Youth conduct rally against fights and discordance

The newly established Youth Alliance has conducted a peaceful march to voice out their rejection of increasing violence, fights and discord in Malé the Capital of the Maldives. The march began yesterday evening, at 4 o’clock, from the Social Centre at the Western Coast of Malé.

Participants of the March wore partly or wholly white dresses, or sported white armbands and headbands. During the march, they called the capital of the Maldives to be returned to a state of peacefulness, harmony, and solidarity.

Some 150 youth participated in it, most of them sporting placards and posters criticizing violence and discord. The front row of the march carried a large banner which read “One Nation, One Religion, One Language, We Are One”.

The participants of the youth march also condemned the cases of violent attacks against the police and members of the defence force whose number has been on the rise recently. Condemning such acts of violence against security services, and calling for an immediate stop to such attacks, participants of the march stated that this dangerous and sad practice would undermine the security of the whole nation.

The march was accompanied by a boduberu band playing a traditional music on a local variety of drum, popular amongst the locals as well as foreigners who visit the country.

The march peacefully walked through the length of Majeedhee Magu from the Social Centre to the Artificial Beach, and then took a left turn to Boduthakurufaanu Magu, and was concluded at the Carnival Area. As a conclusion, the participants stood ground to form the peace sign, and let a large number of balloons into the air.

As the peaceful march of the youth was on its way, a group of thugs on motorbikes tried to disrupt it from behind, although they were kept at bay by the police. The thugs called the participants of the march “rebels”, and called for President Dr. Waheed’s resignation. Their behavior and reports from eye-witnesses suggest that they are members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

As the youth were on their peaceful march, another rally was also carried out, by the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and a group that described itself as the “Freedom Alliance”. They also sported criticism and protest of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s Government. They too conducted a march, and were attacked by a gang of thugs as they walked along Maaveyo Magu. However, the police saw to it that no further confrontations took place.