Migrants could enter the UK after six months, others are being offered voluntary returns to Sri Lanka.
"We are treated like animals in a cage" says one protest sign put up by the Tamil migrants, who cannot be identified for legal reasons
The territory's unusual status led to a long legal dispute, with the UK government saying that bringing them to Britain risked creating a "backdoor migration route".of the British Indian Ocean Territory , which includes Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. The military base, however, will remain on the island.
Most of the migrants are awaiting decisions on their international protection claims or appealing rejections. In total, eight have been granted international protection. "Some people will receive offers to go to another safe country and others will receive an offer for voluntary return," he said. One man, currently in Rwanda, who has been offered the move to Romania described it as "a very big relief". Another migrant there said it was the "happiest day in three years".
The first Tamils arrived on Diego Garcia in October 2021, saying they had been fleeing persecution and trying to sail to Canada to claim asylum when their boat ran into trouble and they were rescued by the Royal Navy. Their account was backed up by maps, diary entries and GPS data on board.The men, women and children are housed in khaki tents, but some have leaks and rats nesting inside
"Look, a leak. A rat hole," another said as he pointed urgently around his tent, where sheets and towels were hung to create different rooms. Recently, an internal fence was erected splitting the camp between the single men there and families. Following a visit late last year, the UN said the camp was "manifestly not appropriate" for people to live in long-term and raised particular concerns over reported sexual assaults and harassment of children by other migrants.
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