The 1988 Maldivescoup d'état was the attempt by a group of Maldivians led by a businessman Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by armed mercenaries of a Tamil secessionist organisation from Sri Lanka, the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, to overthrow the government in the island republic of Maldives. The coup d'état failed after the Indian Special Forces eliminated the terrorist leaders of PLOTE. At the realization of the attacks failure, the terrorist group hijacked a Maldivian freighter named MV Progresslight and set sail towards Sri Lanka. After the terrorists escaped, the Indian Navy was called for help and they intercepted and captured the mercenaries and they were brought into custody in an operation codenamed Operation Cactus.
Prelude
Whereas the 1980 and 1983 coup d'état attempts against Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's presidency were not considered serious, the third coup d'état attempt in November 1988 alarmed the international community. About 80 armed PLOTE mercenaries landed in the capital Malé before dawn aboard speedboats from a Sri Lankan stolen freighter. Disguised as visitors, a similar number had already infiltrated Malé earlier. The mercenaries quickly gained control of the capital, including the major government buildings, airport, port, television and radio stations. The mercenaries then marched towards the Presidential Palace where President Gayoom was residing with his family. But before they reached the Presidential Palace, President Gayoom was escorted by Maldivian National Security Advisor to Defence Ministers home. Defence Minister took President Gayoom to a safe house. Meanwhile, the mercenaries had seized the Presidential Palace and managed to take the Maldivians Education Minister as hostage. President Gayoom asked for military intervention from Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but both cited their in capabilities and denied any help. Then he turned towards Singapore which also cited same reasons. After that he called US, who told him that it will take them 2–3 days to reach Maldives from their nearest military base in Diego Garcia as it is 1000 km far. Then he called UK which advised them to ask help from India. President Gayoom in his last hope called India and asked for help. India swiftly accepted their request and an emergency meeting was arranged in South Block, Delhi. Within 16 hours of SOS, India was ready to start their operation.
Operation Cactus
According to Rejaul Karim Laskar, a scholar of Indian foreign policy, India's intervention in the attempted coup became necessary as in the absence of Indian intervention, external powers would have been tempted to intervene or even to establish bases in Maldives which being in India's backyard would have been detrimental to India's national interest. India, therefore, intervened with "Operation Cactus". The operation started on the night of 3 November 1988, when Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force airlifted the elements of the 50th Independent Parachute Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, the 6th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, and, the 17th Parachute Field Regiment from Agra Air Force Station and flew them non-stop over 2,000 kilometres to land them over the Malé International Airport on Hulhule Island. The Indian Army paratroopers arrived on Hulhule in nine hours after the appeal from President Gayoom. The Indian paratroopers immediately secured the airfield, crossed over to Malé using commandeered boats and rescued President Gayoom. The paratroopers restored control of the capital to President Gayoom's government within hours. Some of the mercenaries fled toward Sri Lanka in a hijacked freighter. Those unable to reach the ship in time were quickly rounded up and handed over to the Maldives government. Nineteen people reportedly died in the fighting, most of them mercenaries. The dead included two hostages killed by the mercenaries. The Indian Navy frigates Godavari and Betwa intercepted the freighter off the Sri Lankan coast, and captured the mercenaries. Swift operation by the military and precise intelligence information successfully quelled the attempted coup d'état in the island nation.
Reaction
India received international praise for the operation. United States President Ronald Reagan expressed his appreciation for India's action, calling it "a valuable contribution to regional stability". British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reportedly commented, ‘"Thank God for India: President Gayoom's government has been saved". But the intervention nevertheless caused some disquiet among India's neighbours in South Asia.
Aftermath
In July 1989, India repatriated the mercenaries captured on board the hijacked freighter to Maldives to stand trial. President Gayoom commuted the death sentences passed against them to life imprisonment under Indian pressure. The 1988 coup d'état had been headed by a once prominent Maldivian businessperson named Abdullah Luthufi, who was operating a farm on Sri Lanka. Former Maldivian PresidentIbrahim Nasir was accused, but denied any involvement in the coup d'état. In fact, in July 1990, President Gayoom officially pardoned Nasir in absentia in recognition of his role in obtaining Maldives' independence. The operation also strengthened Indo-Maldivian relations as a result of the successful restoration of the Gayoom government.
Published accounts
Documentaries
Operation Cactus : How India Averted Maldives Crisis in 1988 is a TV documentary which premièred on Veer by Discovery Channel series, Battle Ops.
