Civil unrest breaks out in Malé

The Disaster and Its Immediate Cause

Civil unrest erupted in Malé, the capital of the Maldives, on Saturday, September 20, 2003. The disturbance was provoked by the death of Hassan Evan Naseem at Maafushi Prison, a facility located on a separate inhabited island. Naseem had been serving a sentence for drug abuse related offenses when the fatal incident occurred.

Many government buildings, vehicles, and other public properties were set on fire, with some structures being completely destroyed. The violence marked a sharp departure from the typical tranquility associated with the island nation.

First Reports From the Scene

On Friday, September 19, 2003, security personnel from the National Security Service beat Naseem while he was held at Maafushi Jail. The beating was administered as punishment for disturbances arising from disputes between Naseem's inmates and neighboring prisoners. Although Naseem was reportedly not involved in the initial incident, his name appeared on a list of troublemakers that security guards used to round up specific prisoners.

Naseem resisted the attempt to remove him from his cell, demanding reasons for his summoning. This resistance led to an injury sustained by a security guard, prompting numerous members of the security unit to storm into the cell. Naseem was subsequently moved to solitary confinement, referred to as The Range, where he was severely beaten by twelve officers on the same night. He died in the early morning of September 20, 2003, largely due to injuries sustained to his lungs from the beating.

Rescue, Response, and Fallout

Inmates at Maafushi Prison learned of Naseem's death at approximately 11:00 on September 20, 2003. Following repeated, unanswered demands to meet with a Security officer from the Department of Corrections, some prisoners refused to take lunch to reflect their concern. Funeral prayers were performed by Naseem's inmates and other prisoners after mid-day prayers, shortly before a loud uproar emerged from Block C, where Naseem's cell was located.

Two inmates jumped out of cell C3 after its corrugated iron sheets were pushed open, and more prisoners followed them to attack jail security unit personnel. Captain Adam Mohamed, who was in charge of the security unit, was informed of the uprising. In the capital, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom went on national television to appeal for calm as groups set fire to several cars and attempted to torch buildings.

The Questions the Disaster Left Behind

The government controlled the unrest by around 23:00 on September 20, 2003, after officers fired teargas to disperse mobs that had attacked government vehicles and public buildings. A State of Emergency was declared in Malé and nearby islands, and fire engines and armed police vehicles were seen patrolling the narrow paved streets of the capital.

Late night curfews were enforced in Malé from 22:00 to 04:30 for more than a month following the rioting. The authorities disputed the relatives' claim that police were responsible for the death, with Information Minister Ibrahim Manikku Manikku stating that the death resulted from a clash between prisoners at Maafushi.

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