🖋️Urgent Public Petition: A Call for Comprehensive Decolonisation and the Restoration of the Chagos Archipelago to the Sovereign Control of the Republic of Maldives

To His Excellency the President of the Republic of Maldives, and the Honourable Speaker of the People’s Majlis,

We, the undersigned citizens of the Republic of Maldives, respectfully submit this urgent petition concerning the historical and ongoing injustice surrounding the Chagos Archipelago. While we acknowledge recent international developments regarding the Chagos Islands, we firmly assert that a true and comprehensive resolution necessitates the recognition and rectification of the profound colonial wrongs and historical grievances inflicted upon the Maldivian people.

Our unwavering position is rooted in undeniable historical facts, established international principles, and the inherent rights of our nation:

1) Acknowledging Colonial Wrongs and Historical Grievances:

a) Historical evidence unequivocally demonstrates that early European powers – notably the Portuguese in the 16th century – explicitly recognised the Chagos Archipelago as being within the Maldivian sphere of influence.

b) Maldivian rulers, such as Sultan Hassan in 1560, formally included territories corresponding to the Chagos Archipelago (known as “Pullobay” or “Foalhavahi”) within their dominion. Ancient Maldivian inscriptions, including the Dhanbidhoo Loamaafaanu, and navigational texts further solidify this historical connection.

c) The geographical proximity of the Chagos Archipelago to the Maldives – unlike any other nation – underscores this enduring historical and cultural link.

d) The subsequent detachment of the Chagos Archipelago from the Maldives by French and British colonial powers constituted a clear act of colonial intervention. These actions disrupted a pre-existing regional order and fundamentally undermined the Maldivian people’s right to self-determination.

e) The administrative separation of Chagos from Seychelles in 1903 and its attachment to Mauritius, followed by the 1965 “sale” to the United Kingdom, were arbitrary decisions made within a colonial framework – not legitimate transfers of inherent sovereignty. Neither Seychelles nor Mauritius possessed inherent sovereignty over the archipelago at that time.

f) The International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruling, while addressing the illegality of the UK’s administration, did not sufficiently consider the Maldives’ primary historical sovereignty and the direct violation of Maldivian self-determination.

2) Upholding Historical, Social, Cultural, and Economic Rights:

a) The historical record confirms that France and the United Kingdom exercised authority and derived significant strategic, military, and potentially economic benefits from the Chagos Archipelago without the free, genuine, and informed consent of the historically sovereign power — the Maldives. This constitutes unjust enrichment at the expense of our nation’s territorial integrity and sovereign rights.

3) Call for Restoration of the Chagos Islands to Its Original Sovereign Position:

a) The Maldives possesses a compelling and primary right to the Chagos Archipelago based on its unbroken historical sovereignty.

b) We assert that the reintegration of the Chagos Archipelago under the sovereign control of the Republic of Maldives is a necessary and indispensable step for achieving true and complete decolonisation for our nation. This action would ensure the Maldives’ full territorial integrity and provide a rightful historical rectification.

c) We call for comprehensive redress for the historical injustice, the violation of our territorial integrity, and the denial of the Maldivian people’s right to self-determination. This should include appropriate compensation from both France and the United Kingdom for their respective periods of unlawful control and utilisation of the Chagos Archipelago.

We urge the Maldives Parliament and His Excellency the President to acknowledge these profound colonial wrongs and historical grievances. We implore you to take all necessary steps to advance the claim for the restoration of the Chagos Archipelago to its original sovereign position as an integral part of the Republic of Maldives, ensuring the historical, social, cultural, and economic rights of the Maldivian people are finally upheld.

Sincerely,