Hillingdon Council reports a significant increase in Chagossian arrivals, exceeding 400 individuals in the past year. Costs related to supporting these residents have reached hundreds of thousands of pounds. A deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius was signed in May 2025, prompting the council to call for more government funding to address the immediate local pressures created by these arrivals. Many displaced Chagossians, suffering from poverty and discrimination in Mauritius, are seeking support in the UK.
The granddaughter of one of those residents was in tears as she thought about her homeland's history when she landed at Heathrow. "My grandmother was a British Chagossian," said Rebecca Philippe. "Fifty years ago, she was uprooted from her island, and we have seen her suffering. By seeing her suffering, we suffered too, with her."
Ms Philippe said she had to hide her British Chagossian identity when living in Mauritius because anyone who criticised Mauritian sovereignty risked a prison sentence. "We have a penal code on our heads. We can't protest or do anything to fight for our rights, so we feel powerless there," she said.
A report by Human Rights Watch found that many Chagossians displaced to Mauritius continued to suffer poverty, stigma and discrimination."
The council wants the government to "do the right thing" and provide more funding to cover costs, including temporary accommodation.
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