‘We didn’t want to leave our island’: stories of involuntary resettlement from Gaadhoo Island, Maldives

ABSTRACT

With development displacing more people and planned relocation being espoused as an adaptation strategy in response to climate change, research that explores the experiences of those who have been resettled is needed. The Maldives has a history of resettlement based on an ongoing policy of consolidation of dispersed populations to ensure access to services. The paper explores the history, politics, and perceptions and experiences of Gaadhoo Islanders in the Maldives during their involuntary resettlement to Fonadhoo Island in January 2016. Through in-depth interviews and ethnographic fieldwork among the resettled, a range of subjective experiences is identified. Although only a small proportion of participants wanted to leave and the process was undemocratic and politically motivated, both positive and negative outcomes were identified. In line with existing research, greater access to services and employment were positive outcomes of the resettlement. However, the process led to non-tangible loss of identity, culture and community cohesion. It is suggested that transparency, consistency and open communication should be central to the process throughout, from pre-decision to the resettlement process itself, and during the compensation and post-resettlement stages. The lessons drawn from this case study may help mitigate potential negative impacts from resettlements which will likely continue and increase into the future.

KEYWORDS:

• cultural identity
• peripherality
• politics
• relocation
• resettlement
• Maldives

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the people of Gaadhoo who participated in this research; they are so grateful for their time and important insights. The authors thank the Secretariat of Laamu Atoll Council and Fonadhoo Island Council for granting permission to their land, and for their invaluable support and cooperation in scheduling the interviews and organizing field visits to the abandoned Gaadhoo Island. A special note of thanks also to Mr Azeez, the last President of the Gaadhoo Island Council, who accompanied all house visits and provided crucial information about the resettlement process.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Toddy tapping relates to the extraction of sap from coconut palms.

2 This served a political purpose (gerrymandering) to ensure Gaadhoo residents could not wield too much electoral power. It will be returned to in the discussion.

Additional information

Funding

This study was undertaken as part of the project ‘Navigating Rising Seas: A Comparative Study of Relocation in Fiji, the Maldives and Tuvalu’, funded by the National Geographic Society [grant number HJ2-194R-18].