Chagos Islands dispute: Mauritius calls US and UK 'hypocrites'

Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has labelled the British and Americans "hypocrites" and "champions of double talk" for the way they have behaved over the Chagos Islands.
Last year, a UN court ruled that the UK should end its control of the Indian Ocean archipelago, which includes a US military base.

Mauritius says it was forced to trade the islands in 1965 for independence.

The UK has said it does not recognise Mauritius' claim to sovereignty.

Between 1968 and 1974, the UK forcibly removed thousands of Chagossians from their homelands and sent them more than 1,600km (1,000 miles) away to Mauritius and the Seychelles, where they faced extreme poverty and discrimination.

On Sunday in the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, in front of a crowd composed mainly of Chagossians and their descendants, Mr Jugnauth said the UK and US lectured countries "to respect human rights, but they are champions of double talk."

"They are hypocrites. Shame on them when they talk about human rights and respect," he added.

With the backing of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Mauritius no longer wants to be pushed around by its former colonial power, reports the BBC's Yasine Mohabuth from Port Louis.