"Victory for International Law" or a Step Backward for the Chagossian People?

Strategic Insights -

The agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago has been hailed as a "victory for international law" by the prime minister of Mauritius. However, the treaty's implementation risks perpetuating the colonial crime against humanity of forced displacement of the Chagossian people. The treaty's failure to recognize the Chagossians as the Indigenous people of the islands, exclude Diego Garcia from resettlement, and provide meaningful reparations for the harm inflicted on them has sparked concerns that the deal is a step backward for the Chagossian people.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK and US forcibly displaced the entire Chagossian people, more than 50 years ago, to build a US military base on Diego Garcia island, which remained a UK colony.
  • The new treaty recognizes Mauritius's sovereignty over the islands but is unlikely to end the crime of forced displacement.
  • The treaty's preamble refers to "wrongs of the past" and both governments pledge to support "the welfare of all Chagossians," but the details of the treaty guarantee little for the Chagossian people, including their right to return.
  • Chagossians could return to all islands in the archipelago, except for Diego Garcia, the largest island and many people's homeland.
  • The treaty risks not repairing the harm but perpetuating it by entrenching the crime of forced displacement.
  • The UK has pledged annual payments to Mauritius for the continued operation of the base and "development projects," totaling at least £10 billion across the 99-year lifetime of the deal.
  • In contrast, the treaty offers a one-off payment of £40 million to the Chagossians, which is less than 0.5% of the total financial arrangement.
  • The treaty deliberately excludes Diego Garcia from resettlement and appears to give the UK a veto over development in the islands.
  • The US and UK should prioritize the employment of Chagossians at the Diego Garcia base and support their return through infrastructure and economic investment.
  • The international community, including leaders of the global anti-colonial struggle, should demand that the UK and Mauritius ensure the right of return of Chagossians to their homeland and reparations for the harm inflicted on them.

Statistics:

  • Over 50 years have passed since the UK and US forcibly displaced the entire Chagossian people from their homeland.
  • The treaty offers a one-off payment of £40 million to the Chagossians, which is less than 0.5% of the total financial arrangement.
  • The UK has pledged annual payments to Mauritius for the continued operation of the base and "development projects," totaling at least £10 billion across the 99-year lifetime of the deal.
  • The treaty excludes Diego Garcia from resettlement, effectively entrenching the crime of forced displacement.

Sources:

  • Human Rights Watch
  • International Court of Justice (ICJ) 2019 advisory opinion
  • United Nations General Assembly
  • BBC News
  • The Guardian
  • The New York Times
  • Al Jazeera