British Indian Ocean Territory

The UK government has agreed with Mauritius - (a nation within the Commonwealth) - to settle historic sovereignty claims over British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Negotiations started in 2022 under the previous (Conservative) government.

Mauritius will assume sovereignty over BIOT with the UK authorised to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius regarding Diego Garcia - an island with a military base of importance to UK, USA and others.

The government's announcement notes that the agreement is "political" and will be the subject of a treaty yet to be finalised.

UK-Mauritius deal to protect national security – safeguarding the operation of strategic military base - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)k)

General material:

The history of the Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia - Pardee School of Global Studies (bu.edu)

“That’s When the Nightmare Started”: UK and US Forced Displacement of the Chagossians and Ongoing Colonial Crimes | HRW

Legislation

Mauritius Independence Act 1968 (legislation.gov.uk)

Mauritius Republic Act 1992 (legislation.gov.uk)

and further at Legislation.gov.uk

Legislation relating specifically to British Indian Ocean Territory is at

Legislation.gov.uk

British Indian Ocean Territory Order 1975 (pdf)  revoked earlier Order made in 1965 and an amendment dated 1968

Colonial Boundaries Act 1895 (legislation.gov.uk)

Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (legislation.gov.uk)

House of Commons Library

British Indian Ocean Territory: UK to negotiate sovereignty 2022/23 - House of Commons Library (parliament.uk)

How Parliament treats treaties - House of Commons Library

International Court of Justice - Advisory Opinion of 2019

- Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 – Reading of the Adv (icj-cij.org) which is explained by the court HERE.

Litigation in the UK

Source Bailii - 

1. Bancoult, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No 2) [2016] UKSC 35 (29 June 2016) (View without highlighting) [56%]
   ([2016] 3 WLR 157, [2016] HRLR 16, [2016] UKSC 35, [2016] WLR(D) 344, [2017] AC 300; From United Kingdom Supreme Court; 266 KB)

2. Bancoult, R (On The Application of) v Secretary of State For Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [2008] UKHL 61 (22 October 2008) (View without highlighting) [55%]
   ([2008] 3 WLR 955, [2008] 4 All ER 1055, [2008] UKHL 61, [2009] 1 AC 453, [2009] AC 453; From United Kingdom House of Lords Decisions; 224 KB)

3. Bancoult, R (on the application of) (No 3) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Respondent)[2018] UKSC 3 (8 February 2018) (View without highlighting) [47%]
   ([2018] 1 WLR 973, [2018] 2 All ER 945, [2018] Env LR 24, [2018] UKSC 3, [2018] WLR 973, [2018] WLR(D) 79; From United Kingdom Supreme Court; 191 KB

Media:

UK deal to hand over Chagos Islands criticised over lack of say for Chagossians - BBC News

Britain to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius ending years of dispute | Chagos Islands | The Guardian

Books:

Stephen,  Allen - "The Chagos Isalanedsr and International Law" - Hart Publishing, 2014

Sands, Philippe - "The Last Colony - A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy" - W and N, 2022