Written by Lisa Nyambura
The US government has blocked a British court hearing on Diego Garcia, citing security concerns, as reported by the BBC. The Supreme Court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) planned to hold a hearing to assess whether a group of migrants was being unlawfully detained on the island, which houses a secretive UK-US military base with restricted access.
Last week, the US withdrew consent for lawyers and the BBC to access the island and refused to provide transport, accommodation, or food for the hearing attendees. Hours before the initial flight from the UK was scheduled to depart, the court vacated the hearing, citing the US stance.
A new hearing is now being held in the UK to determine the next steps. The Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, were taken from Mauritius by Britain in 1965, leading to the eviction of over 1,000 inhabitants to establish the military base. An agreement in 1966 allowed US use of the territory for an initial 50 years, with an extension to 2036.
Mauritius claims sovereignty over the islands, supported by a United Nations ruling declaring the UK’s administration unlawful. Diego Garcia is a crucial strategic base for the US, hosting military operations including bombings in Afghanistan and Iraq. The base has also been associated with rendition flights, though the CIA denies using it for detainee interrogation.
Since October 2021, around 60 Sri Lankan Tamils, including 16 children, have been detained in a fenced camp on the island, guarded by private security. Some detainees have been flown to Rwanda for medical treatment after suicide attempts, while others await resettlement in third countries.
UN representatives who visited the camp reported conditions amounting to arbitrary detention. The UK Foreign Office insists Diego Garcia is unsuitable for migrants, working to process claims and find resettlement solutions, emphasizing the migrants’ welfare and safety.
