Maldivian National Security - And the Threats of Mercenaries

Abstract

The issue of protection and security of small states is quite significant in the current interpenetrative world. Most small states belong to the Third World and it is interesting to examine how small sovereign states in the Third World are maintaining their national security from different types of external threats. Some of these external threats involve the activities of transnational mercenaries and terrorists. After the attempted coup in 1988, Maldives is actively publicizing this issue in the international community. This paper attempts to study the protection and security of small states by analysing threats to the Maldivian national security, security assurance under hegemonic stability and Maldivian efforts to overcome such threats.