A former judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Patrick Robinson, has recently stirred significant debate by advocating for the United Kingdom to pay over £18 trillion in reparations for slavery. Robinson, who was also involved in the ruling concerning the Chagos Islands, posits this staggering reparation figure reflects the immense historical injustice of the British slave trade.
Robinson's advocacy stems from the ICJ's advisory opinion issued back in February 2019, where the court ruled the UK must relinquish control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius "as rapidly as possible". This ruling has since become a cornerstone of arguments favoring Mauritian sovereignty over the strategically valuable British Indian Ocean territory, which includes the prominent military base of Diego Garcia.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government is currently mulling over this contentious issue. Reports suggest the UK is considering ceding sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but with the terms of leasing back the military base for potentially up to 99 years, which could amount to costs nearing £18 billion. Critics contend this approach only complicates the historical injustices associated with territorial disputes and the reparations debate.
Patrick Robinson, who was ICJ judge from 2015 to 2024, has been vocal about the UK’s historic debts. He co-authored a 2023 United Nations report, wherein he collaborated with experts from law, economics, and history. This report aims to quantify reparations owed by the UK to 14 countries for the damages wrought by its colonial past, with Robinson asserting the £18 trillion is just the tip of the iceberg. "Once a state has committed a wrongful act, it’s obliged to pay reparations," he pointedly remarked during his presentation of the report.
The report argues for the compensation of £87.1 trillion across 31 former slave-trading nations, categorizing the UK's debt singularly at £18.8 trillion. Robinson acknowledged this figure as "an underestimation" of the pain and loss resulting from the slave trade, emphasizing the moral and ethical obligation for reparations. He stated, "Our enslaved ancestors were not in a position to press for reparations, but we are and we must," reinforcing the belief in the necessity of addressing these historical wrongs.
Reactions to Robinson's assertions have been mixed, with UK politicians displaying varying degrees of support or derision. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick did not hold back his criticism, stating, "The court’s judgment isn’t binding – if Starmer has a backbone he’d just ignore it." His remarks reflect significant concerns about the ramifications of both the ICJ’s ruling and Robinson's reparations call. Critics argue these developments constitute dangerous precedents, undermining Britain's sovereignty and international standing.
Compounding matters, there are apprehensions surrounding the military impacts of relinquishing the Chagos Islands. The Diego Garcia base is pivotal to UK and US strategic interests, involving national security concerns particularly amid rising tensions with global powers such as China. Accusations have emerged from conservative circles hinting at the possibility of ceding control exacerbates vulnerability to external threats.
Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman articulated such fears, asserting, "the surrender of the Chagos Islands couldn't be a bigger disaster, frankly, for the US-UK relationship." There are also concerns from overseas, with Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio raising alarms about the potential for China's growing influence should the deal go through.
Further complicity has been observed within the UK government discussions, with Defence Secretary John Healey being questioned about whether the military budget accounts for the negotiations with Mauritius. His responses indicated careful navigation of both the financial and security elements surrounding the Chagos deal, asserting no funds are allocated until terms are concretely established.
Since the ICJ controversy, the historical narrative surrounding the Chagos Islands has experienced renewed scrutiny. The islands, which once housed native Chagossians, were cleared of their inhabitants during the establishment of the Diego Garcia military base, leaving many descendants displaced. This backdrop intensifies the ethical dilemmas present within conversations about sovereignty, reparations, and the legacies of colonialism.
Despite the churning debate, Patrick Robinson's perspectives on reparations and justice highlight the enduring need to confront uncomfortable historical truths. Robinson’s insistence on reparations not only opens dialogues about historical accountability but also poses challenging questions about how nations reckon with their pasts and the reparative actions they ought to undertake to heal long-standing grievances.