the Maldives to Islam happened relatively late. Arab Traders had converted populations in the
The document known as Dhanbidhū Lōmāfānu gives information about the suppression of Buddhism in the southern Haddhunmathi Atoll, which had been a major center of that religion. Monks were taken to Male and beheaded, The Satihirutalu (the chattravali or chattrayashti crowning a stupa) were broken to disfigure the numerous stupas and the statues of Vairocana, the transcendent Buddha of the middle world region, were destroyed. [citation needed]
Arab interest in Maldives also was reflected in the residence there in the 1340s of
Scholars have posited another scenario where Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari might have been a native of
Another interpretation, held by the more reliable local historical chronicles, Raadavalhi and Taarikh,[25][26] is that Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari was Abdul Barakat Yusuf Shams ud-Dīn at-Tabrīzī, also locally known as Tabrīzugefānu.[27] In the Arabic script the words al-Barbari and al-Tabrizi are very much alike, owing to the fact that at the time, Arabic had several consonants that looked identical and could only be differentiated by overall context (this has since changed by addition of dots above or below letters to clarify pronunciation – For example, the letter "B" in modern Arabic has a dot below, whereas the letter "T" looks identical except there are two dots above it). "ٮوسڡ الٮٮرٮرى" could be read as "Yusuf at-Tabrizi" or "Yusuf al-Barbari".[28]
Cowrie shells and coir trade
Inhabitants of the Middle East became interested in Maldives due to its strategic location. Middle Eastern seafarers had just begun to take over the Indian Ocean trade routes in the 10th century and found Maldives to be an important link in those routes.[16] The Maldives was the first landfall for traders from Basra, sailing to Sri Lanka or Southeast Asia.[citation needed] Bengal was one of the principal trading partners of the Maldives.[citation needed] Trade involved mainly cowrie shells and coir fiber.[citation needed]
The Maldives had and abundant supply of
The other essential product of the Maldives was coir, the fibre of the dried coconut husk. Cured in pits, beaten, spun and then twisted into cordage and ropes, coir's salient quality is its resistance to saltwater. It stitched together and rigged the dhows that plied the Indian Ocean. Maldivian coir was exported to Sindh, China, Yemen, and the Persian Gulf. "It is stronger than hemp", wrote Ibn Battuta, "and is used to sew together the planks of Sindhi and Yemeni dhows, for this sea abounds in reefs, and if the planks were fastened with iron nails, they would break into pieces when the vessel hit a rock. The coir gives the boat greater elasticity, so that it doesn't break up."
The local name for cowry shells is Boli. There are several hundreds of these shells found in the beaches of the islands even today.
Colonial period
Portuguese colonization and local revolt
In 1558 the Portuguese established themselves in the Maldives, which they administered from their main colony in Goa. This colony included the west coast of modern-day Kerala and Karnataka and Ceylon The Portuguese tried to impose Christianity on the locals. One native ruler converted to Christianity during this period and married D. Francisca de Vasconcelos, an órfãs do rei.[30] In 1573, a local leader from Utheemu, North Thiladhumathi Atoll named Muhammad Thakurufaanu-al-A'uzam and his two brothers, Ali and Hassan organized a popular revolt to drive out the Portuguese from the islands. It is reported that due to the strong resistance of the Maldivians, the Portuguese colonizers suppressed the local islanders.[non sequitur]
The three brothers landed on a different island every night. They would fight the Portuguese, and return to Utheemu before daybreak. On the first day of Rabi' al-Awwal, the brothers reached Malé. It is said that the Portuguese garrison of Andreas Andre (Locally known as Andhiri Andhirin, meaning dark dark, or in English, Andrew Andrew)[31] had planned to come to the island and forcibly convert the local Maldivians into Christianity the night after. The local fighters were ready to die for their faith and people, to liberate their people from the outsiders. According to reports, Andreas Andre was killed by a musket shot by Muhammad Thakurufaanu himself. This eventually resulted in the surrender of the Portuguese troops, who thus left the islands. After the Portuguese left the islands, the local islanders chose Muhammad Thakurufaanu to be their sultan in 1573, thus putting the Utheemu dynasty in power until 1697.[32]
Every first day of Rabi' al-Awwal, the Maldives observes the Gaumee Dhuvas or National Day in remembrance of Muhammad Thakurufaanu. His home in Utheemu (known as Utheemu Ganduvaru or Utheemu Palace).[words missing] Many pieces of furniture that were inside the house are now located inside the Maldives National Museum in Malé. A memorial centre is also located near Utheemu Ganduvaru.
Dutch hegemony
In the mid-17th century, the Dutch came to take over the European dominance over the Maldives, and in the late 1650s (around 1658), the Dutch colonized the islands. The Dutch administered the colony in Ceylon, which in turn was administered by the Dutch East India Company. They established hegemony over Maldivian affairs without direct involving themselves in local matters, which were governed according to centuries-old Islamic customs. In 1796, the local revolt disrupted the colonial status, and with British interference and pressure, the Dutch stepped down from the islands.
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Detail of the 1662 Tabula Indiae orientalis by Frederik de Wit
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18th-century map byPierre Mortier of the Netherlands depicting with detail the islands of the Maldives.
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1753 Van Keulen Map of Ari Atoll
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1753 Van Keulen Map ofHuvadu Atoll(inaccurate)
British protectorate
The British expelled the Dutch from Ceylon in 1796, and included Maldives as a British protected area.[33]
Britain got involved with the Maldives as a result of domestic disturbances which targeted the settler community of
On 16 December 1887, the Sultan of the Maldives signed a contract with the British
During the British era, which lasted until 1965, the Maldives continued to be ruled by a succession of sultans.[33] It was a period during which the Sultan's authority and powers were increasingly and decisively taken over by the Chief Minister, much to the chagrin of the British Governor-General who continued to deal with the ineffectual Sultan. Consequently, Britain encouraged the development of a constitutional monarchy, and the first Constitution was proclaimed in 1932. However, the new arrangements favoured neither the aging Sultan nor the wily Chief Minister, but rather a young crop of British-educated reformists. As a result, angry mobs were instigated against the Constitution, which was publicly torn up.
The Maldives were only marginally affected by the
After the death of Sultan
After the fall of President Muhammad Amin Didi,
-
Illustration by CW Rosett in The Graphic, depicting veranda sing (Fendaamathi Undholi) of royal palace (1885).
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A hut of Tottiyan from Male island. Illustration b Edgar Thurston, 1909.
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Muhammad Amin Didi, President of the First Maldivian Republic (1953)
British military presence and Suvadive secession
Beginning in the 1950s, political history in Maldives was largely influenced by the British military presence in the islands.[33] In 1954 the restoration of the sultanate perpetuated the rule of the past.[39] Two years later, the United Kingdom obtained permission to reestablish its wartime RAF Gan airfield in the southernmost Addu Atoll.[39] Maldives granted the British a 100-year lease on Gan that required them to pay £2,000 a year, as well as some 440,000 square metres on Hitaddu for radio installations.[39] This served as a staging post for British military flights to the Far East and Australia, replacing RAF Mauripur in Pakistan which had been relinquished in 1956.[citation needed]
In 1957, however, the new prime minister,
Instead the initial British measure of lukewarm support for the small breakaway nation was withdrawn in 1961, when the British signed a treaty with the Maldive Islands without involving Afeef.[citation needed] Following that treaty the Suvadives had to endure an economic embargo.[citation needed] In 1962 Nasir sent gunboats from Malé with government police on board to eliminate elements opposed to his rule.[39] One year later the Suvadive republic was scrapped[citation needed] and Abdullah Afif went into exile to the Seychelles,[39] where he died in 1993.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, in 1960 the Maldives had allowed the United Kingdom to continue to use both the Gan and the Hitaddu facilities for a thirty-year period, with the payment of £750,000 over the period of 1960 to 1965 for the purpose of Maldives' economic development.[39]
The base was closed in 1976 as part of the larger British withdrawal of permanently stationed forces 'East of Suez' initiated by Labour government of Harold Wilson.[41]
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RAF camp on Addu Atoll established in 1944 as a base for flying boatsoperating in the Indian Ocean
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RAF Short Sunderlandmoored in the lagoon at Addu Atoll, during WWII
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A wind break constructed from ration boxes protects the small RAF camp at Kelai, Maldive Islands, which serves as a refuelling base for flying boats operating in the Indian Ocean.
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Abdullah Afif, leader of the secessionist United Suvadive Republic(1959-1963)
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Coat of arms of the secessionist United Suvadive Republic
Independence
On 26 July 1965, Maldives gained independence under an agreement signed with United Kingdom.[39] The British government retained the use of the Gan and Hithadhoo facilities.[39] In a national referendum in March 1968, Maldivians abolished the sultanate and established a republic.[39]
In line with the broader British policy of
On 15 November 1967, a vote was taken in parliament to decide whether the Maldives should continue as a
Nasir Presidency
The Second Republic was proclaimed in November 1968 under the presidency of
In 1973 Nasir was elected to a second term under the constitution as amended in 1972, which extended the presidential term to five years and which also provided for the election of the prime minister by the Majlis.[39] In March 1975, newly elected prime minister Zaki was arrested in a bloodless coup and was banished to a remote atoll.[39] Observers suggested that Zaki was becoming too popular and hence posed a threat to the Nasir faction.[43]
During the 1970s, the economic situation in Maldives suffered a setback when the Sri Lankan market for Maldives' main export of dried fish collapsed.
Nasir is widely credited with modernising the long-isolated and nearly unknown Maldives and opening them up to the rest of the world, including by building the first international airport (
Tourism in the Maldives began to be developed by the beginning of the 1970s. The first resort in the Maldives was Kurumba Maldives which welcomed the first guests on 3 October 1972.[citation needed] The first accurate census was held in December 1977 and showed 142,832 persons residing in Maldives.[45] When Nasir relinquished power Maldives was debt-free and the national shipping line with more than 40 ships remained a source of national pride.[46]
Nasir was criticized for his
Maumoon Presidency
As Ibrahim Nasir's second term was coming to an end, he decided not to seek re-election and, in June 1978, the
There were three attempts to overthrow Maumoon's government during the 1980s – in 1980, 1983 and 1988.[44]
Whereas the 1980 and 1983 coup attempts against Maumoon's presidency were not considered serious, the
Despite coup attempts, Maumoon served three more presidential terms.
Maumoon's tenure was marked by several allegations of corruption as well as allegations of autocratic rule, human rights abuses and corruption.[49][50] Maumoon's opponents and international human rights groups had accused him of employing terror tactics against dissidents, such as arbitrary arrests, detention without trial,[51][52] employing torture, forced confessions, and politically motivated killings.[53]
21st century
Democratisation
During the later part of Maumoon's rule, independent political movements emerged in Maldives, which challenged the then-ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party, MPP) and demanded democratic reform. Since 2003, following the death in custody of a prisoner,
There were fresh protests in the capital city of Maldives, Malé on 13 August 2004, (
As a result of these activities, political parties were eventually allowed in June 2005. The main parties registered in Maldives are: the
New civil unrest broke out in Malé, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Addu Atoll of the Maldives on 12 August 2005 which led to events that supported the democratic reform of the country. This unrest was provoked by the arrest of Mohamed Nasheed – an open critic of the president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – and the subsequent demolition of the Dhunfini tent, used by the members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for their gatherings. Supporters of MDP were quick to demonstrate. They started calling for the resignation of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, soon after Nasheed's arrest. Several arrests were made on the first night followed by the demolition of the Dhunfini tent. The demolition complicated the situation further provoking the unrest. The unrest grew violent on the third night, on 14 August 2005, due to the methods used in the attempts by the authority to stop the demonstration. The unrest continued intermittently for three nights, from 12 to 14 August 2005. By 15 August 2005, the uprising was controlled with the presence of heavy security around Malé. Almost a fourth of the city had to be cordoned off during the unrest.
Tsunami impact
On 26 December 2004, following the
Nasheed Presidency
The protest movements brought about significant change in political structure. A new
Standing as the DRP candidate, Maumoon lost in the election's second round, in which he received 45.75% of the vote against 54.25% for his opponents, MDP's Presidential CandidateThe government of President Mohamed Nasheed faced many challenges, including the huge debt left by the previous government, the economic downturn following the 2004 tsunami, overspending (by means of overprinting of local currency
Taxation on goods was imposed for the first time in the country, and import duties were reduced in many goods and services. Social welfare benefits were given to those above 65 years of age, single parents, and those with special needs. On 10 November 2008, Nasheed announced an intent to create a sovereign wealth fund with money earned from tourism that could be used to purchase land elsewhere for the Maldives people to relocate should rising sea levels due to climate change inundate the country. The government reportedly considered locations in Sri Lanka and India due to cultural and climate similarities, and as far away as Australia.[59] An October 2009 cabinet meeting was held underwater (ministers wore scuba gear and communicated with hand signals) to publicise to the wider world the threat of global warming on the low-lying islands of the Maldives.[65]
A series of peaceful protests that broke out in the Maldives on 1 May 2011. They would continue, eventually escalating into the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed in disputed circumstances in February 2012.[66][67][68][69][70]
Demonstrators were protesting what they considered the government's mismanagement of the economy and were calling for the ouster of President Mohamed Nasheed. The main political opposition party in the country, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) led by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom accused President Nasheed of "talking about democracy but not putting it into practice." The primary cause for the protests was rising commodity prices and a poor economic situation in the country.[71]
Waheed Presidency
Nasheed resigned on 7 February 2012 following weeks of protests after he ordered the military to arrest Abdulla Mohamed, the Chief Justice of the Criminal Court, on 16 January. Maldives police joined the protesters after refusing to use force on them and took over the state-owned television station[
Vice President
Nasheed stated the following day that he was forced out of office at gunpoint, while Waheed supporters maintained that the transfer of power was voluntary and constitutional.[73][74] A later
Many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, were quick to abandon Nasheed, instead endorsing his successor. (The United States backtracked in late 2012 in response to widespread criticism.)[54] On 23 February 2012, the Commonwealth suspended the Maldives from its democracy and human rights watchdog while the ousting was being investigated, and backed Nasheed's call for elections before the end of 2012.[77]
On 8 October, Nasheed was arrested after failing to appear in court to face charges that he ordered the illegal arrest of a judge while in office. However, his supporters claim that this detention was politically motivated in order to prevent him from campaigning for the
In March 2013 the former president Nasheed was convicted under the country's terrorism laws for ordering the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge in 2012 and jailed for 13 years. Maldives' international partners – including the EU, US, UK and the United Nations – have said his rushed trial was seriously flawed following a UN panel ruling in the former president's favour. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has called for his immediate release. Nasheed appealed also to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.[79]
Yameen Presidency
At the time Nasheed was jailed, President Mohammed Waheed Hassan announced a presidential election would be held in 2013.[80] The
Yameen implemented a foreign policy shift towards increased engagement with China, establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. Yameen employed Islam as a tool of identity politics, framing religious mobilisation as the solution to perceived Western attempts to undermine Maldivian national sovereignty. Yameen's policy of connecting Islam with anti-Western rhetoric represented a new development.[54]
On 28 September 2015 there was an assassination attempt on President Abdulla Yameen as he was returning from Saudi Arabia after the hajj pilgrimage. As his speedboat was docking at Male there was an explosion on board. Amid screams, the right door of the boat fell on the jetty and there was heavy smoke. Three people were injured, including his wife, but the President managed to escape unhurt.[81]
In a probe of the explosion targeting president, on 24 October 2015 Maldives vice president Ahmed Adeeb was arrested at the airport upon his return from a conference in China. 17 of Adheeb's supporters were also arrested for "public order offences". The government instituted a broader crackdown against political dissent.
On 4 November 2015, President Abdulla Yameen declared a 30-day state of emergency ahead of a planned anti-government rally.[82] The next day, as per the State of Emergency bill made by the President, the
Growth of Islamic radicalism
Though the popular image of the Maldives is that of a holiday paradise, its
In the late 1990s
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih presidency
Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was selected as the new presidential candidate[89] for the coalition of opposition parties in the 2018 election, when former president Mohamed Nasheed changed his mind about running.[90] In the 2018 elections Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the most votes, and he sworn in as the Maldives new president on 17 November 2018, when the five-year term of Abdulla Yameen expired. Solih became the 7th President of the Maldives and the country's third democratically elected president. He promised to fight against widespread corruption and investigate the human rights abuses of the previous regime. There was also a change in foreign relations. His predecessor Abdulla Yameen was politically very close to China with some "anti-India" attitude, but president Solih reaffirmed previous "India-First Policy", and Maldives and India strengthened their close relationship.[91][92][93]
On 19 November 2018, Solih announced that the Maldives is to return to the
In April 2019 parliamentary election The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won a landslide victory. It took 65 of 87 seats of the parliament.[96] This was the first time a single party was able to get such a high number of seats in the parliament in Maldivian history.[97] Former president Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison in November 2019 for money laundering. The High Court upheld the jail sentence in January 2021.[98] The Supreme Court acquitted Yameen from the charges on 30 November 2021 due to the lack of substantial evidence.[99]
Mohamed Muizzu presidency
On 30 September 2023, opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu won the second-round runoff of the Maldives presidential election, beating incumbent president Ibrahim Solih with 54% of the vote.[100] On 17 October 2023, Mohamed Muizzu was sworn in as the eighth President of the Republic of Maldives.[101]
President Mohamed Muizzu is widely seen to be pro-China, meaning souring relations with India. [102]
See also
- Hinduism in Maldives
- History of Asia
- History of India
- History of South Asia
- List of Sultans of the Maldives
- List of presidents of the Maldives
- Maldivian Folklore
- National Museum of the Maldives
- National Library of Maldives
- Politics of the Maldives
- Sultanate of Maldives
References
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- ^ Colliers Encyclopedia (1989) VO115 P276 McMillan Educational Company
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Maldive Antiquity". Archived from the original on 11 February 2004.
- ISBN 9781841622668. Archivedfrom the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ a b Maloney, Clarence. "Maldives People". International Institute for Asian Studies. Archived from the original on 29 January 2002. Retrieved 22 June 2008.
- ^ Kalpana Ram, Mukkuvar Women. Macquarie University. 1993
- ^ Philostorgius, Church History, tr. Amidon, pp.41–44; Philostorgius' history survives in fragments, and he wrote some 75 years later than these events.
- hdl:1887/32215.
- ^ Clarence Maloney. People of the Maldive Islands. Orient Longman
- ^ a b "The Lion Throne Coronation Proclamation of King Siri Kula Sudha Ira Siyaaka Saathura Audha Keerithi Katthiri Bovana". Maldives Royal Family. 21 July 1938. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Legend of Koimala Kalou". Maldives Royal Family. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ This was in order to care for a shipwrecked British steamer's load. Bell moreover had the chance to spend two or three in Malé, on same occasion. See: Bethia Nancy Bell, Heather M. Bell: H.C.P. Bell: Archaeologist of Ceylon and the Maldives, p.16. Archived 3 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ryavec 1995, p. 258.
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- This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the OCLC 32508646.