Kajacima protiv „ecocida“: Mladi aktivisti na Maldivima brane mangrove i budućnost ostrva

U Addu Cityju na Maldivima, grupa mladih aktivista nedavno je veslala kajacima do nasipanih površina i sprejom napisala „ECOCIDE“ na delu koji je zaposednut iznad zaštićenih mangrovskih močvara u UNESCO biosferskoj rezervati. Taj simbolični protest privukao je pažnju javnosti na ozbiljne posledice nasipanja i neadekvatne zaštite obalnih ekosistema.

Ko su aktivisti i šta rade

Neprofitna organizacija Project ThimaaVeshi („sebe i okolinu“) jedna je od novih omladinskih grupa koje se bave problemima svakodnevice u ostrvskoj državi: erozijom obale, plastičnim otpadom i degradacijom koralnih grebena. U Addu Cityju dokumentuju posledice prekomernog razvoja na močvare i grebene, dok u Maleu i Hulhumaleu grupe poput Ripple organizuju redovna čišćenja i kampanje za reciklažu.

Direktna akcija i edukacija

Aktivisti udružuju snage sa surferima, roniocima i volonterima: vade ribolovačke vrvice iz koralnih grebena, skupljaju plastične flaše i održavaju edukativne radionice za mlade o pravu na čist i zdrav životni ambijent. Mnogi su počeli kao prijatelji i korisnici društvenih mreža — video-snimci i TikTok objave pomogli su da inicijative brzo dobiju podršku.

"Bili smo samo mi i gomila nada i snova", rekao je 21-godišnji ko-osnivač Project ThimaaVeshi, Yameen Maumoon.

Izazovi i odnos vlasti

Iako Maldivi globalno ističu svoju ranjivost zbog podizanja nivoa mora, aktivisti tvrde da razvoj ponekad dolazi prečicom preko prirodnih barijera — a zaštitne mere ne sprovode se dovoljno brzo. Stručne procene upozoravaju da bi do 50 godina čak oko 80% zemlje moglo postati nenaseljivo zbog porasta nivoa mora, što stavlja pritisak na hitne mere očuvanja i planiranja.

Starosna dob mladih aktivista često je meta kritika; neki zvaničnici sugerišu da su mladi previše emotivni da bi učestvovali u donošenju odluka. Aktivisti odgovaraju da ne očekuju da sami reše sve probleme, ali da čekanje da drugi deluju više nije opcija.

Poruka za budućnost

Grupe kao što su Project ThimaaVeshi, Ripple i Barnacles rade na tome da ekološko delovanje učine dostupnijim i zajedničkim, istovremeno oblikujući generaciju koja razume svoja prava i odgovornosti. Kako kaže Yania Hussain Ishan iz Barnacles: "Odlučujemo kakvi ćemo preci biti. Branimo naš dom, naše nasleđe i pravo budućih generacija da stoje na ovim obalama."

Informacije su zasnovane na izveštaju Associated Pressa; AP ostaje odgovoran za sav sadržaj.

A participant holds a sign as part of Project ThimaaVeshi, a youth-led demonstration against ongoing reclamation project damaging mangroves off the coast of Addu City, Maldives, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

A demonstrator holds a sign while participating in an action as part of Project ThimaaVeshi, a youth-led protest against ongoing reclamation projects damaging mangroves, in Addu City, Maldives, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

A demonstrator holds a sign while participating in an action as part of Project ThimaaVeshi, a youth-led protest against ongoing reclamation projects damaging mangroves, in Addu City, Maldives, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

"Eccocide in Addu" is displayed on reclaimed land by Project ThimaaVeshi, a youth left group, as part of a demonstration against ongoing reclamation projects in Addu City, Maldives, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Buildings stand on Male, the capital city of the Maldives, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

A juvenile grey reef shark swims at Addu Nature Park, a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, off the coast in Addu City, Maldives, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Yoohaa Ibrahim Saeed and Mariyam Ulfa Ahmed of Ripple, a youth group, pull out a fishing line that has become entangled with a coral during an underwater clean up session with the Aloha Ufaa Surf Club off the coast of Hulhumale, Maldives, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

A hawksbill turtle swims at Addu Nature Park, a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, off the coast of Addu City, Maldives, Feb. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Ahmed Akif Ali, of the youth group Ripple, holds up a plastic bottle found underwater during a clean up session being held with Aloha Ufaa Surf Club, off the coast of Hulhumale, Maldives June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Mohamed Ma'al Nazeel, co-founder of Ripple, a youth led group, empties out his full bag of plastic waste collected during a joint plastic pollution clean-up in Male, Maldives, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Yania Hussain Ishan, co-founder of youth group Barnacles, sorts through the first batch of plastic waste collected in the joint plastic pollution clean in Male, Maldives, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Members of Project ThimaaVeshi, team up with Veshi Saafu, a group of older women who also campaign on environmental matters, to demonstrate against ongoing reclamation projects on World Environmental Day in Addu City, Maldives, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Mangroves line the shore of Hithadhoo Island, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with reclamation work visible through it in Addu City, Maldives, June 5, 2026, (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)

Ripple, a youth group, joins an early morning beach clean up organized by the Ministry of Youth, on Dhiraagu Beach in Hulhumale, Maldives, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)(AP Photo/Sophia Nasif)