20.1 Independence

On a very rainy day, it was the end of January 1962, island folks meandered on the beach seeing no clear sky to cut the harvest. Someone saw a boat through the rainstorms. A blue bottom and a white roofline that came splitting the waves and penetrating through the storm. It came so near that they realised it was Virgo on his high-powered motor yacht – Silver Crest.

They ran to their boats to sail back to Thinadu to give news. The yacht approached on the water surface and opened fire. Bullets penetrated through wood.

The USIR flag was flying high. Thinadu folks did not lower the flag that day to show defiance. They usually did at six in the evening and raised at six in the morning. There was a lot of panic in the island. Little children were crying. Silver Crest was moored in the lagoon, lights out and nothing happening.

Next morning, Virgo called on the loudspeaker demanding to lower the flag and to surrender. There was no response. Then a doni arrived on the beach and shots were fired. One man poking his head out of the townhall window got shot in his head. It split in two halves as he fell outside and crows picked his brains. Nobody could remove the body because shooting continued. Virgo climbed down and mob surrounded to kill him. “Stand up and fight with the rebellion if you want to get sliced in thirty-two pieces!”

This man stood within inches of an infuriated crowd holding clubs and without any hesitation but none happened to step forward in fear of such courage and bravery.

Virgo called on the loudspeaker; those who want peace with the capital to leave the island of Thinadu and go to Mahutta Island in their boats.

In hard hit rain, it was an impossible task to cross the sea to a remote island in the middle of the Suvadives. Men, women and children arrived in Kadeddu and Magodiréha, 4 kilometres due south, and left behind their belongings. They were stranded in the storm. One woman gave birth during the eviction and three died. After few days, they realised they could not return home. There was nothing left standing on an island left abandoned for four and a half years that later became known as Havaru Thinadu.

Adaran was still undeterred and of his great vision for a United Suvadive Islands no matter how much these islanders suffered, women and children, crawling on the beaches on deserted islands dispersed across a mighty ocean, eating grass and dying of hunger. ‘He is a proper blind man’, Dwire once said. Blunders of a man that the natives turned to blame on a government or a minister or the national guards while poor island folks took the brunt; those were scars never to heal. Adaran would constantly remember his insane and selfish exertion but turned shy to express empathy to this day.

Silver Crest returned on 14^th February 1962 after squashing the rebellion.

The scale of Virgo’s offensive blew the minds of the British. It took them by surprise. Utterly shaken…still not stirred. Silver Crest did not leave port with a group of troopers. Virgo left Malé on 28^th January with Orchard, Hills, two civilians, a wireless operator and a smart navigator. First stop at Feeali in North Nilandé Atoll. Next day, travelled to Mamendu in Haddunmati Atoll. He carried submachine guns in his yacht. Here nine troopers climbed the vessel and left at two in the morning to cross the great Suvadive Sea – One and a Half Degree Channel – towards the Suvadive Atoll. The British representatives in the capital and on spy planes in Gan hinted nothing.

On 21^st March 1962, the British High Commissioner in Ceylon, Sir Arthur Moyler paid a visit to the Maldive Islands on board HMS Eastbourne accompanied by Lady Moyler. It was carefully planned in a cordial manner not to embarrass the guests. Only few persons on both sides knew that the tape existed. Sir Author Moyler presented Sultan Muhammad Mal Vatta with the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George – KCMG – awarded by Queen Elizabeth II of England. Sir Arthur Moyler resigned shortly afterwards.

RAF Gan was the best base Britain had in this part of the world, so said Lord Mountbatten. Since this base had been upgraded to a great level, 1000 – 3000 RAF personnel stayed and served fullest as a staging post in the middle of the Indian Ocean. For these reasons, the British Government once again overlooked on giving full independence to the Maldive Islands believing they could still swing it.

On 18^th April 1962, Duke of Devonshire arrived by air and landed on the Marston Mat runway in Hululé. He came to demand more assistance from Malé to give a longer period of lease of Gan and more land from Addu. The Maldive Government had been patient for six years since problems began in the south.

The sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, 320 km south of Gan, was still in dispute between Britain and Mauritius. In this group of muddled atolls and islands, Diego Garcia was the largest island and occupied by the French Creole. During this time, USA pushed even harder to build a base on Diego Garcia. Britain once again came up with one of their masterminded plans to acquire the archipelago. On 13^th July 1962, Deccan Sanders was appointed to hold an additional post as the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Now that he could oversee to two issues of the Maldive Islands and the Chagos Archipelago from two different offices housed under Whitehall.

First batch of representatives who arrived in Gan with Anthony Davis couldn’t hold talks since they were heckled by the Adduans and Adaran would not appear to sit with them. Womenfolk lifted their wraps and flashed at the representatives. The mob gathered around shouting profanity and even going after their blood. They returned since RAF Gan could not guarantee their safety.

In July, Prime Minister Virgo wrote to British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

Another delegation arrived. This time headed by Sir Wayne Dell, the Deputy Undersecretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In their views, a population of 90000 people, mostly fishermen, taking on a trend to join the United Nations, open embassies in Washington, London, Moscow, send delegates to international conferences in Geneva, were groundless dreams. Commercial and cultural freedom would be more than enough.

This team held meetings for several days utterly ignoring the demands made by the Maldive Government on issues of cessation of the USIR and independence to the Maldive Islands. There were rallies where women voiced anger towards the British for refusing to give comprehensive freedom to the Maldive Islands.

On Friday, 16^th November, a number of womenfolk climbed the boats and sculled to Doonidoo to chase Anthony Davis out of the country – Tahera, Gamar and Reena among them. Another day another apology sent to the British High Commission for the misconduct of women during the demonstrations.

The British felt threatened. They sent HMS Lockfada in order to protect British interests and personnel. Followed by HMS Caesar, HMS Casembra, HMS Blackpool, HMS Caprice, HMS Whitby, HMS Cavendish…

Prime Minister Virgo showed the tape to Anthony Davis – the fate of HMS Mellow.

“Did you show this tape to anyone? The Russians?” queried Anthony Davis.

“No,” replied the prime minister.

Finally, on 7^th September 1963, Deccan Sanders arrived with Sir Charles Walkin, the High Commissioner appointed to Colombo in 1962, accompanied by Lady Sanders and Lady Walkin – Mr Leap, Miss Smythe and Mr Ron Waite who was a representative at the British High Commission in Ceylon.

Major demands from the British this time were that the rebels should be pardoned before re-establishing Malé authority over Addu and more land in Hittadu for a British Broadcasting Service Relay Station.

Then the Maldive Government asked for a reply for the request of independence from Britain.

Deccan Sanders replied by saying that he would have to discuss with his government after his return to Britain. Sanders advised the Maldive Government to send a formal request to the British Government.

Sanders and his team left Malé on 9^th September. Before leaving he requested Lily at the airport for a Maldive Flag that he assumed correctly won’t be available in Addu Atoll. He whispered to Secretary Lily that the flag would fly in Addu Atoll that day.

Deccan Sanders released a notice as he touched Gan; “The British Government have made it clear to the people of Addu that it was their intention to re-establish the Authority of the Maldive Government here. The British Government are convinced that it is in the best interest of the people of Addu and the Maldive Islands as a whole that normal relations should be re-established with Malé Government and that the present unnatural division between the two sections of the Divehi people should be brought to end.”