Mauritius and the Chagos Islands

This is an extract of the Foreign Claims Act claim for damages under 10 U.S.C. §§ 2675, 2734, 2736, & Solatia Payment (US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 32, Chapter 5, § 536.145)

On 8 November 1965, by the British Indian Ocean Territory Order 1965, the United Kingdom established a new colony known as the British Indian Ocean Territory (hereinafter the “BIOT”) consisting of the Chagos Archipelago, detached from Mauritius, and the Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches islands, detached from Seychelles. (¶33) On 16 December 1965, the General Assembly adopted resolution 2066 (XX) on the “Question of Mauritius”, in which it expressed deep concern about the detachment of certain islands from the territory of Mauritius for the purpose of establishing a military base and invited the “administering Power to take no action which would dismember the Territory of Mauritius and violate its territorial integrity”.

A 50 year lease was drawn up between Britain and the United States, which expired on 2015. Diego Garcia has become the United States naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

Since 2015, where has the rent been paid? Certainly not to Mauritius. Who monitors and protects fishing in the Indian Ocean? Certainly not the Superpowers.

On or about November 22, 2019, the United Nations General Assembly time limit for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the Chagos Archipelago expired at which point the British Indian Ocean Territory political entity was rendered void ab initio and the military occupation confirmed nunc pro tunc. The Respondents are in possession of various facilities on Diego Garcia Atoll leased from the United Kingdom pursuant to the terms of several agreements termed “Exchange of Notes” in 1966, 1972, 1976, and 1987.

Britain has stated that:

We have, however, made a long-standing commitment since 1965 to cede sovereignty of the territory (BIOT) to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defense purposes. We stand by that commitment.

What is Britain defending? The BIOT is being developed by Britain with complete disregard for the rights of Mauritius and The Seychelles.

Britain still leases the Island of Diego Garcia to the United States presumably for a substantial rental or trade off. So this is not about defense any longer. 2 powerful Economies are profiteering from the sovereign rights of a much smaller power.

Its about a pair of bullies, in fact. @BorisJohnson @potus @seasaver @JoeBiden @johnson_carrie @GretaThunberg