A military base, a displaced people and Trump’s China fears: Burnham’s Chagos test
Bertrice Pompe was born in Diego Garcia, situated in the Indian Ocean halfway between Tanzania and Indonesia, in 1971, making her one of the last Chagossians to enter the world on an island that her family would soon be forced to leave. “Some families, like brothers, sisters, were separated,” she said. “Some went to the Seychelles, some to Mauritius … close family, brothers, sister, mother,…
Bertrice Pompe, a Chagossian born in Diego Garcia in 1971, recounts how her family was separated during the forced displacement of the entire population from the Chagos Islands in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This removal was carried out by the British government to create the British Indian Ocean Territory, leading to the construction of a US-British military base on the largest island.
Now residing in London, Pompe becomes a prominent advocate for the Chagossian right to return, opposing the 2025 agreement that would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while allowing Britain to retain a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia. The controversy surrounding this deal stems from concerns that it would open the door for greater Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean due to Mauritius' close ties with Beijing.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces a challenging inheritance, as he must navigate the complexities of the agreement while managing potential disagreements with the US president. Analysts suggest that Burnham's approach may be more tactful than Starmer's, particularly in dealing with pressure from the Trump administration, which has previously criticized the arrangement.
However, some experts, like Grenville Cross and Dominique Soopin, remain skeptical about Burnham's ability to withstand such pressures and emphasize the importance of acknowledging the Chagossian people's distinct community and granting them a voice in decisions concerning their future.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
