Amen for Amin

THE MALDIVES

Soon after the gentle people of the Maidive Islands abolished their centuries-old sultanate and elected Amin Didi their first President (TIME. Jan. 12, 1953), they began to regret it. Amin Didi was chock-full of reform plans--he wrote a new anthem to the tune of Auld Lang Syne; he abolished purdah and designed a new Mother Hubbard for women to wear; he forced the men to elect women to the legislature; he built an elaborate handicraft shop, despite the fact that rarely more than a half dozen tourists a year visit the isolated island chain (pop. 90,000) southwest of Ceylon.

But the President did nothing about a growing food shortage in the islands, and he went back to his old habits of taking long trips to visit Ceylon, or to see his dentist twice a year (in London). On top of that, the President was at least as cruel and despotic as any sultan, shouting orders, demanding cringing obedience from even his highest aides, punishing minor offenses with as many as 100 lashes, and meting out to more serious offenders that most ancient and unrepublican of sentences--the lopping off of both hands.

By last fall, the Maldive islanders had enough of their President. Two of Amin Didi's cousins, Ibrahim Mohammed Didi and Ibrahim Ali Didi, quietly plucked the President out of his palatial residence one night and imprisoned him on the nearby island of Doonidu. The two cousins installed themselves in charge. Piece by piece, some details of the bloodless coup reached Ceylon. The deposed President, said Ibrahim Mohammed, was still being kept under guard on Doonidu "for safekeeping"; the main islands apparently were thick with people who wanted to chop Amin Didi's hands off, preferably at the neck. Also, added Ibrahim Mohammed, the people were beginning to long for the quiet old days of the sultanate. Ibrahim Mohammed thought that he himself might be a logical choice for next Sultan. But there remained Amin Didi; he was not only the President and Prime Minister, but also next in line for Sultan, should the republic be abolished.

That last detail was cleared up last week by an unpretentious little press release issued by the Maldivian Trade Office in Colombo. On Dec. 31, it said. Amin Didi and some followers escaped from Doonidu and crossed over to the main island of Male. "The news spread rapidly among the populace, who demonstrated strongly against Amin Didi . . . The government had to take action to protect Amin Didi from the populace . . . Several government officials sustained slight injuries, as did also Amin Didi . . . Prompt medical attention was given . . . The shock of this incident undoubtedly affected the already poor health of Amin Didi . . He died .

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