Mauritius is gearing up to take control of the Chagos Islands after winning a long-running legal battle with Britain. The two countries announced the handover in October and are now hammering out a treaty that will secure the future of the US’s military base on the atoll of Diego Garcia.
But the fate of the original islanders, kicked out by Britain to make way for the base more than 50 years ago, still hangs in the balance. While Mauritius will allow Chagossians to finally go home – as long as they stay away from Diego Garcia – the community’s views on the takeover vary widely. Having been excluded from the talks so far, many fear that their futures are once again being decided over their heads.
