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A recent judicial intervention has temporarily halted the deportation of four Chagossians who traveled to the Chagos Islands to protest a planned transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius. The group arrived on a remote section of the archipelago after sailing from Sri Lanka, intending to establish a permanent presence on what they consider their ancestral home. Upon their arrival, British authorities issued eviction notices threatening fines or imprisonment if they failed to leave.
Legal representatives of the Chagossians successfully obtained an injunction preventing their removal for at least seven days. The judge’s ruling highlighted concerns over delays or refusals in granting permits for the men’s visit and questioned the legality of the removal orders. James Lewis KC, chief justice of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), remarked, “There is no doubt the balance of convenience falls on the side of the claimants.” He also noted that the men were located approximately 120 miles from Diego Garcia and did not pose a national security threat. The ruling requires the British administrators of the territory to respond within a week.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) classified the arrival as an “illegal, unsafe stunt,” but acknowledged the men did not represent a security risk to the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. A government spokesperson emphasized that “under BIOT law, there is no legal right for anyone to enter the territory without a valid permit, regardless of their citizenship or heritage.” Meanwhile, one of the visitors, Misley Mandarin, asserted he came “peacefully, respectfully, and without threat to anyone – simply to stand on our homeland again.” He further declared that the British authorities would have to “drag me from my beach” and “kill me” to force him to leave.
The four Chagossians are supported by the Great British PAC, a politically active right-wing pressure group, which organized donations to fund their journey. Their visit challenges the UK government’s plans to formally hand over control of the islands to Mauritius, a process that has grown more complex amid recent developments. Britain has governed the Chagos Islands since 1814 but expelled the inhabitants in the 1960s to establish a military base on Diego Garcia. Although the territory was officially designated a British Overseas Territory in 1965, following a financial settlement with Mauritius, a new agreement in 2023 proposed returning sovereignty to Mauritius while allowing continued military use. However, this arrangement’s future is uncertain following public opposition, including a post on former US President Donald Trump’s social media platform urging the UK not to “give away Diego Garcia.” For many Chagossians, especially those now eligible for British citizenship, the deal feels like a betrayal, as they hope to reclaim their homeland. Nonetheless, opinions among Chagossians living in the UK, Mauritius, and Seychelles are not unanimous
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