Dr. Malik Hasan
Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep Archipelagos are the group of islands in North Eastern and Central Indian Ocean which were handed over to India against the principles and provisions of Indian Independence Act 1947. In case of Andaman Nicobar Archipelagos British kept these islands under their control and later handed over to India in 1950instead of distributing amongIndia and Pakistan. Later on considering the imminent politicalthreat due to the unjust accession of archipelagos;India declared these Islands as Union Territory in 1956. In case of Lakshadweep Archipelago; Muslim dominated territory was unjustly handed over to India ignoring the Muslim majority.
Andaman Nicobar Archipelago was inhibited by Africanorigin people who came here some 60,000 years ago. Jawar; a cannibal tribe comprising approximately 500 individuals protected by Indian Government are still living in Andaman Islands.Entire archipelagowith total area of 8250 sq. km comprises 572 Islands out of which Nicobar Archipelago consistsof 247 islands. As per survey conducted in 2020 only 38Islands are inhabited and are part of AndamanArchipelago whichis divided into North, Middle, Lower and Little Andaman with port Blair as capital while the deserted Nicobar Island is divided into Car, Little and Great Nicobar.Danish East India Company arrived here on 12 Dec 1755, later with a view to punish the Muslims and Hindu for taking part in 1857 War of Independence; British East India Company established Cellular Jail there from 1896 to 1906. On 23 Mar1942,during the WW-II,Japanese Captured Andaman Nicobar Islands and later handed it over to Azad Hind (Government in Exile); Indian National Army against British Army; however Britishrecapturedthe archipelagos on 7 October 1947.At the time independence of both India (1947); and Burma (1948), the departing British announced their intention to resettle all Anglo-Indians and Anglo-Burmese on these islands to form their own nation, which never materialised the archipelagos remained undivided. Later on with a view to averting political turmoil; India declared it as Union Territory in 1956. Presently India has based a Brigade size force with 30 ships moreoverwill soon commission the new base, called INS Kohassa, about 300 km north of the archipelago’s capital, Port Blairto dominate‘Six’ and ‘Ten’ degree channels west of Malacca Strait.
Military base in Nicobar Archipelago is boosting Indian military posture in Indian Ocean. India has been developing defence facilities on the islands since the 1985. The islands now have a key position in India’s strategic role in the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait.British Instead of dividing these archipelagos between India and Pakistan in accordance with the Indian Independence Act 1947,handed over these to India. Indian Governments felt insecure and in order to avoid the political turmoil the archipelagos were declared as Union Territory in 1956 as Modi Government has recently declared Kashmir and Laddakh as Union Territories in Aug 2019. Insecurity has been so persistent and dominating that even after more than half a century during his visit to Andaman Island in Dec 2018 Indian Premier Modi changed the names of Ross Island to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Neil Island to Shaheed Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep and Dweepto project Hindu tones by abolishing the Christian legacy.
Considering the principles and provisions of Indian Independence Act 1947and the rights of Pakistan it is obligatory on United Nations to hand over the one of the two archipelagos to Pakistan as the has yet not been repealed by UK and is still in effect hence UK can also complete the just division.Nicobar Archipelago being geographically closer to Pakistan and being deserted one shouldbe handed over to Pakistan.
Lakshadweep is a group of islands in the Lakshadweep Sea; 200 to 440 km away from the southwestern Indian coast. The archipelago is administered as a smallest union territory and district of India with total surface area is just 32 sq.km. The lagoon area covers about 4,200 sq.km, having an Exclusive Economic Zone of 400,000 sq. km. As percensus of 2020 the total population of Lakshadweep Archipelago is 65,998 out of which the Muslim population is 96.58 per cent and Hindus are 2.77 per cent only. The region was ruled by the Muslim house of Arakkal, followed by Tipu Sultan. On his death in 1799, Islands most of the region was passed on to the British who like Andaman and Nicobar Archipelagos once again, against the principles and provisions of Indian Independence Act 1947the handed over a Muslim dominated archipelago to India without even asking the choice of 98 per cent Muslim inhabitants.When Tippu Sultan was martyred in battle with the British in 1799, three Amindivis Islands came under British control. The bibi and her husband were permitted to retain the other islands however in 1908 bibi ceded these islands to British and sovereignty was transferred to India in 1947 against the very first provision of Indian independence in 1947 as per which areas of Muslim majority were to be part of Pakistan.Indian leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel being apprehensiveof an attack by Pakistan sent Naval troops to consolidate and hoist the Indian flag.Apart from being a Muslim majority area, it was also a Muslim ruled princely state which should have been given the right either to join India or Pakistan however the legal and moral right was snatched and the state of Tipu Sultan was given to India, hence on twin pretext Pakistan’s right was ignored.
The justdivision of the archipelagos will not only provide the right to Pakistan but will also improve its diplo-economic situation asa part of Indo-Pacific Region. This would add hundreds of sq.km to Pakistani EEZ hence making the sea lines of communication more secure The completion of unfinished agenda can help to resolve nuclear flash points like Kashmir, Sir Creek and Junagadh in Indo-Pacific Region.
Writer is Ph.D in International Relations, Fellow Research Member with Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transportation (UK), Pakistan Navy War College Environ Monitor and National Foundation for Environment Education & Research Research Member with ResearchGate