UK to negotiate Chagos Islands handover with Mauritius |09 November 2022
The UK has “agreed to engage in constructive negotiations” with Mauritius regarding the handover of the Chagos archipelago and aims to reach a settlement by early 2023.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in a written ministerial statement last week said he wants to resolve “all outstanding issues” relating to the Indian Ocean archipelago, following talks between former Prime Minister Liz Truss and Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth at the UN General Assembly in New York in September.
“Through negotiations, taking into account relevant legal proceedings, it is our intention to secure an agreement on the basis of international law to resolve all outstanding issues, including those relating to the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago,” the statement by Mr Cleverly reads.
For decades, Chagossians have campaigned and waged a lengthy legal battle for their return to the islands through British courts, and the International Court of Justice in Hague, the United Nations highest court, who in 2019 stated that the continuing British occupation of the islands was illegal, and that the Chagos islands rightfully belong to Mauritius.
Mauritius gained independence from the UK in 1968, but in the run-up to independence, the UK government designated the Chagos Islands as the British Indian Ocean Territory. Subsequently, the entire Chagossian population of over 1000 was expelled by the UK who established a joint-military base with the US on the largest of the 60 Chagos islands, Diego Garcia. The former islanders were dispersed in several counties, forming communities in Mauritius, Seychelles and the UK. In 2022 they were granted the right to apply for British citizenship.
Despite the ruling, the UK has up until now resisted international pressure, and ignored the ruling on the grounds that it was an advisory, up until recently.
Cleverly also noted in his statement that the UK will seek to significantly strengthen cooperation on Indian Ocean security, maritime security and marine protection, the conservation of the environment, climate change, respect for human rights. Furthermore, it will be committing to tackling illegal migration, illegal fishing, drugs and arms trafficking, as well as bilateral cooperation on a range of other issues.
“The UK and Mauritius have reiterated that any agreement between our two countries will ensure the continued effective operation of the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia, which plays a vital role in regional and global security. We recognise the US’s and India’s interests and will keep them informed of progress”.
Following the statement, the Human Rights Watch has said that the upcoming negotiations regarding the future of the islands should centre on the rights of Chagossian people, adding that consultation and their participation is crucial towards ensuring full reparations.
Executive director of Human Rights Watch Africa Division, Mausi Segun, asserted the necessity for UK, US and Mauritian authorities to right wrongs against the Chagossian people, through the negotiations.
“Righting the half century of wrongs to the Chagossian people means full reparations – their right to return in dignity and prosperity; full compensation for the harm they have suffered; and guarantees that such abuses never happen again,” Ms Segun stated.
Laura Pillay