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Chagossians launch US legal challenge

Aug 17, 2020
1 min

Chagossians launch US legal challenge

Chagossians are launching legal action in the USA, calling for compensation for their 50 years of enforced exile and the suffering endured due to a lack of promised support. The claim, which is led by Chagossians Solomon Prosper and Bernard Nourrice, seeks damages of up to $100,000 for each individual Chagossian under the US Foreign Claims Act, which requires the US Military to set up claims commissions to handle damage claims by foreign citizens. The Chagossians’ lawyer, Dr.

Breaking: UK Court of Appeal dismisses Chagossian claim

Jul 30, 2020
2 min

Breaking: UK Court of Appeal dismisses Chagossian claim

The Court of Appeal today delivered it's verdict on a legal challenge brought by Chagossians to the 2016 UK government decision not to support Chagossian right of return to their homeland. Judges ruled against the Chagossians, who had argued the 2016 decision not to support the right to return to their homeland was illegal. Details of the case, which was brought by Chagos Refugees Group co-founder Olivier Bancoult and Solange Hoareau, a Chagossian born on the islands exiled t

United Nations map marks Chagos Islands as Mauritian territory

Jun 29, 2020
2 min

United Nations map marks Chagos Islands as Mauritian territory

In a symbolic moment in the history of the Chagos Islands, an official world map produced by the United Nations has identified the Chagos Islands as Mauritian territory. This follows a 2019 UN General Assembly vote that overwhelmingly instructed the UK to cede control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius within six months. UK Ministers have repeatedly indicated that they have "no doubt" over their sovereignty over the Chagos Islands and have given no suggestion that they will c

Report: UK government's £40m 'Support Package' yet to help Chagossians

May 11, 2020
2 min

Report: UK government's £40m 'Support Package' yet to help Chagossians

A recent report in national UK newspaper The Guardian confirms that the £40m Support Package promised to Chagossians in 2016 has yet to assist almost any Chagossians. The £40m Support Package was promised in 2016, when the UK government announced that they would not support Chagossian resettlement of their homeland, following a four year policy review. In her piece for The Guardian, Kate McQue speaks to a number of Chagossians in serious financial difficulty who have been una

Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group meeting: Coordinator's Summary

Mar 15, 2020
2 min

Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group meeting: Coordinator's Summary

During the latest meeting of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary group several new members were welcomed and as ever political and legal developments relevant to the islands and their people were discussed by all present. Thanks to Coordinator David Snoxell for the below summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-party Parliamentary Group held its 77th meeting on 4 March. New members Lord McConnell (a former First Minister of Scotland), Baroness Lister, Lord Judd (former F

Chagos Islands All-Party Group: Reformation & Coordinator's Summary

Feb 9, 2020
3 min

Chagos Islands All-Party Group: Reformation & Coordinator's Summary

The Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group has reformed for the next Parliament. Below the latest appointments are listed and a summary of their first meeting is provided. Thanks to David Snoxell, who continues as the group's voluntary coordinator, for the below summary. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-party Parliamentary Group held its 76th meeting and first meeting of the new Parliament on 29 January. The following officers were re-elected: Hon President, Jeremy Corbyn

Chagos Islands National Football team qualifies for CONIFA World Cup

Jan 15, 2020
1 min

Chagos Islands National Football team qualifies for CONIFA World Cup

The Chagos Islands National Football has successfully qualified for the CONIFA World Cup, to be held next year in North Macedonia. The tournament will be begin on 30th May. The CONIFA World Cup gives nations not recognised by football's official world governing body - FIFA - the chance to compete. The Chagos Islands National Football team has taken part in the previous two tournaments, raising significant awareness of not only the team but wider Chagossian history and the inj

UK accused of crimes against humanity

Jan 8, 2020
2 min

UK accused of crimes against humanity

This follows a sequence of events which have ruled against the UK government position on the islands in 2019. First starting back in February when the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK decolonisation process of the Chagos islands was unlawful by a margin of 13-1. Furthermore the United Nations passed a resolution in May by an overwhelming margin of 116-6 demanding the UK return control of the islands back to Mauritius within six months. Mauritius has stated thr

UNESCO recognises Chagossian sega on Intangible Cultural Heritage list

Dec 11, 2019
1 min

UNESCO recognises Chagossian sega on Intangible Cultural Heritage list

Chagossian Tambour Sega music has been recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In the announcement, UNESCO also classify Chagossian Sega as "In Urgent Need of Safeguarding." Recognising traditional Chagossian Segas related directly to the islands from which they are now exiled and that the passing away of community elders with expertise are threats to traditional Chagossian segas fu

6 months on from UN General Assembly deadline, Chagossians still waiting for justice

Nov 22, 2019
3 min

6 months on from UN General Assembly deadline, Chagossians still waiting for justice

Six months ago today the UN General Assembly voted that the Chagos Islands should be ceded by the UK to Mauritius. They also indicated that the UN would work with all parties to develop a programme to support Chagossians waiting to return. The UN General Assembly motion, passed by a majority of 116-6, followed an International Court of Justice verdict which found the creation of the British Indian Ocean Territory (the official name for the Chagos Islands) to have been illegit

Short debate in Parliament on future of Chagos Islands

Jun 29, 2019
2 min

Short debate in Parliament on future of Chagos Islands

On Wednesday 3 July there will be a short Westminster Hall debate on the future of the Chagos Islands. SNP MP Patrick Grady - also Vice-Chair of the Chagos Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group - is leading the debate, which will last half an hour and begins at 4:00PM. The debate is formally titled 'UK General Assembly resolution on the future of the Chagos Islands,' and so will most likely focus on the reaction to the recent UN General Assembly vote that advised the UK to g

Chagos All-Party Parliamentary Group latest meeting: Coordinator's Summary

Jun 16, 2019
3 min

Chagos All-Party Parliamentary Group latest meeting: Coordinator's Summary

Thanks are due as ever to David Snoxell, coordinator of the Chagos Islands All-Party Group, for the below summary of the group's latest meeting. The Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG held its 74th meeting on 22 May 2019 which coincided with the debate in the UNGA on the draft resolution concerning the Advisory Opinion (AO) of the ICJ. It had earlier been decided that a meeting with Lord Ahmad would be more informed after the debate and vote on the resolution was known. The Minister

Telegraph article brands Chagossians' immigration struggles "new Windrush"

May 7, 2019
2 min

Telegraph article brands Chagossians' immigration struggles "new Windrush"

A substantial and well-illustrated feature in The Telegraph by Joe Wallen on 1st March 2019 highlighted the long-running story of unfair immigration policies towards Chagossians, comparing their plight to the Windrush generation of West Indian immigrants whose shoddy treatment has caused a major scandal for Theresa May’s government. The full article can be read here It focuses in particular on third generation Chagossian youngsters who – under present immigration law – are no

UK government rejects International Court of Justice verdict on Chagos Islands

May 1, 2019
3 min

UK government rejects International Court of Justice verdict on Chagos Islands

The UK government has confirmed that it does not agree with the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) verdict in the recent Chagos Islands case, brought by the Mauritian government. In a written statement issued to Parliament on 30 April, Foreign Office Ministers Sir Alan Duncan and Lord Ahmed told the House of Commons and House of Lords respectively that Ministers "do not recognise" Mauritius' sovereignty claim over the Chagos Islands. The Ministers emphasised again that th

Chagossians lose UK Court challenge

Feb 20, 2019
2 min

Chagossians lose UK Court challenge

The UK Divisional Court last week found against the Chagossians’ challenge to the UK government’s 2016 decision to refuse to support or permit the resettlement of their Chagos Islands homeland. The case, brought by Chagos Refugees Group leader Olivier Bancoult and fellow native-born Chagossian Solange Horeau, challenged the legality of the government’s decision on a number of grounds. In particular, the challenge was made to the lawfulness of the failure to permit resettlemen

International Court of Justice Chagos hearing concludes

Sep 27, 2018
3 min

International Court of Justice Chagos hearing concludes

After four days of public hearings, beginning on 3 rd September at The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in The Hague, the judges are currently deliberating the case of Mauritius’s dispute with the UK over sovereignty of the Chagos islands. The Court heard testimonies from representatives of 22 countries, plus those from the African Union, arguing the legality of the colonial-era deal and the rights of the displaced Chagos Islanders to resettle. The ICJ’s judgement is adv

Chagossian Trafalgar Square protest concludes

Jul 31, 2018
3 min

Chagossian Trafalgar Square protest concludes

Monday saw the end of a four-day-long occupation of Trafalgar Square by Chagossian Islanders. The protesters set out to raise global awareness of their ongoing fight to return to their homeland, as well as the injustices the exiled community continue to suffer in Britain, Seychelles, and Mauritius. Over 100 Chagossians took part in the protest, from 80-year-old Marie Celeste down to the very youngest of the exiled community. This included survivors of the deportations of the

Chagossians occupy Trafalgar Square

Jul 21, 2018
1 min

Chagossians occupy Trafalgar Square

Chagossians are entering their 2nd night occupying Trafalgar Square. They are doing so to raise awareness of their ongoing fight for justice and the right to return to the land of their birth. The protest has been coordinated by community group Chagos Islanders Movement. One of the group's leading figures Jean-Paul France explained "they took over our country, so we're taking over their square." Over 100 Chagossians have been involved, many elderly survivors of the deportatio