Context

• The Chagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the Indian Ocean, hold a rich history of cultural connections, colonial struggles, and significant ecological importance.
• The islands, comprising seven atolls, are geographically close to the Maldives and share deep historical ties with the region.
• It is imperative to explore the historical claims of the Maldives over the Chagos Islands, the cultural and navigational connections between the regions, and the contemporary issue of marine conservation.

Cultural and Historical Connections Between the Maldives and the Chagos Islands

• Historical Evidence of Maldivian Claims
  • One of the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting the Maldives’ historical claims is a letter from 1560, written by a Sultan of the Maldives and preserved in a Portuguese archive in Lisbon.
  • In this letter, the Sultan explicitly refers to the Peros Banhos Atoll, a northern part of the Chagos Islands, as being under his domain.
  • The significance of this letter lies in the clear assertion of the Maldives' political authority over these islands during a time when European powers, particularly the Portuguese, were expanding their influence in the Indian Ocean.
  • The letter suggests that even as these European powers sought to dominate trade routes, local rulers like the Sultan of the Maldives continued to assert control over their traditional maritime territories, which included the Chagos Islands.
• Linguistic and Toponymic Connections
  • The Maldivians refer to the Chagos Islands as Foalhavahi, a name that resonates with that of FoaMulak, an atoll located near the southern tip of the Maldives, in proximity to the Addu Atoll.
  • The similarity in names hints at a shared cultural and geographical understanding that transcends mere linguistic coincidence.
  • This cultural affinity is reinforced by the way British historians such as Albert Gray and H.C.P. Bell, in the 19th century, examined the origins of island names.
  • They suggested that the term FoaLhavahi might derive from the Malay word pulo or pulau, meaning island.
  • This etymological connection indicates a broader cultural linkage that ties the Maldives and the Chagos Islands to the Malay world.
• Historical Narratives and Regional Interconnectedness
  • In 1640, the French traveller Vincent le Blanc recorded a narrative he heard in Pegu (modern-day Myanmar) about an island called Polouois, which he placed south of the Maldives.
  • This island, which aligns with what the Maldivians call FoaLhavahi, was reportedly under the rule of the King of Achen in Sumatra.
  • According to le Blanc’s account, the island was part of a network of territories controlled by the Sumatran king, who divided it among his descendants.
  • The political struggle between two of the king’s sons over control of these territories eventually led to the transfer of FoaLhavahi back to FoaMulak.
  • This narrative, although partly mythological, highlights the interconnectedness of the Indian Ocean region and the way local political dynamics played out across distant islands.
• Cultural Blending and Shared Heritage
  • These historical narratives also underscore the close cultural ties between the Maldives and other regions in the Indian Ocean, such as Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula.
  • Not only did these regions share trade routes, but there is evidence that populations from FoaMulak, an atoll in the Maldives, show Malay features, suggesting a blend of cultures and peoples over the centuries.
  • The Chagos Islands, therefore, were not isolated territories but part of a broader maritime network that included traders, travellers, and rulers from across the Indian Ocean.

Colonial Interventions, Changing Sovereignties, and the African Connection of Chagos Islands

• Colonial Interventions and Changing Sovereignties
  • Throughout the British-French conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries, the sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago shifted, ultimately remaining under British control by the 20th century.
  • Despite decolonisation movements in the 1960s, the United Kingdom retained sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, even as it relinquished control over other Indian Ocean territories.
  • This decision excluded the possibility of returning the Chagos Islands to the Maldives, despite their historical ties.
  • Historical records indicate that even as late as the 1930s, the Sultan of the Maldives undertook expeditions to the Chagos Islands, marking coconut palms with the royal seal.
  • These activities reflected the ongoing interest of the Maldivian leadership in maintaining a connection to the islands, whether for economic activities such as fishing or for asserting historical claims.
  • Such expeditions culminated in a final one led by the father of a former Maldivian foreign minister, further underscoring the Maldives' historical involvement in the Chagos region.
• The African Connection
  • The history of the Chagos Islands and the Maldives also intersects with the African continent through the grim legacy of the slave trade.
  • In the 1700s and 1800s, slaves from Africa were brought to both the Maldives and the Chagos Islands by traders.
  • This shared history has left cultural imprints, with descendants of African origin still found in the Maldives.
  • The African heritage of these populations suggests that the demographic histories of the Maldives and Chagos are intertwined, adding another layer to the cultural and historical bonds between the two regions.

Chagos Marine Protected Area and the Importance of Preserving the Marine Life of Chagos Islands

• The Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA)
  • In 2010, the United Kingdom declared the Chagos archipelago as a MPA, one of the largest of its kind in the world.
  • This designation aimed to create a no-take zone where fishing and other extractive activities are prohibited, allowing the region’s marine life to thrive without human interference.
  • The establishment of the MPA has been praised by conservationists for providing a refuge for numerous species, including several that are endangered or threatened, such as certain species of sharks, turtles, and coral reefs.
  • The MPA acts as a sanctuary, where marine populations can recover and flourish, contributing to the broader health of the Indian Ocean ecosystem.
• Depletion of Fish Stocks in the Indian Ocean
  • In recent years, fish stocks in the Indian Ocean have been rapidly depleting due to unsustainable fishing practices.
  • Many countries, driven by economic interests, have handed over fishing rights to large-scale commercial fishing fleets, including factory trawlers and purse seiners.
  • These fishing methods are often characterised by their lack of selectivity, leading to overharvesting of target species and significant bycatch—unintentionally caught fish and marine life.
  • This trend poses a serious threat to the ecological balance of the Indian Ocean and to the smaller island nations whose economies depend on fishing as a primary source of income and food security.

Way Forward: Britain Must Learn Its Leaving Lessons

• Great Britain must be congratulated for bringing the whole of Chagos under protected status.
• For Great Britain, the best and most respectable way to leave the Indian Ocean would be to discuss with the Maldives how this protected status can be maintained indefinitely.
• Britain must learn its leaving lessons. Leaving India in 1947 was good, but the human cost from Partition was horrific.
• It is vital that as the process of decolonising proceeds, all island countries of the Indian Ocean, including the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, jointly agree to maintain the Chagos archipelago’s fully protected status, in the interests of marine conservation.

Conclusion

• The Chagos Islands embody a complex blend of historical claims, cultural connections, and ecological imperatives that make their governance a subject of international significance.
• While the Maldives has deep historical and cultural ties to the Chagos Islands, the strategic interests of various nations have shaped the islands' modern political status.
• As the world moves towards a more collaborative approach to conservation, it is crucial that the Chagos Islands be preserved as a sanctuary for marine life, guided by the lessons of history and the necessity for regional cooperation.