Dhiyadhoo family living in Council Office due to insufficient housing in Gemanafushi

A Dhiyadhoo family which was living in Male’ when people were shifted from Ga. Dhiyadhoo to Gemanafushi, has started living in Gemanafushi Council Office, due to lack of housing for this family.

Mariyath Abubakuru of Dhilbahaaruge, Dhiyadhoo has started living in the Council Office with her husband and family since 10 o’clock yesterday morning.

Mariyath’s husband Mohamed Nazim informed Sun today that they have started living at the Council Office because, when people were shifted from Dhiyadhoo to Gemanafushi, no housing was provided for his family.

“We have been homeless for two years. People were asked to move from Dhiyadhoo without any protection for their belongings. Following that, we tried to find a solution through the legal system. Then by chance we had to move to Gemanafushi. Now it has been a month since we moved, and we still don’t have any housing,” Nazim, who previously lived in Male’ with his family, told Sun.

Nazim said that when he contacted the Island Council regarding this matter, he was asked to contact the Atoll Council and when he did that, he was told to contact the Gaumee Idhaaraa. Gaumee Idhaaraa said that this will be dealt with by the relevant Ministry.

Nazim said that he will continue to live in the Council Office until housing is facilitated for him.

“We won’t leave this place. Even if we are taken to prison, we don’t care. What we want it our rights, and to obtain that we will do anything,” he told Sun, while at the Council Office with his family which includes a disabled child and a seven year-old.

Gemanafushi Council President Aasim Mohamed said today that Nazim’s family started living at the Council Office this morning, because the house dedicated to this family under the government’s housing project has not been completed. Aasim also said that while completion of these houses is delayed, they have already started getting damaged.

Aasim said that the government has failed to complete houses for nine families beside Maariyath’s.

“Only when the houses are completed by the government, can they be handed over. It is not just Maariyath’s family, there are several other families waiting for housing,” Aasim said.