Ex-Pres. on confidential letter regarding Chagos issue: political fallout was a necessary sacrifice to protect national secrets

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that he kept the letter sent to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on the dispute over the Chagos archipelago confidential in order to safeguard national interests, despite political fallout.

The former president said this while speaking on RaajjeTV’s ‘Fashaairu’ morning show on Sunday.

The then-opposition had called for the disclosure of the letter, claiming that the President of the Maldives had sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Mauritius accepting Mauritius' sovereign rights over Chagos in the issue of delimiting the overlapping maritime boundaries between the Maldives and Mauritius.

They had also claimed that the letter contained information that threatened national security.

Although the truth about the letter was revealed later on, the opposition used it as a major political weapon during the presidential elections.

As such, the then-opposition falsely accused Solih of sending a letter to Mauritius containing language that could lead to war and pinned other allegations saying he was endangering national security in the letter while ITLOS was considering the issue of the Maldives' maritime boundary near Chagos.

Solih said that he endured significant political damage because of the then-opposition’s several interpretations and discussions of the letter.

However, the former president highlighted that despite the extent of the damage, he chose not to disclose the letter because it was a national secret. He stressed that once such secrets are revealed, no national secrets would remain.

He said that now that the current government has also confirmed the authenticity of the letter circulating on social media, it should be clear that there is nothing in it that harms the state.

Further, the former president clearly emphasized that the letter would not change the stance on the case proceeding at ITLOS.

While a case filed by Mauritius against the Maldives was proceeding at the International Tribunal, claiming overlaps between the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone and the Chagos maritime area, it was widely reported during the presidential elections period that the Maldives' Attorney General had stated at the International Tribunal that the Maldives accepts Mauritius' sovereign rights over Chagos, and that the President of the Maldives had sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Mauritius to this effect.

The opposition at the time heavily criticized the MDP administration, claiming that part of the Maldives' waters had been lost due to this letter. They called for President Solih's resignation, accusing his government of selling off the Maldives' waters, and held various gatherings and protests related to this issue.

ITLOS ruled in favor of the Maldives' arguments in the case of delimiting the overlapping maritime boundary between the Maldives and Mauritius. This decision resulted in the Maldives becoming a complete country with boundaries delimited in accordance with international norms and standards.