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UK hands sovereignty of Chagos Islands to Mauritius – response
The UK has announced it will relinquish control of the Chagos Islands, a remote but strategically significant archipelago in the Indian Ocean, after more than 50 years of British rule.
The agreement will see the UK officially hand over the islands to Mauritius, including the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, home to a key U.S. military base used by navy ships and long-range bomber aircraft. The base has been crucial for both U.S. and UK operations in the region.
The decision was revealed in a joint statement by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, signalling the end of decades of sometimes tense discussions. One critical aspect of the deal is that the U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia will remain operational, ensuring its continued strategic importance amid growing tensions between Western nations, India, and China in the region.
While the deal has yet to be formalised through a treaty, both countries have pledged to finalise it swiftly. “This is a landmark moment in our relationship and highlights our commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and adherence to international law,” the joint statement from the two leaders read.
The leaders emphasized the importance of maintaining the long-term security and effectiveness of the Diego Garcia base, which they described as playing a “vital role in regional and global security.”
Additionally, the treaty will address historical grievances, with a focus on supporting the well-being of the Chagossian people, many of whom were forcibly displaced when the islands were first militarised.
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Chagossians criticise lack of say in UK deal to hand over islands
“Every time we made a request to be heard we have been excluded,” she said, claiming UK officials said the Chagossian community could not be involved in negotiations between the two countries.
“Today, again, we’ve been excluded,” the 34-year-old postgraduate student told the BBC.
“We need to respect the rights of indigenous people.”
Ms Nellan said she would like to go back to the islands, but not under Mauritius’ control.
“Our right to self-determination – whether we want to be British citizens or Mauritian citizens at all – has been stripped today,” she said.
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Tugendhat blames Cleverly, who blames Truss, who blames Boris Johnson for island handover
An extraordinary row broke out yesterday when Keir Starmer’s government announced it was handing the islands to Mauritius … Shortly after leadership rival and former security minister Tom Tugendhat tweeted it was “disgraceful” that a Tory government had started the talks in what was seen as a pointed remark against Mr Cleverly.
However, the Cleverly camp then responded with a briefing claiming it was Liz Truss who ordered the talks to start when she was prime minister.
But Truss has hit back and said it was Boris Johnson who started the talks.
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‘Dame of shame’ Labour gives away strategic islands
WHAT a day of ignominy for the new Government — not just giving away strategically vital British territory but handing taxpayers an endless bill for the privilege.
Labour has taken mere weeks to capitulate entirely, despite Mauritius’s historic claim having no validity — it never owned the islands — nor being legally binding.
The Chagos debacle weakens us militarily while, incredibly, forcing us to pay unknown sums to Mauritius every year.
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Labour has settled one of the last remaining wrongs of British colonial rule
The government has finally put right one of the last wrongs remaining from British colonial rule.
In the 1960s we severed the Chagos Islands from Mauritius and then expelled hundreds of islanders so we could lease the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia to the US military.
This was later judged illegal by the international courts and criticised by the UN. Now, at last, we have agreed to hand the islands back to Mauritius.
Confected Tory anger at this should be dismissed as the hypocritical rantings of a party which still hankers after empire.
