Secession of The Suvadives
Among those who were involved in the uprising against the militiamen of the central government was a young, educated and well-respected individual known as Abdullah Afeef, who served as a translator to the British during their post. His local name was Elha Didige Ali Didige Afifu. The new prime minister appointed him as the liaison officer between the British and the locals. Shortly afterward, in December 1958, the government announced plans for a new tax on boats. This caused riots throughout the atoll, leading to several attacks on government buildings. Once again, the officials of the Government of the Maldive Islands were forced to retreat to the safety of the British barracks. The fact is that they owed their lives to Afeef, who warned them of the impending unrest.
Four days later, on January 3, 1959 a delegation of the Addu people arrived on Gan and declared their independence to the British. The delegation also insisted that Afeef be their leader. Afeef was chosen to lead the nascent Suvadive government because of British insistence that a trustworthy leader whom they were familiar with be chosen, as a precondition for them being able to back the secession. It is said that Afeef initially refused, and that he accepted the role of becoming the executive head of the new state only under heavy pressure.
The newly formed republic was born in southernmost Addu Atoll with high expectations. Soon, hoping to share in their neighbor's newly found independence, the atolls of Huvadhu and Fuvahmulah joined Addu to form the United Suvadive Republic. However, the Maldive government reacted by sending a fully armed gunboat to Huvadhu, commanded by prime minister Ibrahim Nasir himself, and threatened the secessionist leaders and the notables of various islands in that large atoll. Finally, the initial separatist movement in that atoll was suppressed by June 1959.
However, the other two small atolls were spared the Maldive government's reaction. Addu Atoll was protected by British intervention, with the deployment a regiment from Peninsular Malaysia. Lacking a harbor, Fuvahmulah was inaccessible to the attacks of the Maldive government gunboat.
Read more about this topic: United Suvadive Republic