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Maldives annuls prickly national flag policy

17 February 2019, MVT 22:04
National flag of the Maldives at Republic Square. FILE PHOTO/MIHAARU
17 February 2019, MVT 22:04

Ministry of Home Affairs nullified the regulation for using the Maldivian national flag which was established during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

The publicly criticized policy regulated the situations, places and established guidelines in which the national flag can be used.

According to the regulation enacted on March 8, 2017, the national flag can only be displayed under special authorization. The policy also made it illegal to create flags that resembled the Maldivian national flag. Moreover, the policy made it illegal to hoist any flags higher than the national flag.

After the policy came into effect, complications surfaced regarding Jumhooree Party’s flag, as it had many identical features to the Maldivian flag.

Furthermore, the flag hoisted on former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s house was pulled down by Maldives Police Service.

Then opposition and current ruling coalition claimed that the policy was set in place by Yameen’s administration in order to deter the political activities of the opposition. They also claimed that the policy was invalid and called for its cancellation.

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