The UK government ended its sovereignty over 60 islands in the Indian Ocean. The UK agreed to cede sovereignty over them to the government of Mauritius. The governments of the UK and Mauritius announced this issue on Thursday, October 3. For decades, the Chagos Islands dispute had negatively affected relations between Mauritius and the UK. Mauritius sought to restore its sovereignty to the Chagos Islands decades ago. The opposition of the Labor Party criticizes the weak agreement between the UK and Mauritius. This article examines the history of the dispute between the UK and Mauritius over the Chagos Islands. It will also investigate the recent agreement between the two countries to transfer the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and the criticisms of the opposition of the Labor Party to this agreement.

History of the Chagos Islands dispute between Mauritius and the UK

In 1968, Mauritius declared independence from the UK and became independent. However, the UK refused to hand over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and kept the islands under its sovereignty. This refusal to grant sovereignty led to the Chagos Islands dispute between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. Meanwhile, from 1965 to 1968, when Mauritius gained independence from the UK, the two sides agreed to hand over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to London. London had paid Mauritius 3 million pounds to purchase the islands then. Morris later announced that under pressure from London, he had to make this agreement to gain independence.

British illegal rule over the Chagos Islands

In 2019, the International Court of Justice declared British sovereignty over the Chagos Islands illegal. The head of the court said at that time: “The UK must bring to an end its administration of the Chagos archipelago as rapidly as possible and that all member states must co-operate with the United Nations to complete the decolonization of Mauritius.” The UK government lost in court but refused to accept the court order. By not accepting the judgment of the International Court, the Chagos Islands dispute continued. In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution. In this resolution, the United Nations General Assembly asked the UK government to hand over the Chagos Islands to the government of Mauritius within 6 months to resolve the Chagos Islands dispute.

Deporting the natives of the Chagos Islands to build a military base

In 1965, Britain separated the Chagos Islands from the Mauritius Islands, which were then both under the rule of London. The UK government planned to build a military base on its largest island, Diego Garcia. The UK government expelled the island natives before building an army base on Diego Garcia Island.  For this reason, the United Nations General Assembly resolution condemned the British action in expelling 2,000 natives of the Chagos Islands. This was also one of the points of contention between the British and Mauritian governments. One hundred and sixteen countries voted in favour of the resolution, and only six countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, voted against it.

The end of 210 years of British rule over the Chagos Islands

The two countries, the UK and Mauritius, started the discussion about resolving the Chagos Islands dispute two years ago. The Chagos Islands consist of more than 60 islands in the Indian Ocean. The location of these islands is such that they can be considered almost between Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa, India, and the Middle East. After 210 years, the UK government gives up its sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.

A rare action by the UK government against its previous positions

“British Indian Ocean Territory” is the British name for the area, which also includes the Chagos Islands. The islands were administered under self-government and the supervision of the British monarch. Therefore, the UK government has repeatedly emphasized that the Chagos Islands are part of its territory and sovereignty. The UK government has also stated that it will not relinquish sovereignty over the Chagos Islands under any circumstances. A few years ago, the UK government said: “The United Kingdom does not doubt its sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814.”

The 60-year dispute between Mauritius and UK over the Chagos Islands

It is a rare phenomenon for the UK government to give up its territory in favour of another country in recent years. The agreement ends the nearly 60-year Chagos Islands dispute between Mauritius and the UK. The foreign minister of Mauritius described the agreement as an unforgettable day. He tweeted: “October 3, 2024. A day to remember. A day to commemorate full sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over its territory”. An agreement between the UK and the Republic of Mauritius allows people displaced from their homeland in the Chagos Archipelago years ago to return to their homeland.

Continued British and American military presence on Diego Garcia Island

In the joint statement of the governments of the UK and Mauritius, it is stated that London recognizes the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Islands. On the other hand, at the same time, the UK has the right to exercise sovereignty over the largest island, Diego Garcia, for an initial period of 99 years. Therefore, the continued operation of this military base is guaranteed. The British-American joint military base is located on this island. US President Joe Biden welcomed this agreement. Biden said the deal would ensure the continued effective operation of Diego Garcia Air Force Base for the next century. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy also noted that this government inherited a situation where, despite the disputed sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges, the safe and long-term operation of the Diego Garcia military base was threatened.

Leasing the island of Diego Garcia to the UK

The Chagos Islands are of great importance. This importance is due to the fact that a large US military base is located on the largest island, Diego Garcia. This military base, called Diego Garcia, belongs to the United Kingdom. London has leased this military base to the United States for 50 years. According to the terms of the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius, the Diego Garcia military base is leased to the British government for 99 years. Therefore, the United States will continue to use the island of Diego Garcia. The amount paid by the United Kingdom to Mauritius for the lease of this military base has also not been announced.

Criticism of the conservative party on the agreement between the UK and Mauritius

The conservative party criticized this agreement and described it as weak. “Weak, weak, weak!” wrote former foreign secretary James Cleverly, a candidate for the next Conservative leadership, on the X. Critics say that with this action, China continues its influence in the Indian Ocean. China is also likely to install listening stations near the British-American military base. The Reform UK Party, led by Nigel Farage, strongly criticized this action. Farage described the UK and Mauritius agreement as a “strategic disaster.”

The negative impact of the weak agreement between Mauritius and the UK on the political position of the Labor Party

The Mauritius-UK deal to hand over sovereignty over the Chagos Islands has drawn criticism. The Mauritius-UK deal marks a shift in stance from the new British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. On the other hand, the long-term future of the Diego Garcia base is under threat under the current circumstances. Finally, Labor critics believe that transferring sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is a setback for Britain. So, the Starmer government’s poor deal with Mauritius could lead to a negative public perception of Labor.