Voices of Displacement: The Chagossian Struggle for Homecoming

Bernadette Dugasse, displaced from her birthplace on the Chagos Islands as a toddler, struggles with the injustice faced by Chagossians. Despite a recent sovereignty transfer to Mauritius, returning remains uncertain due to political complexities and security issues tied to the Diego Garcia military base.

Bernadette Dugasse was just a toddler when her family was evicted from their home on the Chagos Islands. Now 68, she reflects on a life of displacement, having spent most of her days in the Seychelles and the United Kingdom. Dugasse's lifelong dream of setting foot on Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos archipelago, seems further from reality despite a recent political shift.

Evicted alongside hundreds of others over half a century ago for a military base construction, the Chagossians watched as the UK transferred the islands' sovereignty to Mauritius. For many, this move dims the hope of returning to their homeland. Dugasse, now settled in Crawley, South London, expressed her anger at being barred from her birthplace, emphasizing her identity as an Indigenous Chagossian.

Despite Britain acknowledging past wrongs against the islanders and offering citizenship, it bars their return citing defense concerns. While the sovereignty transfer to Mauritius is considered an end to colonial ties, Dugasse fears it won't translate to her right of return. Legal and activist efforts continue, but Dugasse and fellow islanders feel excluded and voiceless in the ongoing political negotiations.

(With inputs from agencies.)