The dream of returning to their islands is fading for the Chagossians due to the war in Iran. Lucienne Rostcout, a Mauritian, and her husband, Gabriel Uranie, a Chagossian who worked as a blacksmith before the forced displacement of the archipelago's population, are among those affected. Gabriel later worked as a docker in Mauritius.
Preparations are underway in the kitchen for a high-stakes meeting of the Chagos Refugees Group (CRG) in Port-Louis, the Mauritian capital. Sodas are being taken from refrigerators, and dishes are simmering on the stove as approximately forty members prepare to gather. Chairs are being set up, creating a loud clatter that extends into the corridor.
A week prior, on April 11, the United Kingdom announced via press release the suspension of an agreement that was to return the Chagos to Mauritius, thereby opening the path for their return to the isolated archipelago. Around 1,500 Chagossians were deported from these islands sixty years ago.
Upon hearing this news, 69-year-old Janine Sadrien clutched her floral headscarf. In Creole, she expressed her profound sadness, stating, "I tell you frankly, I cried."
