A landmark ruling by London’s High Court on May 22, 2025, paved the way for the United Kingdom to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, overturning a last-minute injunction that had briefly halted the deal. Mr. Justice Chamberlain’s decision, delivered just after 12:30 p.m., allowed the agreement to proceed, potentially enabling its signing on the same day. The deal, which includes a 99-year lease for the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, has ignited fierce opposition from Chagossians like Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, who argue their rights to their homeland are being ignored. Despite the court’s ruling, Chagossian campaigners remain defiant, vowing to continue their struggle for justice.
Negotiations, initiated by the Conservative government in 2022 and revived by Labour in 2024, aim to resolve a decades-long dispute over the archipelago’s sovereignty, claimed by Mauritius since its 1968 independence. Endorsed by the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the transfer is framed as a step toward rectifying colonial wrongs, but critics highlight the lack of meaningful consultation with the Chagossian people. Key elements of the situation include:
- Court lifts injunction at 12:30 p.m. on May 22, greenlighting the deal.
- UK to pay for a 99-year lease of Diego Garcia’s military base.
- Chagossians demand right to return to Diego Garcia, excluded from the agreement.
- UK-US military base to remain under British control.
The case underscores tensions between geopolitical strategy, indigenous rights, and decolonization efforts.
Legal challenge amplifies Chagossian voices
Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, both born on Diego Garcia, spearheaded the legal action that led to the temporary injunction blocking the Chagos deal. As British citizens, they argued that Chagossians were unlawfully excluded from negotiations, despite being the archipelago’s original inhabitants. Dugasse, 68, expressed deep frustration, stating she belongs neither to the UK, Mauritius, nor the Seychelles, but to Diego Garcia, her birthplace. Their fight centers on returning to the main island, where the military base bars resettlement.
The injunction, granted at 2:25 a.m. on May 22 and lifted hours later, aimed to ensure Chagossian voices were heard. Their lawyer, Michael Polak, criticized the UK government for perpetuating historical mistreatment, noting the deal fails to guarantee a return to Diego Garcia. Despite the judicial setback, Dugasse declared “the fight continues,” while Pompe, outside the court, affirmed Chagossians would not surrender.
- Action led by: Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, Diego Garcia natives.
- Injunction: Granted at 2:25 a.m., lifted at 12:30 p.m. on May 22.
- Demand: Chagossian inclusion in talks and right to return.
- Statement: “We don’t belong to Mauritius, we belong to Diego Garcia.”
Negotiations trace back to 2022
Talks to transfer Chagos sovereignty began in November 2022 under Conservative Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Paused in 2023 by David Cameron, they were revived by Keir Starmer’s Labour government in 2024, culminating in the agreement announced on October 3. The deal acknowledges Mauritius’ sovereignty over the archipelago but secures UK control of Diego Garcia for 99 years, ensuring the UK-US military base’s operation.
International pressure was pivotal. In 2019, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion declaring the UK’s 1965 separation of Chagos from Mauritius illegal, violating UN resolutions against colonial fragmentation. The UN General Assembly then demanded the islands’ return within six months, with 94 countries supporting the resolution and only 15, including the US, Israel, and Australia, opposing. The UK, initially defiant, relented amid growing diplomatic isolation.
Forced displacement shapes history
Between 1967 and 1973, approximately 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed from the archipelago to make way for the Diego Garcia military base, a process Human Rights Watch has labeled a colonial crime. The UK, in collaboration with the US, shut down plantations, cut food supplies, and expelled the islanders, many of whom were transported in overcrowded ships to Mauritius and the Seychelles. A 1971 British immigration order banned their return, leaving Chagossians to face poverty and discrimination in their new homes.
The 1966 UK-US agreement, leasing Diego Garcia for 50 years in exchange for a $14 million discount on Polaris missiles, was kept secret. WikiLeaks documents released in 2010 exposed derogatory remarks by British officials, referring to Chagossians as “Man Fridays.” Since then, islanders, led by figures like Olivier Bancoult, have pursued legal battles for reparations and the right to return, starting in 2000.
- Displacement: 1,500-2,000 Chagossians expelled from 1967 to 1973.
- 1966 agreement: Diego Garcia leased for 50 years, renewed in 2016.
- Conditions: Islanders left without initial compensation in Mauritius and Seychelles.
- WikiLeaks: Exposed derogatory British comments in 2010.
Diego Garcia base remains central
Diego Garcia, the largest Chagos island, hosts a strategic UK-US military base, nicknamed “Footprint of Freedom” for its shape and Indian Ocean location. Home to about 3,000 military personnel and civilians, the base played key roles in post-9/11 operations, launching airstrikes in Iraq and Afghanistan. The current deal ensures its operation for 99 years, with the UK paying Mauritius for the lease, though exact costs remain unclear.
Reports suggest the lease could cost £9 billion over 99 years, adjusted for inflation, though the UK government disputes claims of £18 billion. The base has faced controversies, including allegations of serving as a CIA “black site” for interrogations. Around 60 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, rescued in 2021, remain in a fenced camp on the island, with the UK claiming the UN Refugee Convention does not apply to Diego Garcia.
Political divides in the UK
The Chagos deal has sparked heated UK political debates. Despite initiating talks in 2022, the Conservative Party now opposes the agreement, with leader Kemi Badenoch calling it “Labour chaos” and arguing the UK should not pay to cede territory. Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat labeled it a “shameful surrender” threatening allies, citing Mauritius’ ties to China.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice joined Chagossians outside the court, tearing up a copy of the deal and demanding its halt. Conversely, Foreign Secretary David Lammy defended the treaty, stating it safeguards Diego Garcia and bolsters global security. Defence Secretary John Healey announced a House of Commons statement on May 22 at 5:00 p.m. to outline the base’s future.
- Conservative criticism: Badenoch and Tugendhat call deal a “surrender.”
- Labour support: Lammy emphasizes base security and Mauritius ties.
- Statement: Healey to address Commons at 5:00 p.m. on May 22.
- Reform UK: Tice protests with Chagossians, urging deal’s cancellation.
Chagossian sentiments run deep
The exclusion of Chagossians from negotiations was a focal point in court. Jemmy Simon of Chagossian Voices expressed horror after meeting Lammy and Minister Stephen Doughty, stating the deal offers no benefits for islanders. Simon, whose mother was born on Diego Garcia, criticized a £40 million resettlement fund controlled by Mauritius, arguing it fails to ensure a fair return.
Other Chagossians, like Frankie Bontemps, question Mauritian sovereignty, advocating for indigenous self-determination. The community, estimated at 10,000, resides mainly in Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Crawley, UK. Heritage visits to the islands in 2011 and 2019 strengthened their connection, but many, like Dugasse, felt treated as tourists in their homeland.
Global pressure drives agreement
UN and ICJ pressure was instrumental. In 2017, the UN General Assembly referred the dispute to the ICJ, which in 2019 ruled the Chagos separation illegal. The UN resolution, backed by 116 countries, gave the UK six months to return the archipelago, a deadline ignored until 2022. The African Union and India supported Mauritian sovereignty, while China and Russia criticized the UK for flouting international law.
Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth hailed the deal as a decolonization triumph, emphasizing a small nation’s victory over a global power. However, public reactions in Mauritius were mixed, with some accusing Jugnauth of compromising full sovereignty by allowing UK control of Diego Garcia for 99 years.
Financial costs spark debate
The lease cost for Diego Garcia is contentious. Initial estimates suggest the UK will pay £9 billion over 99 years, adjusted for inflation. Mauritius demanded larger upfront payments, fueling speculation that costs could double. The Foreign Office dismissed £18 billion estimates as “inaccurate and misleading.”
A £40 million support fund was pledged for Chagossians, but its management by Mauritius raises concerns. Harriet Mathews of the Foreign Office told the court the injunction damaged the UK’s reputation with Mauritius and allies like the US, requiring diplomatic efforts to maintain trust in the deal.
Environmental and maritime security focus
The agreement includes commitments to protect the Chagos’ environment, home to over 200 coral species and 800 fish species. The Marine Protected Area (MPA), established in 2010, was deemed illegal by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2015 for violating Mauritian fishing rights. The Diego Garcia base, exempt from MPA restrictions, has faced criticism for pollution, including fuel spills.
The treaty also outlines UK-Mauritius cooperation on maritime security and combating drug and human trafficking, pressing issues in the region. The Chagos’ strategic location, bridging Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, underscores its global stability role, as noted by Lammy and US President Joe Biden.
- Environment: 200 coral species, 800 fish species protected.
- MPA: Ruled illegal in 2015, base exempt from restrictions.
- Security: Cooperation against drug and human trafficking.
- Strategy: Chagos vital for Indian Ocean operations.
Global reactions to the deal
US President Joe Biden praised the treaty as a diplomatic achievement, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it a “diplomacy win.” India and the African Union endorsed it as a decolonization step. However, Human Rights Watch warned that excluding Chagossians perpetuates colonial crimes, urging meaningful consultations.
In Mauritius, some citizens criticized the deal as a betrayal of non-alignment principles, given ties to China. Social media posts questioned why Diego Garcia remains under UK control for 99 years, accusing Jugnauth’s government of prioritizing Western interests.
Chagossian future uncertain
While the deal allows resettlement on Chagos islands except Diego Garcia, it’s unclear how many Chagossians will return, as many islands are uninhabitable. Olivier Bancoult of the Chagos Refugee Group acknowledged the treaty as recognizing past wrongs but raised concerns about Diego Garcia’s exclusion. He suggested Chagossians could be prioritized for base jobs.
The Chagossian community, spread across Mauritius, the Seychelles, and the UK, maintains cultural ties through heritage visits. Yet, the ban on permanent residence in Diego Garcia and lack of self-determination fuel protests, with groups like Chagossian Voices demanding inclusion in the treaty’s final drafting.