London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

UK, US Guilty Of "Crimes Against Humanity" In Chagos Islands: Rights Group

UK, US Guilty Of "Crimes Against Humanity" In Chagos Islands: Rights Group

The two countries should provide full reparations to the Chagossian people, including their right to return to live in their homeland, HRW urged.
Britain and the United States are guilty of crimes against humanity in the forced displacement of indigenous people from the Chagos Islands, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday.

In a new 106-report, the US-based rights group added that the UK's "racial persecution, and continued blocking of their return home", with Washington's support, constituted an "ongoing colonial crime".

The two countries should provide full reparations to the Chagossian people, including their right to return to live in their homeland in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, HRW urged.

"The UK is today committing an appalling colonial crime, treating all Chagossians as a people without rights," said Clive Baldwin, its senior legal adviser and lead author of the report.

"The UK and the US, who together expelled the Chagossians from their homes, should provide full reparations for the harm they have caused."

London decided in 1965 to separate the archipelago from Mauritius, which was then part of the British empire, and set up a joint military base with the United States on Diego Garcia, the largest of the isles.

It continues to administer them but Mauritius, which became an independent Commonwealth country in 1968, has long fought to return the islands to its territory and has gained international support for its cause.

A 2019 International Court of Justice ruling backed its claim and said Britain should give up control of the remote archipelago.

Later that year, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favour of a resolution recognising that "the Chagos Archipelago forms an integral part of the territory of Mauritius" and recommended Britain withdraw within six months.

London and Mauritius have begun talks over the islands' sovereignty, the Mauritian prime minister said last month, after the UK confirmed in November that it had agreed to discuss its future.

However, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a written ministerial statement at the time that the countries had agreed the military base on Diego Garcia would continue to operate whatever the outcome.

HRW noted that there had been "no clear commitment to meaningful consultation with the Chagossians and to guarantee their right to reparations, including their right to return, in any settlement".

The New York-headquartered organisation interviewed dozens of people, including Chagossians and UK, US, and Mauritian officials, and reviewed numerous documents for its report.

It said it had identified three crimes against humanity: a continuing colonial crime of forced displacement; the prevention of their return home by the UK; and their persecution by the UK on the grounds of race and ethnicity.

The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) responded to the claims by saying "we respect the work Human Rights Watch does around the world, but we categorically reject this characterisation of events.

"The UK has made clear its deep regret about the manner in which Chagossians were removed from BIOT in the late 1960s and early 1970s."

The US State Department did not respond to requests for comment on the HRW report.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
×