Asylum seekers in Diego Garcia express concerns about their safety on secluded British island territory

Asylum seekers on the remote British territory of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean have expressed concerns about their safety and well-being. UN investigators visited the island and found that the conditions amounted to arbitrary detention. The island, which is primarily used as a military base by the UK and US, is not considered suitable for migrants to live. The asylum seekers, who are mostly Sri Lankan Tamils, arrived on the island in October 2021 and have reported incidents of sexual assault, harassment, self-harm, and suicide attempts. They are currently held in a fenced-off camp with limited access to the outside world. The UN's visit to the island marked the first time an external party had gained access to monitor their conditions. The draft report by the UNHCR describes the camp as a place of deprivation of liberty that fails to provide necessary standards of privacy, safety, and dignity. The report calls for urgent relocation of the asylum seekers, expedited processing of their claims, and the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism. The UK government has stated that the welfare and safety of the migrants are a top priority, but the conditions on the island have been criticized as "appalling" by their lawyers. Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Islands, which the UK took control of from Mauritius in 1965, leading to the eviction of its population.