The Geopolitical Shell Game of Sovereignty
FIRST INSTANCE: The Cold War Land Grab (1960s) The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was formally established in 1965, specifically carving out the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius to facilitate its lease to the United States for military purposes. This move predated Mauritian independence in 1968 and was contingent on a £3 million payment from the US to the UK, which was then presented to
Mauritius as compensation for the islands (National Archives, 1965). The 1966 Agreement between the UK and the US allowed for the construction of a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island. Critically, between 1968 and 1973, approximately 1,500 Chagossians, the indigenous inhabitants, were forcibly removed from their homes and exiled, primarily to Mauritius and the Seychelles, to clear
the way for the US military base (Chagossian Voices, 2021). This act was later condemned as illegal by international bodies. REPETITIONS: Legal Challenges and Strategic Indifference (1980s-2000s) The pattern of prioritizing strategic interests over human rights continued through decades of legal challenges. In 1982, a small compensation package of £4 million was offered to some Chagossians as part
of an 'ex-gratia' payment package, but it came with conditions that survivors waive further return claims (UK Foreign Office, 1982). This tactic mirrors historical settler colonial practices where minimal compensation is offered to legitimize dispossession. The US consistently maintained that the base's operational security precluded the return of the islanders. Successive UK governments have