Tamil refugees on UK-controlled Chagos Islands fear deportation under Rwanda-type plan
Source: The Guardian
Tamil refugees on Chagos Islands fear deportation under Rwanda-type plan
UK government lawyers tell asylum seekers they can return to Sri Lanka or be removed to undisclosed country
Rajeev Syal Home affairs editor
Tue 18 Oct 2022 13.14 BST
Last modified on Tue 18 Oct 2022 14.54 BST
Tamil refugees seeking asylum from the British-claimed Chagos Islands face being forcibly removed to a third country under Rwanda-style plans drawn up by the UK government.
Government lawyers have told the asylum seekers that if they cannot be returned to Sri Lanka they will instead be removed to another undisclosed country.
Foreign Office insiders say ministers are examining possible deals with “third countries” ready to accept the refugees, with Rwanda being a possible destination.
A first boat of Tamil refugees, including alleged torture victims, arrived just over a year ago on Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands, which the UK calls the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and continues to claim sovereignty over, despite a UN court ruling.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/18/tamil-refugees-on-chagos-islands-fear-deportation-under-rwanda-type-plan