"A United Nations committee has urged Britain and Mauritius not to ratify a proposed agreement on the future of the Chagos Islands, warning it risks perpetuating long-standing violations of the Chagossian people's rights. On Monday, the committee stated that the deal, finalised in May after years of negotiations, would see sovereignty of the archipelago transferred to Mauritius. However, it also stipulates that Britain would retain control of the strategically important US-UK air base on Diego Garcia, the largest island, through a long-term lease."
"Up to 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed from their homes in the 1960s and 1970s, with many subsequently settling in Britain and some continuing to seek the right to return. The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which met in Geneva this month, expressed concern that the agreement "explicitly prevents the return of the Chagossian people to their ancestral lands in Diego Garcia Island.""
The Independent sends journalists to cover breaking issues including reproductive rights, climate change and Big Tech, and funds reporting through reader donations without paywalls. Donations support on-the-ground reporting and interviews with multiple sides. A United Nations committee urged Britain and Mauritius not to ratify a proposed agreement on the future of the Chagos Islands, citing risks of perpetuating violations of Chagossian rights. The agreement would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while Britain would retain control of the Diego Garcia US-UK air base under a long-term lease. Up to 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed in the 1960s and 1970s; many settled in Britain and continue to seek the right to return. The U.N. committee expressed concern that the agreement prevents Chagossian return and does not formally acknowledge past injustices or ensure full reparations.
Read at www.independent.co.uk
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