Chagos Issue: Mauritius condemns UK’s approach

The Prime Minister’s Office does not rule out the possibility of having recourse to the International Court of Justice to resolve the Chagos issue. “The Government of Mauritius protests strongly against the unilateral decision of the UK Government aimed at denying Mauritian citizens of Chagossian origin their legitimate right of return to the Chagos Archipelago. The Government of Mauritius also reiterates that the denial of the right of Mauritians in general, and those of Chagossian origin in particular, to settle in the Chagos Archipelago is a manifest breach of international law and outrageously flouts their human rights.” 

This statement was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday afternoon following announcements made by the British authorities regarding the payment of GBP 40 million in terms of compensation to Chagossians who were exiled from their native island to Mauritius. In so doing, the British colonial powers excised the Chagos archipelago from the Mauritian territory prior to its Independence and in violation of United Nations conventions.

“Mauritius would be fully justified in taking forward the completion of the process of decolonisation, which is now on the agenda of the current session of the UN General Assembly, with a view to putting the matter before the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion.”

The UK Government announced on Wednesday that:

(a) the Chagossian community will not be allowed to resettle in the Chagos Archipelago;

(b) a £40 million package will be funded over the next 10 years by the UK Government to support improvements to the livelihoods of the Chagossians; and

(c) the US presence in the Chagos Archipelago under current arrangements with the UK will continue until 2036.

The government of Mauritius reaffirmed that the Chagos Archipelago has always formed and continues to form an integral part of the territory of Mauritius and that it does not recognise the so-called “British Indian Ocean Territory”. 

“The Government of Mauritius wishes to reiterate that it does not also recognise the legality of the actions that the UK has purported, or is purporting, to take in respect of the Chagos Archipelago as they are in breach of international law. This includes, but is not limited to, the unilateral decisions purportedly taken by the UK Government with regard to resettlement in the Chagos Archipelago and the continuation of the UK-US agreement in respect of the Chagos Archipelago until 2036.”

The Mauritian side considers that the UK has acted in blatant breach of the letter and spirit of the Award delivered on 18 March 2015 in the case brought by Mauritius against the UK under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as the UK has failed to fully involve Mauritius, as required by the Award, in the renewed use, until 2036, of the Chagos Archipelago as a military base.

“The Government of Mauritius notes with concern that the fact that the statement is completely silent both on the discussions that were intended to take place between Mauritius and the UK on the completion of the process of decolonisation and on sovereignty, as agreed in New York last September and the clear obligations of the UK under the UNCLOS Award is very revealing of the UK Government’s approach to the rights of Mauritius and the plight of Mauritians of Chagossian origin,” read the document.