Earlier this month, UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer introduced that Britain can be “giving again” the Chagos Islands, one among its final remaining colonies. But, make no mistake: British imperialism stays as oppressive right now because it was when it forcibly expelled the islands’ inhabitants within the Sixties.
Starmer has indicated that this transfer is primarily to make sure the security of the American navy base on Diego Garcia. Whereas it might appear a victory for Mauritius, the Chagossian individuals—who had been torn from their houses, pressured into destitution, and ignored for half a century—are solely disregarded of the deal. As is usually the case, marginalized peoples are mere pawns within the imperial video games of highly effective nations.
The Chagos Islands, an idyllic archipelago within the Indian Ocean, had been first completely populated within the 1780s by the French, who introduced enslaved Africans to work on coconut plantations. After the British Empire took management, the Chagossians lived there for over 200 years, creating their very own language and tradition. Sadly, the islands’ strategic location made them an irresistible goal for American imperialism, which sought to exchange British dominance in Asia.
Within the Sixties, the U.S. sought outposts to venture energy, and the Chagos Islands match the invoice completely. Nevertheless, the 1,500 island inhabitants had been seen as obstacles to this objective. The British authorities, appearing as an confederate to American pursuits, was tasked with their elimination. In trade, Britain obtained a $14 million low cost on American nuclear arms.
When Mauritius gained independence in 1965, the British severed the Chagos Islands from the brand new nation, creating the British Indian Ocean Territory. To guard the longer term navy base from UN scrutiny, Britain falsely claimed there have been no everlasting residents. Between 1967 and 1973, a secret marketing campaign was launched to rid the islands of their inhabitants. John Pilger documented this in Stealing a Nation, detailing how the British authorities applied merciless measures to drive islanders out, together with closing plantations and threatening hunger.
Finally, in 1973, remaining residents had been rounded up at gunpoint, advised their islands had been offered, and shipped away with minimal belongings. They had been deserted in Mauritius and different areas, usually dwelling in squalor. A Chagossian correspondent described the dire circumstances, the place households scavenged for meals. The psychological toll was immense; many died from malnutrition or despair.
Right this moment, Diego Garcia homes one of many United States’ most necessary navy bases, enjoying a vital position in international navy operations. It has additionally hosted a CIA blacksite for torture.
Regardless of some concessions, akin to British citizenship granted to the Chagossians in 2002, these people have been left to navigate life within the UK with out assist. Starmer’s announcement has triggered backlash from the right-wing press, labeling it a “woke give up.” Nevertheless, this determination appears extra a strategic maneuver pushed by American pursuits than a real concern for the Chagossian individuals.
The U.S. probably urged this handover to mitigate the danger of Mauritius searching for management of the islands by the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice, which may threaten the important airbase. Thus, whereas the Chagossians technically retain a proper to return, they’re nonetheless denied compensation or help.
The tragic story of the Chagossians highlights the cynicism of imperialism. As Britain champions “self-determination” elsewhere, it trades away the rights and futures of marginalized peoples for geopolitical achieve. Till capitalism is dismantled, there can be no justice for the Chagossian individuals, who stay collateral injury within the wrestle of highly effective nations. For true justice, British and American imperialism have to be challenged, permitting the Chagossian individuals to reclaim their rightful place and residential.
