United Suvadive Republic: Difference between revisions
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It is said that Afeef initially refused, and that he accepted the role of becoming the executive head of the new state only under heavy pressure. |
It is said that Afeef initially refused, and that he accepted the role of becoming the executive head of the new state only under heavy pressure. |
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The newly-formed republic was born in Addu toll with high |
The newly-formed republic was born in Addu toll with high expectations. Soon, hoping to share in their neighbor's newly-found independence, the atolls of [[Huvadu]] and [[Fuvahmulah]] joined Addu to form the United Suvadive Republic. However, the Maldive government reacted by sending a fully-armed gunboat to [[Huvadhu]], commanded by prime minister Ibrahim Nasir himself, and threatened the secessionist leaders and the notables of various islands in that large atoll. Finally, the initial separatist movement in that atoll was suppressed by June 1959. |
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However, the other two small atolls were spared the Maldive government's reaction. Addu Atoll was protected by British intervention, with the deployment a regiment from [[Peninsular Malaysia]]. Lacking a harbor, Fua Mulaku was inaccesible to the attacks of the Maldive government gunboat. |
However, the other two small atolls were spared the Maldive government's reaction. Addu Atoll was protected by British intervention, with the deployment a regiment from [[Peninsular Malaysia]]. Lacking a harbor, Fua Mulaku was inaccesible to the attacks of the Maldive government gunboat. |
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Revision as of 12:59, 2 April 2007
United Suvadive Republic އެކުވެރި ސުވައިދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959–1963 | |||||||||
 Flag | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Capital | Hithadhoo | ||||||||
| Common languages | Dhivehi¹ | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| Historical era | Cold War | ||||||||
• Independence declared | January 3 1959 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | September 23 1963 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
¹ The dialect spoken on Adduan. | |||||||||
The United Suvadive Republic (Dhivehi: އެކުވެރި ސުވައިދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ) was a short-lived breakaway nation in the remote Southern Atolls of the Maldive Islands, namely Addu, Huvadu and Fuahmulah. The alleged causes were the centralistic policies of the government in Male' and the recent independence of neigboring India and Ceylon. At that time the Maldives was a British protectorate. The Suvadives declared independence on January 3, 1959. They capitulated, rejoining the rest of the nation in September 23, 1963.
Suvadive (Dhivehi: ސުވައިދީބު) was originally an ancient name for the three southernmost atolls of the Maldives. It is based on the name of Huvadu atoll in the 16th century. [1]
Historical Background
Trade Restrictions
Traditionally, there was a lack of communication between the administrative capital Malé and the most distant atolls (North and South) of the Maldive chain. The government of the Maldive Islands never had a regular shipping line that could have provided communication, mail service and elementary needs such as the food, clothing and medicine required by the people in the distant Atolls. [2] this void was filled by affluent merchant families in the south. By means of yearly trips with their ships they were used to conduct external trade with neighboring countries such as Ceylon and India by themselves, without involving the capital.
It was certainly easier for the heavy trading ships of Southern Maldives to sail straight across the open ocean to India or Ceylon, where British rule provided a safeguard and a common sense of belonging, than to make difficult navigation northwards through the long atoll chain to sail to the Capital Male'. In practice this meant that the central government had little control over the import trade conducted within the country. There was no conflict as long as all the countries involved were under the British Empire and so this status quo was maintained until after World War II.
However, when the British initiated the process of decolonization in South Asia the situation changed drastically. In 1947 the Maldive government, backed by Malé merchants and with the co-operation of the British Empire imposed requirements to carry passports and visas to travel to Sri Lanka and India, at the time of vacating those British colonies. Since these travel documents were issued in Malé, it is presumed that the government aimed to attain control while directing some revenues towards it from this lucrative trade. This unilateral action proved detrimental to the harmony of existing traditions concerning trade, and it was perceived with bitter contempt in the South.
Insurrection
This newly induced influence over the import trade enabled the government to stipulate other measures of control such as poll and land tax. British troops were stationed in the islands of Gan and Hithadhoo in Addu atoll which denied the local populace any chance of bartering with them. In addition, the government of the Maldive Islands posted its own militiamen in the atoll to ensure that absolutely no trade was carried out without the government’s knowledge. The arrest and physical assault of a son of a wealthy family (possibly for a breach of one of the new restrictions) by one of these militiamen led to the first revolt in which a mob rose against him. He was given sanctuary by the British until the situation calmed down and when the government prosecuted the alleged conspirators vouching the militiaman's account of events. The men were convicted and reportedly subjected to debilitating forms of punishment such as public flogging.
The Maldivian Government was delaying the ratification of a 100-year lease of the islands Gan and Maamendoo, which greatly distressed the British. Sometime later, under a new agreement with the government, the Addu people were allowed to seek employment in the British facilities, enabling them to obtain a rewarding incomes and lavish goods while relishing the idea of less dependence. In 1957, the sultan appointed Ibrahim Nasir as the prime minister of the sultanate; Nasir ordered the British to cease all construction undertakings in Addu. Local rumour says that this possibly led an already infuriated civilian British contractor posted there to suggest to the unhappy islanders the idea of independence from the central government. However, this is not supported by historical documents.
Secession of the Suvadives
Among those who were involved in the uprising against the militiamen of the central government was a young, educated and well-respected individual known as Abdullah Afeef, who served as a translator to the British during their post. His local name was Elha Didige Ali Didige Afifu. The new prime minister appointed him as the liaison officer between the British and the locals. Shortly afterwards, in December of 1958, the government announced plans for a new tax on boats. This caused riots throughout the atoll, leading to several attacks on government buildings. Once again, the officials of the Government of the Maldive Islands were forced to retreat to the safety of the British barracks. The fact is that ty owed their lives to Afeef, who warned them of the impending unrest. [3]
Four days later, on January 3, 1959 a delegation of the Addu people arrived on Gan and declared their independence to the British. The delegation also insisted that Afeef be their leader. Afeef was chosen to lead the nascent Suvadive government because of British insistence that a trustworthy leader whom they were familiar with be chosen, as a precondition for them being able to back the secession. [4] It is said that Afeef initially refused, and that he accepted the role of becoming the executive head of the new state only under heavy pressure.
The newly-formed republic was born in Addu toll with high expectations. Soon, hoping to share in their neighbor's newly-found independence, the atolls of Huvadu and Fuvahmulah joined Addu to form the United Suvadive Republic. However, the Maldive government reacted by sending a fully-armed gunboat to Huvadhu, commanded by prime minister Ibrahim Nasir himself, and threatened the secessionist leaders and the notables of various islands in that large atoll. Finally, the initial separatist movement in that atoll was suppressed by June 1959.
However, the other two small atolls were spared the Maldive government's reaction. Addu Atoll was protected by British intervention, with the deployment a regiment from Peninsular Malaysia. Lacking a harbor, Fua Mulaku was inaccesible to the attacks of the Maldive government gunboat.
A year later, due to the Maldive prime minister's tireless international campaigns, a new accord between the British and Maldivian governments was approved and the former soon announced the termination of their support to the rebel separatists. The British, who had been lukewarm at best in their support of the Suvadives (and who never formally recognized the country), now abandoned the fledgling atoll country to its fate. A trade boycott was imposed on the young Suvadive nation, which no government was recognizing. Food supplies ran short and there were signs of starvation in Fua Mulaku.
However, the withdrawal of British support did not deter the Suvadive republic. In 1961, Huvadu Atoll seceded again and rejoined the Suvadives in a move locally known as the 'Second Revolt'. This reversion was met with yet again another personal appeal by the Maldive prime minister who, failing to convince the Huvadhu islanders this time, reacted ruthlessly and ferociously.
This led to the most brutal event in the bried history of the breakaway Suvadive nation: The violent blow dealt to the capital island of Huvadhu because of its 'Second Revolt'. Another gunboat, named 'Elizabeth Boyer', leased from the Ceylon Navy by prime minister Ibrahim Nasir, anchored off Havaru Thinadhoo on February 4th 1962. Without any attempt at talks, the disembarking soldiers engaged in the systematic and complete destruction of all the houses in Havaru Thinadhoo and the dispersion of all its inhabitants. Most of the rebel leaders were then imprisoned and badly mistreated. Some of them, notables from Huvadhu, died later owing to the injuries they sustained.
The same gunboat with soldiers from Male' sent by the central government went further south to Fua Mulaku and tried to disembark unsuccessfully at Rasgefanno in 1962. But the island people gathered at the beach and threw stones to the soldiers. The latter fired and one man of the island died instantly. The bullet hit him in the head and his skull burst open.
Without the support of the British, the Suvadive republic was on the brink of collapse.
Capitulation
On September 22, 1963, a British political agent dictated an ultimatum to the citizens of Maradhoo, for the immediate removal of the Suvadive flag, and to hoist that of the Maldives. This was done the next day, September 23, 1963. The English then announced that they would only employ citizens of the sovereign sultanate of the Maldive Islands as workers at the airbase, thus abolishing the United Suvadive Republic for good.
Economy
During the Second World War the British base in Addu Atoll had acted as a temporary trading point for the Maldives, enabling the Maldivian government to obtain fuel and other necessities throughout the shortages of the war.
After the short-lived independence from the central government, the British presence in Addu gave a measure of prosperity to the Suvadivians. They were provided with employment, trading and health facilities and supplies which helped to alleviate the trade boycott imposed by the government of the Maldive Islands, Sri Lanka and India on this small breakaway nation.
Summary
The secession began in the southernmost atoll of Addu in 1959, but the idea of independence was spread to the communities of Fua'mulah and Huvadhu and resulted in their joining the fledgling nation. The situation ended in 1963 with the Suvadive Islands' government being completely dismantled and the exile of its leader Abdullah Afeef, who was granted asylum in the Seychelles. The atolls participating in the secession were duly restored as a region of the Maldive Islands.
References
- The Islands of Maldives. Hasan A. Maniku. Novelty. Male 1983.
- ^ www.maldivesculture.com Suvadive was originally an ancient name for the three southern most atolls.
- ^ www.maldivesroyalfamily.com In the facce of the capital's inability to provide the elementary needs,
- ^ www.maldivesroyalfamily.com Uprising in 1958.
- ^ www.maldivesroyalfamily.com Afeef Didi was forced to take the role of the executive head of the state.