Sipadan

Sipadan is only the oceanic island of the Malaysia, with a rise in 600 meters to the top of sea-bed. It is located at the east of the island of Tawau in the Mer of Célèbes. The island was formed starting from alive Coraux which developed during thousands of years with the top of an extinct volcano .

Sipadan is located in the middle of the indo-peaceful Bassin, one of the marine habitats richest of the world. More than 3.000 fish species and of the hundreds of coral species were indexed in this ecosystem. In France, Sipadan is known by the report of the Commander Cousteau on the mysterious cemetery of tortoises under the column formed by an underwater calcareous cave containing a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms.

History

Sipadan was the object of a territorial litigation between Malaysia and the Indonesia. The business had been carried in front of the the International Court of Justice of $the Hague to the Netherlands. At the end of 2002, this one acordé the island, like that of Ligitan, in Malaysia, on the basis of " occupation effective" shown by the preceding occupant, i.e. the the United Kingdom, old colonial power, and in the absence of any other higher title. The Filipino had tried to intervene in the procedure within the framework of its claim on Sabah, but its request had been pushed back by the Court at the beginning of 2001.

In April 2000, 21 people were kidnapped by members of the Filipino terrorist group Abu Sayyaf. Armed men had arrived by boat, forcing 10 tourists and 11 employees of their hotel to be embarked and taking them along in the island of Mindanao. All the hostages had been released finally.

In 2004, the Malaysian government ordered with all the hotel operators and of Plongée of Sipadan to move their installations out of the island before the end of the year. This initiative is primarily intended to preserve the balance of the ecosystem of Sipadan and its surroundings. The diving is always authorized in Sipadan with operators installed on the close islands or Borneo.

May 15th, 2006, a Barge transporting thousands of tons of construction materials was failed on the island, destroying most of the coral. The Minister for Tourism, the Culture and the Environment of Sabah, Mr. Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat, exliqua that the materials (concrete and gravel) were intended for a tourist project of 1,3 million US$ comprising a resthouse, toilets and a shop of Scuba, but its remarks were contradicted by Chief Minister (chief of the executive of the State) Datuk Seri Musa Aman. It was learned later that the project was financed by the Federal government.

References

FiNS Blog” Blog Files” Sipadan - Tragic Incident: eyewitness account off barge ramming to Sipadan reef.
Massive steel barge crashes into Sipadan reef

Fabio Spadi (2003) " Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan: New Parameters for the Concept off Dependancy in the Maritime Environment? The ICJ judgment off 17 December 2002" , '' International The Newspaper off Navy and Coastal Law '' 18:295 - 310

See too

External bonds

Sipadan one page the official site off Tourism Malaysia

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