19.3 Havaru

Three months later, there were talks in the atoll about an invisible woman sighted by many sources. Bryan Williams reported seeing a topless woman who vanished out of sight on a critical night when the base was brought to alert in fear of invasion on 30^th March 1959. Thousands of miles away, Tony Cooper was trying to put the puzzle together. That was the night Mariam Mala infiltrated the RAF to steal the film reel.

On a showery day, in March 1960, when the Italian freighter was grounded on the reef, its crew saw a figure of a void woman framed in the rain. That was the day Mala visited the tube houses.

Lieutenant Marvin Edwards who knew her best said that he felt once she disappeared from his sight one day on his birthday – 14^th November 1958.

There was no way Tony Cooper could put this puzzle together…pieces keep digging up. He called on Adaran for an explanation. “Does this sorcery thing really work? Do you honestly believe in back magic?” he asked.

“I do,” replied Adaran, “in fact, I myself practice fanditha. Divehi Tribe fought battles with the crusades and won every time with the power of the occult. For this kind of sorcery, I can only think of one person. Vado Don Raha. Shall we go and meet him!”

They visited Don Raha at Fanas. This call did not go well since Adaran vowed to arrest him for supporting the central government, “You are a dissenter,” he said, “I am the President of the United Suvadive Islands and you are a humble servant. I will not pardon you for what you have done, not even your children can be spared.”

Don Raha lost his patience, “If you will not leave my house, I will turn you into a fowl.”

Adaran stood firm. Accompanied by Tony Cooper, Sgt Moon and Ghaffer. Don Raha picked the slaked lime bottle used to add into the chew of areca nuts and slammed it on the table. Ghaffer Abdel Didi turned into a rooster – a white cock with red combs and wattles.

“How dare!” cried Adaran and grabbed the cock by its neck and dumped into a bucket of water standing beside a cluster of banana plants. Ghaffer threw his head back and cried, “What happened to me?”

“You turned into a cock!” Adaran shot at him.

Tony Cooper and Sgt Henry Moon shot out their eyeballs to witness this very strange phenomenon. A grown-up man hit the ground turning into a rooster and in the next minute, Adaran reverted him dipping its head into a bucket of water.

“I saw sand in my eyes from this low! I was biting dust! I was covered in feathers!” cried Ghaffer brushing his chest, “Did I really turn into a rooster?”

“Shut up!” snapped Adaran, “Let’s get out of here!”

“What has happened here?” cried Tony Cooper.

“Hypnotism,” he branded, “nothing has happened here.” He knew he was no match to challenge Vado Don Raha with the powers of the occult – sihr.

On 14^th June 1961, there was another revolt and unrest sprung in the south. A small group of men arrived in Addu to hold secret talks with the leader to rejoin the USIR.

Adaran supported them by provisions and hundred and fifty men rowed across the Equatorial Channel. The boats rolled from the western side of Thinadu and waited until dark. The Diavola Force stealthily climbed Thinadu and threw sand to the generator set and sabotaged to cut out the electricity. They attacked the officials sent from Malé, beaten them and shipped them to Addu. The Diavola looted the offices and slain a senior staff. Next morning, the USIR flag was raised and the public came out singing the USIR anthem.

Thinadu folks hated their brothers and sisters in Gado for defecting during the first revolt in 1959. Diavola Force arrived in Gado and unleashed anarchism. Looted the houses and raped the women, chased the children and men were beaten. There was utter chaos.

Diavola Force sent a boat to the north of the atoll to Villingili and arrested the Atoll Chief. By this time, the Suvadives was divided and recognised as two political zones of South and North Suvadiva.

Fua Mulak heard the news and emotion stirred to rejoice in the celebration. A couple of government officials on visit to Fua Mulak were apprehended and taken to Addu.

All the prisoners were placed under the custody of the British in a camp in Villingili in Addu Atoll. For the good, the British took over the prisoners, treated the injured and assured the government that they’d be sent home.

News reached Golden Court from British offices in Colombo. Some folks from the atoll arrived in the capital on 17^th June with a message from the anxious island chief in Gado giving an account of the horrors and disorder in the vast atoll. Other boats soon reached the capital with news.

The Brits sent the prisoners in the next few weeks; thirty of them, some with severe injuries.