Drama on the high seas, 30 years ago

Drama on the high seas, 30 years ago

Context:

In 1988, India intervened in the political crisis of Maldives to prevent an attempted against the then president Gayoom

What was ‘Operation Cactus’?

• 30 years ago, in 1988, an intervention by the Indian armed forces  which was codenamed ‘Operation Cactus’ had crushed an attempted coup on Maldives
• The coup was against the then President Gayoom
• The coup was carried out by Sri Lankan Tamil militants on behalf of the Maldivian businessman Abdullah Luthufi
• On 3 November, 1988, the presidential palace was taken under siege and Luthufi installed himself in the president’s chair.
• Indian Government  was called for help
• The then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dispatched 1,600 troops to Maldives and soon order was restored in the country
• India received international acclaim for its role in reinstalling Gayoom and bringing the island nation to stability.

Current Situation:

• The current political crisis in Maldives was spurred by the Maldivian Supreme Court’s recent order directing the immediate release of nine opposition leaders from prison including exiled former president Mohammed Nasheed
• The ruling may have allowed Nasheed, who was Maldives’ first democratically elected president, to challenge President Abdulla Yameen when he seeks re-election later this year.
• Following the order, President Yameen declared state of emergency in Maldives
• India has expressed concern over the recent political developments in the Maldives