Dr. Munavvar’s contradictory remarks: Chagos belongs to Maldives and needs to be reclaimed

Former Attorney General Dr. Mohamed Munavvar, underscoring Chagos archipelago belongs to the Maldives as per historical documents, has stressed that the lost maritime territory alongside Chagos archipelago needs to be reclaimed by the Maldives.

Speaking at a mass rally held by the opposition alliance against the government’s course of action in the maritime dispute between Maldives and Mauritius – Dr. Munavvar said charts drawn in the 1600s show Chagos belonged to the Maldives.

He detailed that the islands were uninhabited till the colonization of the islands by the French – after which they were populated.

“We are entitled to a place which maps from back then showed belonged to us. Therewith, in the opportunity, I call on the government to work on reclaiming our maritime territory which they have given up in addition to that place (Chagos),” he said.

This is a complete 180-degree change from his earlier remarks in which he said Chagos did not belong to the Maldives.

He also said Maldives has never claimed sovereignty over Chagos previously.

Dr. Munnavar said the foreign lawyers who represented the Maldivian government in the border dispute did not know how to prioritize the interests of Maldivian citizens.

“The Maldivian constitution refers to a policy we use in delimiting any border conflicts with other nations. In the capacity of the person who wrote the first draft of the Maritime Zones of Maldives Act (in 1996), 200 nautical miles was claimed under the law because we can,” he said.

Dr. Munvvar, stating there is no other country south of Maldives, said Chagos was an archipelago under British colonization. He added that it is Mauritius that claims sovereignty over the archipelago.

He further said that a baseline cannot be drawn to delimit areas by archipelagos that are not officially recognized as a state.

“International laws do not grant the right to archipelagos that are not recognized as states to draw a baseline for delimitation at its surrounding area. I am not saying this mistakenly, this is factual information,” he said.

Dr. Munavvar commented that the heads of the government “should go home” if they cannot regain the maritime territory Maldives has lost.

He went on to say that it was the best course of action for heads of state who threaten the nation’s sovereignty through secret letters to resign.

Dr. Munavvar, stating the Maldivian law clearly asserts the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the nation, said this was the reason why there is a conflicting maritime area between Maldives and another nation.

He also questioned whether the government’s claims that no further action can be initiated over the border dispute was a frugal attempt to irritate the public.

“They say there is no room to appeal. But we the procedure of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas. You are not aware. Because you are not, you had to seek foreigners who were incapable,” he said.