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Maldives: Why the Island is a coup paradise

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Male: Coup attempts are not new to any Maldivian Government, such attempts go far back as to the beginning of the 20th Century. All Kings, Prime Ministers and Presidents down the line at one time or the other have faced an attempt or two during their tenures.

The very first President of Maldives President Mohamed Ameen (January 1, 1953 – August 21, 1953) was toppled in a coup less than a year into his presidency. Following that, the not so spoken of President Ibrahim Nasir (1968 – 1978), predecessor to the President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978 – 2008) had two serious attempts during his two-term tenure in office as President.

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Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who ruled the country as President with an iron fist, had one every five-year term during his thirty years rule. President Maumoon lost the 2007 election to President Mohamed Nasheed. It would be very correct to say therefore that attempts to overthrow governments were launched once every five years.

Ibrahim Nasir’s term ended with President Nasheed father and Uncle still in Jail for an attempted coup to overthrow the government and a pardon was granted and all the conspirators were released after President Gayoom assumed office in 1978. Several attempts to unseat Mr. Gayoom were foiled with the most notable being the November 3rd, 1988, which was masterminded and funded by businessman Sikka Ahmed Ismail Maniku (Uncle of former President Mohamed Nasheed).

February 01, 2018 becomes just another milestone in this fourberie relationship Maldives continues to have with coups attempts. This time though the foiled attempt was masterminded by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Maumoon who continued to be very active in the Maldivian Political scene even after conceding to President Nasheed made a tactical comeback by managing to get his half-brother President Yamin Abdul Gayoom to office in 2013. Controversy over succession sprung up as early as during the first year in office. Vice President’s were deposed and sworn in.

Appeals to appoint his son Faris Maumoon that went unheeded, was that which led him eventually to use his influence with the Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and judge Ali Hamid to issue this untimely and poorly thought out Supreme Court Ruling without any case presented before the Supreme Court. The final planning meetings were in Colombo, in which members of the opposition coalition as they call themselves all participated.

President Nasheed who was also a participant seized the opportunity and called the arrest of the two Supreme Court judges involved in the failed coup attempt a set back to democracy in the Maldives. Later calling for Indian Military intervention to restore democracy in the country. Police sources quote that The February 01, the coup attempt was brought to the attention of the authorities by his former private bodyguard and close associate Zaid-ul-Ameen. He is now provided with police protection.

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