Today marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of declaration of Independence of the Maldives from the 78-year long rule under British protectorate treaty. The significance of this day, has been celebrated in vibrant events and ceremonials across the country, decorated in her national colors Red, White and Green. So, what was the Maldives like 60 years ago and how has it changed since its independence?
Six decades ago, the Maldives was recovering from a short interim Republic Era (1953-1954) of then President Ameen who was executed in a coup due to various reasons (for another article). Followed by the genocide of over 4,000-6,000 people in Huvadhoo Atoll, for their separatist movement alongside Fuvammulah and Addu atolls in becoming independent from the centralized Male’ regime. In this recovery, the country went back to its Constitutional Monarchy under the preceding ruling house of Huraa, with Sultan Fareed Didi and Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir.
The 60’s was the reinvention era of the Maldives, from its islander lifestyle to a more modern retro era which defined classism and the power distance in the country. The fashionable revolution came across mainly in Male’, with more investments flowing through the royal bloodlines and aristocrats of a nation with dynasties ageing over 3000 years. While the British existed as part of the Maldives, the “protectorate” was definitely not a colony, providing autonomous rule of the Maldives and the continuity of its indigenous local affairs under the protection of the British Empire. This was actually quite beneficial considering neighbors Sri Lanka and India being uprooted and devastated in their own lands.
Maldivians as a culture, and as a people criticize and question a lot, and it is part of our centuries-old philosophy and tradition, which was a major threat to modernizing politics in the 60s. Likewise, under an iron-first to make the country greater, with no questions asked, Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir steered the country towards modernization, later becoming President Ibrahim Nasir in 1968 with multiple community-labor based projects including the construction of the Airport in Hulhule’ (Velana International Airport) which will open its new and modernized Terminal Today. In addition to the creation of state media in Television, and introduction into Tourism in the early 70s.
The signing of declaration of independence in July 26th, 1965 was only a mere bucket list, when Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir visited Sri Lanka, it was just one of the documents he had conveniently signed as part of his diplomatic mission. Maldives and the Dhivehi people, have always been independent, autonomous and filled with patriotic desire to be separate and isolated from the rest of the world, as a separate people, language and culture, and even 78-years of an involvement of a foreign empire did not scratch our nativity. Yet, due to political and socio-economic policies of the government, many Maldivians’ questions whether if they are truly independent by definition? In all honesty, the Maldives being such a small island nation, in the Goldilocks’ zone of the Indian Ocean, blessed with the resources and the ability to survive as an indigenous people for over three millennia’s is something, to celebrate in a time when indigenous people are casted out, when we are the prime example of what it could have been if those indigenous populations were given a chance, to survive.
Happy Independence Day ~
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