Rebuilding Chagos: Prioritizing Resettlement, Rights, and Reconciliation
Decades after forced removal, the Chagossian community continues to press for justice. Rebuilding Chagos requires attention to resettlement, rights, and reconciliation.
Recognition and legal milestones
British courts recognised Chagossians as “belongers” in a 2000 High Court judgment. The case was R (Bancoult) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No 1).
In 2019 the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion. The United Nations General Assembly also adopted a resolution the same year.
Both instruments situated the dispute within Mauritius’s incomplete decolonisation. They called on the UK to end its administration as rapidly as possible.
A 2021 UN report described Chagossians as the islands’ indigenous inhabitants. Human Rights Watch later documented the forcible removal in reports and parliamentary evidence.
Calls for self-determination and meaningful participation
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination urged inclusive decision-making. In December 2025 CERD called on the UK and Mauritius to suspend certain actions and uphold treaty obligations.
Chagossian organisations adopted the Pretoria Declaration in October 2022. The declaration asserts indigenous status and demands a community-led process for self-determination.
On February 16, a group led by Misley Mandarin landed on Île du Coin. They announced intentions to return and to establish a permanent presence on that island.
Voices from the community
A video testimony by Liseby Elyse was shown to the ICJ on September 3, 2018. Advocates stress that one testimony cannot substitute for collective representation.
Many in the diaspora seek direct roles in decisions about governance and resettlement. They argue that state-led processes have often marginalised Chagossian perspectives.
Environmental protection and resettlement feasibility
The UK created a marine protected area in April 2010. The MPA covers about 640,000 km², an area larger than France.
Advocates argue conservation must be modernised and co-managed. They propose zoned protection that balances biodiversity with community use.
A KPMG feasibility report outlined phased resettlement options. It recommended pilot settlements, renewable energy, desalination, and baseline ecological monitoring.
Co-management and technical support
British scientific bodies such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and CEFAS can provide technical expertise. Advocates propose statutory Chagossian representation on marine management boards.
Proposals prioritise low-impact infrastructure, regulated artisanal fisheries, and community-led stewardship. Expansion would depend on environmental and economic benchmarks.
Political context and the Diego Garcia arrangement
In May 2025 the UK and Mauritius signed a treaty over the Chagos Archipelago. The agreement envisaged transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius with a long lease for the Diego Garcia base to the UK and US.
Ratification of that treaty remains delayed. Advocates continue to press for a parallel process that secures Chagossian participation.
Profile: Pascalina Nellan’s advocacy
Pascalina Nellan is a UK-based Chagossian advocate. Her grandparents were Michel Sagaï from Peros Banhos and Lucile Uranie from Diego Garcia.
She holds a master’s degree in international human rights law. She also studied political science with a focus on international relations.
Nellan has worked with organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International UK. She has collaborated with Dr Jonathan R. Kasstan on documenting Chagossian Creole.
Her activism includes campaigning for the nationality and borders bill. She has engaged UN mechanisms to amplify Chagossian claims.
Pathways toward justice
Advocates propose a rights-centred resettlement under British protection. The model would combine phased pilot settlements with co-managed conservation.
They argue that indigenous stewardship strengthens environmental protection. Chagossian knowledge could aid monitoring and deter illegal fishing.
Legal recognition, meaningful participation, and transparent governance form the core demands. Only then can resettlement be considered legitimate by the community.
Filmogaz.com will continue to follow these developments. The road ahead requires commitment to resettlement, respect for rights, and genuine reconciliation.
