Speaking at today's Cabinet working session, President Mohamed Nasheed made a historic apology to victims of the then ‘Havaru Thinadhoo’ for past atrocities committed against them by the state.
President Nasheed said he was moved by the people of Thinadhoo and expressed deep sorrow for suffering of the victims of ‘Havaru Thinadhoo’.
“The state regrets the loss of innocent civilian lives, and will take great care in the future to prevent actions carried out by the state to enforce violence against its own citizens,” said President Nasheed.
In 1959, the then government forcibly expelled the people of G. Dh. Thinadhoo from their island. Many innocent civilians were killed during the violence.
Following the President’s speech, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed, whose grandfather was among those forcibly expelled from Thinadhoo, accepted the President’s apology. The Vice President said it was right that the current government apologise to the people of Thinadhoo for what happened.