A new civic group called Maldivian Land for Maldivians has been formed to oppose the government’s plan to allocate reclaimed land in Rasmalé to UAE-based Eagle Hills.
Former Home Minister Imran Abdulla is leading the movement. Organisers say the arrangement undermines national sovereignty and contradicts earlier campaign commitments on land ownership.
They have vowed to continue protests until the land allocation is revoked. The group argues that the reclaimed area, developed with public funds, should remain available for Maldivian housing and other public needs rather than long-term foreign control.
The government has maintained that the project will bring substantial investment and that residential plots for citizens will still be provided. Critics, including religious scholars and opposition figures, have raised concerns about the duration of the lease and the possibility of foreign settlement.