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No room for territorial claim politics: Hisaan

Mohamed Rehan
28 October 2022, MVT 11:45
Thulhaadhoo MP Hisan Hassan criticized politicization of Chagos Archipelago dispute-- Photo: People's Majilis
Mohamed Rehan
28 October 2022, MVT 11:45

Thulhaadhoo constituency MP strongly criticized politization of the Chagos Archipelago dispute. She viewed recent rumors claiming Maldives’ decision to support Mauritius over Chagos Islands’ decolonization, was the former’s admittance to relinquishing control from part of its territorial waters, held no basis.

Moreover, she viewed the rumors as political misdirection to instigate distrust against Maldives government.

Maldives recently revealed its decision to back Mauritius with Chagos Islands’ decolonization at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). This was confirmed during International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) trial between Maldives and Mauritius over delimitation of maritime boundary between the countries.

Ever since it was confirmed that Maldives will support Mauritius to regain territorial rights of Chagos Islands from the British, the local political scene intensified with rampant accusations at the government. Some have claimed Maldives was willingly letting go of part of its territorial waters with their support to its Indian Ocean archipelagic neighbor.

However, it was later confirmed separately by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General’s Office that though Maldives switched its position in the ICJ case over Chagos Archipelago’s decolonization, which it had contested earlier, it was still not a reflection of the country’s willingness to give up its claim over the overlapping areas between Mauritius.

Few ruling party members criticized state’s decision to support Mauritius in reclaiming Chagos Archipelago.

“We have always advocated against colonization. As a sovereign state, we must protest colonialism. UK’s continued claim on Chagos Islands despite Mauritius gaining independence from them, was identified as a violation by International Court of Justice (ICJ), which was a sound judgment,” Hisaan Hussain, Thulhaadhoo MP and president of the Judicial Service Commission said.

“The implication here is that our decision to support ICJ’s ruling reflects us relinquishing the 200 nautical mile EEZ territory. This is grossly misleading, and done so to push a political agenda,” she added.

Moreover, she went on to further assert Maldives never changed its position over its EEZ claim. She also confirms the legal representatives inclusive of technical experts, litigating on behalf of Maldives’ claim for its EEZ territory. She warned of international repercussions owing to the discordant talks at the parliament chambers during Monday, October 24 parliament sitting.

ICJ in its advisory opinion ruled the long-exercised UK claim on Chagos Archipelago was in violation of international law. The court ruled UK to retract its colonial control from the atolls and revert them under Mauritius. The court’s opinion, as a resolution released by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on May 22, 2019 with 119 nations supporting it. Maldives was among the six countries that voted against the resolution, a decision it took because of Mauritius’ formal protest to CLCS against Maldives’ preposition to extend its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles on July 26, 2010. Mauritius filed a formal protest in 2011.

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