U.S. and British forces deported Chagossians under conditions compared to slave ships.

Evidence

With the help of U.S. Navy Seabees, British agents began the deportation process by rounding up the islanders’ pet dogs. They gassed and burned them in sealed cargo sheds as Chagossians watched in horror. Then the authorities ordered the remaining Chagossians onto overcrowded cargo ships. During the deportations, which took place in stages until May 1973, most of the Chagossians slept in the ship’s hold atop guano—bird shit. Horses stayed on deck. By the end of the five-day journey, vomit, urine, and excrement were everywhere. At least one woman miscarried. Some compare conditions to those on slave ships. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 183

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s existing work on U.S. military bases abroad and harm to civilians; also echoes the broader literature on forced relocations and base footprints.