The government of Mauritius has said it is considering legal action to compel the United Kingdom to return the Chagos Islands, as tensions rise over delays in finalising an agreement that would transfer sovereignty of the territory.
Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam accused London of slowing the ratification process of a deal that would see the strategically significant islands revert to Mauritian control.
Under the proposed arrangement, the UK would retain access to the military base on Diego Garcia by leasing it from Mauritius for at least 99 years, paying £101 million annually. The facility, which hosts a major naval and bomber base used by the United States military, has long been considered a key strategic installation in the Indian Ocean.
Britain has controlled the islands since 1814, but the issue remains controversial due to the forced displacement of up to 2,000 islanders during the 1960s and 1970s to make way for the military base.
The United Nations has criticised the agreement, arguing that sovereignty should be restored to the Chagossian people rather than the Mauritian government. The global body also says the proposed deal fails to acknowledge past injustices, provide full reparations, or allow displaced islanders to return to their ancestral homeland on Diego Garcia.
Melissa Enoch
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