A number of people from Mauritius, and originally from the Chagos Islands, arrived at Gatwick Airport on Monday seeking accommodation. 

Crawley Borough Council arranged temporary shelter at the K2 Leisure Centre for half of the 77 recent arrivals.  The Council says it assessed each person for housing in the same way that other British Citizens would be, but 37 people didn’t qualify. 

Eighteen months ago the UK government offered a British citizen route for people of Chagossian descent. This was in recognition of the role that Britain played to forcibly move them from their homeland in the 60s and 70s to accommodate a US military base at Diego Garcia. 

Crawley has become home to the largest community of Chagossians in the UK who believe they still haven’t been compensated properly for the loss of their homeland.