Chagossian delegation urges UK to finalize Chagos Islands handover
7 reported
A six-person delegation from the Chagos Refugees Group visiting the UK has called on parliamentarians to complete stalled legislation to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The delegation leader, Louis Olivier Bancoult, said the agreement has been “hijacked within the halls” of UK politics after the government shelved the legislation when the US dropped support. The group expressed full support for the UK to conclude the agreement, emphasizing that their primary concern is rights, not sovereignty. Delegation members shared personal stories of displacement, including Rosemonde Bertin, who was deported to Mauritius in 1972 and was the last person to give birth on the islands. The delegation has met with parliamentarians including Jeremy Corbyn and Lord David Alton, who voiced support for the Chagossians’ right to return. Corbyn noted that a 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion, endorsed by the UN General Assembly, found the UK in breach of international law by maintaining its claim to the archipelago.
What’s reported
A six-person Chagossian delegation urged UK parliamentarians to complete stalled legislation to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The delegation leader, Louis Olivier Bancoult, said the agreement has been “hijacked within the halls” of UK politics.
The UK government shelved the legislation after the US dropped support for the agreement.
Bancoult started a legal battle against the UK government in 1996 after his family was uprooted in 1965.
Delegation member Rosemonde Bertin was deported to Mauritius in 1972 and was the last person to give birth on Chagos Islands.
The delegation met with Jeremy Corbyn and Lord David Alton, chair of the joint committee on human rights.
A 2019 ICJ advisory opinion, endorsed by the UN General Assembly, found the UK in breach of international law by maintaining its claim to the archipelago.
Misconceptions
The source article states the delegation criticized far-right UK leaders and press over narratives claiming Chagossians are a “pure, isolated race” with no ties to Mauritius and that they oppose a negotiated settlement.
Key figures
Louis Olivier Bancoult, delegation leader of the Chagos Refugees Group
Rosemonde Bertin, delegation member and last person to give birth on Chagos Islands
Liseby Elysé, Chagossian who suffered a pregnancy loss when forced to leave in 1973
Joseph Bertrand, 71-year-old Chagossian living in the UK after being forcibly moved to Mauritius at age 12
Jeremy Corbyn, parliamentarian
Lord David Alton, chair of the joint committee on human rights
Sources: The Guardian
