Secret Base and Stolen Land: The Story of Diego Garcia
Even though the Soviet Union collapsed thirty years ago, the scars of the cold war have not yet faded away. One such scar is Diego Garica, a United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The base is in the Chagos archipelago, which is controlled by the United Kingdom. Recently, the island nation of Mauritius went to the International Court of Justice to argue that they gave the islands which the base sits on away “under duress” in 1965.
The significance of the base is located in its geography, as it allows the US access not only to Asia and the middle east, but also protecting major shipping lanes in the region. It has been used for many conflicts in the region, from the Gulf War to the Invasion of Afghanistan. As military expert John Pike said, “It’s the single most important military facility we got.” Because of its remote location, it has also served as a secret CIA detention facility and has been used in the fight against terror. Even though the United States has many bases around the world, few people knew about Diego Garica. From 1967 to 1973, the inhabitants of the archipelago were forced off the island for the creation of the base by the British government. It’s easier to create a military base when there is no civilian population to worry about, so two thousand native people(Chagossians) were displaced. The United States wanted complete military and political control of the island, and the British obliged. While technically part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and a joint UK-US base, it’s effectively a “de facto US territory.” The United States was given a fifty year lease to the base, and they built the base as the crown’s power was weakening post war world two and due to decolonization.
The legal battle between the UK and Mauritius has to do with how the territory was obtained. A 1960 United Nations charter makes it clear that independent territories should not be split apart. As Mauritius would not be independent until 1968, the decision to cede the Chagos islands in 1965 was one of necessity, as the new country would have needed British assistance in order to survive. The United Kingdom did provide economic assistance but the agreement was in direct violation of international law. Numerous suits have been brought against the British government for decades, and the most recent ruling by the UN said that the UK has no sovereignty over the islands. Naturally, both major powers have ignored these rulings, and there is no intention to currently give the islands back to the Chagossians.
Another potential issue with the sovereignty of the islands has to do with the internet. The io. Domain is very popular and it is used by a host of different websites, and since government domains are assigned by territory, the (BIOT) was given it. This domain receives more internet traffic than others, and as a result it has value to businesses that possess it. However, the issue is if the islands are ceded to Mauritius, then it would no longer exist. Countries such as the Soviet Union have lost domains in the past, and it can happen here as well. This can cause major issues with loss of internet traffic and revenue for private businesses. There is also the issue that the Chagossians and Mauritius would want a share of the profits from the domain, as it can be very valuable for a small island-nation and struggling people. While this pales in comparison to the geopolitical implications of Diego Garica, it is yet another wrinkle of a complex territorial dispute.
Ever since being forced from their homes, the Chagossians have suffered. Those that left went to the neighboring island nations of Mauritius and Seychelles, and the population experiences high levels of unemployment, poverty, poor education and numerous health ailments. Due to these issues, the Chagossians are the strongest proponents of Mauritius gaining sovereignty over the islands so they can finally go home.
The good news is that there are a number of solutions that can occur. One is for the British to relinquish control of the islands and give it to Mauritius. Another solution would be that Mauritius gains the terrority, but the lease of the Diego Garcia base is not changed. The expulsion of the islanders was unnecessary, but the United States did not want anyone near their base. In the post world two era, this base is just one of many examples of America’s expulsion of native people for military power. It has happened in Puerto Rico, atolls around the Pacific and in Okinawa where primarily non-white people are forced off of thier homes in the name of US hegemony. If the United Kingdom and United States want to right historical wrongs and continue decolonization, then it should close down Diego Garcia and reunite the island with its people. However, this seems very unlikely due to the geopolitics at play.