Displaced Chagos islanders are expressing renewed fear and frustration as negotiations between the United Kingdom and Mauritius advance, potentially sidelining their long-standing demand for the right to return to their ancestral homeland. The recent UK-Mauritius agreement on sovereignty talks over the Chagos Archipelago has left many islanders feeling uncertain and abandoned.
For decades, thousands of Chagossians have lived in forced exile after being evicted from the archipelago in the late 1960s and early 1970s to make way for a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia. Despite international legal rulings and repeated calls for justice, the displaced community—many of whom now reside in the UK, Mauritius, and the Seychelles—say they are being excluded from key decisions about the islands’ future.
“It’s as if we don’t exist,” said Sabrina Jean, a prominent advocate for Chagos islanders based in the UK. “All these negotiations are happening, yet our voices and rights are not being prioritized. We fear we may never go home.”
The UK has long maintained administrative control over the Chagos Islands, officially designated as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), despite a 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion declaring that the decolonization of Mauritius was not lawfully completed and urging the UK to return the territory.
While the UK has recently signaled openness to transferring sovereignty to Mauritius, many Chagossians worry that the deal focuses too heavily on geopolitical interests—particularly the continued operation of the US military base—while offering little clarity or guarantees about resettlement or reparations for the displaced population.
The Mauritian government has reiterated its commitment to the rights of the Chagos islanders, promising to support a return and development plan. However, skepticism remains high among the Chagossian diaspora, who cite decades of unfulfilled promises and political maneuvering.
“Without a legally binding agreement that enshrines our right to return and compensates us for our suffering, these talks are just another political game,” said Olivier Bancoult, a veteran Chagossian campaigner.
Legal experts and human rights organizations have also raised concerns that the islanders are being used as pawns in a larger power struggle between global powers, while their fundamental rights continue to be overlooked.
The latest developments come at a crucial time, as both the UK and Mauritius seek to conclude sovereignty negotiations by 2026. For the Chagossian people, however, the clock has been ticking for over 50 years.
With no firm plans in place for resettlement and rising doubts over political will, many fear the recent UK-Mauritius deal could mark the beginning of a permanent chapter of exile.
Source : Swifteradio.com
