



Chagossians have submitted a fresh appeal to the United Nations Human Rights body challenging the UK Government's treaty to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The legal communication alleges violations of their human rights, particularly their exclusion from negotiations and denial of self-determination rights.
Bertrice Pompe, who led the initial High Court challenge, told GB News: "We’re not going to give up fighting for our rights. We have filed this legal individual communication with the UN Human Rights to fight against the violation of our human rights.
"Me and all the Chagossians that supported us. We are asking to be seen as humans. I think we have a good chance of them backing us up."
Bertrice Pompe told GB News it is "about being seen as people"
GB NEWS
She added: "We are asking for the same thing. To be consulted. We were never consulted. We never took part in any of any discussions that they had with Mauritius. We never supported this decision. And we also want the right to return and self-determination rights."
Asked about how Chagossians are working together against the handover, she said: "I think we support each other any way we can. The community is always supporting us. The elderly, the natives, they’re still in support, they talk, and they give us the strength to go on. We’re doing it for them as well."
The treaty, signed by Starmer last month, will see Britain relinquish control over the archipelago, also known as the British Indian Ocean Territory, whilst paying Mauritius £30 billion over 99 years.
Conservative peers have mounted an unprecedented challenge to the treaty through a fatal motion in the House of Lords.
The motion, tabled by Lord Callanan, the shadow Foreign Minister, demands that the Government "should not ratify the agreement".
This marks the first time a Lords front bench has attempted to use the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 to block an international treaty.
The motion cites multiple concerns including the agreement's cost, absence of legal requirements for such a deal, potential impact on international security, and lack of meaningful consultation with the Chagossian people.
The peers also highlighted the failure to recognise Chagossians' rights to be registered as British Overseas Territory citizens under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.
Lord Callanan told The Telegraph: "Spooked by a last-minute legal fight, the Government's unnecessary political decision to sign away our sovereignty over the Chagos Islands will cost the British taxpayer £30billion and put our strategic defence interests at risk."
Under the new deal, Britain will cede control to Mauritius but lease Diego Garcia for 99 yearsFLICKR
Misley Mandarin, a British Chagossian, has launched separate legal proceedings against the government with backing from the Great British PAC, a conservative movement led by former Reform deputy leader Ben Habib.
The organisation has raised sufficient funds for an initial review and legal fees but seeks an additional £20,000 to underwrite the case.
Mandarin said: "We were evicted from our homeland by a past Labour government. Now the current Labour Government is doing something even worse stripping us of our right to self-determination."