Historian T. W. Hockly writes about
the historical events that took place on 2nd October 1934, the
necessitated dethronement of the Sultan by the people of Maldives in accordance
with Article 51 of the Maldivian Constitution.
“It appears that the
Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Farid Didi Effendi, who is also the Prime
Minister of the Maldive Islands, was informed that certain persons were
convening secret meetings which has as their object the destruction of the New
Constitution inaugurated in December 1934.
Warrants were issued for
the arrest of four persons in this respect. It was learned from the arrested
persons that there were others involved in the plot to destroy the
Constitution. It was further alleged that among these others were four servants
of Prince Hassan Izzudin, the son of the Sultan. Apparently the Prince had
interested himself on behalf of certain individuals who had previously been
deported.
When officials of the
Ministry of Home Affairs attempted to arrest the four servants of the Prince
the later refused to allow their arrest. He is said to have come out with his
father, the Sultan, and to have informed the officials and the people gathered
together that if the servants were arrested they would have also to arrest the
Sultan and himself. It is stated that the Prince then cried out asking whether
they wanted the Constitution or his father and himself. The People
replied that they wanted the Constitution.
Steps were taken to effect
the dethronement of the Sultan.
The ‘Revolution’ was of an
entirely bloodless character, I understand, and was not followed by any
disorder.”
Writes Hockly, in his Author’s
Note to the book; ‘The Two Thousand Isles – A short account of the people,
history and customs of the Maldive Archipelago’.
The Sultan was dethroned after
an uninterrupted reign of over thirty one years.
Like any other story of the
past, there are those Historians who will argue that the Prince was framed by
the Prime Minister; say by a coup, after the dethronement, the Members of the
Cabinet sought the responsibility to administer the country until the appointment
of a successor. Only to have Abdul Majid Didi appointed as successor who was
more a symbolic Sultan of a country that was administered by a Council of
Ministers of course with Muhammad Farid Didi Effendi as a Prime Minister.
However, looking back at
events from our not very distant past, we understand that the people in
Maldives have always considered Constitution an important element of governance.
Good Governance can only be achieved in a Constitution conscious society.
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