London, October 4, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
Britain announced on Thursday that it would cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a landmark deal, which ensures the continued operation of the UK-U.S. military base on Diego Garcia and may allow displaced Chagos Islanders to return home after decades.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement, emphasizing that the strategic air base in the Indian Ocean, vital for global security, is now guaranteed for at least 99 years.
Critics in Britain, however, argued that the agreement was a concession to China, which has close ties with Mauritius. The opposition Conservative Party expressed concerns that the deal could open the door for China to gain influence in the Indian Ocean region.
British Foreign Minister David Lammy hailed the deal as a resolution to the long-disputed sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, the last British overseas territory in Africa. Lammy stated that ongoing legal challenges had jeopardized the future of Diego Garcia, which played a critical role during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth praised the agreement as a step toward completing the decolonization process, while Olivier Bancoult, leader of the Chagos Refugees Group, viewed it as an acknowledgment of the historical injustices suffered by Chagossians. However, the British-based diaspora group Chagossian Voices criticized their exclusion from the negotiations, stating that they remained voiceless in deciding their future.
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius by Britain in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence. In the early 1970s, Britain evicted around 2,000 residents to make way for the Diego Garcia air base, which was leased to the U.S. in 1966. In 2019, a nonbinding United Nations resolution called for Britain to relinquish control of the islands.
Despite the concerns raised, both Biden and Lammy stressed that the deal strengthens global security, with Biden highlighting the base’s role in responding to crises and countering security threats.
