Frankie Bontemps
Chagossian Activist, Chagossian Voices
Who is Frankie Bontemps?
Frankie Bontemps is a Chagossian activist and member of Chagossian Voices, a rights and advocacy group representing the Chagossian diaspora community in Britain. Like thousands of Chagossians, his family's connection to the Chagos Archipelago traces back to the forced removal of the islands' population by the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1973, carried out to allow the construction of a US military base on Diego Garcia. He has spoken publicly, including to international press, about the effect of the 2024-2025 UK-Mauritius sovereignty agreement on the Chagossian community, arguing that the deal's ninety-nine-year lease arrangement for Diego Garcia continues to exclude Chagossians from their own homeland even as the political question of sovereignty is resolved between the UK and Mauritius. He has called for Chagossian representatives to have a direct seat at the negotiating table on any future resettlement plans, and has spoken of his personal hope to one day visit his ancestors' graves in the archipelago. Detailed public biographical information about his early life is not extensively documented in available sources beyond his role as an advocate for the Chagossian diaspora.
Sources: "Chagossians Want a Say as UK-Mauritius Deal Faces Fresh Scrutiny," Reuters / U.S. News & World Report, 10 December 2024