President Donald Trump’s description earlier this month of the UK–Mauritius agreement on the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands as “an act of great stupidity” briefly turned the world’s consideration to the distant archipelago.
Whereas many of the protection and debate centered on the US navy base on Diego Garcia island, little consideration has been given to the sordid story of US and UK involvement in ongoing crimes in opposition to humanity in opposition to the islands’ Indigenous individuals – the Chagossians.
The Chagossians, whose island homeland is in the midst of the Indian Ocean, are largely descended from previously enslaved East Africans. Greater than 60 years in the past, US officers determined that the biggest island, Diego Garcia, could be an appropriate location for a distant navy base.
The US noticed the Chagossian inhabitants as an issue, as they needed the island “clear” of inhabitants. Over the subsequent decade, they secretly plotted with the UK – the colonial energy governing Chagos – via a manufactured story based mostly on racism and lies, to power the islanders from their dwelling.
One US admiral, Elmo Zumwalt, stated the islanders “completely should go”. To scare them into leaving, UK and US personnel gassed their canines. From 1967 to 1973, the UK proceeded to power all of the Chagossians – as many as 2,000 individuals – from all of the islands, not solely Diego Garcia. The US constructed and has now operated the Diego Garcia base for greater than 50 years.
In the present day, the Chagossians dwell in exile, largely within the UK, Mauritius and the Seychelles. Many stay in poverty and have been prevented by the UK and US from returning to dwell of their homeland, despite the fact that generations have continued to marketing campaign to take action. The islands, other than the US navy base, stay deserted.
The story of US involvement on this pressured displacement has been steadily uncovered, together with via a congressional inquiry, the work of the educational David Vine, and the indefatigable wrestle of generations of Chagossians to uncover the reality and return dwelling. In 2023, Human Rights Watch discovered that the UK and US have been chargeable for crimes in opposition to humanity and had an obligation to supply reparations – a chance to proper their wrongs.
Because of this, the US State Division for the primary time acknowledged “remorse” for what had occurred to the Chagossians. Subsequently, the UK and Mauritius agreed in precept to a treaty to recognise Mauritian sovereignty over the islands, though the UK will preserve formal management of Diego Garcia island and the US navy base will stay.
Forgotten on this settlement are the Chagossians. The treaty talks about historic wrongs, however the crimes are ongoing. The Chagossians are nonetheless prevented from returning dwelling: Their islands – other than the bottom – stay empty. Some Chagossians hope that the treaty will enable them to dwell on among the islands, although this can rely on Mauritius fulfilling its obligations. The treaty itself gives no assure of their return and says nothing in regards to the reparations owed to the Chagossians.
The US nonetheless seems against Chagossians returning to Diego Garcia, despite the fact that the bottom occupies at most half the island. No Chagossian we’ve spoken to desires the bottom to shut; as an alternative, they want the chance to work there. The US has stored a really low public profile within the negotiations – at the very least till President Trump’s feedback – hiding behind the UK.
However the settlement’s phrases make it clear that the US has been influencing the negotiations. The US “remorse” for the therapy of the Chagossians has but to translate into guaranteeing the Chagossians can return to Diego Garcia.
The therapy of the Chagossians is a criminal offense by which the US has been implicated for greater than 50 years, and to which Trump has inadvertently drawn consideration. Having acknowledged remorse, the US and UK governments ought to now make sure that their actions align with their obligations underneath worldwide regulation, together with working with Mauritius to allow the Chagossians to return to their homeland and offering acceptable reparations. Till that occurs, the injustice stays unresolved.
The views expressed on this article are the writer’s personal and don’t essentially mirror Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
