Chagossian Statement on Resettlement and Reparations in the Chagos Islands Treaty
Press Contacts
Louis Olivier Bancoult, President, Chagos Refugees Group, 011 (230) 5751-7506, [email protected]
Pierre Prosper, Chair, Chagossian Committee Seychelles, [email protected]
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
Louis Olivier Bancoult, President, Chagos Refugees Group, 011 (230) 5751-7506, [email protected]
Pierre Prosper, Chair, Chagossian Committee Seychelles, [email protected]
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
