Male calm under curfew

A curfew barring people from leaving their homes, was still in force today, and there were no reports of overnight violence.

The National Security Service patrolled the island city and stationed armoured personnel carriers at important road junctions.

The state radio yesterday announced the declaration of a state of emergency under which President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who has ruled since 1978, has the authority to suspend citizens' rights, as well as prevent people from gathering or being voicing criticism of the government.

The government justified the move, saying the step was taken to "prevent deterioration of law and order."

Earlier yesterday, pro-democracy protesters had gathered outside police headquarters in Male to protest the detention of four people. Worried that a standoff might develop, police later released the four.

But security forces fired tear gas and rounded up several demonstrators when the crowd, which swelled to an estimated 3,000, refused to leave, said witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The protest was a rare event in a country where political dissent isn't tolerated. Political parties are banned in Maldives, a nation of 278,000 people on 1,192 coral islands, about 500 kilometers off the coast of India.