Nothing in the capital is indicative of a political turmoil. There are vehicles on the roads in the main island, people on the sidewalks, restaurants are open, and shops are doing reasonably good business.
The only sign of trouble that journalists who landed from Colombo faced was in the form of an immigration officer. When it was pointed out that another journalist was allowed by a second immigration officer, he said that we were free to try that officer. We walked through.
The Capital Male is a three-minute boat-ride from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport. At the hotel, a few airline staff said they were asked by their airline to stay in and not venture out stay out, and not venture out. “We thought we will get to one of the island resorts, but that is not to be,” said one disappointed crew-member.
Police, in new Mahindra Scorpio jeeps, patrol the streets, perhaps with a frequency that is not known earlier. But the police say they had stepped up vigil in the past few weeks.
Tourists on the wharf, getting back from a nearby island, said they heard of the change in government. But they had not seen anything untoward or out of place. Nothing out of place.
For now, the surface is calm. Former President Mohamed Nasheed is protected by the Army, one source close to him said.
Published - February 08, 2012 01:54 am IST
