300 Stranded as Island Declared Uninhabited Before Relocation

Over 300 residents of Hdh. Hirimaradhoo have been left stranded without basic services after a presidential decree designated their home an uninhabited island before promised housing in Hanimaadhoo was even built. The opposition MDP has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, demanding the decree be annulled and local council elections reinstated unless the government immediately fulfills its relocation plan or restores governance to the island.

Uninhabited Status Leaves Over 300 Hirimaradhoo Residents Stranded as Relocation Stalls

More than 300 residents on the island of Hdh. Hirimaradhoo have been left without essential basic services or formal local governance after a presidential decree designated the island as uninhabited prior to the completion of their promised housing in Hanimaadhoo.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has formally submitted the issue to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), requesting an urgent investigation into what it describes as a severe human rights concern.

Under a presidential decree issued last December, Hirimaradhoo was officially classified as an uninhabited island, with administrative responsibility for its remaining population assigned to the Hanimaadhoo Council. However, findings from a fact-finding mission conducted by MDP's Decentralization Committee revealed that the designated administrative support is not functioning, leaving the resident population stranded without a recognized governing authority. Ali Niyaz, Chair of the MDP Decentralization Committee, emphasized that over 300 citizens continue to reside on the island under these precarious conditions.

The relocation plan traces back to August last year, when the President assured Hirimaradhoo residents during an official visit that new housing units would be established in Hanimaadhoo within 18 months. However, progress has stalled significantly. Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib recently informed Parliament that the project faces roadblocks due to a lack of cooperation from the Hanimaadhoo Council, which went as far as filing a police report regarding the land allocation proposed for the Hirimaradhoo residents.

With the 18-month housing pledge now widely viewed as unachievable, MDP is urging the government to either complete the housing project immediately or revoke the presidential decree. Should the relocation fail to materialize, the party demands the re-establishment of local council elections on Hirimaradhoo to restore proper governance and basic services to the community.

Hirimaradhoo is currently the least populated island in Hdh. Atoll, with official census data recording a resident population of 293 people, comprising 157 males and 136 females.