Scrap Chagos Islands deal and agree new one, UN panel urges UK
Summary
A UN panel has suggested that the UK should renegotiate its agreement with Mauritius about the Chagos Islands, focusing on protecting the rights of the Chagossian people. The current deal allows the UK to keep operating a military base on Diego Garcia, which restricts Chagossians from returning to their ancestral homes.Key Facts
- The Chagos Islands are in the Indian Ocean, roughly 5,799 miles from the UK and 1,250 miles from Mauritius.
- The UK and Mauritius signed a deal to return the islands' sovereignty to Mauritius but keep a UK-operated military base on Diego Garcia.
- A UN panel says the deal doesn't ensure the Chagossian people's right to return to Diego Garcia.
- The UK also agreed to a £40m trust fund to benefit Chagossians, but the panel questioned if it meets their needs.
- The Foreign Office stated that international organizations, including the UN Secretary-General, welcomed the deal.
- Diego Garcia was made into a military base after the UK bought the islands in 1968, displacing Chagossians.
- Two Chagossian women attempted to stop the deal with a legal challenge, claiming it didn't secure their return rights.
- The UK and Mauritius have until July 3 to finalize the deal's approval in Parliament.
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