Who says what it takes to be a paradise is simplicity? Not just simplicity but harmony piece and friendly people along with white sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons are just few features of many that constitute to the name paradise which is synonymous to the name Maldives.

Maldives was introduced to the western world in early 70s when the tourism industry began in its crudest form that it could possibly be. Tourists who were looking for simplicity and who sought to escape the hypes of the stressful work life chose Maldives for the mere reason of simplicity. What they found here however was something more. Beautiful and warm people, simple and naive yet who realized the importance of extending the warmth and hospitality that one day would become the brand name of the worlds most exclusive tourist destination.

The bread earner for some 200,000 people in the remote Indian Ocean garland of 1200 islands is the tourist industry that is highly dependent on the political and socio economic atmosphere of Europe. The vulnerability hence posed by the economic factors of the west is substantial let alone any internal troubles that might crop up.

Political instability, religious conflicts, freedom fighters, terrorism and the likes were concepts that were alien to most of the locals and they were akin to radio news bulletins of 80s that dominated stories of Falkland war.

Tourism along with fishing was feeding the majority of the populace for quarter of a century whilst earning unprecedented wealth to landowners of the islands and few affiliates of the government system. This set up managed to silence the majority of the population although few vocals appeared along the way that were carefully orchestrated to end up acquiring their identity in the society as no body.

The situation was to change due to mismanagement in the system of suppression itself. Prison shootings sparked a new struggle in the political life of the Maldives. The situation attracted the attention of international community and began to get addressed under several names such as human rights, freedom of expression, democratic reform and so on which were concepts that the locals used to hear only out side of their native country during their spells in abroad.

Political party systems, political strikes, parliamentary debates and so on have become more of buzz words than resort-supplies, souvenir shops or tourists for that matter in the Maldives and foreign news headlines have started reading the Maldives as paradise that is chaotic.