Migrants from Diego Garcia Arrive in the UK Amid Ongoing Legal and Humanitarian Issues

Around 60 Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, who had been living in dire conditions on Diego Garcia, have been relocated to the UK for a temporary six-month stay, as their legal status and long-term future remain unclear, coinciding with political tensions over the future governance of the Chagos Islands.

The plight of approximately 60 Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, who had been stranded for over three years on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, has taken a significant turn as they have been brought to the UK. The UK government reports that they are permitted to stay for six months, receiving financial support from the Foreign Office. This relocation concludes a protracted and complex legal struggle spanning thousands of miles, yet the long-term status of these individuals remains ambiguous.

These migrants, having resided in makeshift conditions on Diego Garcia since October 2021, made history by being the first individuals to file asylum claims on the island, which hosts a strategic UK-US military base. In an official statement, a government spokesperson described the action as a "one-off," necessary due to the particular circumstances surrounding these cases and the well-being of the migrants. They emphasized that this situation was inherited from the previous administration, which had left it unresolved for years.

Tessa Gregory of the UK law firm Leigh Day, who is representing some of the Tamils, indicated that relocating them was the "only sensible solution" to mitigate the humanitarian crisis. She detailed the dire conditions faced by the migrants over the last 38 months on Crown land, expressing hope that they could now seek safety and start to rebuild their lives.

Earlier this year, unprecedented access to Diego Garcia revealed stark living conditions, where families were housed in military tents with leaks and infestations. During their detention, instances of hunger strikes, self-harm, and suicide attempts were prevalent, prompting some individuals to be transferred to Rwanda for medical care. Reports of sexual harassment and assaults further contributed to the troubling narrative surrounding their time on the island, which many described as akin to "hell."

While some of those transferred to Rwanda have also been relocated to the UK, the fate of two men with criminal records and another under investigation reportedly remains tied to Diego Garcia. Their resettlement arrives during uncertain political times, as the future control of the Chagos Islands remains in limbo following the UK’s announcement last October to transfer authority to Mauritius. The new Mauritian prime minister, however, has expressed hesitance about the agreement, which still awaits finalization, prompting demands for a comprehensive review.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has minimized criticism surrounding the deal, framing it as advantageous for both Mauritius and the UK, while addressing US concerns linked to the future of the Diego Garcia military base. Financially, the continued costs of maintaining the territory have severely impacted the UK, with predicted expenses linked to migrant housing surging to £50 million annually.

As communication from the UK Home Office clarified, the Tamils were granted temporary entry to the UK "outside of the Immigration Rules," enabling them to contemplate their long-term options but stopping short of granting permanent residency or refugee status. The statement explicitly noted that this arrangement does not permit employment within the UK, as the Tamils await definitive resolutions regarding their claims for international protection, which the UN equates to refugee status.

Historical stances from successive UK governments have often indicated that facilitating the relocation of these Tamils might risk establishing a "backdoor migration route." However, assurances from the government have indicated preventative measures for future arrivals, including potential agreements to redirect them to St Helena, a UK territory located 5,000 miles away, following a solidification of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands with Mauritius.