India will back Mauritius on Diego Garcia: Narayanan

By Neena Vyas

PORT LOUIS (Mauritius), MARCH 10. The President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, today affirmed that the security and sovereignty of Mauritius was of ``paramount importance'' and India was firmly with the Government of Mauritius on the issue of restoration of its sovereign right over ``its own soil'' in the Chagos Archipelago. Mr. Narayanan emphasised that Mauritius would ``never find India wanting'' on issues related to its security and sovereignty.

The Diego Garcia American base in the Indian Ocean is on one of the islands of the Chagos Archipelago and the Mauritius Government is keen that the British hand it over when the current lease expires. The situation is somewhat similar to that of Hong Kong before the British gave it back to China at the end of its lease in 1999, but complicated by the fact that Britain had allowed the United States to build its base here, strategically located in the Indian Ocean.

Mr. Narayanan was responding to the warm words of welcome by his host, the President of Mauritius, Mr. Cassam Uteem, at a state banquet given in his honour here this evening. Mr. Narayanan noted that the Indian Ocean ``does not separate us'' but ``brings us together'' and besides, there was the strong bond of a common civilisation and shared experiences of history. It was gratifying, he noted, that the country built by the ``blood, sweat and tears'' of brave Indians who began coming here (as indentured labour) nearly two centuries ago, today stood out as a ``shining example of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, subjugation and injustice.''

The growing role of Mauritius in the Southern African Development Community, the fact that Mauritius was currently one of the non- permanent members of the Security Council and was chairperson of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, were noted by Mr. Narayanan who said that these positions had given Mauritius her rightful place in the international arena. In his welcome speech, Mr. Uteem underlined the special and warm relations between the two countries and he said he was looking forward to a further strengthening of the bond.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Narayanan was accorded a ceremonial welcome complete with an inspection of a guard of honour and a 21-gun salute at the impressive Le Reduit State House set in plush green surroundings and a magnificent view of the sea, and rebuilt after it was all but destroyed by a hurricane in 1892.

He planted a sapling in the gardens of the State House and during a brief interaction with reporters he said he had come to Mauritius to see how ``the genius of the common man of India has flourished here more than in India.'' Clearly he was referring to the beautiful country, now their own, which the indentured labour, mainly from Pondicherry and Bihar, helped to build. His advice to the people of Indian origin here was that while they should keep intact their culture, they must also ``get attuned to other cultures and develop harmoniously.''

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