President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Monday urged the nation to put aside differences that would hinder progress and to put national well-being first.
In his National Unity Day address, the President extended warm greetings and good wishes to all Maldivians on the occasion and stated that the National Day of Unity is observed in remembrance of the spirit of national unity and solidarity shown by the people of Maldives in the immediate aftermath of the devastating 2004 tsunami, the most tragic, and the largest, national calamity faced by the Maldives in recent history.
Memories of the tragic day still evoke bitterness and sorrow, as so many of us lost loved ones to the disaster, the President said.
The President then went on to describe the solidarity, love and compassion that was displayed by Maldivians during the catastrophe as remarkable, and emphasized that learning lesson from the disaster and moving ahead with solidarity was a national duty.
Twelve years ago on December 26, massive tsunami waves hit coastal areas across South-East and South Asia causing death and destruction on an unprecedented scale. The Maldives, being a low-lying island nation, experienced the full brunt of the tsunami, which destroyed islands, infrastructure and livelihoods. The catastrophe that shocked the nation and brought it down to its knees claimed 82 lives and left 26 people lost and unaccounted for. Over 15,000 people lost their homes. Homes and whole communities were destroyed forcing people from 13 islands to be temporarily moved to other islands. Many of the people who were made homeless in the disaster lived in temporary shelters for the past 10 years.
Due to the exemplary unity shown by the people on December 26, 2004, the day is annually marked as the National Unity Day.