Resettlement of Île du Coin

On 16 February 2026, four British Chagossians landed on Île du Coin, Chagos Islands, to establish a permanent settlement, without seeking government permission. They became the first Chagossians to live on the islands since the expulsion of the Chagossians in 1971. An injunction by the Chief Justice of the British Indian Ocean Territory three days later prevented the immediate deportation of the islanders.[1]

Background

The resettlement mission occurred during an ongoing sovereignty dispute in which the islands are claimed by both the United Kingdom, administered as the British Indian Ocean Territory, and Mauritius. The British government under Keir Starmer had agreed to cede the islands to Mauritius, but the treaty was not yet ratified.

Public access to the territory is heavily restricted, with the entire territory covered by an exclusion zone. Entering without permission can theoretically carry a three-year prison sentence.[2]

The participants in the mission were motivated by both a desire to return to the islands and a desire to pressure the British government to cancel the treaty, with one participant Misley Mandarin leading a self-declared Chagossian Government loyal to the United Kingdom which claims to represent the interests of the Chagossian people.

On 18 February, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Keir Starmer was "making a big mistake by entering a 100 Year Lease" and that the "land should not be taken away from the U.K. and, if it is allowed to be, it will be a blight on our Great Ally".[3][4]

Timeline

Planning

The initial landing mission was organised in secrecy by a group of five people: the four British Chagossians Misley Mandarin, his father Michel Mandarin, Antoine LeMettre, and Guy Castel,[5] and former British MP Adam Holloway.

Michel was born in the islands and was 14 when he was expelled in the expulsion of the Chagossians, the déraciné, or uprooting, and put on to boats by the British colonial authorities. Michel said there are 322 people who were born in the islands and still living that wish to return home before they die, in addition to a far larger number of descendants born elsewhere post-expulsion.[6]

The group received funding from British-Thai billionaire Christopher Harborne,[7] and bought a boat in Thailand. The boat was then loaded with provisions in Galle, Sri Lanka, from where the group embarked on a five-day sail to Île du Coin, entering the exclusion zone of the British Indian Ocean Territory unannounced without seeking permission.[2]

Landing

The landing party set foot on Île du Coin on Monday 16 February 2026 at 08.52 local time (02.52 GMT), with the four Chagossians staying there to reestablish a permanent settlement. The news of the mission only became public following the landing.[8]

Mandarin sought to reassure the United States that the settlement did not threaten the military base on Diego Garcia.[9]

Removal attempt

On 18 February 2026, they were served a removal order in the name of Royal Marines Major Pete Goddard, as Acting Principal Immigration Officer of the British Indian Ocean Territory, stating that if they did not leave they could face imprisonment of three years or a fine of £3,000, or both.[10]

On 19 February 2026, the Chagossian's lawyer, James Tumbridge, successfully applied for an injunction, which was granted by Chief Justice of the British Indian Ocean Territory, James Lewis, who stated "there is no doubt the balance of convenience falls on the side of the claimants (the islanders). They are 120 miles from Diego Garcia and pose no threat to national security on the evidence before me".[1]

Further trips

A boat, under the command of Holloway, was initially ordered to leave the territory by the British Indian Ocean Territory police and went to the Maldives to collect necessary supplies of food and medicine. On 21 February, it was allowed to return from the Maldives on the condition that the only people on board were trained mariners.[11]

On 26 February two more Chagossians arrived on the islands, Clifford Aglae and Andy Antanika, bringing the islands' population up to six.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b David Maddox (19 February 2026). "Starmer's Chagos Islands deal hits new crisis after judge blocks removal of islanders". The Independent. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b Holloway, Adam (18 February 2026). "Why I helped invade the Chagos Islands". The Spectator.
  3. ^ Jaroslav Lukiv (18 February 2026). "Do not give away Diego Garcia, Trump tells UK". BBC News. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Trump tells Starmer 'do not give away Diego Garcia' in fresh attack on Chagos Islands deal". Sky News. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Chagos : un groupe affirme avoir débarqué à Peros Banhos". Le Mauricien (in French). 17 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  6. ^ Badshah, Nadeem (17 February 2026). "Four Chagossians return to islands in attempt to stop British transfer to Mauritius". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Is this the week Starmer's Chagos deal is scrapped?". The Independent. 22 February 2026.
  8. ^ CP (2026-02-17). "Chagos Islanders Return!". Conservative Post. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  9. ^ "Four islanders land on remote Chagos atoll, hope to block UK-Mauritius deal". The Straits Times. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 17 February 2026.
  10. ^ "British patrol boats order Chagossians to leave island after setting up settlement". GB News. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  11. ^ Paul, Jacob (21 February 2026). "Nigel Farage claims UK government 'denied' his attempt to deliver aid to Chagos Islands". LBC.
  12. ^ Mendick, Robert (28 February 2026). "My 72-hour ocean odyssey to meet the Chagos Islanders who made it home". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
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