The United Nations has issued a warning to both Britain and Mauritius, urging them not to ratify a proposed agreement concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean.
The UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) argues that the draft deal perpetuates historical rights violations against the Chagossian people.
Exclusion from Ancestral Homeland
The controversy stems from the forced removal of up to 2,000 Chagossian residents from the largest island, Diego Garcia, during the 1960s and 1970s. This displacement was carried out to make way for a joint military base utilized by the United States and Britain. Many of the exiled islanders were subsequently resettled in Britain.
Under the terms of the new agreement:
- Britain will transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius.
- However, the UK will secure the strategic airbase on Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease, with a possible extension of 40 years.
The UN committee asserts that the agreement explicitly prevents the Chagossians from returning to Diego Garcia, their ancestral homeland.
Failure to Address Past Injustices
CERD highlighted that the current agreement fails to meet several criteria for justice. It does not formally acknowledge the past injustices committed during the forced removal.
Furthermore, it fails to provide full reparation for the harms suffered by the community. It also does not guarantee the islanders the ability to preserve their distinct cultural heritage.
The committee has called upon both Britain and Mauritius to immediately resume negotiations. This new round of talks must include the Chagossian people, with the aim of guaranteeing full and fair reparations.
This latest development follows a 2019 ruling by the World Court, which strongly advised Britain to return the archipelago to Mauritius. The court found that the UK’s continued separation of the islands violated the Chagossian people’s right to self-determination.
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