Thinadhoo residents protest lowering of flag to half-mast over Nasir’s death

haveeru
Some residents of Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Thinadhoo are protesting against the Government’s decision to lower the national flag to half-mast as a sign of mourning over the death of former Maldivian president Ibrahim Nasir.

The residents who are protesting the gesture thronged the Atoll Office and raised the lowered flag to full mast and have called on the Police to take down the flag flying at half-mast at the island’s Police Station. The residents came out in the pouring rain last night and even shouted for the Home Minister Gasim Ibrahim to resign.

The Thinadhoo residents who took part in the protests are saying that the national flag can be lowered as a sign of mourning over the passing of President Nasir only after the Government had acknowledged and lowered the national flag to half-mast to mourn the loss of the Thinadhoo residents who died during the Havaru Thinadhoo rebellion while Nasir was the Prime Minister.

Despite the protests from the residents, the Thinadhoo Island Police have said that they could not make any decision about raising the flag to full-mast or taking it down entirely unless they received orders from a Government authority.