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Two Chagossian women, who launched a last-ditch legal effort to prevent the UK from transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, have voiced accusations of governmental betrayal. The Chagos Islands dispute continues as the UK government proceeds with transferring sovereignty, a move challenged by some Chagossians.
Chagossians Accuse UK Government of Betrayal Over Chagos Islands Sovereignty Transfer
Bertrice Pompe, 54, and Bernadette Dugasse, 68, both British Chagossians born on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, have vowed to persist in their struggle to fulfill their aspiration of returning to their birthplace. Their legal challenge sought to maintain British control, reflecting deep-seated concerns about their future under Mauritian governance.
Legal Challenge and Subsequent Overturn
An injunction obtained in the High Court in the early hours of Thursday momentarily obstructed the UK government from finalizing the agreement with Mauritius. However, later the same day, another judge overturned the injunction, paving the way for the agreement to cede Britain’s last African colony to be formally executed.
- Initial Injunction: Temporarily halted the transfer.
- Injunction Overturned: Agreement with Mauritius finalized.
Concerns Over Diego Garcia and Chagossian Rights
While the financial implications for the UK concerning the lease of Diego Garcia, which houses a joint UK-US airbase, have garnered significant attention, alongside anxieties regarding potential security implications stemming from Mauritius’s ties with China, many Chagossians express feelings of marginalization. Their primary worry revolves around the exclusion of Diego Garcia from the right of return stipulated in the agreement and apprehensions that the Mauritian government may not adequately safeguard their interests.
Voices of Disappointment
Dugasse, who was displaced to Seychelles at the age of two-and-a-half, conveyed her profound sense of heartbreak. “I don’t know how to put it because the night before we won, and in the morning we lost – I’ve been betrayed by the British government,” she stated on Friday. “I will have to keep on fighting the British government till they accept for me to settle there [on Diego Garcia]. Do I know if I’ll be able to be around to keep on fighting? I’m getting older and older and I’m losing my strength so I don’t think I can make it for very long.”
Historical Context and Displacement
The establishment of the military base served as the rationale for the UK’s decision to separate the Chagos Islands – renaming it the British Indian Ocean Territory – from Mauritius when granting the latter independence in 1968. This separation was followed by the forced displacement of approximately 2,000 individuals, an act widely condemned as a crime against humanity and one of the most disgraceful instances of postwar colonialism.
Echoes of Past Treatment
Pompe, who was merely six months old during her family’s expulsion, referenced a notorious internal Foreign Office memo that condescendingly referred to Chagossians, underscoring how the UK’s recent actions exacerbate past injustices. She highlighted the feeling of erasure, stating, “We’ve been ignored, we’ve been invisible, we don’t exist.”
Pompe added: “When they expelled us, everything was hidden [as if] there were no human beings on the island, just some Man Fridays. And they’re not saying it [the same] words, but by their actions they’re doing the same thing. We’re being scammed over and over again.”
The Rationale Behind Seeking British Control
Despite the historical grievances inflicted by the British government, the legal challenge was aimed at upholding British administration as a temporary measure. Dugasse explained the intention was “for the time being, until we are able to manage our island by ourselves.” She compared the situation to going “out of the frying pan, into the fire,” adding, “Like my grandparents used to say: ‘Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.’”
Divergent Views Among Chagossians
Addressing the Chagossian community in Mauritius, many of whom support the agreement, she remarked, “They forgot that in the past they were campaigning against the Mauritian government for dumping them in rough houses, dirty places.”
Pledge to Continue the Fight
Pompe and Dugasse have committed to persist in their advocacy, urging Members of Parliament to oppose the agreement and pursuing further legal avenues. Pompe expressed optimism, stating, “[Thursday] was a little bit of a disappointment, but after that we’ve had so much support, especially from other Chagossian groups. I’m going to keep working with my lawyers, and we’re going to bring another case. So it’s not over until the fat lady sings – and that’s me.”
Government Response
The government, in its press release, did not directly address the concerns of the Chagossian people. It presented the agreement as a “legal necessity” following international court rulings mandating the return of the islands to Mauritius and affirmed the security of the “strategically critical” Diego Garcia base.