Territorio británico del océano índico
On March 17, 2026, the Supreme Court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) issued an interim injunction preventing the deportation of four Chagossian individuals who had returned to their homeland onÎle du Coin. The claimants, led by Misley Mandarin, First Minister of the Chagossian Government-in-Exile, arrived on the island on February 16, 2026, aiming to establish a permanent settlement.
Upon their arrival, the British authorities served them with removal orders under the Immigration Order 2004, citing unauthorized entry into the territory. The claimants appealed these orders, arguing that their return was a peaceful assertion of their right to reside in their ancestral land.
Chief Justice James Lewis KC, presiding over the case, acknowledged the serious legal questions raised regarding the lawfulness of the removal orders and the delay in processing the claimants' permit applications. He emphasized that the claimants posed no threat to national security, noting their location was approximately 120 miles from the Diego Garcia military base.
The court's decision grants a temporary injunction restraining the enforcement of the removal orders for seven days, allowing the BIOT Commissioner to respond. If no response is filed, the injunction will remain in effect pending the outcome of judicial review proceedings.
This ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing struggle of the Chagossian people to return to their homeland, from which they were forcibly removed in the 1960s and 1970s to facilitate the construction of a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia. The case underscores the complex legal and human rights issues surrounding the sovereignty and resettlement of the Chagos Archipelago.
Legal experts suggest that this injunction could set a precedent for future claims by displaced Chagossians seeking to return. The British government has yet to comment on the ruling, but the case is expected to influence ongoing negotiations between the UK and Mauritius regarding the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.
As the legal proceedings continue, the Chagossian community and human rights advocates remain hopeful that this decision will pave the way for a more just resolution to their longstanding grievances.
