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The UN has passed a resolution demanding the UK return control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
In the non-binding vote in the General Assembly in New York, 116 states were in favour and only six against, a major diplomatic blow to the UK.
Fifty-six states, including France and Germany, abstained.
Mauritius says it was forced to give up the Indian Ocean group - now a British overseas territory - in 1965 in exchange for independence.
In a statement to the BBC, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said Britain did not recognise Mauritius' claim to sovereignty, but would stand by an earlier commitment to hand over control of the islands to Mauritius when they were no longer needed for defence purposes.
The US, Hungary, Israel, Australia and the Maldives were the states voting with the UK against the resolution.
It comes months after the UN's high court advised that the UK should leave the islands "as rapidly as possible".
In the non-binding vote in the General Assembly in New York, 116 states were in favour and only six against, a major diplomatic blow to the UK.
Fifty-six states, including France and Germany, abstained.
Mauritius says it was forced to give up the Indian Ocean group - now a British overseas territory - in 1965 in exchange for independence.
In a statement to the BBC, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said Britain did not recognise Mauritius' claim to sovereignty, but would stand by an earlier commitment to hand over control of the islands to Mauritius when they were no longer needed for defence purposes.
The US, Hungary, Israel, Australia and the Maldives were the states voting with the UK against the resolution.
It comes months after the UN's high court advised that the UK should leave the islands "as rapidly as possible".
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Britain purchased the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965 for £3m, creating a region known as the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Between 1967 and 1973, it evicted the islands' entire population to make way for a joint military base with the US, which is still in place on Diego Garcia.
US planes have been sent from the base to bomb Afghanistan and Iraq. The facility was also reportedly used as a "black site" by the CIA to interrogate terrorism suspects. In 2016, the lease for the base was extended until 2036.
"The joint UK-US defence facility on the British Indian Ocean Territory helps to keep people in Britain and around the world safe from terrorism, organised crime and piracy," the FCO said.
Before Wednesday's vote, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravid Kumar Jug-Nauth told the General Assembly the forcible eviction of Chagossians was akin to a crime against humanity.
However, he said Mauritius would allow the military base to continue operating "in accordance with international law", if it were given control of the islands.
Mr Jug-Nauth said this would give the facility a "higher degree of legal certainty" for the future.
The UK has maintained that Mauritius gave up the territory freely in return for a range of benefits.
Ambassador Pierce has insisted that the issue should be resolved only by the countries involved.
Between 1967 and 1973, it evicted the islands' entire population to make way for a joint military base with the US, which is still in place on Diego Garcia.
US planes have been sent from the base to bomb Afghanistan and Iraq. The facility was also reportedly used as a "black site" by the CIA to interrogate terrorism suspects. In 2016, the lease for the base was extended until 2036.
"The joint UK-US defence facility on the British Indian Ocean Territory helps to keep people in Britain and around the world safe from terrorism, organised crime and piracy," the FCO said.
Before Wednesday's vote, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravid Kumar Jug-Nauth told the General Assembly the forcible eviction of Chagossians was akin to a crime against humanity.
However, he said Mauritius would allow the military base to continue operating "in accordance with international law", if it were given control of the islands.
Mr Jug-Nauth said this would give the facility a "higher degree of legal certainty" for the future.
The UK has maintained that Mauritius gave up the territory freely in return for a range of benefits.
Ambassador Pierce has insisted that the issue should be resolved only by the countries involved.
I was aware of the existence of Diego Garcia, I even know someone who has been there to perform maintenance work.
Didn't know it as part of the Chagos Islands though.
Didn't know it as part of the Chagos Islands though.
Chagos rings a bell. We have the US on our side so I'd ignore the resolution. Interesting that the Maldives voted with us; have they got beef with Mauritius?
I have, Blues Brothers sung about it, "Sweet Home The Chagos".
China and Saudi Arabia have previously been reported as looking to build military bases in the Maldives, they may prefer a US military base?
Saudi King Salman’s stop in the Maldives on his month-long tour of Asia brings into focus how this tiny archipelago – best known for high-end tourism and an existential battle against climate change – has emerged as a key player in a regional struggle for influence.
Both Riyadh and Beijing are currying favor with the strategically located 820km-long chain of Indian Ocean atolls, in efforts analysts believe are aimed at gaining concessions for military bases.
China sees the islands as a node in its “string of pearls” – a row of ports on key trade and oil routes linking the Middle Kingdom to the Middle East – while for Saudi Arabia, the atolls have the added advantage of lying a straight three-hour shot from the coast of regional rival and arch-foe, Iran.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/military-bases-in-maldives-for-saudi-arabia-china/
Saudi King Salman’s stop in the Maldives on his month-long tour of Asia brings into focus how this tiny archipelago – best known for high-end tourism and an existential battle against climate change – has emerged as a key player in a regional struggle for influence.
Both Riyadh and Beijing are currying favor with the strategically located 820km-long chain of Indian Ocean atolls, in efforts analysts believe are aimed at gaining concessions for military bases.
China sees the islands as a node in its “string of pearls” – a row of ports on key trade and oil routes linking the Middle Kingdom to the Middle East – while for Saudi Arabia, the atolls have the added advantage of lying a straight three-hour shot from the coast of regional rival and arch-foe, Iran.
https://www.globalvillagespace.com/military-bases-in-maldives-for-saudi-arabia-china/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quksfCDxbGE
Short vid of the islands.
Short vid of the islands.
i have seen documentaries on its displaced people, a stain on the uk for sure but not many people have heard of it so lets pretend it didnt happen. america needed their lands to protect themselves from non existent threats as usual.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I read your article about The British Indian Ocean Territory with interest, in relation to the recent UN vote demanding that the UK cede sovereignty of these islands, which have been British for over two hundred years, to Mauritius; which is actually some 1,150 nautical miles away from Diego Garcia.
Interestingly, in a televised interview [Channel 4 News, UK , 23rd of May 2019] The President Of The Chagos Islands Council said Chagossians, living in the UK, would prefer that The Chagos Archipelago remains a British Overseas Territory. Also, he stated that Chagossians would rather live as UK citizens on Diego Garcia, similar to how citizens on Pitcairn island live [Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the southern Pacific Ocean]; rather than be ceded to Mauritius. He discussed how, despite their original displacement by the UK, Mauritius treated the Chagossians appallingly – despite a bilateral agreement with the UK to assist them. Furthermore, Mr Vincatassin suggested that Mauritius made the Chagossians surrender their right of return to the Chagos Archipelago and are simply motivated by the ‘rent’ they hope to take off the Americans; or perhaps to ‘give them to India’.
https://www.channel4.com/news/president-of-chagos-islands-council-we-prefer-to-stay-a-british-overseas-territory
Yours Faithfully,
I read your article about The British Indian Ocean Territory with interest, in relation to the recent UN vote demanding that the UK cede sovereignty of these islands, which have been British for over two hundred years, to Mauritius; which is actually some 1,150 nautical miles away from Diego Garcia.
Interestingly, in a televised interview [Channel 4 News, UK , 23rd of May 2019] The President Of The Chagos Islands Council said Chagossians, living in the UK, would prefer that The Chagos Archipelago remains a British Overseas Territory. Also, he stated that Chagossians would rather live as UK citizens on Diego Garcia, similar to how citizens on Pitcairn island live [Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, are a British Overseas Territory in the southern Pacific Ocean]; rather than be ceded to Mauritius. He discussed how, despite their original displacement by the UK, Mauritius treated the Chagossians appallingly – despite a bilateral agreement with the UK to assist them. Furthermore, Mr Vincatassin suggested that Mauritius made the Chagossians surrender their right of return to the Chagos Archipelago and are simply motivated by the ‘rent’ they hope to take off the Americans; or perhaps to ‘give them to India’.
https://www.channel4.com/news/president-of-chagos-islands-council-we-prefer-to-stay-a-british-overseas-territory
Yours Faithfully,
Most of the Chagocians if that the Spelling , Live in the UK ,they want to go back , who can blame them 
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