Indigenous
Chagossian
People
What Happened On May 22nd
We, the Indigenous Chagossian People, refuse to be written out of the story of our own homeland. On 22 May 2025, a treaty was signed without us. Through our group, we are reclaiming our voice. We invite you, whether you are a Chagossian, an ally, a lawyer, a decision‑maker, or a member of the public, to read, reflect, and stand with us in demanding a future in which our rights, our culture, and our islands are finally reunited.
On 22 May 2025, the UK and Mauritius signed a long‑term treaty covering sovereignty, security, the military base on Diego Garcia and possible resettlement on some islands. For governments, it is presented as a “win‑win”: the UK regularises the status of the base and appears complying with international law; Mauritius recovers sovereignty over the archipelago and receives lease cash and funds for development; the United States keeps its strategic position. On paper, the agreement declares that past treatment of Chagossians is “deeply regrettable” and promises to support our welfare.​
​​But the people most directly affected, us the Chagossians, were not present. We did not participate in the negotiations. We were not consulted in a meaningful way. We did not give our free, prior, and informed consent. Once again, decisions about our homeland, our return, and our future were taken by others who speak about us, but not with us.
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It continues a long history in which Chagossians have been erased from official narratives, described as temporary workers rather than a people, and excluded from the very processes that define their existence. The 2025 treaty risks turning that exclusion into a permanent legal settlement.
