The UK has agreed to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, marking the end of a decades-long dispute over Britain’s last African colony.

The decision follows years of legal battles and negotiations, which began after the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN General Assembly, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled in favor of Mauritius’s sovereignty claims in 2019 and 2021.

The controversy surrounding the Chagos Islands dates back to the 1960s and 70s when the UK forcibly removed the indigenous Chagossians. These islanders were expelled to facilitate the construction of a military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands in the archipelago, which was leased to the United States.

The base remains operational today, with the UK set to retain control over it as part of the agreement, announced on Thursday.

Chagossians were forcibly displaced, with numbers ranging from 1,500 to 2,000, and they have long fought for the right to return. Many have called the removal a “crime against humanity,” while others have highlighted the devastating impact of their displacement on generations of Chagossians.

Deal Ends 13 Rounds of Talks

The agreement comes after 13 rounds of negotiations that started in 2022. The UK government, initially resistant to returning the islands, has now recognized Mauritius’s sovereignty but will maintain control of Diego Garcia.

This military base, a strategic asset for both the UK and the US, will remain a key part of the UK’s defense and diplomatic strategy in the Indian Ocean.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized that the treaty protects the future of the military base while also solidifying the UK’s long-term relationship with Mauritius, a “close Commonwealth partner.” US President Joe Biden also hailed the agreement as a sign that nations can “overcome longstanding historical challenges” to achieve peaceful resolutions.

While the majority of the islands in the Chagos archipelago will be handed back to Mauritius, there will be restrictions on returning to Diego Garcia. It was reported that islanders will be granted the right to return to other parts of the archipelago.

aircraft at the Chagos Islands — Aircraft at the military base in the Chagos Islands

Chagossian Voices Left Out of Talks

Despite the historic agreement, the Chagossian community remains divided over the outcome. Some Chagossians are determined to return to their homeland, though estimates suggest that only around 50 people would do so.

Many others have focused on securing their rights in the UK, including the opportunity to apply for British citizenship — a process that was initiated by the Home Office in 2022 for the descendants of displaced islanders.

However, many Chagossians feel that their voices were left out of the negotiations. Chagossian Voices, a community organization representing the interests of Chagossians in the UK and abroad, has condemned the lack of consultation from the UK government.

The group expressed frustration that they learned of the agreement from the media and described themselves as “powerless and voiceless” in shaping the future of their homeland.

“Chagossian Voices deplore the exclusion of the Chagossian community from the negotiations,” the organization said in a statement.

While the political agreement has been reached, calls for reparations for the forced displacement of Chagossians remain ongoing.

Human Rights Watch has referred to the UK’s actions in the 1960s and 70s as an “appalling colonial crime” and a “crime against humanity.” The organization has urged the UK government to pay full reparations to the affected generations of islanders.

The UK government, for its part, said the agreement is contingent on finalizing the legal treaty and supporting documents, which both sides have committed to completing as soon as possible.