SAJ on meeting with Olivier Bancoult: “If he so wishes”

Asked by the Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday 5 July whether he will meet Olivier Bancoult, the leader of the Groupe Refugiés Chagos after the latter made positive comments recently following the latest judgement of the UK Supreme Court.

The Prime Minister replied dryly: “If he so wishes.” This reply seems to refer to the many remarks of Bancoult to the media and one of them regarding sovereignty over the archipelago. He said: “Sovereignty is not my struggle!” Sir Anerood Jugnauth affirms that “Sovereignty and resettlement are indissociable. If Bancoult wants to see me I shall meet him if he so wishes.” The Prime Minister reiterated that ‘the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, forms and has always formed an integral part of the territory of Mauritius. Mauritius does not recognise the so-called “British Indian Ocean Territory.” My Government is strongly committed to ensuring that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Mauritius are fully respected and safeguarded,’ he told Parliament. In this regard, no efforts are being spared by my Government so that Mauritius can effectively exercise its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. ‘I wish to reiterate that the long-standing struggle of Mauritius to effectively exercise its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and the right of Mauritian citizens, including those of Chagossian origin, to return to and resettle in the Chagos Archipelago are indissociable. In my reply to Parliamentary Question B/369 which I had tabled, I had indicated that Government will maintain close contact and collaboration with the Chagossian community to ensure that we continue to be on the same wavelength as regards the plight of our Mauritian citizens of Chagossian origin who were forcibly removed from the Chagos Archipelago by the United Kingdom in the wake of the illegal excision of the Chagos Archipelago from the territory of Mauritius and the effective exercise of our sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. In this regard, I met Mr Bancoult last year and I propose to meet him again shortly, if he so wishes. Bancoult made several other comments and I cannot make out which specific positive comments the Leader of the Opposition is referring to.’

Waiting for the response of Mr Cameron

Should a case come up for hearing before the UK Supreme Court, our High Commission in London, as per the practice for previous cases, will certainly keep a watching brief. The Chagos Archipelago should be returned by the United Kingdom to the effective control of Mauritius by a precise date to be agreed upon. I proposed that consideration could be given to the joint management of the Chagos Archipelago pending its return to Mauritius. I had asked for a response to my request by the end of June 2016, otherwise Mauritius would take appropriate action at the international level including at the United Nations. Further, at the request of the British High Commissioner I have agreed to extend the deadline by another week. It would, therefore, be inappropriate at this precise juncture to go into the specifics of the course of action to be taken.’