Why the UK is Giving Up the Chagos Islands

On Thursday, the UK agreed a deal with Mauritius that will see it give up control of its last African colony, the Chagos Islands (with one notable exception). So in this video, we'll explain the colonial history of these islands and what's in this deal.

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[russmorgan]

Diego Garcia sounds like he should be playing for Man City

[bungaIowbill]

Why is it always a 99 year period? Is there some legal limit that it has to be below 100 to be enforceable, or is it some kind of supermarket pricing psychology deal?

[havocthecrow]

As stated by some smart people online. If the territory is given up before the start of spring then on the 25th of march 2025 at 2.50am GMT the sun will finally set on all british territory. Something that hasn't happened in over 200 years. The sun will set on the british empire.

[jasongaylard]

In 99 years they probably won't even be islands anymore, just a sand bar shipping hazard.

[tonydivito]

I was stationed at Diego Garcia in the late 80’s for 13 months, an idyllic tropical island with coconut trees and countless crabs. Only a handful of Brits on the island, mostly Royal Marine Falkland War vets on their twilight tour. They raised the Union Jack in the morning, confiscated contraband from incoming flights in the middle of the day and worked as barkeeps at the Brit Club at night. Our primary enemy was boredom, and every day felt like an episode of *M*A*S*H* with shenanigans.While the status of the base won't change, I wish the Mauritians the best of luck.

[ohhi]

making the same 99 year mistake twice 😂

[JackDrewitt]

0:11 1. The British Indian Ocean Territory is not in Africa its in Asia

2. St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are in Africa and are British

[familygash]

Who else remembers when treason was a crime punishable by death?

[bm]

Incompetence in Britain is at another level. In everything including diplomacy.

[crispybacon]

Absolutely insane decision. If the natives wanted to be a part of mauritius it would be one thing, but they don't.

[caseclosed]

The Chagos Islands were uninhabited before Europeans discovered them. How the heck is it colonialism for Europeans to occupy previously uninhabited islands and how does Mauritius have any claim to them?

[nightshift]

how can a place that had no native population to begin with be given away as a anti colonialism move

[Sten]

The Chagos Islands has in reality been a staging site for USA military interests so the whole concept of handing it over to Mauritius by the UK is really a spurious event.

[Avantelvsitania]

Ok, a couple things, not against this video in particular, but against how this issue is being talked about in general.

- The Chagos islands are not Britain’s last African colony. If only because they aren’t even in Africa. They are geographically an extension of the Maldives archipelago, and thus belong to south Asia.
But despite that, Britain still holds the territories of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristão da Cunha, all of which do indeed geographically belong to Africa.

- The “Chagossians” aren’t really indigenous to the islands. They were brought there by the Europeans, who already occupied the area. In fact, Maldivian, Portuguese and French seafarers occupied the islands (even if temporarily) 200 years before the “indigenous” arrived.

-Mauritius seems to be abusing of its status as a “victim of past colonialism” to expand its influence (which to be fair is understandable from a machiavellian pov). The connection between Chagos and Mauritius would never exist if it wasn’t for the “british colonialism” in the first place.


We should not give in to sensationalism or try to apease some influential political bases by adering to their ill-conceived narratives.

[adamhughesss]

If the UK bought the islands from the Mauritian government and they thinks it’s unlawful then they should pay back the sum paid by the UK with inflation. They’ve literally just leased the island to the UK twice with extra steps

[MinedMaker]

I am somewhat perplexed by all the UK bros in the comments acting like "Mauritius has no claim to these islands", "They're way too far away to belong to Mauritius" and "The local inhabitants want something different". Hello? This is always how it goes. Nobody is ever happy about colonial-era borders, because they're artificial, but it's the only legal and internationally recognized way to proceed. Colonies are granted independence with their colonial-era borders. Same goes with Mauritius.
This has been going on since the 1940s, one would hope that it's at least mentioned in the UK's primary education how these things typically play out...

[chillibean]

Mauritius actually has no legitimate claim on these islands. This deal is embarrassing and ridiculous.

[DavidPugh-vx]

I do not understand why people do not question why Mauritius wants these islands which are so far away? I suggest it is for the fishing rights. They have one of the last remaining unspoilt reef systems! Fishing is devistating to a reef environment, this will be an ecological diaster.

[BimRen]

Some Chagossians want the right to return to their island with reparations to rebuild, while others want the UK to keep their promise of UK citizenship to the Chagos people, and some want the UK to honour all of these options.

[jaredvaughan]

There was no natives on the islands when the Europeans discovered them.