UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius in Historic Treaty Amid Controversy

In a diplomatic move, UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius in Historic Treaty Amid Controversy. The United Kingdom has officially signed a treaty to return sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending more than 50 years of British control over the Indian Ocean archipelago. The agreement, signed on May 22, 2025, represents a significant step in global decolonization and a long-overdue recognition of Mauritius’s territorial claim.

UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius in Historic Treaty Amid Controversy

UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius: A Turning Point in Global Decolonization

Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the treaty as a necessary and pragmatic step to resolve a complex legal and geopolitical legacy.

However, while the deal is being celebrated in Mauritius and welcomed by allies like India and the United States, it has triggered deep political backlash in the UK and fresh criticism over the treatment of the Chagossian people.

In 1965 the Chagos Archipelago was separated from Mauritius, when Mauritius was still a British colony.

£101 Million-a-Year Deal for Strategic Control of Diego Garcia

The treaty grants Mauritius full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, but notably excludes the strategic island of Diego Garcia, which remains under a 99-year lease to the UK for military purposes.

Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will pay £101 million annually to maintain its base operations on Diego Garcia, which it shares with the United States.

The lease includes a 24-mile security buffer zone around the island and grants the UK veto power over any foreign military presence elsewhere in the island chain.

Starmer defended the arrangement as a “realistic and essential compromise” to protect UK and allied security interests. “This ensures long-term operational stability of Diego Garcia while closing a painful chapter in colonial history,” he said.

India and US Welcome the Treaty

India, a longstanding supporter of Mauritius’s claim over the Chagos Islands, welcomed the UK-Mauritius treaty as a “milestone achievement.”

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs praised the peaceful resolution and reaffirmed its commitment to a rules-based international order in the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the deal a “critical pillar of global security,” emphasizing the strategic role of Diego Garcia in maintaining security across East Africa, the South China Sea, and the Persian Gulf.

Human Rights Groups Criticize Chagossian Exclusion

Despite global praise, the treaty has sparked sharp criticism from human rights organizations and many within the Chagossian community, who feel their voices were left out of the final decision.

Human Rights Watch condemned the treaty for “entrenching the exile” of Chagossians from Diego Garcia. Around 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed by the UK in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for the military base.

Many resettled in Mauritius, the UK, and the Seychelles, often facing hardship and systemic discrimination.

Clive Baldwin of Human Rights Watch called the ongoing exile “an enduring colonial crime against humanity,” noting that the new treaty does not guarantee a right of return to Diego Garcia.

Legal Challenge Rejected by UK High Court

The announcement of the treaty was briefly delayed by a legal challenge from Bertrice Pompe and Bernadette Dugasse, two Chagos-born British nationals who argued that the Chagossian community was not adequately consulted.

A High Court injunction temporarily halted the signing, but was lifted the same morning by Judge Martin Chamberlain, who cited national security and diplomatic urgency.

Pompe expressed disappointment, calling the court’s decision “a very, very sad day” for Chagossians. Dugasse added, “We’re not Mauritians. We’re British citizens. We deserve our rights too.”

Political Firestorm in the UK

The deal has ignited a political storm at home. Opposition leaders and Conservative MPs have blasted the treaty as a “sellout” of British territory and a reckless move with long-term security risks.

Conservative MP Robert Jenrick labeled the deal “an act of national self-harm,” while former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat warned that Mauritius could one day restrict UK or US military access, especially given its growing ties to China.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accused Prime Minister Starmer of “selling British soil under foreign legal pressure,” referencing the 2019 International Court of Justice ruling that deemed the UK’s administration of Chagos unlawful.

Mauritius Celebrates a “Victory for Decolonization”

In Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, celebrations erupted as Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam proclaimed the return of the Chagos Islands “a great national victory.”

He reiterated his commitment to gaining full sovereignty over Diego Garcia in the future and promised a structured resettlement plan for Chagossians excluding Diego Garcia for now.

Olivier Bancoult, leader of the Chagos Refugees Group, said: “Today, our children can walk the land of their ancestors. This is historic.”

Divided Community: Chagossians in the UK Feel Betrayed

Despite scenes of jubilation in Mauritius, many Chagossians living in the UK feel abandoned. Jemmy Simon, founder of Chagossian Voices, condemned the treaty: “There is nothing in this deal that is good for us. We’ve been betrayed. We were promised dignity and a say in our future. We got neither.”

The treaty allows Mauritius to begin resettlement programs on outer islands, but excludes Diego Garcia, the island many Chagossians consider their true home.

There is no clear guarantee of citizenship rights or long-term protections for displaced communities under Mauritian administration.

Historical Context: A Long Journey Toward Justice

The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965 just three years before Mauritius gained independence.

The UK paid £3 million for the islands and evicted the native population to accommodate the Diego Garcia military base, built with the US.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that British control was unlawful, a decision supported by the UN General Assembly.

Negotiations started under the Conservative government but were concluded by the Labour government in 2025.

Conclusion: Diplomatic Milestone With Lingering Human Cost

The UK-Mauritius treaty on the Chagos Islands is a landmark moment in international diplomacy, marking a step forward for decolonization, regional stability, and strategic security cooperation.

Yet, beneath the celebration lies a painful reality: the Chagossian people, whose lives were uprooted decades ago, still await justice.

The agreement, while resolving geopolitical disputes, leaves unresolved the core human rights issues at the heart of the Chagos story.

The world now watches to see whether this new chapter will also include a sincere effort to restore dignity and rights to a community that has waited too long for both.

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