Category: Chagos Islands

Now, a win for the Chagossians – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 6th, 2019 in Chagos Islands, colonies, international courts, international law, news by sally

‘The International Court of Justice has given a near-unanimous opinion that the separation in 1965 of the Chagos archipelago from the then British colony of Mauritius was contrary to the right of self determination, and that accordingly the de-colonisation of Mauritius by the United Kingdom had not been in accordance with international law. The ICJ held that Britain’s continued administration of the archipelago was an internationally wrongful act, which should cease as soon as possible.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 4th March 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chagos Islands dispute: UK obliged to end control – UN – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2019 in Chagos Islands, colonies, Diego Garcia, international law, news, United Nations by tracey

‘The UK should end its control of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean “as rapidly as possible”, the UN’s highest court has said.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK threatens to deport grandchildren of evicted Chagossians – The Guardian

Posted October 3rd, 2018 in bills, Chagos Islands, citizenship, deportation, families, immigration, news by sally

‘The Home Office is threatening to deport a teenage granddaughter of a former Chagos Islander, even though her mother holds British citizenship.’

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The Guardian, 2nd October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

International Court of Justice begins hearing on Britain’s separation of Chagos islands from Mauritius – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2018 in Chagos Islands, international courts, international law, news, repossession by sally

‘Britain has apologised for the “shameful” way it evicted islanders from the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but insisted Mauritius was wrong to bring a dispute over sovereignty of the strategic atoll group to the United Nations’ top court.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd September 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Chagos legal status sent to international court by UN – BBC News

Posted June 23rd, 2017 in Chagos Islands, international courts, international law, news, United Nations by tracey

‘A dispute between the UK and Mauritius over disputed island territory in the Indian Ocean is to be referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).’

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BBC News, 22nd June 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chagos Islanders denied right to return home – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2016 in armed forces, Chagos Islands, compensation, human rights, indigenous peoples, news by sally

‘Thousands of Chagos islanders, deported from their homeland in the Indian Ocean by the UK government to make way for a US military base in 1971, will not be given the right of return to resettle, the Foreign Office will announce on Wednesday.’

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The Guardian, 16th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Developments in the oversight of British Troops abroad – the Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 7th, 2016 in armed forces, Chagos Islands, compensation, contempt of court, human rights, Iraq, news, torture by tracey

‘The oversight of the conduct of British soldiers in Iraq has been subject of two recent developments. The first is political, as Prime Minister Theresa May has renewed criticism of investigations into allegations of criminal behaviour of British troops. The second is legal, with the Court of Appeal offering clarification as to the role of the ECHR in conflicts abroad. However, comments by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon have since thrown into doubt the future role of the ECHR in conflicts abroad.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 5th October 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Another door closes for the Chagossians – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted July 6th, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, Chagos Islands, disclosure, documents, environmental protection, fisheries, news, Supreme Court by Mark L

‘In R (on the application of Bancoult (No 2)) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2016] UKSC 35, the Supreme Court last week dismissed the attempt to set aside the House of Lord’s controversial 2008 decision in R (Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No 2) [2008] UKHL 61. The challenge was grounded in the disclosure of documents in the parallel proceedings of Bancoult No 3 relating to the reliability of a feasibility study into the long term viability of settlement in Chagos Islands.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th July 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chagos islanders lose supreme court bid to return to homeland – The Guardian

Posted June 29th, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, Chagos Islands, fisheries, indigenous peoples, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘Chagos islanders, forcibly removed from their homes in 1971, have lost a legal challenge at the supreme court that could have speeded up their return.’

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The Guardian, 29th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chagos Islanders’ fate to be decided by top court – The Guardian

Posted June 27th, 2016 in appeals, armed forces, Chagos Islands, human rights, indigenous peoples, news, royal prerogative, Supreme Court by sally

‘A decades-long battle by the exiled people of the Chagos Islands to be allowed to return home will reach its conclusion on Wednesday.’

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The Guardian, 26th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Doubts raised over UK government’s refusal to permit return to Chagos – The Guardian

Posted January 25th, 2016 in armed forces, Chagos Islands, documents, human rights, indigenous peoples, news by sally

‘For more than half a century the displaced people of the Chagos Islands have sought to return to their home, a collection of coral reefs in the Indian Ocean that constitutes one of the more far-flung outposts of the British empire.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chagos islanders go to supreme court in battle to be allowed home – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2015 in appeals, armed forces, Chagos Islands, disclosure, documents, news, royal prerogative, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Former residents of the Chagos Islands who were forcibly removed from their homeland more than 40 years ago will take their long legal battle to the UK’s highest court on Monday.’

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The Guardian, 22nd June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chagossians: Wikileaked cable admissible after all – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 27th, 2014 in admissibility, Chagos Islands, consultations, documents, human rights, indigenous peoples, news, official secrets act, treaties by sally

‘Rosalind English has summarised this unsuccessful appeal against the rejection of the Chagossians’ claims by the Divisional Court, and I have posted on this litigation arising out of the removal and subsequent exclusion of the population from the Chagos Archipelago in the British Indian Ocean Territory.’


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UK Human Rights Blog, 26th May 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Richard III and Chagossian judicial review claims all dismissed – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted May 27th, 2014 in appeals, burials and cremation, Chagos Islands, consultations, indigenous peoples, judicial review, news, royal family by sally

‘The facts of this application for judicial review were set out in David Hart QC’s post on the original permission hearing. To recap briefly, the Plantagenet Alliance, a campaigning organisation representing a group of collateral descendants of Richard III were given the go ahead to seek judicial review of the decision taken by the respondents – the Secretary of State, Leicester Council and Leicester University, regarding his re-interment at Leicester Cathedral without consulting them. More specifically, the claimant’s main case was that there was an obligation, principally on the part of the Ministry of Justice, to revisit or reconsider the licence once the remains had been conclusively identified as those of Richard III.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 23rd May 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chagossians update – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 14th, 2014 in appeals, Chagos Islands, disclosure, EC law, environmental protection, fisheries, indigenous peoples, news by sally

‘The appeal is against the decision of the Divisional Court in Bancoult v. FCO (read judgment and see my post here). Mr Bancoult had said that the decision to create the MPA was flawed by having an improper purpose (to stymie the Chagossians’ claims for resettlement), by inadequate consultation, and being a breach of an EU obligation to promote the economic and social development of the islands. The Court ruled against all these claims.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th April 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The Chagossian Wikileaks cable judgment, fishing rights and a dose of EU law – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 12th, 2013 in Chagos Islands, consultations, disclosure, EC law, environmental protection, fisheries, indigenous peoples, news by sally

“The Divisional Court has now dismissed the claim by Mr Bancoult on behalf of the Chagossian islanders. He had challenged the designation of the waters around the islands as a ‘no take’ Marine Protected Area, i.e. one which could not be fished.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 11th June 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chagos marine park is lawful, High Court rules – BBC News

Posted June 11th, 2013 in Chagos Islands, EC law, environmental protection, fisheries, indigenous peoples, news by tracey

“A UK government decision to create a controversial marine park in the Indian Ocean has been upheld by the High Court.”

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BBC News, 11th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chagossians: Wikileaks cables not admissible in court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted April 29th, 2013 in Chagos Islands, disclosure, evidence, fisheries, human rights, indigenous peoples, international law, judicial review, news, public interest immunity by tracey

“Bancoult v. Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Divisional Court, Richards LJ and Mitting J, 16-24 April 2013, judgment awaited. A quick update at the end of the recent judicial review on 24 April by Mr Bancoult on behalf of the Chagossian islanders, but before judgment. The challenge was to the designation of the waters around their islands as a ‘no take’ Marine Protected Area, i.e. one which could not be fished.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th April 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Chagos Islanders forced into exile left ‘dumbstruck’ by court ruling – The Guardian

Posted December 21st, 2012 in Chagos Islands, human rights, news, refugees by tracey

“Exiled Chagos Islanders living in Britain and Mauritius have said they are ‘dumbstruck’ by a European court ruling that it has no jurisdiction to examine their forced expulsion by the British government in the 1960s”

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The Guardian, 20th December 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chagos Refugees Group in the First-Tier Tribunal: some key points – Panopticon

Posted September 25th, 2012 in Chagos Islands, disclosure, human rights, news, refugees, tribunals by sally

“The Chagos Archipelago forms part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (‘BIOT’). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the inhabitants of the Chagos Islands were required to leave those islands. At or around that time, a US military base was established on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands. The removal of the ‘Chagossians’ has been a matter of considerable political and media debate, as well as complex legal proceedings. Two legal challenges are ongoing: Chagos Islanders v UK before the European Court of Human Rights, and Bancoult (No 3) before the domestic courts.”

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Panopticon, 24th September 2012

Source: www.panopticonblog.com