Male’ resident launches hunger strike over public nuisance case left unresolved for nearly two years

A resident of Male’ launched a hunger strike at the Henveiru Police Station on Saturday, demanding intervention in a case involving an alleged drug addict who he said has engaged in constant public nuisance at his neighborhood for the past one-and-a-half years.

In a post on Facebook on Saturday morning, Mohamed Saeed said that a drug addict has been a constant public nuisance on Kashimaa Hingun and Dhoohimeri Magu for the past one-and-a-half years, affecting his family, the neighborhood, and everyone who uses the roads.

He said that they reported it to the authorities on multiple occasions, but failed to get any justice.

“We reported. We filed cases. We recorded evidence. We waited. For 1.5 years, nothing has changed, and the institutions have failed to protect us,” he wrote.

Saeed said that he finally decided to launch a hunger strike, and will not stop until the authorities resolve the issue.

“So today, to protect my family, I came to the police and began a hunger strike. I will not stop until the government and the relevant institutions resolve this matter,” he wrote.

He detailed some of what the neighborhood has faced for over a year. According to him, the man:

• Shouted obscenities at passers-by on Kashimaa Hingun and Dhoohimeri Magu.
• Obstructed traffic by wheeling cycles into the road and dragging road-closure boards from elsewhere to block it.
• Thrown garbage at the family’s home, captured on camera on two occasions.
• Thrown oil and water from his balcony onto people below, including oil thrown at the complainant himself.
• Struck people with plastic bottles and yelled at them without warning.
• Made loud noise and shouted continuously from midnight until dawn.
• Entered our family’s building without permission several times, slipping in behind tenants as they enter.

Saeed said he does not believe what he is asking for is unreasonable.

“I am not asking for anything unreasonable. I am asking for my family, and every person who walks, rides or drives on these roads, to be safe,” he wrote.

“Safety for families and roads is the duty of our institutions. We are asking them to do.”

The police were not immediately available for comment regarding the case.