The key to the weapons of 1978

"… at that time it may have been illegal; I have not become President yet; but I had weapons. And the 6 or so people I mentioned also had weapons…." –President Gayoom speaking to the People's Majlis on 6 May 1980.

Few issues have been so hotly debated as that of the 'weapons' Gayoom was alleged to have possessed on the eve of 11 November 1978, during his swearing ceremony. In 1980 President Gayoom made the above statement to the Majlis, according to a book published by National Center for Linguistic and Historical Research, 'Godhiraajage naakaamiyaabu baghaavaath".

Last week however, speaking on TVM's Siyaasath program, Gayoom said he never possessed any weapons and that in 1980 he was only referring to the key to the armory, rather than actual weapons.

Here is the translation of the relevant passage from Gayoom's 1980 speech to the Majlis:

"Whatever it is, since that conversation has taken place and since the head of the military was a different person and I was not aware of the arrangements in the military headquarters, God willing, I was very prepared. When I came here for swearing in, around 6 of my close associates had weapons. That is if anything happened we had intended to carry out then and that night what the people had decided…not to be intimidated by anyone's threats. Since the people have chosen me lawfully I wanted to be there, come what may. So, at that time it may have been illegal; I have not become President yet; but I had weapons. And the 6 or so people I mentioned also had weapons…."

And now here is the explanation Gayoom gave to Siyaasath program's Shakir:

Shakir: "Have you ever told a friend that you will have one [weapon] before you took the oath?"

Gayoom: "No. But there is something I said much later. In a speech at the parliament, I said when I took the presidency, weapons were under my supervision. That means – I will tell how it happened. I took the presidency on 10 November 1978 at midnight – at the beginning of 11 November. A day prior to this, a person at the ministry of public safety came and gave me the key to the weapons storage, saying the president ordered to give it to Maumoon. Since I had the key to the armory, I was in possession of the storage to use the weapons in a situation those had to be used. The key was handed to me. The minister of public safety is still alive today. If you question him he will tell you likewise. So that's what I said. In my hand, pocket, body, I never had weapons and have never used them."

In support of what Gayoom said on Siyaasath program, the President's Office has released two letters written by the former President's Office to the then Ministry of Public Safety in November 1978. Here are the translations:

Unofficial translation of President Office letter number 1-E/28/78/69 sent to Minister of Public Safety on 2 November 1978:

To the Minister,

After greetings I convey the following. The President has directed me to convey to you that starting from 10^th November, you are to do everything relating to the Ministry of Public Safety and institutions under it in consultation with Hon. Uz. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and under his directions.

Please accept my respects,

(Signed) Mohammed Zahir, Private Secretary

Unofficial translation of President Office letter number 1-E/28/78/70 sent to Minister of Public Safety on 7 November 1978:

After greetings I convey the following. Reference is given to this Office letter number 1-E/28/78/69. In that letter you were told that starting from 10^th November, you are to do everything relating to the Ministry of Public Safety and institutions under it in consultation with Hon. Uz. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and under his directions. In addition to this, the President has asked me to tell you to carry out his [Gayoom's] instructions.

Please accept my respects,

(Signed) Mohammed Zahir, Private Secretary

Update from Jazeera Daily (21 September):
“Abdul Hannan Haleem [Minister of Public Safety before Gayoom took over] who is currently in Mecca on Umra informed Jazeera today by telephone that the armory key was with him and that he handed over the key to Maumoon on the night of November 11 in a visit to Muleeaage after Maumoon had taken the oath of presidency and gone there. He also said he handed over the keys personally to Maumoon along with a pistol he had with him.”