AZMwi
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The UK and the U.S. forcibly displaced an entire Indigenous population from the Chagos Islands to build a military base. Chagossians were never paid reparations or significant compensation. A new @hrw report accuses both countries of crimes against humanity.
The Chagos Islands are the UK's last African colony. Most inhabitants were descendants of African and South Asian people enslaved or indentured to work on coconut plantations. The UK evicted them in the 1960s to build a U.S. base in exchange for discounts on nuclear weapons.
Up to 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly displaced from their homes from 1965-1973.
The UK: blocked supplies of food and medical care to starve the population out
blocked people returning if they traveled intimidated residents by shooting or poisoning over 1,000 pet dogs
The final expulsion of Chagossians was in 1973. Families told @hrw they were put on boats "like animals," sharing cabins with pigs. The British lied they would get work/housing. Instead they lived in "abject poverty" and faced discrimination in Seychelles, Mauritius and the UK.
The 58 islands of the Chagos archipelago (now "British Indian Ocean Territory") were taken from Mauritius. The UK coerced Mauritius to give them up as a condition for independence in 1968. The UN and ICJ say the creation of a new colony and continued occupation are unlawful.
The UK refused to compensate displaced Chagossians for years until being forced to by courts — only a "small sum" and not directly, but through the Mauritian government. But it did immediately compensate plantation owners — who were mostly British. The U.S. gave nothing.
The U.S. was "instrumental" in displacing Chagossians and refused to lease the islands with them there, says @hrw
Claims they would "imperil" its base
Backed creating a "marine protected area" around islands to block returns
Claims it is not responsible for reparations
To get meager compensation for the loss of their homes, the UK forced Chagossians to sign documents renouncing their right to return. The UK also refused to give displaced people British citizenship until 2002. Their descendants only became eligible starting in 2022.
The UK's deportation and ethnic discrimination of Chagossians are crimes against humanity, says @hrw.
The UK admits its actions are "shameful" but:
refuses to pay reparations
still denies their right to return (Queen Elizabeth did so in 2004, the government again in 2016)
The Chagos Islands are the UK's last African colony. Most inhabitants were descendants of African and South Asian people enslaved or indentured to work on coconut plantations. The UK evicted them in the 1960s to build a U.S. base in exchange for discounts on nuclear weapons.
Up to 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly displaced from their homes from 1965-1973.
The UK: blocked supplies of food and medical care to starve the population out
blocked people returning if they traveled intimidated residents by shooting or poisoning over 1,000 pet dogs
The final expulsion of Chagossians was in 1973. Families told @hrw they were put on boats "like animals," sharing cabins with pigs. The British lied they would get work/housing. Instead they lived in "abject poverty" and faced discrimination in Seychelles, Mauritius and the UK.
The 58 islands of the Chagos archipelago (now "British Indian Ocean Territory") were taken from Mauritius. The UK coerced Mauritius to give them up as a condition for independence in 1968. The UN and ICJ say the creation of a new colony and continued occupation are unlawful.
The UK refused to compensate displaced Chagossians for years until being forced to by courts — only a "small sum" and not directly, but through the Mauritian government. But it did immediately compensate plantation owners — who were mostly British. The U.S. gave nothing.
The U.S. was "instrumental" in displacing Chagossians and refused to lease the islands with them there, says @hrw
Claims they would "imperil" its base
Backed creating a "marine protected area" around islands to block returns
Claims it is not responsible for reparations
To get meager compensation for the loss of their homes, the UK forced Chagossians to sign documents renouncing their right to return. The UK also refused to give displaced people British citizenship until 2002. Their descendants only became eligible starting in 2022.
The UK's deportation and ethnic discrimination of Chagossians are crimes against humanity, says @hrw.
The UK admits its actions are "shameful" but:
refuses to pay reparations
still denies their right to return (Queen Elizabeth did so in 2004, the government again in 2016)
