Maldives turmoil

Ousted Maldives President Mohammed Waheed Nasheed's party announced on Wednesday that a military coup was responsible for his resignation on Tuesday as his supporters held violent demonstrations in the capital, Male.

The Maldives political power struggle is threatening to destroy its tourism, an important source of income for the country. Whoever can afford to vacation in the Maldives has to be at least well-to-do. It is not the cheapest of holiday destinations. And people paying such high prices to go there expect to be able to enjoy peace and quiet while soaking up the sun on isolated, white sand beaches and swimming in pristine water. All of that has become a stark contrast to what has been going on there in the last few weeks.

Vacationers have been spared most of the turmoil. But in the last few weeks, hardly a day passed on which there was no demonstration in the ongoing political power struggle between the president and the opposition. President Mohammed Nasheed was once a shining light of the democracy movement. Most of the opposition's supporters happen to be supporters of the former dictator, who ruled the country for over three decades.

Islamist win?

Observers fear the winners of this somewhat complex power struggle could be the Islamists, who disturbed the paradise island just a few weeks ago by demanding the closure of spas and banning sales of alcohol and pork.

To the relief of the island's important tourism industry, President Mohammed Nasheed announced a few days later that the ban was lifted. "Once the spas were banned, we understood, the people of the Maldives understood the gravity of the issue and in many senses, the silent majority woke up and they wanted to reverse the rulings of the extremists," he said.

He warned Islamists that the island nation could not afford to be thrown back into the dark ages. But Islamists are not the only threat to the tiny island, which barely sticks up out of the ocean.

Global warming

In the year 2009, Nasheed held an underwater cabinet meeting to create awareness about the effect global warming is having on the Maldives - namely, that the island will some day disappear into the Indian Ocean if nothing is done to stop the polar icecaps from melting.

Nasheed's then deputy Mohammed Waheed Hassan, also emphasized the effects of global warming, calling out to the international community: “We are all together in this. And when we sink, we will sink together. Maldives is on the forefront, it's at the beginning of the end.”

The president's former deputy was sworn in as president on Tuesday. He starts his presidency with a full plate. An ongoing crisis would be like an unwelcomed political cloud blocking the Maldivian sun. And vacationers, as the world knows, do not like clouds.

Author: Kai Küstner/sb
Editor: Shamil Shams