Chagossians land on Chagos - what now?
NEWS
Misley Mandarin, head of BIOT Citizen group, and his “belongers” group are defiant about the Chagossians’ right to stay on their homeland. He is threatened with eviction and arrest. Now a British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) judge has granted a right for their case to be heard.
News: 18 February 2026: updated 20 February 2026
EXCLUSIVE
–
EXCLUSIVE –
report RE-EVICTED
the moral scandal of the homeless Chagossians in Britain
coming soon
Meet Emma’s* Chagossian family. Her relatives originated from the Chagos Islands and Britain deported them by force. In mainland Britain the family was evicted from council-provided accommodation.
10 disturbing MUST READS
News reports suggest agreement on the UK-US military base in the Chagos Islands is imminent. Whatever the outcome of negotiations, here are 10 ways the islands’ sovereignty issue is treated undemocratically
by THE CHAGOS FILES team
News: 2 February: updated 5 February 2026
New Poll: most Brits oppose the deal or “don’t know”
Why are so many British voters unsure if they support the Government’s Chagos sovereignty deal or not?
News: 25 January 2026
5 things you should know
TODAY is the Third Reading of the government’s Chagos Islands sovereignty treaty bill handing the Chagos Islands’ sovereignty to Mauritius. Here are 5 things you should know - by Tessa Clarke, Editor, THE CHAGOS FILES
News: 12 January 2026
THE CHAGOS FILES
we investigate
Reporter Tessa Clarke and the team investigate stories and ideas. We produce reports, books and documentaries. For you.
THE CHAGOS FILES is our current journalism project investigating the UK Government’s undemocratic Chagos Islands sovereignty deal.
Sixty years ago the British government removed several thousand people living on The Chagos Islands, a British overseas territory in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Chagossian people and their families were taken against their will mainly to Mauritius, the Seychelles and the UK.
Since then those born on the islands and their descendants have been denied the democratic right to return to their homeland and to self-determination.
At a time of geopolitical realignment and changing ideology that increasingly ignores national boundaries and people's claims of sovereignty, THE CHAGOS FILES reveals the new ways governments frustrate the democratic demands of the Chagossian people.
Help us investigate how actions by Governments and international courts on this issue undermine democracy for us all.
Government cancels leading Chagossian campaigner
EXCLUSIVE: 8 September 2025; updated 10 September 2025
report by Tessa Clarke, Editor
Chagos Islanders are unlikely to be able to return to their homeland despite Britain’s landmark agreement to transfer sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius, The Times reports.
News: 22 April 2025