Mauritius takes UK to ICJ over Chagos Islands dispute
ICJ to hear Chigos islands case
Britain had overseen the islands from 1814 and in 1965 detached the Chagos Islands from Mauritius,
The International Court of Justice(ICJ) will today begin hearing a case on Britain's claim over Chagos islands located in the Indian Ocean which Mauritius calls "illegal".
The ICJ will hear arguments from 22 countries including India with huge security implications for New Delhi. Chagos Islands also includes Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago and the site of a major United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean leased from Britain in 1967.
Mauritius says it was illegal for London to break up its territory with Britain not recognising Mauritius claim to the string of islands, located close to the Maldives.
Britain had overseen the islands from 1814 and in 1965 detached the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, a British colony that became independent three years later. In 2016, Britain's foreign ministry had extended Diego Garcia’s lease until 2036 and declared the expelled islanders would not be allowed to return.
Mauritius said it was unfairly pressured to cede control of the islands during the negotiations, and had agreed only to their temporary use for military purposes. Mauritius petitioned the United Nations for an International Court of Justice opinion on the legality of Britain’s possession of Chagos.
The US has been operating its military base at Deigo Garcia since 1971 after Britain allegedly ousted the islanders. A UK foreign office spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that Mauritius have taken this bilateral dispute to the international court of justice." The spokesman declared that the UK does not recognise "Mauritius’s claim to sovereignty of the archipelago."
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India will speak on the case on Wednesday which would be closely watched by experts ahead of the crucial 2+2 talks with the US administration in New Delhi next week.