Abdullah Afeef (1916 – July 13, 1993) was the only
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
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Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
of the
United Suvadive Republic
The United Suvadive Republic ( Dhivehi: އެކުވެރި ސުވާދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ) was a short-lived breakaway state from the Sultanate of Maldives between 1958 and 1960, consisting of the three southern atolls of the Maldive ...
from 1959 to 1963. Born in
Hithadhoo,
Addu Atoll
Seenu Atoll, historically known as Addu Atoll, is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives. Addu Atoll, together with Fuvahmulah, located 40 km north of Addu Atoll, extend the Maldives into the Southern Hemisphere. Addu Atoll is located 540& ...
, Afeef was an educated and well-respected individual from a family of notables.
Owing to his knowledge of the English language, he served as a translator to the British military at
Gan
The word Gan or the initials GAN may refer to:
Places
* Gan, a component of Hebrew placenames literally meaning "garden"
China
* Gan River (Jiangxi)
* Gan River (Inner Mongolia),
* Gan County, in Jiangxi province
* Gansu, abbreviated '' ...
airbase in the same atoll. His local name was Elha Didige Ali Didige Afeefu.
Abdullah Afeef was the breakaway nation's first and only president.
The
Suvadive government was unceremoniously dismantled by the British and the
Maldive Islands' government representatives in 1963. Following this, Abdullah Afeef was exiled to the
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
where he died about 30 years later.
Southern islanders still remember him fondly as "our Afeefu".
Insurrection of the Addu Islanders
During the 1950s, the government of the Maldive Islands (now
Maldives
The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
) sought to implement certain centralizing measures. As a result, there was discontent in the Southern Atolls.
In Addu Atoll there were riots against the central Maldive government in the year 1958.
Among those who were involved in the uprising against the militiamen of the central government posted in Addu was Abdullah Afeefu.
In Addu Atoll there was a British air base in the island of Gan. The new prime minister of the Maldive Islands had appointed Abdullah Afeef as the liaison officer between the British and the locals.
Shortly afterwards, in December 1958, the government announced plans for a new tax on boats. This caused riots throughout the atoll again, leading to several attacks on Maldive government buildings.
Once again, the officials of the Government of the Maldive Islands were forced to retreat to the safety of the British barracks. This time Abdullah Afeef saved the lives of the Maldive officials by warning them of the impending unrest.
Presidency
Four days later, on 3 January 1959 a delegation of the
Addu people arrived on Gan and declared their independence to the British. The delegation also demanded that Adullah 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 fledgling Suvadive state was soon joined by the other two Southern Atolls, Huvadu and Fua Mulaku.
In his first year as president, Afeef pleaded for support and recognition from Britain in the 25 May 1959 edition of ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' of London
However, Afeefu's pleas went unheeded and the British Government never recognized the "United Suvadive Islands".
Instead the initial British measure of lukewarm support for the small breakaway nation was withdrawn in 1961, when the British signed a treaty with the Maldive Islands without involving Afeef.
Following that treaty the Suvadives had to endure an economic embargo and attacks from gunboats sent by the Maldive government.
Without the support of the British, the Suvadive republic was on the brink of collapse.
Exile
Finally, in October 1963 the United Suvadive Republic was unceremoniously dismantled and the flag was hoisted over the main Suvadive government building in Hithadoo Island. Abdullah Afeef went into exile to the
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
with his immediate family aboard the British warship
HMS ''Loch Lomond''.
Within the Maldives, Afeef remains a controversial figure. The blame of the Suvadive "Rebellion" (Baghaavaiy) as it is still known in Maldives, was put squarely on Afeefu's shoulders and on the British. Following the failed rebellion, Afeef was officially declared a
traitor
Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...
to the Maldives, and a puppet of the British.
Despite official condemnation, Afeef is respected and admired by many Southern Maldivians who claim him as a man of integrity who was simply a victim of circumstance. Despite having studied in
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, Egypt, Afeef had a far more secular and progressive outlook than many of his contemporaries. Owing to his
secularism
Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...
and his admiration for the British, he was abjectly ridiculed and mocked as a "
Kafir
''Kāfir'' (; , , or ; ; or ) is an Arabic-language term used by Muslims to refer to a non-Muslim, more specifically referring to someone who disbelieves in the Islamic God, denies his authority, and rejects the message of Islam as ...
" or infidel by the press in
Malé
Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 211,908 in 2022 within its administrative area and coterminous geographical area of , Malé is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city i ...
, but among many Southern Maldivians, he is esteemed for his forward thinking and personal integrity.
After 1963, Abdullah Afeef lived in
Victoria, Mahe Island, in the Seychelles with his wife and children. From the Seychelles, Afeef made repeated requests to the Maldivian government to visit his home island of
Addu Atoll
Seenu Atoll, historically known as Addu Atoll, is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives. Addu Atoll, together with Fuvahmulah, located 40 km north of Addu Atoll, extend the Maldives into the Southern Hemisphere. Addu Atoll is located 540& ...
, to see his family,
but the Maldivian authorities persistently ignored his requests for the next 30 years. Shortly before his death on 13 July 1993, when he was old and in precarious health, Afeef was permitted to travel to Addu to see his relatives. However, an official
pardon
A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...
was not granted.
Genealogy
President Afeef Didi was the son of Ali Didi son of
Hithadhoo Elha Didi (Mohamed Didi) son of Kalhihaaru Dhon Ali Thakurufan of
Meedhoo son of Dhondhiyege Faathumaifaan daughter of Elhagedharige Hussein Thakurufaan son of Kudhuraniage Ibrahim Thakurufan son of Kudhuraniage Faathumafaan daughter of Ibrahim Naib Thakurufaan son of Vazeeul Kabeer Mohamed Bodufuiy Thakurufaan son of Chief Justice Hussein Quthubuddeen son of Chief Justice Mohamed Shamsuddeen (also known as Addu Bodu Fandiyaaru Thakurufan).
Afeef Didi's mother is Fathima Didi daughter of Aishath Didi daughter of (Gan'duvaru) Dhon Didi daughter of Aminath Didi daughter of Maradhoo Mudhingey Mariyam Manikufaan and An-Nabeel Moosa Didi (Kilegefaanuge Moosa Didi) son of Al-Ameer Abdulla (Ibrahim Faamuladheyri Kilegefaan) who is the only surviving son of Sultan Mohamed Ghiyasuddin son of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar II son of Sultan Mohamed Imaduddin Al-Muzaffar (Imaduddin II) of Dhiyamigili Dynasty.
References
*
*
*Hijrī Sādavana Satta ah Balailumeh. Council of Historical and Linguistic Research. Novelty. Malé 1986
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afeef, Abdullah
1916 births
1993 deaths
Maldivian Muslims
United Suvadive Republic
Heads of state of former countries
Heads of state of states with limited recognition
Maldivian emigrants to Seychelles
People from Addu City