Victory Day (Maldives)

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Victory Day ނަޞްރުގެ ދުވަސް
MNDF activities on Victory day 2024
Observed by	Maldives
Type	National
Celebrations	Flag hoisting, parades, speeches by the president
Date	3 November
Next time	3 November 2025 (2025-11-03)
Frequency	Annual
Related to	1988 Maldives coup attempt

Victory Day (Dhivehi: ނަޞްރުގެ ދުވަސް) is a public holiday in the Republic of Maldives held annually on November 3. It commemorates the failure of a coup attempt in 1988, when a group of Maldivian rebels, supported by Tamil mercenaries from the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), attempted to overthrow the government of then-president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

History

On 3 November 1988, an attempted coup was launched against the Maldivian government, then headed by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The coup involved Maldivian dissidents working with the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), a Tamil militant group from Sri Lanka. Early in the morning, around 80 mercenaries infiltrated Malé, the capital of the Maldives, seizing strategic government buildings and communication centers in an attempt to capture President Gayoom, assassinate him and overthrow his administration.^[1]

President Gayoom, evading capture, reached out to nearby countries for assistance. India responded promptly by initiating Operation Cactus, deploying its military forces to the Maldives.^[2] Indian troops arrived in Malé within hours, successfully overpowering the mercenaries and reestablishing control, bringing the coup attempt to a swift end.^[3]

Victory Day was subsequently designated on November 3 to commemorate the defence of Maldivian sovereignty.^[4] The day honors those who safeguarded the nation's independence and underscores the importance of unity and security in the face of external threats.^[5]

Celebrations

The president of the Maldives addresses the nation^[6]
Flag hoisting
Awarding cermonies
Military parades

References

^ Banka, Neha (3 November 2022). "Operation Cactus: How India helped Maldives thwart coup bid backed by Lankan militants". The Indian Express.
^ Singh, Sushant (7 February 2018). "Beyond the news: 30 years ago, another Maldives crisis". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
^ "Victory Day". V News. 3 November 2020.
^ "Victory Day: Maldivian Army's Sacrifice, Shame on You!". Dhen News. 3 November 2020.
^ "Victory Day in Maldives". Elysian Maldives. 3 November 2018.
^ "President says Victory Day stands as a reminder of the importance of protecting national interests". The President's Office. 3 November 2021.

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