FOTBOT hosts Chagossian Parliamentary Engagement Event

Friends of the British Overseas Territories hosted a Parliamentary engagement event between Chagossians and Parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster to rally against the Chagos Islands deal.

NEWS FROM FOTBOTBRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY

1/29/20251 min read

Wednesday 29th January 2025

Press Release
For immediate release

Friends of the British Overseas Territories hosted a Parliamentary engagement event between Chagossians and Parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster to rally against the Chagos Islands deal.

Attendees heard from a number of parliamentarians including Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel, Member of Parliament for Crawley Peter Lamb, Former First Minister of Northern Ireland Baroness Foster, Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge, Former Minister for the Overseas Territories Lord Bellingham and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrew Rosindell.

Chagossian speakers included Misley Mandarian, Bernadette Dugasse, Frankie Bontempts and Vanessa Calou from Chagos groups: BIOT Citizen and Chagossian Voices.

The overwhelming message was the desire for the right of self-determination, which has been shamefully cast aside by the UK Government alongside security, conservation and welfare concerns.

FOTBOT stands with the Chagossian community in calling on this UK Government to scrap this deal.