The United Kingdom has presented dozens of stranded migrants, held for years in a camp on a secretive UK-US army island within the Indian Ocean, a short lived exit to Romania.

Later six months, they might be moved to the United Kingdom. Others within the workforce are being presented monetary incentives to progress to Sri Lanka the place they are saying they face persecution, the BBC has discovered.

In 2021, dozens of Tamils changed into the primary crowd ever to assert asylum on Diego Garcia later their boat bumped into bother.

The dimension’s odd condition resulted in an extended criminal dispute, with the United Kingdom govt announcing that bringing them to Britain risked making a “backdoor migration route”.

The federal government has been approached for remark.

The trade in to the migrants, by way of British officers at the island on Tuesday, got here later the United Kingdom introduced it used to be handing self determination of the British Indian Ocean Length (Biot), which contains Diego Garcia, to Mauritius. The army bottom, on the other hand, will stay at the island.

The BBC won remarkable get right of entry to to Diego Garcia latter presen to wait a courtroom listening to over whether or not the gang have been unlawfully detained in a tiny fenced camp, which is upheld by way of personal safety corporate G4S.

A prudence within the case is anticipated quickly.

The British govt has argued that the refugee conference isn’t in drive on Biot as a result of it’s “constitutionally distinct” from the United Kingdom, despite the fact that it’s administered from the International Administrative center in London.

In lieu, the Biot management established a sovereign procedure to resolve if the Tamils might be returned to Sri Lanka or be granted world coverage – which the UN says is similar to refugee condition.

There are these days 59 Tamils nonetheless on Diego Garcia. About 8 are these days in Rwanda later being transferred there for hospital treatment later self-harm or suicide makes an attempt.

Many of the migrants are anticipating selections on their world coverage claims or interesting rejections. In overall, 8 were granted world coverage.

Over the summer time, the govern legitimate operating the dimension, Paul Candler, asked that the federal government deliver the entire migrants to the United Kingdom as a result of what he described as a “dangerous and unsustainable situation” within the camp amid collection incidents of self-harm.

Mr Candler stepped indisposed a presen next, announcing in a leaving letter, received by way of the BBC, that he had discovered the “migrants situation increasingly difficult” and “the personal leadership demands that this has placed on me increasingly challenging”.

Chatting with the migrants within the camp on Tuesday morning, Biot’s performing commissioner Nishi Dholakia stated the United Kingdom govt had regarded as the Biot management’s previous request however had determined rather to “make different offers to different individuals”.

“Some people will receive offers to go to another safe country and others will receive an offer for voluntary return,” he stated.

“I want to reassure you that this announcement does not mean anyone will be leaving the island immediately. You will all have time to consider the offer and next steps.”

Attorneys from the United Kingdom companies Leigh Pace and Duncan Lewis, representing probably the most migrants, stated it used to be “imperative the camp be closed down without delay” and that the United Kingdom govt “find a viable long term solution for all of the individuals and families”.

Migrants – each at the island and in Rwanda – whose claims for world coverage were licensed, in addition to households within the camp with youngsters, are to be presented a switch to a “safe centre” run by way of the United Countries in Romania age the United Kingdom govt continues to seek for a “durable solution” – migrants informed the BBC.

They’ve been informed they’ll stay within the centre in Romania for as much as six months.

“Within those six months, the UK will continue to develop a durable solution for you in line with international standards. You can choose to accept any solution presented to you during this time. If you do not wish to accept any offers made during those six months, you will be brought to the UK,” letters from the Biot management, open by way of the BBC, say.

One guy, these days in Rwanda, who has been presented the exit to Romania described it as “a very big relief”. Any other migrant there stated it used to be the “happiest day in three years”.

Those that have had their coverage claims unfavourable and aren’t a part of people gadgets inside the camp were presented monetary incentives to go back to Sri Lanka. Consistent with a letter to migrants, open by way of the BBC, this may occasionally come with £3,000, health insurance for 3 years, lodging for as much as 3 years, plus a task or coaching or schooling alternatives.

The BBC understands that those that have no longer had their coverage claims licensed have no longer but exhausted all criminal avenues. Attorneys representing the migrants are because of fly to Diego Garcia to fulfill their purchasers this year.

“I didn’t eat anything from the morning. I feel very depressed,” stated some of the Tamils who has been handled for a psychological condition status in Rwanda and has now been presented a go back to Sri Lanka.

The primary Tamils arrived on Diego Garcia in October 2021, announcing that they had been getaway persecution and looking to sail to Canada to assert asylum when their boat bumped into bother and so they have been rescued by way of the Royal Military. Their account used to be sponsored up by way of maps, diary entries and GPS knowledge on board.

In refer to months, extra boats arrived.

When the BBC visited the camp latter presen, women and men coated up in opposition to the six-foot fence and stood outdoor their tents waving.

The camp is made up of beige domed army tents old as lodging, and white humanitarian tents which have been changed into makeshift communal rooms and a church.

Inside of some of the tents, the place about 5 or 6 males vacation, one guy lifted a panel above his mattress to expose a nest of rats.

“Look, a leak. A rat hole,” some other stated as he pointed urgently round his tent, the place sheets and towels have been hung to build other rooms.

The Tamils were given inexperienced army cots to vacation on however have stacked picket pallets and flattened cardboard grounds on govern in an aim to produce them extra relaxed.

Hand-written indicators are hung within the camp with slogans corresponding to “We are treated like animals in a cage” and “This is a bad place”.

Some confirmed off efforts to toughen their residing condition, together with a eating desk product of pallets, and plant beds coated with coconut husks.

Not too long ago, an interior fence used to be erected splitting the camp between the one males there and households.

An distant social laborer rented by way of some of the migrants’ legal professionals described the condition within the camp past due latter yr as an “emerging mental health pandemic”.

Out of doors the court, males, ladies and kids confirmed me indicators of self-harm.

All the way through the courtroom talk over with to the camp, one lady wept as she alleged that her daughter have been assaulted by way of some other migrant within the tent, one in every of a number of claims of sexual attack.

3 males, who’ve each and every been both charged or convicted of offences inside the camp, are being held in a room after to the island’s police station.

Each United Countries and Crimson Go representatives have prior to now raised considerations in regards to the significance of the camp and its statuses.

Following a talk over with past due latter yr, the UN stated the camp used to be “manifestly not appropriate” for crowd to reside in long-term and raised specific considerations over reported sexual attacks and harassment of youngsters by way of alternative migrants.

The chapel old to host the courtroom listening to typically purposes as a faculty. Tutorial posters have been caught at the partitions along youngsters’s drawings, one in every of which depicted an army tent with palm bushes within the background.

A shorten power clear of the camp, there may be lodging for civilian contractors. Stores, bars, eating places and vacation amenities, corresponding to a bowling alley and cinema, are to be had to troops and contractors.

The Indian Ocean dimension, positioned loads of miles clear of any alternative society, is seen as an impressive strategic bottom for the United States.

Get entry to to the island is closely limited and it has lengthy been shrouded in hearsay and thriller. The United Kingdom govt has showed that two US rendition flights landed there in 2002 however says the detainees didn’t let go the planes.

UK govt legal professionals previous this yr hostile the BBC being granted get right of entry to to the island to wait the listening to, however the Biot Excellent Court docket dominated within the BBC’s favour, announcing that “justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done”.

America – which controls maximum body of workers and sources on Diego Garcia – next stated it could forbid get right of entry to to the BBC and legal professionals representing the migrants. It additionally stated it could fight back meals, shipping and lodging from all the ones attending the listening to, together with the British pass judgement on.

America and British government next allowed the listening to to progress forward, however with restrictions in playground. Spare G4S officials have been flown over to defend the BBC and legal professionals and safeguard get right of entry to across the island used to be limited.

In the event that they settle for Tuesday’s trade in, the stranded Tamils may face a 4,600-mile (7,500km) progress to Romania and extra life in limbo, or the go back to Sri Lanka.

Status outdoor the court along her oldsters latter presen, one 12-year-old lady stated that since sight an army airplane cross over the camp, she had dreamed of being a pilot – so she too may fly away.