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Around 60 Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, who have been living on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, have been brought to the UK after three years of complex legal battles. Most of the group had been living in a makeshift camp on the site of a UK-US military base. They are permitted to remain in the country for six months, with financial support from the Foreign Office. The end of their legal battles does not guarantee their long-term future in the UK.
A government spokesperson has described the move as a “one-off” due to the exceptional nature of the cases and in the interests of the migrants’ welfare. The spokesperson attributed the situation to previous administrations and described it as inherited by the current government. Tessa Gregory of law firm Leigh Day, which represents some of the migrants, described the move as the “only sensible solution” to the humanitarian crisis on the island, where the Tamils were housed in groups in military tents with very poor conditions.
On Tuesday, those in Rwanda, who were transferred there for medical treatment, were also brought to the UK. Two men with criminal convictions and another individual under investigation remain on the island.
The decision to bring the Tamils to the UK has been criticised by some politicians in the UK as risk the creation of a “backdoor migration route”. The government has, however, argued that future migrants arriving on the territory will be sent to St Helena, another UK territory around 5000 miles away. The UK announced in October that control of the Chagos Islands, of which Diego Garcia is part, will be ceded to Mauritius, a move which is currently facing opposition from some British politicians and some of the allies of incoming US President, Donald Trump.
In letters to the Tamils on Friday, the Home Office said that they had been granted temporary entry clearance to the UK “outside of the Immigration Rules” to allow them to consider their long-term options. However, it also emphasised that the offer did not constitute permanent settlement or recognition of refugee status. Most of the Tamils have been awaiting final decisions regarding claims for international protection. Some have been granted such protection, meaning they cannot be returned to Sri Lanka, but others will need to continue with appeals
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