ICJ weighs UK’s claim to key Indian Ocean islands

The Hague, September 3

The legality of Britain’s claim to Chagos Islands in Indian Ocean, which house a major US military base, will be considered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) when it starts a week of hearings.

Britain has overseen the islands since 1814 and in 1965 detached the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, a British colony that became independent three years later.

Britain went on to lease the Chagos Islands’ biggest island, Diego Garcia, to the US in 1966, paving the way for construction of an air base that required the forced removal of around 1,500 people. Claiming it was unfairly pressured to cede control of islands, Mauritius has taken the fight to the ICJ. — Reuters

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