Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime boundary issue
Saturday, 22 November 2008
The prevailing circumstances surrounding the issue of Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime boundary delimitation seems to be drifting. Both the countries have been exploring possibilities of settling the issue through bilateral negotiations. While the parties have agreed to sit in Yangon next January for another round of negotiation, the land forces on both the sides of the fence are alert.
Myanmar has spoken aloud its mind in the deployment of warship in support of drilling rig to carry on its exploratory works. During the negations between the representatives of Bangladesh and Myanmar, suggestions made by Bangladesh were not accepted by Myanmar rather; it has put forward its own version. Hence a question naturally comes to the mind as to the fate and culmination of this dispute. If the parties fail to arrive at an amicable settlement, then what they would do to make peace. Definitely war never solves problems. Moreover, in this modern age war is a luxurious instrument to resort to unless it is a super power to achieve super targets.
One can cite the latest example of a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes between Guyana and Suriname under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Guyana and Suriname had been trying to settle the maritime boundary delimitation bilaterally for long time but failed. At one stage they were almost at war when a rig was engaged by Guyana to carry on exploratory work and Suriname deployed air force plane and gunboats, which compelled the withdrawal of the rig. Guyana did not opt for a military encounter, rather it initiated proceedings under the 1982 Convention on February 24, 2004. The Tribunal was constituted on July 30, 2004 comprising of H.E Judge Dolliver Nelson, Professor Thomas Franck, Professor Hans Smit, Dr. Allan Philip and Dr Kamal Hossain. The Arbitral Tribumal delivered its Award in September 2007.
I would suggest that instead of dragging the matter for a long time, Bangladesh should be serious in its bilateral efforts in full good-neighbourly spirit to achieve a settlement. If amicable settlement could not be achieved, Bangladesh should initiate proceedings under the 1982 Convention without delay in order to achieve a lawful resolution of the matter.
Md. Shah Jahan
Dhaka
Myanmar has spoken aloud its mind in the deployment of warship in support of drilling rig to carry on its exploratory works. During the negations between the representatives of Bangladesh and Myanmar, suggestions made by Bangladesh were not accepted by Myanmar rather; it has put forward its own version. Hence a question naturally comes to the mind as to the fate and culmination of this dispute. If the parties fail to arrive at an amicable settlement, then what they would do to make peace. Definitely war never solves problems. Moreover, in this modern age war is a luxurious instrument to resort to unless it is a super power to achieve super targets.
One can cite the latest example of a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes between Guyana and Suriname under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Guyana and Suriname had been trying to settle the maritime boundary delimitation bilaterally for long time but failed. At one stage they were almost at war when a rig was engaged by Guyana to carry on exploratory work and Suriname deployed air force plane and gunboats, which compelled the withdrawal of the rig. Guyana did not opt for a military encounter, rather it initiated proceedings under the 1982 Convention on February 24, 2004. The Tribunal was constituted on July 30, 2004 comprising of H.E Judge Dolliver Nelson, Professor Thomas Franck, Professor Hans Smit, Dr. Allan Philip and Dr Kamal Hossain. The Arbitral Tribumal delivered its Award in September 2007.
I would suggest that instead of dragging the matter for a long time, Bangladesh should be serious in its bilateral efforts in full good-neighbourly spirit to achieve a settlement. If amicable settlement could not be achieved, Bangladesh should initiate proceedings under the 1982 Convention without delay in order to achieve a lawful resolution of the matter.
Md. Shah Jahan
Dhaka