Chagos Islanders Sue UK Government Over Sovereignty Deal With Mauritius

Two British women born on the Chagos Islands argue that the proposed agreement excludes Chagossians and threatens their right to return home.

Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, both born on Diego Garcia, are taking legal action to oppose the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The women claim the deal, which includes leasing back the Diego Garcia military base to the US and UK, unlawfully excludes the input of native Chagossians in deciding the islands' future.
Chagossians, forcibly removed from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s for the establishment of a US military base, have faced decades of restricted access and displacement.
The plaintiffs fear that Mauritian control could lead to racial discrimination and further obstacles for British Chagossians seeking to return to their homeland.
The UK government has until March 25 to respond to the legal challenge, with officials emphasizing the importance of maintaining the military base's operations while addressing Chagossian concerns.