The United Kingdom has announced that it will hand back the Chagos Islands, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, to the southeast African island country of Mauritius after a dispute that has lasted over 50 years. As part of the agreement, Mauritius will have full sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, except for the largest island of Diego Garcia, which is home to a US military base. The UK has also pledged financial support to Mauritius and set up a trust fund for the descendants of the Chagossians who were forcibly evicted from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Chagos Islands have been the subject of dispute due to the claims and counterclaims about the Indigenous nature of the Chagossians. The UK had controlled the islands from 1815 to 1968 and later detached them to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. Between 1965 and 1973, Chagossians were exiled from the islands to Mauritius, Seychelles, and the UK. The US Navy has operated a military base on Diego Garcia since 1971, playing a key role in US military operations, including during the “war on terror” after the September 11 attacks.
Mauritius challenged the UK’s control of the Chagos Islands through legal avenues, including taking the case to the International Court of Justice. In 2019, the ICJ issued a non-binding advisory opinion in favor of Mauritius, stating that the UK had wrongfully expelled the inhabitants of the islands to make way for a US military base. Despite international pressure, the UK did not comply with a UN General Assembly resolution calling for the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Some Chagossians have expressed mixed feelings about the new deal, with some feeling that they have been excluded from the negotiations and not having their voices heard. Some Chagossians are campaigning for a referendum to determine their self-determination as an Indigenous people. Others see the agreement as a step towards recognizing past mistakes and supporting Chagossian communities, especially those living abroad in the UK.
The agreement between the UK and Mauritius also includes collaboration on projects in environmental protection, maritime security, and crime prevention. US President Joe Biden praised the historic agreement as a demonstration of diplomacy and partnership overcoming long-standing historical challenges. The UK government has faced criticism for its treatment of the Chagossians and its handling of the dispute over the Chagos Islands, with calls for further action to support Chagossian communities abroad.
Overall, the agreement to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius marks a significant development in a long-standing dispute between the two countries. While there are mixed feelings among the Chagossian community, the deal represents a step towards addressing historical injustices and supporting the rights of the Chagossians. The UK government’s recognition of past mistakes and commitment to financial support and a trust fund for Chagossians reflects a positive move towards reconciliation and addressing the legacy of the forced expulsion of the Chagossians from their ancestral homeland.
