Dozens of displaced Chagos islanders offered UK citizenship sleeping on Crawley leisure centre floor

  • Andy Dickenson has been speaking to Chagossians about the ordeal

More than 50 displaced Chagos islanders have been sleeping on the floor of a leisure centre after arriving at Gatwick Airport this week.

They were granted UK citizenship after they were forced to leave their homeland, Diego Garcia, in the 1960s and 70s when the British bought the Chagos islands.

The land was bought to become an American military base, but it lead to thousands of people being caught up in an expulsion and becoming stranded in Mauritius.

In 2022, the government launched the British Overseas Territories Citizenship scheme, meaning Chagossians can get a British passport, which many have already taken up.

During the displacement, many families were separated, leaving people without a home. Credit: ITV News Meridian

On Monday 10 June, around 52 people arrived from Mauritius and are being housed in a leisure centre in Crawley, while suitable accommodation is found.

Crawley in West Sussex has become home to the largest community in the UK, with around 3,500 people and the government are forecasting another 5,000 to take up the offer.

Chagos Islander, Mary Eloyswe Douce said: “Life was very difficult, even when you study you can’t find a job.

“We want to work, but we’re not given the opportunity to do so. We are facing an injustice.”

Chagos Islander, Emilio Larue said: “I want to be close to everyone here. They’re from my roots. I feel like when they took us off the island, we’ve all been separated, but now I feel at home. Home is where family is.”

Campaigner, Misley Mandarin said: "We all know in the UK there is a housing crisis. But the local authorities need to find us a place to go because we’re going to be in the street. We feel we’ve been deported in the 60s and 70s, and history is repeating itself."

Crawley Town Council said it was responding "professionally and compassionately" to housing new arrivals. Credit: ITV News Meridian

Crawley Town Council said in a statement on its website: "For the Chagossian people, a deep sense of injustice remains.

"That could be seen in the protests that accompanied Monday's arrivals. The community believes that they have still to be compensated properly for the loss of their homeland.

"The protests had the effect of making housing assessment decisions challenging. Staff from both Crawley Borough Council and West Sussex County Council responded both professionally and compassionately in meeting that challenge.

"Within Crawley it is a challenge made harder by the housing situation in the town. In February of this year, the council was the first in England to declare a Housing Emergency. These pressures remain unabated."

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