Members of the Chagossian community and their supporters outside the High Court in London, ahead of the verdict. Pic/AFP
A British court has lifted a block on the UK government handing the disputed Chagos Islands to Mauritius. A High Court judge earlier issued a temporary injunction blocking the transfer of sovereignty, hours before the agreement was due to be signed by the two countries' leaders Thursday
The remote chain of over 60 islands lies in the heart of the Indian Ocean, just south of the Maldives and off the southern tip of India
The Chagos Islands have been under British control since 1814, when they were ceded by France. The archipelago is most known for the US military base on Diego Garcia, which has played a key role in operations from the Vietnam War to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan
In 1965, Britain separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, a former British colony, three years before Mauritius gained independence, designating the archipelago as the British Indian Ocean Territory. During the 1960s and 1970s, Britain forcibly evicted around 2,000 islanders to make way for the construction of the Us military base on Diego Garcia
In October, Britain announced plans to finalize a treaty transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, except for Diego Garcia, which would remain under British control for at least 99 years. The deal was praised by then US President Joe Biden as a "historic agreement," but faced criticism from UK Conservatives and US officials like Marco Rubio, who warned it could pose security risks. The agreement was further delayed by the need for US President Donald Trump's approval and also due to a change in government in Mauritius
In January, the British government confirmed that the Trump administration was reviewing a renegotiated deal, though no details were disclosed. In February, Trump indicated his support for the agreement during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington
After extensive negotiations, a final deal was scheduled to be signed by the leaders of both countries on Thursday. However, hours before the ceremony, a High Court judge issued an injunction halting the handover. But after a hearing on Thursday, Judge Martin Chamberlain said the injunction should be removed
About 10,000 Chagossians and their families, who were forced to leave the islands, now live mostly in Britain, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. Many want to return home but have been left out of the talks between governments. Human Rights Watch says Britain’s actions against them are very serious human rights violations. The deal includes money to help some islanders move back, but it’s not clear how this will work. Two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, went to court to stop the deal because they worry it will make it harder for people to return. Because of their case, a judge stopped the deal from going ahead
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