1 January 1959, Gan Addu Atoll. The people of Addu Atoll, until that day a part of the Maldives, ask the British authorities in Gan to recognise their secession from the sovereign control of the Sultan of the Maldives and the jurisdiction of the Malé government. The demand of the Malé government on the Addu people not to offer their labour to Her Majesty's Forces was unacceptable to the Adduans. The original intention was not to break away from the Maldives, but the uncompromising attitude of the Malé government left little choice for the people of Addu. Very soon the people of Fua Mulaku and Huvadu Atoll to the north joined the secession to form the Suvadives

His Excellency the President of the Republic designate Abdullah Afif Didi holding a microphone assuring a crowd of Adduans that he had no intention of abandoning the Addu cause and going abroad. Her Majesty's serviceman in the background

A British officer and civilians with a Malé government interpreter Adam Haleem (seated third from left) known as "Charlie" to his friends