The UK threatens Four Chagossians with arrest and 3 years in jail - plus Mauritius can imprison them for ten years!

The group, led by Misley Mandarin, the elected First Minister of the Chagos government in exile, arrived to protest the UK’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, while asserting their right to return to their ancestral homeland.

British officials labeled the landing an “illegal, unsafe stunt,” and the removal orders were issued under the British Indian Ocean Territory (Immigration) Order 2004. The group has vowed to challenge the orders, with Nigel Farage and former MP Adam Holloway expressing support.

From here:

(20+) Mauritius has started making... - British & Commonwealth Forces | Facebook

“Mauritius has started making threats against Chagosian British Indian Ocean Territory citizen’s and UK political organisations and politicians who have backed them, after they landed on their own island of Île du Coin...

The attitude of the Mauritian govt, which instituted a law in 2021 that threatens anyone objecting to their claim of the British Indian Ocean Territory with up to 10 years in prison... clearly underlines their aggressive attitude to the Chagosian people who’s land it actually is, denying their identity and rights of self determination!

Île du Coin is approximately 216 kilometres (about 134 miles) from Diego Garcia, thus would be well outside the 12 nautical mile exclusion zone under the proposed surrender treaty.

Île du Coin is an inhabited island in the atoll of Peros Banhos in the Chagos Archipelago.

Île du Coin is the largest and most important island in Peros Banhos, with a length of 1.65 nautical miles (3.1 km) and an area of 127.5 hectares (315 acres) with a maximum height of about 2 metres.

Until 1973 it was home to the Perch Settlement from where the coconut plantations of the atoll were run. This island was the main port of the atoll and had a jetty to load and unload merchandise. There is an abandoned church on the island, and around 150 graves. It’s one of a number of inhabitable islands in the group.

Abandoned coconut plantations form about 92% of the vegetation on the island. A rat-infestation limits the number of breeding birds on the island.

From Brave AI:

“Mauritius enacted the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act 2021, which introduced Section 76B, criminalizing the act of “misrepresenting the sovereignty of Mauritius over any part of its territory.” This law carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 5 million Mauritian rupees (approximately £92,000).

The law applies extraterritorially, meaning anyone anywhere in the world—including UK officials, parliamentarians, contractors, academics, or Chagossian activists—can be prosecuted if they express support for UK sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, particularly if their actions are deemed to be under the authority, instructions, or financial support (direct or indirect) of a foreign state.

The law has been criticized as a form of intimidation, with organizations like Policy Exchange and former UK officials such as Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KC MP condemning it as a breach of international legal principles and a violation of freedom of expression. They argue it undermines democratic discourse and resembles authoritarian measures like Hong Kong’s 2020 National Security Law.”

“Despite the UK’s continued assertion of sovereignty since 1814 and its rejection of the 2019 ICJ advisory opinion and 2021 ITLOS ruling, a transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius is now imminent. As of October 2024, the British government announced it would transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with the agreement finalized and signed on 22 May 2025, including a leaseback of Diego Garcia to the UK for at least 99 years.

You could build several 5 star hotel resorts on the Chagos for the £35 billion the UK government is giving away to Mauritius!

Why wasn’t the ‘deal’ £1 billion or £5 billion or £10 billion – what mathematically challenged clown came up with £35 billion over 100 years????

PLEASE take a (paid or unpaid) subscription or forward this article to those you think might be interested

You can also donate via Ko-fi – any amount from three dollars upwards. Ko-fi donations here:

https://ko-fi.com/peterhalligan