Inauguration Decorations in Male, Maldives

By Nick Langton

Nick Langton is The Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in Nepal. From 1989-1992, he managed the Foundation’s programs in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

It was after 1:00 on Monday morning when I made my way out of the airport in Male, the capitol of Maldives. There was a cool tropical breeze and the smell of salt water in the air. Across a stretch of sea from the airport, Male’s skyline had grown noticeably since my last visit in 2002. I was tired after a long flight, but excited to be back to attend the inauguration of my old friend, Dr. Waheed Hassan, as the Maldives’ first elected Vice President.

Two weeks earlier, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had lost the first democratically contested presidential election in the nation’s history, after 30 years in power.  The new president-elect was Mohamed Nasheed, known as “Anni,” a 41-year-old journalist and former political prisoner. I had read about the election, but did not know  that my old friend Waheed was Anni’s running mate, until receiving an email last week inviting me to attend the inauguration.
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