Indigenous
Chagossian
People
History of ICP
On 22 May 2025, a new treaty was signed between the United Kingdom and Mauritius about our islands, including Diego Garcia, without us. It was negotiated in London, Port Louis, and Washington over several years, but not a single round of talks included Chagossians as participants, observers or advisers.
The agreement is presented to the world as a historic step to “implement” the International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the Chagos Archipelago and to end colonisation. In reality, it decides our fate in our absence and deepens the injustice that began with our deportation.
On 25 May 2025, we addressed this urgent appeal letter to the United Nations to formally express our deep concerns and to draw immediate attention to the escalating situation that demands swift and decisive international intervention.
Despite our efforts on 22 May 2025 to put a halt to it, the Chagos agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius was signed without adequate consultation with affected Chagos communities or sufficient consideration of the broader implications. This appeal seeks to inform the United Nations and its relevant bodies of the urgency of the matter, outlines the reasons for our objection, and to request their immediate engagement, and to call for concrete measures to prevent further harm and uphold the principles of justice, dignity and the Human rights and welfare of all Chagossian.
ICP participated in the the 37th session of the Working Group of Experts on People Descent of the African the United Nations in Geneva
Ms Beatrice Pompe
Mrs Bernadette Dugasse
18th session of the Experts Mechanism on the rights of the Indigenous People held between the 14th and the 18th of July 2025 @ the United Nations in Geneva
Mrs Cynthia Othello
Mrs Bernadette Dugasse
Ms Beatrice Pompe
Mr Toby Noskwith
Mrs Elodie Tranchez
Between the 24th and the 27th of June, we met with some important members of the Human Rights Committee, EMRIP Secretary and member of the UNCERD. That was the dates that opened the path to escalate the Chagossians' fight for justice to the rest of the world and the UN mechanism system.
18th session of the Expert Mechanism on the rights of Indigenous Peoples held between the 14th and the 18th July 2025.
