FOTBOT statement on the UK High Court ruling of 22nd May

Today is a dark day for the human rights of the Chagossian community and the strategic interests of the British people.

The UK Government’s decision to sign an agreement ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is a betrayal, not only of our Overseas Territories but of the Chagossian people, who have once again been excluded from decisions regarding their homeland. At every stage, the Government has sidelined Chagossian voices and capitulated under the ‘pressure’ of a non-binding advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice - an opinion issued by a court with no jurisdiction over this matter.

This decision disregards the wishes of the Chagossian community, many of whom have consistently opposed the handover to Mauritius. It only adds to decades of injustice by once again making decisions about their future without their involvement. Recent legal action by Chagossians in the High Court confirms what this Government refuses to acknowledge: that the people most affected by this deal have not been consulted.

The notion that sovereignty can be transferred while preserving British and Western security interests through a leaseback arrangement is a dangerous illusion. It is not credible to believe that Britain can maintain long-term control of strategic territory once sovereignty is surrendered. Moreover, Mauritius’s deepening ties with both the Chinese and Russian states introduce new and serious risks to the security of the Indian Ocean and to British and Western interests. The £9 billion price tag is a shameful waste of British taxpayer’s money.

This is a short-sighted and politically expedient deal that fails our allies, fails our national security, and, most unforgivably, fails the Chagossians. FOTBOT calls on the UK Parliament to scrutinise this agreement fully, and for the Government to halt this process until the Chagossian community is properly consulted and their right to determine their future is honoured.

The UK Government have continually claimed they treat the Overseas Territories based on the principle of “nothing about you without you”. The UK Government have today proven themselves to be disingenuous.