Angry tsunami victims refuse Atolls Minister entry to island

Minister of Atolls Development of Maldives, Mr Mohamed Waheed Deen has been refused entry to an island in Laamu Atoll by angry tsunami victims, Minivan News has reported.

The Atolls Minister Mr. Mohamed Waheeddeen was met with ugly scenes at Isdhoo Ward of Isdhoo-Kalhaidhoo Island of Laamu Atoll earlier this week, when angry tsunami victims refused to allow the Minister to step foot on the island.

Witnesses told Minivan that the Atolls Minister tried to stop over at Isdhoo Ward after rain hampered his team from docking at Kalhaidhoo Ward which was the focus of his visit.

The Isdhoo Island Chief reportedly arrived at the jetty during the incident, but the crowd persisted in their refusal to allow the Minister to land. The incident reached its highest point when the gathered public tried to mob the Minister, reported eyewitnesses at the scene. The Minister decided to abandon his short visit and depart whilst Isdhoo Ward public chanted they were hungry and famished and since it was Kalhaidhoo Ward which got all the tsunami aid Deen should go back to Kalhaidhoo.

Speaking to Minivan Radio today an Isdhoo resident said that “the people of the island were promised assistance immediately following the tsunami but the government has failed to deliver these things so people were wild and didn’t want him [Deen] to come onto the island.”