UN panel urges UK, Mauritius to let Chagossians return to Diego Garcia

(MENAFN) A UN human rights committee has urged the United Kingdom and Mauritius to respect the right of displaced Chagossians to return to Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) called on both governments to suspend ratification of a recent sovereignty deal over the Chagos Islands, which the UK and Mauritius signed in May. The agreement transfers sovereignty to Mauritius while allowing the US and UK to continue operating a military base on Diego Garcia for 99 years, with a 40-year extension option. The deal has not yet come into force pending domestic approval.

CERD raised concerns that, while the agreement permits resettlement on other islands, it “explicitly prevents” Chagossians from returning to Diego Garcia. The committee noted that the deal blocks access to ancestral lands and cultural sites, undermining Chagossians’ ability to exercise and preserve their cultural rights.

The panel criticized the lack of consultation with Chagossians in negotiations and said the agreement does not guarantee full reparations, including the right to return, compensation, or formal recognition of past harms.

Historically, the Chagos Archipelago became a British colony in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris and was separated from Mauritius in 1965, leading to the displacement of the Chagossian population.

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