Asylum-seeking Sri Lankan Tamils stuck on British island for two years face abuse, violence: UN report

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has called for the urgent relocation of 61 asylum seekers stranded on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia for over two years. The development was first reported by The Guardian and the BBC.

Diego Garcia is located 9,457 km from London | Google Maps

The asylum seekers reportedly consist of Tamils from Sri Lanka. They have reportedly faced violence, abuse, and arbitrary detention during the last two years.

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The UN inspection, sanctioned by the Supreme Court of British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), revealed that the asylum seekers, under the "effective control" of the UK government, were subjected to conditions of "arbitrary detention". The UN said that these individuals must be moved promptly.

The asylum seekers arrived on Diego Garcia in October 2021 after their boat, en route to Canada for asylum, encountered difficulties, whose nature could not be immediately ascertained.

What does the UN report say?

The damning UN report highlighted accusations of sexual harassment and abuse against women and children within the asylum-seekinggroup, along with increased levels of mental distress and conditions akin to abetment of suicide.

Of particular concern, the detention of 16 children among the 61 was labelled as "particularly troubling," prompting a call for their transfer to the UK if found in need of international protection.

How asylum seekers are being kept in detention?

The asylum seekers are confined to a fenced-in area equivalent to a football pitch, guarded by G4S staff.

The G4S is a UK-based private security and facility services company.

The asylum seekers are not allowed to cook for themselves and have suffered rat bites, as the rodents, described as "ubiquitous" on the island, gnaw holes in their tents.

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Conditions in Diego Garcia were vividly described by one mother as "living in hell," according to the UN report accessed by British media publications. The report disclosed that a guard dog could roam outside the fence while the children remained confined.

The UK government maintains that Diego Garcia is part of the British Indian Overseas Territory, administered from London but constitutionally separate from the UK. In contrast, the UN General Assembly designates the island as part of Mauritius.

The UNHCR report surfaced during a case in the British Indian Ocean Territories' supreme court, where a group of asylum seekers argued their treatment on the island constituted unlawful detention.

UK Foreign Office spokesperson told the British media that BIOT is not a suitable location for migrants.

"BIOT is not a suitable location for migrants, which is why we have been working tirelessly to process the migrants’ claims for protection and to find a suitable third country for those whose claims are upheld. At all times, the welfare and safety of migrants on BIOT has been our top priority," The Guardian quoted the UK Foreign Office as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)