Strategic Contest in the Indian Ocean: The disputed Chagos deal illuminates UK's standpoint
Agreement Reached Regarding Chagos Archipelago
In a significant development, the United Kingdom and Mauritius have reached an agreement on the long-disputed Chagos Archipelago, an island chain separated from Mauritius under British colonial rule in 1965. This agreement comes three years before Mauritius gained independence.
Under this agreement, the UK government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, defends the deal as essential to uphold international law and strategic security interests. The deal involves establishing a 24-mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia, preventing any construction without the UK's consent, and prohibiting foreign military and civilian forces from the Chagos Archipelago. The UK retains the power to veto any access to the region.
Mauritius has welcomed this agreement as a crucial victory in its decades-long campaign to regain the Chagos Archipelago. The UK will lease the Diego Garcia base for at least 99 years, paying Mauritius £101 million (approximately US$137 million) annually. The deal also includes a £40 million trust fund to benefit the Chagos community.
One critical aspect of the agreement involves a potential resettlement program for exiled Chagossians. While the agreement does not necessitate resettlement, it allows Mauritius to implement a program across all islands except Diego Garcia, which will remain under UK control for at least 99 years. The right to return to homes, especially on Diego Garcia, remains restricted.
The implementation of this resettlement program will be a significant indicator of the Mauritian government's commitment to the Chagossian people's rights, including their right to freely return to their homeland and enjoy equal citizenship rights. However, it does not guarantee the right of return for all Chagossians, leaving several human rights concerns unresolved.
The agreement regarding the Chagos Archipelago, reached between the UK and Mauritius, has raised diverse opinions in politics and policy-and-legislation, as well as general news, related to the UK's military interests and the Chagossians' right to return to their homeland. The deal's practical implications, including the potential resettlement program for exiled Chagossians, will be closely watched as a marker of the Mauritian government's stance on securing equal rights for this community.
