Chagossians' concerns as UK hands over islands

In 2023, the BBC reported a community of 3,000 Chagossians had already settled in Crawley

People from the Chagos Islands have been voicing their concerns over news the UK is giving up sovereignty and handing over the land to Mauritius.

The joint statement made by the UK and Mauritian prime ministers on Tuesday marked the end of decades of negotiations between the countries.

Chagossians were forced to leave their homeland, and many settled in Crawley in West Sussex, when Britain bought the islands in the Indian Ocean in the 1960s and a United States-leased military base was established.

Through a translator, local Chagossian Antoine Le Mettre said: "We want to know what will happen to our future generations that want to stay in England."

He explained there were still Chagossians who wanted to come to the UK and were planning to arrive in the coming months.

In 2023, the BBC reported that a community of 3,000 Chagossians had already settled in the West Sussex town.

The year before the UK government launched a British citizenship route for people of Chagossian descent.

The joint statement between the UK and Mauritian governments said: "This is a seminal moment in our relationship and a demonstration of our enduring commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes and the rule of law."

'Our islands'

Chagossian Kenny Thede said he wanted to go back to the islands, but did not know if life under Mauritius was going to be better.

"We know that it's our islands, and that's why we want to go back."

Jason Melisse says he does not have trust in the Mauritian government.

"I think they will do the same as in Mauritius. They will put [in] their own law and that will affect us.”

Crawley's Labour MP, Peter Lamb, said the decision to hand over the islands was "very disappointing" as Chagossians had been "let down again".

"The decision over the future of the islands belongs [to] the Chagossian people, it's not for the UK to bargain away."

He said there was "no guarantee" that Chagossians would be able to return home.

Lamb said in the last 16 years he had not heard "a single voice" in the local Chagossian community saying they wanted the islands to go to Mauritius.

"They want to go home. They want it to be their home.”