Indigenous
Chagossian
People
News & Events
Today, the 22nd of May 2026, ICP celebrates its first anniversary and, at the same time, the trial that reminded the British government that we mean business.
The year 2025 was a long year of struggle, marked by pain, tears, sweat, hope, and laughter, but through all these trials, we have thrived, we have become stronger and more determined than ever in defending our rights.
2026 is no exception: we remain hopeful and have the resources and the strength to continue. All ICP members wish to share this special day with all Chagossians and thank them for their support. And to other Indigenous peoples still fighting for their rights around the world, we want to say hold on, keep fighting, and do not lose hope.
A hundred years for the thieves and a day for the owner.
Our urgent appeal to CERD has led a UN body to expose what diplomacy tried to hide; the hypocrisy behind this treaty.
It is not the implementation of the 2019 ICJ Advisory Opinion. It is a perpetuation of colonization and a blatant violation of our rights to self-determination and return. This treaty must not be ratified.
It took almost 4 months to get a verdict for the October 2025 Court Case
Conclusions
The passing decades since the expulsion of the Chagossians from the Islands time have not healed the claimants’ sense of injustice. Their desire to return to their homeland has not abated. On an initial reading of the papers the strength of the defendant’s arguments shone through, but I reserved judgment for a number of reasons. Partly because of the wide-ranging nature of the allegations, the volume of paperwork and the long list of essential reading provided combined with insufficient pre-reading time. Also, in deference to the strength of the claimants’ feelings and the shamefulness of the treatment of the Chagossian people in the 1960s and 70s. I also had other cases in my list that day. Unfortunately, health issues and pressure of other work prevented me from preparing my judgment sooner for which I once again apologise. I appreciate that a quick decision is intended at or soon after an oral renewal hearing. Having now had time to read more deeply into the case papers, the claimants’ arguments remain as they first appeared for the reasons set out above. The defendant has delivered “a clear knock out blow” to each element of the claims, permission is refused and the claims are dismissed. It is therefore not necessary to consider the claimants’ application for a costs capping order.