 Following news that President Donald Trump supports a UK-Mauritius treaty, five Chagossian groups welcome news that the treaty will soon be completed and outline nine principles that must govern their resettlement and reparations.
Find a PDF version here. Press Contacts: Louis Olivier Bancoult, President, Chagos Refugees Group, 011 (230) 234-1024; [email protected] Pierre Prosper, Chair, Chagossian Committee Seychelles, [email protected] The statement appears in English, Morisien (Mauritian Creole), and Seselwa (Seychelles Creole). Chagossian Statement on Resettlement and Reparations in the Chagos Islands Treaty 2 April 2025 We, five groups representing the Chagossian people living in Mauritius, the United Kingdom, Seychelles, and other countries, welcome the news that the UK and Mauritian governments, supported by the United States, are close to finalizing a treaty for the Chagos Islands that will allow us to return to our homeland and provide “a new trust fund” and “other support for the benefit of Chagossians.” For more than 50 years, we, Chagossians, have been struggling to win the right to return home and receive proper reparations after we were exiled, in inhumane circumstances, during the creation of the US military base on Diego Garcia. Anticipating the signing of a treaty about our islands, we assert the following nine principles that must govern our resettlement and the provision of proper reparations. All Chagossians, wherever they live, must have: 1. The right to return to and resettle in our homeland in Chagos. 2. The right to make policy and direct the resettlement process in Chagos, to be the first to resettle the islands, and to benefit from resettlement. This includes the right to direct how our islands are to be rehabilitated, made fit for settlement, and developed in an environmentally sustainable manner. 3. The right to fast-track Mauritian citizenship and passports without charge for all Chagossians lacking Mauritian citizenship, including younger Chagossians with an ancestor born in Chagos. 4. The right to a regional house of representatives to allow us to make policy on and direct our islands’ political, economic, legal, environmental, and cultural future. 5. The right to direct the announced “trust fund” and “other support” following the highest standards of international human rights. 6. The right to receive freely available health care, psychological and other forms of therapy, education, training, and/or other rehabilitation services to repair damage from more than 50 years of suffering. 7. The right to receive full, proper reparations from all governments that committed human rights abuses against us. 8. The right to resettle unused parts of our island Diego Garcia given that we know we can live, work, and cohabit with the base just as other civilian populations cohabitate with US military bases around the world. 9. The right to additional compensation for continued occupation and exile for those Chagossians from Diego Garcia if the UK and US governments do not allow us to return home there. Although no amount of money or other reparations can repair all the damage Chagossians have suffered, we urge the UK, Mauritian, and US governments to consult with us while finalizing the treaty that allows us to return home and heal damage resulting from our inhumane and degrading treatment and more than half a century in exile. Signed, Chagos Refugees Group Chagos Refugees Group UK Branch Chagos Islanders Movement Seychelles Chagossians Committee UK Native Chagossians Council Déklarasion ban Chagossien lor zot Re- établismant ek Réparasion dan Traité Zil Chagos 2 Avril 2025 Nou, bann sink groupe ki réprézante lépep Chagossien ki rest dans Moris, L’angleterre, Sésel, ek lezot pei, noune encouragé par nouvel ki gouvernman UK ek Moris, souténu par Les Etat Unis, ki pré pou finaliz enn traité pou ban zil Chagos ki pou permet nou retourne dan nou péi natal ek ki p fourni “enn nouvo fond” ek les autres ban soutien ki pou bénéficier la kominoté Chagossien. Pendant plis ki 50 ans, nou La kominoté Chagossien, nou in lutté pu ki nou gagne drwa rétrouve nou la terre natale et pou nou gagne enn réparation apropriyé apré ki nu finn exile, dan sirkonstans iniman, pandan créasyon baz militer Amérikin lor Diego Garcia. Kuma p anticipe enn traité kot signature lor nou bann zil, nou pou bizin nef princip ki pou guide nou ver enn bon ré-établisement et done nou ban bon réparation ki apropriye. Tout Chagossian, n’inporte kote zot resté, bizin ena: 1. Droit pu nou Chagossien rétourne dan nu péi natale. 2. Droit pu nou Chagossien dirige démarse ré-établisman dan Chagos, vinn premye pu ré-établis bann zil, e pu benefisye ré-établisman. Sa inklir droit pou diriz kouma nou bann zil pou reabilite, vinn adapte pou abitasion, e devlope dan enn fason dirab pou lanvironnman. 3. Droit pu accélere sitwayennté ek paspor Morisien gratwi pu tu Chagossien ki pena sitwayennté Morisien, inklire zénerasyon pli zenn ki finn née ar Chagossien née dan Chagos. 4. Droit enn lasamblé rézional, pou permet nou dirige lavénir politik, ékonomik, légal, anvironnmantal, ek kiltirel nou bann zil. 5. Droit pou diriz “trust fund” ek “lézot soutien” ki finn anonsé d’apré bann pli haute standar internasional lor drwa humain. 6. Droit pou resevwar swen lasanté ki disponib san fre, swin sikolozik ek lezot form terapi, ledikasion, formasyon, ek oubyen lezot servis reabilitasyon pu repar domaz kin ganier akoz plis ki 50 ans soufrans. 7. Droit pou rod réparasion konplet ek apropriyé depi tou gouvernman ki finn komet violasion droit humain kontre nou. 8. Droit pou réetablir nou lor bann parti Diego Garcia ki pa pe servi, parski nou koné nou kapav viv, travay, ek partaz lakaz avek baz kuma lezot popilasion sivil koabite avek baz militer Amerikin partu dan lemond. 9. Droit konpansasion adisionel pou l’okipasion ek l’exil continuel pou bann Chagossien depi Diego Garcia si gouvernman UK ek US pa permet nou retourn lakaz laba. Mem si okenn som larzan ou lézot réparasyon pa kapav répare tou domaz ki Chagossien finn sibir, nou lans enn apel avek bann gouvernman UK, Moris ek US pou finalize enn treté ki pou aide nou rétourn lakaz ek soulage nou domaz plis ki enn demi-sièkl dan l’exil. Signé, Chagos Refugees Group Chagos Refugees Group UK Branch Chagos Islanders Movement Seychelles Chagossians Committee UK Native Chagossians Council Deklarasyon bann Sagosyen konsernan Reetablisman ek Reparasyon dan Trete pour Zil Sagos 2 Avril 2025 Nou, sa senk group ki pe reprezant bann Sagosyen ki reste Moris, Rwayonm Ini, Sesel, ek lezot pei, nou byen akey sa nouvel konm kwa ki Gouvernman Britanik, e Morisyen, avek sipor Lanmerik pe fini finaliz en trete pour bann zil Sagos ki pou permet nou retourn dan nou pei natal e fournir en ‘nouvo fon komen’ ek ‘lezot sipor pour benefis bann Sagosyen’. Depi plis ki 50 an, nou, bann Sagosyen, nou pe lite pour ganny nou drwa pour retourn lo nou zil e resevwar reparasyon apropriye apre ki nou ti ganny egzile, dan bann sirkonstans inimen, pandan kreasyon en baz militer lo Diego Garcia. Nou afirm sa nef pwen prensipal ki merit gouvern nou reetablisman e provizyon pour reparasyon apropriye. Tou Sagosyen, nenport landrwa kot nou reste, nou merit annan: 1) Drwa pour retourn e reetablir nou dan nou patri, Sagos. 2) Drwa pour fer polisi e diriz prosesis reetablisman dan Sagos, pour vin bann premye pour reetablir nou lo nou zil, e pour benefisye avek sa reetablisman. Sa i enkli drwa pour diriz fason ki nou zil ava ganny reabilite, vin konvenab pour letablisman e ganny devlope dan en mannyer ki soutenab pour lanvironnman. 3) Drwa pour akseler demann pour nasyonalite ek paspor Morisyen, san fre, pour tou Sagosyen ki napa nasyonalite Morisyen, enkli bann zenerasyon ki annan en zanset ki’n ne Sagos. 4) Drwa pour annan en Lasanble Rezyonnal ki permet nou fer polisi lo e diriz lavenir politik, ekonomik, legal, anvironnmantal, e kiltirel nou bann zil. 5) Drwa pour diriz sa ‘fon komen’ ek ‘lezot sipor’ ki’n ganny anonse an swivan bann pli o standar drwa imen enternasyonal. 6) Drwa pour resevwar swen lasante ki disponib san fre, sikolozik e lezot form terapi, ledikasyon, formasyon, e oubyen lezot servis reabilitasyon pou repar domaz ki’n ganny akoz plis ki 50 an soufrans. 7) Drwa pour resevwar reparasyon konplet e apropriye avek tou bann gouvernman ki’n komet labi drwa imen kont nou. 8) Drwa pour reetablir nou dan bann landrwa lo zil Diego Garcia ki pa pe ganny servi, etan donnen ki nou konnen ki nou kapab viv, travay, e koabit avek sa baz zis parey lezot popilasyon sivilyen i koabit avek bann baz militer atraver lemonn. 9) Drwa pour resevwar konpansasyon adisyonnel pour kontinyen reste an egzil pour bann Sagosyen ki sorti Diego Garcia si Gouvernman Britanik, e Ameriken pa permet nou retourn dan lakour, laba. Menm si okenn sonm larzan ouswa lezot reparasyon pa kapab repar tou domaz ki bann Sagosyen in sibir, nou enplor Gouvernman Britanik, e Ameriken pour konsilte nou pandan ki zot pe finaliz sa trete ki pou permet nou retourn se nou e geri domaz koze par bann tretman inimen e degradan ki nou’n sibir e plis ki lanmwatye en syek an egzil. Sinyen par, Group Refizye Sagos Group Refizye Sagos Brans UK Mouvman Zilwa Sagos Komite Sagosyen Sesel Konsey Natif Sagosyen UK  Following news that President Trump supports a UK-Mauritius treaty, the UK and Mauritian governments are now finalizing a treaty that will allow Chagossians to return home and provide a "trust fund" and "other support," according to all prior indications.
Read more here: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chagos-trump-starmer-deal-signed-b2725247.html  PRESS RELEASE
PDF and Word versions Chagossians Support UK-Mauritius Agreement for the Chagos Islands but Insist on Right to Return to Diego Garcia, Involvement in Final Treaty Negotiations, and Full Respect for International Law MEDIA CONTACT: Louis Olivier Bancoult, President, Chagos Refugees Group, (+230) 5751-7506, [email protected] Port Louis, Mauritius—October 14, the group representing the largest number of exiled Chagossians publicly affirmed its support for the recent agreement of the governments of the United Kingdom and Mauritius on sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago—including the United States military base on Diego Garcia—while insisting on Chagossians’ right to return to Diego Garcia and Chagossians’ full involvement in negotiations to finalize the agreement. More than 300 Chagossians unanimously declared their deep concern that the agreement disregards the full human rights of Chagossians from Diego Garcia, where most trace their ancestry. “We firmly request that all native Chagossians from Diego Garcia and their heirs be granted the right to freely visit and live on Diego Garcia, as is their natural right, given that foreign workers currently have this privilege,” Chagossians said in an Oct. 13 letter to the British High Commissioner in Mauritius, Charlotte Pierre. The letter was sent by Olivier Bancoult, Chagos Refugees Group president, declaring the unanimous decision of Chagossians at the group’s Oct. 13 Special Annual General Meeting. “It is imperative that Chagossians be actively involved in every step of the negotiation process” as the UK and Mauritius finalize a treaty “to ensure that Chagossians’ rights and interests are fully safeguarded,” the letter continues. Representing the unified voice of Chagossians in Mauritius, the letter also emphasized the need to: § Expedite resettlement and promised UK financial support to ensure elderly Chagossians born in Chagos receive justice in their final years of life. § Provide a comprehensive support package for Chagossians born in Chagos and their descendants, including a lifetime pension for those born in Chagos. § Create a local governance structure prioritizing Chagossian self-determination to ensure Chagossians shape the future of Chagos, including protecting its environment, in collaboration with the Mauritian government. § Dialogue with Chagossians worldwide to ensure the alignment of Chagossians’ interests in implementing the Chagos agreement. The Chagossian declaration follows the UK and Mauritian governments’ Oct. 3 announcement recognizing Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos islands while permitting the UK to exercise sovereignty on Diego Garcia for at least 99 years, to include the continued operation of the major US military base, in exchange for UK financial and other support. The agreement, which must be formalized in a treaty, said Chagossians would be allowed to resettle on all their islands except for Diego Garcia. If enacted, this would continue more than half a century during which Chagossians have been barred from Diego Garcia following their expulsion by the US and UK governments, between 1968 and 1973, as part of the creation of the US base on Diego Garcia. Chagos Refugees Group President Olivier Bancoult expressed Chagossians’ commitment to “collaborating in pursuit of a just and equitable resolution for all Chagossians, one that fully respects all the obligations of international law.” The full text of the Chagos Refugees Group letter is here. MEDIA CONTACTS Louis Olivier Bancoult President, Chagos Refugees Group (+230) 5751-7506 [email protected] Sabrina Jean Chair, Chagos Refugees Group UK (+44) 7832-113931 [email protected]  Let Us Return USA!, the US support group for the exiled Chagossian people, wants to share some huge news that Chagossians are close to going home (at least to most of their islands)….
Watch Olivier Bancoult discuss Chagossians' historic victory here (in Morisiyen/Kreol + French).10/3/2024
 Chagossians have won a historic--if incomplete--victory. A new UK-Mauritius agreement finally secures many Chagossians' right to return to their homeland and a UK support fund. This is huge news allowing Chagossians to go back to their Peros Banhos and Salomon islands. Watch Olivier Bancoult discuss the historic victory here (in Morisiyen/Kreol and French).
Unfortunately (to say the least), the agreement excludes the right of return to Diego Garcia. Excluding Chagossians' right to return to Diego Garcia violates the 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling requiring protection of Chagossians' full human rights, including their fundamental right to live in their homeland. Excluding Diego Garcia is also unnecessary: the base occupies ~1/3 of the island and Chagossians could easily live on east side of Diego Garcia. Chagossians could return to live on Diego Garcia with no impact on base operations. Those who so desire could commute to work on the base as at many US bases overseas. The UK and Mauritius should correct the omission of Diego Garcia from the right of return and protect Chagossians' full human rights as required by the ICJ 2019 ruling. This article nicely summarizes all that is sadly wrong with this new agreement. Media caution: 1) Chagossians are the best to speak on the significance of this announcement. 2) Please don't repeat the US + UK talking points saying that Diego Garcia is a critical base for protecting the US + UK and global peace + security. The base, located thousands of miles from the US + Britain, hasn't been defensive. It's been an offensive launchpad for catastrophic wars in Iraq, Afghanistan + elsewhere in the Middle East.  There's good news from the UK.
On July 4th, the prospects for the Chagossians finally returning home improved dramatically with the Labour Party’s election victory, returning Labour to power for the first time in 14 years. Although Labour leaders played key roles in the Chagossian exile, there’s real optimism that new Foreign Secretary David Lammy will make good on his stated support for the UK righting “a historic wrong” and allowing Chagossians “to return home” (as he wrote in the 2022 tweet above). Lammy is also the first UK Foreign Secretary who, like Chagossians, is the descendant of enslaved Africans. Chagossian leaders Olivier Bancoult and Sabrina Jean have already called on Lammy to work with Chagossians to allow them to return and “repair [the] injustice done.” In other good news, the Chagossians’ greatest supporter in Parliament over decades, Jeremy Corbyn, won re-election as an independent. What the US Government Must Do Given Labour’s professed support for the Chagossians, we must now pressure the Biden administration and the US military to support a return rather than being the impediment to justice that US officials have been since orchestrating the Chagossian exile six decades ago. This would be an easy way for Biden to show—not just say—he supports basic human rights and international law. Others Speaking Out for Chagossians Human Rights Watch will be pressing the UK and US governments to make good on past promises and allow the Chagossians to return; HRW is also supporting Chagossians’ demands for proper compensation. Retired UK government official David Snoxell has said, “Britain’s new government should resume Chagos Islands negotiations” with the government of Mauritius to allow resettlement.  Listen to All Things Considered's extremely moving interview with Chagossian leader Olivier Bancoult: Chagos refugees continue the decades-long fight for justice
 Read DeNeen Brown's major profile of the Chagossians and their struggle for justice in the US: "They were deported to build a U.S. naval base. Now they want reparations."
 Watch and listen to Olivier's interview: “Crime Against Humanity”: Exiled from Diego Garcia for U.S. Military Base, Residents Demand to Return
 At a critical moment in the Chagossian struggle, Chagos Refugees Group leaders Olivier Bancoult and Roger Alexis’ visited Washington, DC and New York City to build support in the US and push President Biden to do the right thing and finally support justice for Chagossians.
The trip generated more media coverage and more support in Congress than ever before. See here and below for links to NPR’s All Things Considered, the Washington Post, and Democracy Now. Allies in Congress appear interested in supporting a Congressional letter to the Biden administration, a hearing, and other public forms of support. This is a critical moment in the Chagossian struggle: the UK and Mauritian governments continue to negotiate over the future of the Chagos islands, including Chagossians’ right to return home. To now, the Biden administration has played an unhelpful role in these negotiations, appearing to support ongoing UK sovereignty in Chagos--in violation of the International Court of Justice and the UN General Assembly. Let Us Return USA's challenge is to help Chagossians convince the Biden administration to support Chagossians in finally returning home and receiving proper compensation for more than 50 years in exile. Media from the Trip: Please share widely! NPR: Chagos refugees continue the decades-long fight for justice Washington Post: They were deported to build a U.S. naval base. Now they want reparations. Democracy Now!: “Crime Against Humanity”: Exiled from Diego Garcia for U.S. Military Base, Residents Demand to Return Politico: Inching toward a Biden apology on Diego Garcia South African Broadcasting Corporation: Chagossians at the UN United Nations Foreign Correspondents Association: Press conference on Chagos Africa Now! [starts at 43:00 minutes]: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/wpfw-africanow/africanow-wednesday-3edGNL5VpxE/ Human Rights Watch Watch and share HRW's powerful video about Chagossians Read HRW’s report charging the US + UK with "crimes against humanity"
 Please read and share Olivier Bancoult's new article demanding the US and UK governments provide justice for the crimes against humanity committed against Chagossians! https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/chagos-islands-olivier-bancoult-uk-us-military-base-human-rights-watch/
 The British government has announced a dramatic policy change: it will begin negotiations with the government of Mauritius about Chagossians returning home and sovereignty over Diego Garcia and the Chagos islands.
Chagossians must be an equal partner in these negotiations. Period.  Human Rights Watch just published a major report showing that the US + UK governments committed CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY by forcibly displacing the Chagossian people during construction of the US military base on Diego Garcia + barring Chagossians from returning home for more than 1/2 a century.
The report, “That’s When the Nightmare Started," is an unprecedented condemnation of the US + UK by a major human rights organization. Human Rights Watch calls for full reparations for the Chagossians from the US + UK, including: 1) allowing #Chagossians to return home 2) resettlement assistance 3) proper compensation for 1/2 century of exile 4) official US + UK government apologies 5) public release of documents related to the Chagossians. Read the report: https://www.hrw.org/report/2023/02/15/thats-when-nightmare-started/uk-and-us-forced-displacement-chagossians-and Watch a 1-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/a0Ah3k88yOc Watch a powerful 18-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkFhy_ET4ik For more coverage and reactions see https://twitter.com/LetUsReturnUSA + https://www.facebook.com/uschagossupport  After the British government announced it would start negotiations with the Mauritian government over sovereignty in Chagos and Chagossians returning home, Chagossians rightly demanded they be part of these negotiations. Disturbingly the UK government said it would have “conversations” with Chagossians and then excluded them from the first round of talks. Chagossians and supporters including members of Parliament and Human Rights Watch have demanded that Chagossians be fully involved in all future discussions.
 Let Us Return USA!, the US support group for the exiled Chagossian people, wants to share some huge updates, including news that Chagossians may be close to going home….
In November the British government announced a dramatic policy change: it would begin negotiations with the government of Mauritius about Chagossians returning home and sovereignty over Diego Garcia and the Chagos islands. Chagossians rightly demanded they be part of these negotiations. Disturbingly the UK government said it would have “conversations” with Chagossians and then excluded them from the first round of talks. Chagossians and supporters, including members of Parliament and Human Rights Watch, have insisted that Chagossians be fully involved in all future talks. Human Rights Watch’s involvement (see video) is another major development, increasing pressure on the US and UK governments and support for Chagossians. HRW, one of the world’s leading human rights organizations, will release a major report about the Chagossians in the next few weeks. HRW has already demanded that any UK-Mauritius agreement include a commitment to the right of return and full reparations. The links underlined above provide more information about the new developments. For other major updates click the link below....  "Paradise Lost: How Building of US Base on Chagos Led to Heinous Crimes": https://www.hrw.org/video-photos/audio/2023/02/15/paradise-lost-how-building-us-base-chagos-led-heinous-crimes
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