Govt refuses to disclose letter sent to UK over Chagos dispute

The President’s Office has refused to disclose the contents of a letter President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu sent to the British government following their decision to give up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

Britain had announced the decision to give up Chagos Islands while retaining control over Diego Garcia - a highly secretive strategic airbase in the Indian Ocean it jointly operates with the United States – on October 3.

The Chagos Island is at the core of a long-running territorial dispute between not just the UK and Mauritius, but also the Maldives.

Maldives became involved in the dispute as the country's exclusive economic zone overlaps with that of Chagos.

In his address during the Republic Day function held on November 10, President Muizzu said he had sent an official letter to the British government following the decision, highlighting the historical connections between the Maldives and Chagos Islands.

He said that given the documental evidence of the historical connections between Maldives and Chagos, Maldives has a greater claim over the territory than any other country.

“Following news that the British government is handing over Chagos to Mauritius, given our strong historical links to the place, the Maldivian government sent an official letter to the British government,” he said.

Sun had filed a request with the President’s Office under the Right to Information Act (RTI) seeking the requests made in the letter as well as a copy of the letter.

In a letter sent last week, the President’s Office said the information cannot be disclosed under Article 31 of the RTI Act.

The incumbent administration had heavily criticized a similar decision made by the President’s Office to withhold the contents of a letter sent in 2022 by the then-Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the Mauritius government acknowledging Mauritius’ sovereign claim over Chagos.