A significant hurdle has emerged in the ongoing saga surrounding the Chagos Islands, as the UK government has admitted that it is unlikely that Chagossians will be able to return to their homeland following the controversial deal with Mauritius.
The UK’s legal team acknowledged that there are “very significant logistical challenges” facing the potential resettlement of the Chagossians to the outer islands of the Chagos archipelago. The government has conceded that it is “necessarily uncertain” whether Mauritius will be able to facilitate the return of the Chagossians to their homeland, once the islands are ceded from British control to Mauritius.
The UK’s decision to transfer the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been met with mixed reactions. While the move has been hailed by some as a step towards righting the historical wrongs committed by Britain, it also faces criticism from many Chagossians who have long struggled with the legacy of their forced expulsion in the 1960s and 70s. Thousands of Chagossians were removed from their homeland to make way for a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago.
Under the new agreement, Mauritius will assume control over the islands, and the UK has agreed to pay £90 million annually, rising with inflation, to lease Diego Garcia for the continued operation of the U.S. military base. The deal, which has been praised by the United Nations as a step towards the “liberation of Africa’s last colony,” theoretically offers the Chagossians a chance to return to the outer islands — Peros Banhos, Salomon, and Egmont. However, the logistics of resettlement, including the provision of adequate infrastructure and resources, remain highly uncertain.
A group of Chagossian campaigners, led by Olivier Bancoult, has supported the Mauritian government in its efforts to ensure the Chagossians’ future on the islands, despite opposition from other islanders. Bancoult, who has been a prominent advocate for the Chagossians, has dismissed concerns from other groups, calling their objections “rubbish.”
However, not all Chagossian leaders share this optimistic outlook. Activists Bernadette Dugasse and Bertice Pompe have criticized the deal and warned that the resettlement plan is fraught with challenges. The two activists have sent a legal letter to the UK Foreign Office, threatening to sue the government over the terms of the deal. They voiced skepticism over the trust fund intended to support the Chagossians and its management by the Mauritian government.
Dugasse expressed her mistrust of the Mauritian government, stating, “The British government says it will give money to Mauritius in a trust fund, but we are not 100% sure everyone will benefit. Most of the Chagossians in Mauritius are still living the same conditions 50 years after they arrived. I don’t trust the Mauritian government.”
In response, UK government lawyers confirmed that despite prior promises of resettlement, it is unlikely that any Chagossians will return to the outer islands. While the agreement theoretically allows for resettlement, the lawyers admitted that the logistical challenges involved are likely insurmountable. The government further clarified that the trust fund, which is intended to compensate Chagossians, will be managed solely by Mauritius, with the UK having no control over its administration.
The UK Foreign Office has not commented on potential legal challenges to the agreement, but reiterated that its focus was on securing the continued operation of the U.S. military base on Diego Garcia. The Foreign Office also emphasized its efforts to ensure the agreement addressed the importance of the islands to the Chagossian community.
