Chagossians are the forcibly exiled indigenous population of the Chagos Archipelago who have an inalienable right to self-determination. Talks about the sovereignty of the islands, which are currently underway between th UK and Mauritius, are illegitimate without the decisive involvement of the Chagossian diaspora.

Chagossians have been excluded from all the major decisions affecting their lives. In 1965 a secret agreement between the UK and the Government of the colony of Mauritius exiled the entire Chagossian population between 1967 and 1973. Chagossians were not consulted at any stage. In 2019 Mauritius brought a successful case to the International Court of Justice at the Hague in order to claim the islands. Chagossians were excluded from this process. Now the Uk and Mauritius are deciding the future of the territory without including the Chagossians in the talks. This is a gross human rights abuse.