Chagossians Respond to UN Experts' Statement on Chagos Treaty [Letter to Volker Türk and UNOCHR]

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Pointe aux Sables, Mauritius
011 (230) 234-1024; [email protected]
 
 
High Commissioner Volker Türk
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
 
 
June 20, 2025
 
Dear High Commissioner Türk and Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights:
 
UN experts recently criticized the historic UK–Mauritius treaty over our people’s homeland, the Chagos Islands, raising valid concerns but risking harm to Chagossians by supporting a campaign that is trying to kill the treaty in the interest of maintaining UK colonialism in Chagos in violation of international law. While we appreciate the expert’s critique of the treaty’s major flaws, their call to renegotiate the treaty supports a deceptive “Save Chagos” campaign seeking to preserve British colonial rule.
 
The treaty is imperfect but represents progress: after more than 50 years of exile, it finally allows us, Chagossians, to return to most of our homeland and provides some compensation and significant reconstruction funds.
 
We have waited over 55 years for this. Although we have not received everything we have asked, we have obtained the right to return and it is significant for us. As a community, we have decided, as a matter of policy, to adopt this attitude of accepting what we can get now and start our journey back, as opposed to stay put. There will be no perfect decision that pleases everyone, but at least we are moving forward as a community.
 
Calling for renegotiation of the treaty risks denying us this victory, leaving us with no resettlement rights. The experts rightly question the ban on our returning to Diego Garcia, the insulting £40 million “trust fund,” the lack of other reparations, and our exclusion from negotiations. Unfortunately, renegotiating the treaty would only support a campaign in the UK and US by politicians and others try to kill it by pretending they support the rights of Chagossians and spreading other false theories. The “Save Chagos” campaign means saving Chagos for British and US control not for us Chagossians.
 
Instead, the UK and Mauritius should partner with us to “correct the treaty’s flaws” through diplomatic channels, such as an “exchange of letters,” as suggested by former British diplomat David Snoxell. This is the best way to ensure the treaty upholds our full human rights including the right to return to Diego Garcia, fair compensation, reconstruction in Chagos, and other repair. We hope the UN experts will stand with us and the majority of Chagossians who are supporting the treaty and demanding these improvements.
 
- The Chagos Refugees Group and Chagos Refugees Group UK Branch