UN Committee 'Deeply Concerned' About Chagos Agreement – Calls for Suspension of Ratification

The UN Committee has expressed deep concern regarding the agreement on the Chagos Islands and has called for the suspension of its ratification.

A UN committee urged the British government not to ratify the treaty concerning the future of the Chagos Islands, warning that it would "perpetuate long-standing violations of the rights of the Chagossian people."

This last-minute intervention increases pressure on ministers to abandon the deal, which has faced significant criticism from conservatives. The historic bilateral agreement, signed in May, stipulates that the UK will transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, formally relinquishing control over this territory in the Indian Ocean.

However, the government would retain access to the strategically important US-British military base at Diego Garcia, leasing it to Mauritius for 99 years, with a potential extension of 40 years. The agreement also includes several billion pounds to be paid to Mauritius as part of this arrangement.

But the UN has strongly criticized the treaty, particularly because it does not allow Chagossians to return to their ancestral lands on Diego Garcia.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination stated it is "deeply concerned" about the terms of the agreement and warned that it would harm the Chagossians.

Why Does the UK Control the Chagos Islands?

The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965 as London was decolonizing; Mauritius gained independence three years later. However, the UK retained the archipelago and its inhabitants—primarily of African and South Asian descent—who were forcibly removed to facilitate the construction of the Diego Garcia military base. This situation is what concerns the UN committee today.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that the separation of the Chagos from Mauritius violated the Chagossians' right to self-determination and called on London to end its control over the territory. The UN General Assembly subsequently demanded the complete decolonization of the archipelago.

Why is the UN Opposed to This Agreement?

In a report published on Monday, the UN committee concluded that the new treaty "explicitly prevents the return of the Chagossian people to their ancestral lands on Diego Garcia." This is despite the British government's claims that the agreement implements the ICJ's advisory opinion, as highlighted in the report.

According to the committee, the agreement is thus "incompatible with the UN General Assembly resolution." The committee also believes that the text prevents Chagossians from "exercising their cultural rights and preserving their heritage," which would constitute another violation of the UN resolution.

Furthermore, the group criticizes the lack of consultation with the Chagossians, which they argue limits the exercise of their right to self-determination. They also fault the treaty for failing to provide full reparations or acknowledgment of "past injustices."

The committee now calls on the UK and Mauritius to suspend the ratification of the treaty, resume negotiations with the Chagossians, and ensure full reparations.

Conservatives Accuse Sir Keir Starmer of Trying to 'Force' the Agreement Through

The conservatives have seized on the UN's criticisms, claiming that it has "called out" Sir Keir Starmer. The party opposes the agreement, not to enhance Chagossian participation, but because they believe the UK should never cede control of the archipelago.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel stated: "Keir Starmer is ready to bow to China at the slightest opportunity—so much so that he is willing to cede British sovereign territory and £35 billion of taxpayer money to a Beijing ally. By imposing this capitulation over Chagos, he has ignored the Chagossians. And now the UN has called him out.

Starmer boasts about defending international law and human rights: will he suspend the ratification as the UN requests? Or will he try to sweep aside all opposition and once again trample on the Chagossians to win favor with President Xi Jinping of China?"

In response to the UN's warning, a spokesperson for the Foreign Office commented: "We recognize the significance of the islands for the Chagossians. Under the treaty, Mauritius will be able to develop a resettlement program on islands other than Diego Garcia, and the UK is also committed to supporting heritage visits to the archipelago, including Diego Garcia."

The government claims to have prioritized maintaining access to the US-British military base while assuring that it has regularly consulted with the Chagossians.

Source: Sky News