Sharmeem A.Osman
This latest book by Dr Ibrahim Alladin (published and released in February 2025) tells the story of the Chagossians in exile through the eyes of Olivier Bancoult. It describes the injustices done to the people of Chagos and how they were forcefully removed from their homes and sent into exile in faraway places. For more than forty years, they have been fighting for justice and the right to return to their homeland. The extracts from the book are between quotes :
“In a remote place called Ile du Coin, which is one of the islands of Peros Banhos forming the Chagos Archipelago together with Diego Garcia and the island of Salomon, Olivier Bancoult was born on February 15, 1964. His father, Julien Bancoult and his mother Rita Elysée, lived on Peros Banhos, along with his brothers Alex, Eddy, Renaud, and sister Mimose. Olivier’s second sister Noellie died young in Mauritius. Julien Bancoult had several wives and fathered more than fifteen children. Polygamy was a common practice in the Chagos.”
The fight for freedom faced many challenges
“Olivier arrived in Mauritius at the age of four. It was a tough beginning for the young Olivier. The neighbourhood was strange to him. The family was poor, and his mother worked long hours as a cleaner. Olivier was enrolled at the Seeneevassen Primary School. His mother had a big influence on him and motivated him to go to school.”
The Chagos is a burning issue in Mauritius. It is emotional and political and touches all Mauritians. The Chagossians or zilwas arrived in Mauritius under extreme conditions, treated worse than slaves. A people and a community that lived peacefully in the middle of the Indian Ocean for generations had to make way for a military base. The Indian Ocean, a zone of peace, was transformed as Diego Garcia became one of the most sophisticated American military bases. Without remorse, the Chagossians were removed and stripped of their identity.
As Mauritius celebrated its Independence on March 12, 1968, the plight of the Chagossians remained in the background. No one was there to receive them when they landed in an unknown territory. They arrived in Port Louis and had to fend for themselves: no homes, no food for several days, and full of despair. They slept in lekiri kabri, like animals, while the superpowers took control of the Indian Ocean. Paul Bérenger rightly stated that the Chagossians faced two moments of despair, first when they arrived and no one was there to receive them, and second, during the emergency years, they had nowhere to go.
Olivier’s destiny was shaped in Mauritius
“His mother with other women organised the Chagossians and encouraged them to protest against the injustices they were facing. She got Olivier to join the protest movement. He was expelled from school for a week for taking part in a protest march. His mother spoke to the principal and explained the cause of the protest. Olivier’s participation in these marches gave him an insight into what happened to the Chagos people. His mother was his inspiration.”
“In 1983, Olivier got elected to the Chagos movement based in Mauritius. It marked the beginning of a long fight to reclaim the Chagos. The Chagossian women, in particular Charlesia Alexis and Lisette Talatte, were the first to throw their support. They were deeply wounded by the way they were treated and were determined to fight. The women seemed more engaged and politicized than the men.”
It should be noted the MMM brought the Diego Garcia issue to the attention of the public in the 1970s. The MMM wanted the Indian Ocean to be a zone of peace. On November 16, 1977, the MMM organized a gathering to launch a campaign for the total demilitarisation of the Indian Ocean. The fight for peace and demilitarisation has always been part of the MMM’s agenda. The MMM does not agree to a deal that would allow the Americans to build a military base on Diego Garcia, for it favours demilitarisation. In short, the MMM started the combat to free Chagos.
“The Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) took up the cause of the Chagossians and through the General Workers’ Federation (GWF) and in particular with the efforts of Michel Gerard Nina, also known as Ti Mougnac, who introduced them to Paul Bérenger, the leader of the MMM. The MMM was the first political party to support the Chagossians and Paul Bérenger is one of their biggest supporters.”
“The turning point came in 1983 when Bancoult co-founded the Chagos Refugees Group- CRG, (or Groupe Réfugiés Chagos-GRC), with others, to organize the Chagossian diaspora and advocate for their rights. Olivier Bancoult, Lisette Talatte and Charlesia Alexis and Claudette Lefade were behind the setting up of the CRG. The CRG sought to raise awareness about the plight of the Chagossians, fight for their right to return to their homeland and seek compensation for the injustices they had endured. He knew the fight for freedom had to be politicised and the battle ahead was not going to be easy. Therefore, it felt necessary to organise the Chagossians into an entity that had credibility and structure. Furthermore, Bancoult himself had to develop his communication and public relations skills in order to articulate the Chagossian cause. The long fight for justice had begun with Olivier Bancoult taking the lead role.”
An emotional Bancoult explains: “My mother arrived in Mauritius not knowing what was waiting for her. A life of slavery was waiting for her. She did menial jobs to support her family. It was hell. We lost our paradise and landed in hell. The Chagossians needed jobs and housing. They could not afford the basic needs, and they were exploited. After completing my SC, I tried to get employment. I made so many applications. I thought I would get a decent job. I applied to the CEB for a job as a meter-reader, instead, I got a job as a labourer. I was not good enough. In 1991, I became a labourer. I cleaned toilets and windows. My wife worked in the textile industrial zone. One day her supervisor saw me cutting grass outside, and he was shocked that I could not get a better job. In 1993, I became an assistant tradesman with the CEB, still not good enough for other jobs. In 1996, I got transferred to Bramsthan which was so far away from my family. I asked for a transfer and in 1996, I was transferred to Rue Poudrière. In 1999, I started working as a technician and in 2010, I became an Office Assistant. In 2021, I took on additional responsibilities to assist employees who were facing social problems, especially with drug addiction. I had seen how families were torn apart. Every Tuesday I report to the CEB Corporate Office at Ebène for additional responsibilities. I assist CEB employees with social problems. I know many people with SC have a better career. I don’t have a car; I travel by bus or bicycle. It has been a tough journey to survive in Mauritius. It took me years to make friends. People should understand the injustices the Chagossians have suffered. The British cannot just buy us with a few pounds. We want reparation for all the injustices caused. I want the world to know that the Chagossians were exiled against their will and treated like slaves. Why doesn’t the British tell the truth about Chagos?”
The Chagos issue is a hot political topic in Mauritius, one that is emotionally and politically charged. All previous governments have given this issue undue support. The current Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam, first brought up the issue with the African Union. He started the international fight to seek freedom and justice for the Chagossian people. Dr Ramgoolam has stated on numerous occasions that he will fight for them until justice is done.
Sir Anerood Jugnauth, the former Prime Minister and President of Mauritius, also played a significant role in advocating for Mauritius’ claim to the Chagos Archipelago. On September 23, 2016, he led a delegation to the United Nations, accompanied by Bancoult. He made a very strong and emotional plea. Equally, former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth took up the cause and as recently as October 2024, he tried to get a deal with the British. For several reasons, this deal is under scrutiny. The governments of Mauritius and the United Kingdom need the blessing of American President Donald Trump, before an agreement is finalised.
Olivier Bancoult is convinced that Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, with support from the Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger, will eventually work out a deal with the British.
Tales of betrayals, intrigues and geopolitical games have shaped the destiny of the Chagossians in the last fifty years. What next?
As Ibrahim Alladin looks into the future for a long-term settlement, he explores several possible options: from demilitarisation to co-habitation. His propositions are worth examining.
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*Dr Ibrahim Alladin is a professor and a writer. Educated in England, Canada, and Australia, he has authored more than twenty-five books. He is a sociologist and has written extensively on society, social change, and political economy. He has travelled to over fifty countries and lectured at several universities. While he was a student in London in the 1970s, he first heard of the Chagos and the militarisation of the Indian Ocean. He led a protest group against the military base located on Diego Garcia. Since then, he has actively sought justice for the Chagossians. Dr Alladin is a Paul Harris Fellow and the Executive Director of the Alladin Charity and the Alladin Foundation, a registered charitable organisation.