November 3rd is not Victory Day :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

Editorial

November 3rd is not Victory Day

By A. S. I. Moosa (Sappe'), 03 November 2005

On November 3rd 1988, Maldives woke up to the darkest day in it's modern history. A coup plot lead by two Maldivian businessmen, Luthfy and Sagaru Nasir failed not because of Gayyoom's highly acclaimed military might but because of India. This was another of the many failures of Gayyoom, which asserts the common opinion that he in incapable of running the Maldives properly and defend it. Few dozens of hired thugs made him go into hiding and dress up like a woman to avoid being captured.

This was a day that witnessed great sadness and loss for many Maldivians, loved ones were caught up in the crossfire and many lives were lost. In fact, I was studying in Kuwait at the time and all of us were anxious to know what was going on but there was no way of contacting home as phone lines were disconnected.

The turn of events that day has been published with Gayyoom's blessings and he is marking that day, November 3rd, as "Victory Day" but that is not the real case. Truth is that no one was in control of the affairs of the state that day, even way pass midnight. Many lives were lost yet, Gayyoom hails the event as one of his greatest achievements, by claiming that he who foiled the coup attempt.

If a "Victory Day" has to be marked in relation to this incident, it should be the next day, 4th November 1988. Indian military descended on Maldives and apprehended the aggressors. For some, this was compromising national sovereignty because technically the coup attempt was an internal affair and India had no right to interfere.

I once questioned Gayyoom during a family gathering at my home. I asked "Victory Day is not November 3rd, it is the 4th, because we (Maldivians) were not in control of the situation even by midnight that day, so why are you celebrating it on 3rd November?" His answer was "We have been doing that from the beginning, that is why." Unconvinced, I asked him "Yes, but it will not always be celebrated like this, as at some point in future, the date will be corrected, so why not do it now?". By then he was clearly uncomfortable and said "Yes!" and I ended the conversation by stating that November 3rd could be Martyrs Day or perhaps even better "Remembrance Day" in memory of the many Maldivians who lost their lives on the day.

Gayyoom has a habit of poking his fingers into absolutely everything, from meddling with Maldives history to designing the national dress. What he does not realize is that he is not immortal and that life will go on even after him. That, all the wrongs that he has done to date, will all be corrected one by one and his name will never be written in Maldives' history as a saviour of the nation but as the biggest traitor of all time.