(3 minutes read)
- Mauritius hoisted its flag on disputed Chagos Islands challenging the British sovereignty claims over the territory
- The Mauritian flag was raised on last Monday (14th February)
- Several Chagos islanders together with Mauritian officials were travelling to the Chagos Islands on a voyage coral reef set foot on the atoll as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com
Mauritius hoisted its flag on disputed Chagos Islands challenging the British sovereignty claims over the territory. The Mauritian flag was raised on last Monday (14th February)
Several Chagos islanders together with Mauritian officials were travelling to the Chagos Islands on a voyage coral reef set foot on the atoll as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com. Britain forcefully evicted residents in the 1960s and 70s and were relocated to other parts of the archipelago nation. Mauritius has been fighting for decades for the control of the string of islands. While Mauritius Prime Minister hailed Monday’s visit “very emotional” and “historic“, Britain’s Foreign Office said the UK “had no doubt as to its sovereignty” over what they called the British Indian Ocean Territory.
In a recorded message, Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth said if the UK removed the flag, it would be interpreted as a “provocation”. The International Court of Justice and the United Nations told Britain to give up control of the islands. But the non-binding resolution was not upheld. The islands have acrimonious past to hark back. Islands were separated from Mauritius by the UK in 1965. Britain bought the territories and then leased it to the United States to set up a military base. Britain in 2020 said it would “cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it was no longer required for defence purposes.” It is to be seen how this issue would play out at a time there has been hectic activities among the US and China over the control of the Indian Ocean, with countries divided in their support to the two superpowers.
