Maldives National Party (MNP)’s leader, Dhangethi MP Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim, alleging Maldives lost part of its maritime territory due to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s negligence, has threatened to sue the president over the matter.
Opposition PPM-PNC coalition, ‘The Democrats’, a faction formed within main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) which has now filed for registration as a new political party, and Maldives National Party (MNP) has formed an alliance in light of their mutual disagreement with how the conflicting maritime territory between the Maldives and Mauritius have been delimited.
Speaking at a mass rally held by the opposition alliance in the Carnival area on Friday night, Nazim, stressing Maldives have lost a huge part of its maritime territory, underscored the need to reclaim the lost area. He also said that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has lost the moral authority to remain in power – owed to the government’s course of actions in the maritime dispute.
Opposition alliance's rally on border dispute held at Carnival area on June 2, 2023. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Shaathiu Abdulla)
Nazim, comparing the area Maldives lost to a country, said Maldives lost an area that is equivalent to Switzerland. He expressed intention to sue President Solih over the loss.
“It might be easy to say this is how much that has been lost. But, losing an area equivalent to Switzerland, is a huge loss to the nation. You must not assume to be safe from litigation because you are in power. Will sue President Solih over this loss,” he said.
Nazim, emphasizing the current administration has failed to the point of max, highlighted the need to change the government. He added that there should be no backing down on this, while the end result of their efforts should be the end of President Solih’s administration.
He also called to withdraw the letter sent by to Mauritius prime minister regarding the border dispute.
Nazim said Maldives will face economic and security losses due to the lost maritime territory.
Opposition alliance's rally on border dispute held at Carnival area on June 2, 2023. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Shaathiu Abdulla)
Therefore, he said all leaders of political parties in the opposition alliance have set aside their political differences, to unite on this particular issue. He assured that the alliance will work together to regain the lost maritime territory.
ITLOS, on April 28th, concluded that the conflicting Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between Mauritius and Maldives will be divided between the two using the equidistance formula as argued by Maldives in the case.
Thus, Maldives gains 47,232 square kilometers from the 95,563 square kilometers of maritime territory in dispute while Mauritius gains 45,331 square kilometers.
Opposition alliance's rally on border dispute held at Carnival area on June 2, 2023. (Sun Photo/Mohamed Shaathiu Abdulla)
The opposition alliance claim Maldives is entitled to the 95,563 square kilometers of maritime territory in dispute. They state that the area Mauritius gained in the dispute was due to the government’s failure to protect the interests of Maldivian citizens.
