Dozens of migrants have finally arrived in the UK after enduring over three years in dire conditions on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
Forty-seven Sri Lankan Tamils, including 12 children, arrived on Monday night was celebrated by lawyers and campaigners as a “big day for justice.” An additional eight individuals, who had been receiving medical care in Rwanda, landed in the UK on Tuesday morning.
The migrants first found themselves stranded on Diego Garcia—a part of the Chagos Islands recently returned by the UK to Mauritius—after their boat, bound for Canada to seek asylum, encountered trouble in October 2021.
Their presence on the tropical island posed a significant dilemma for successive UK Home Secretaries, who feared it might create a new migration route.
Prolonged legal disputes ensued, including a court hearing held on the island to determine whether their detention was unlawful.
On Monday, a government spokesperson described the relocation as a “one-off” due to the extraordinary circumstances. “This government inherited a deeply troubling situation that remained unresolved for years,” they stated.
During their 38-month stay on Diego Garcia, the Tamils endured appalling conditions. They lived in leaking, rat-infested tents, with reports of mass suicide attempts, hunger strikes, and incidents of self-harm. There were also allegations of sexual assault and harassment within the camp.
Tessa Gregory of Leigh Day, the law firm representing some of the Tamils, said: “We hope our clients will now be able to seek safe haven and begin to rebuild their lives.”
Eight of the migrants were granted international protection during their time on the island. However, the group has been granted only six months’ entry to the UK under special conditions, barring them from working. The government has yet to clarify their long-term future.
The UK government has closed the door on future asylum seekers arriving via Diego Garcia. Any new arrivals will be sent to the island of Saint Helena, 5,000 miles away.
Once the deal to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius—excluding the US military base on Diego Garcia—is finalised, asylum claims will be processed in Mauritius.
Simon Robinson of Duncan Lewis Solicitors, who also represents some of the group, welcomed the decision. “We are delighted to welcome our clients to the UK.
