Mauritius is little India of the Indian Ocean, it has consolidated the Indian hegemony on the island at the expense of minorities, Ramgoolam is an hypocrite who inherited the job from his father and only want UK to give money.

The Princess Royal is one of the more clued up Royals, attested by her TV interview with Parkinson(?) years ago saying she can usually work out who's done the good work when she's shown round places. (Rarely the person showing her around!)

She impressed me when she visited Summerfield, a deprived area of Birmingham, in the 1980's when the Thatcher government was doing its worst.

I'd rather like to hear her side of the story first before drawing any conclusions.

All this and torture too. Anyone still think David M should have won?

I agree Sean Carey.
Protests are continuing in Mauritius.

An hour ago, I went to the LALIT-organised demonstration in Port-Louis, capital of Mauritius. The demonstration's aim was to protest against the notorious "Royal Decrees" (Orders in Council. The Mauritian Police Commissioner did not authorize the demonstration to go ahead and used as pretext that the National Assembly was "meeting and sitting" on the same day. So a delegation of LALIT members went to the British Embassy in Port Louis with a letter addressed to Princess Anne. Here is a copy of the letter:

LALIT
153 Main Road, Grand River North West, Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius
www.lalitmauritius.org lalitmail@intnet.mu 208 2132

Princess Anne, Princess Royal,
c/o British High Commissioner,
Port Louis.

Dear Madam,

We write to you, as representative of the British Monarchy, on the occasion of your visit to Mauritius. The Monarchy that you represent has been the source of certain autocratic powers on which the British State has relied in order to perpetrate a series of actions which have caused great suffering to the Mauritian people, including the people of Chagos. Some of these actions have been illegal, others immoral, and all of them based on anachronistic decrees decided behind the back of elected Parliamentarians of your own country. We refer to the “Queen’s Order in Council” made at Buckingham Palace, an “Order” that illegally dismembered Mauritius. It reads:

“As from the date of this Order in Council the Chagos Archipelago, being islands which immediately before the date of this Order were included in the Dependencies of Mauritius, shall together form a separate colony which shall be known as the British Indian Ocean Territory. [Statutory Instrument Made 8 November 1965 at the Court at Buckingham Palace.]”

There was then a so-called Immigration Ordinance of 1971, enacted by the Commissioner for BIOT who is appointed by the Monarch. This Ordinance banished the Chagossians from their homes. Since the 2000 judgement in favour of the Chagossians, and even as recently as 2004, there have been further “Orders in Council” that over-rode the decision of the highest courts of your land.

It is today one month to the day that the Mauritian Prime Minister said “Des Anglais hypocrites, menteurs et malhonnêtes” (“hypocrites, liars and cheats”) in respect of the actions of the British State regarding the matter of the “Marine Protected Area”. The recent Wikileaks documents show that the Marine Protected Area was, in fact, designed for defence reasons – to keep the Chagossians out, whatever be the judgement of the European Human Rights Court, and to keep the Mauritian State at bay in its quest for sovereignty – and not because of some sudden love for the environment. The fact that your visit is one month after the coming into force of the Marine Protected Area and coincides with the publication of the Wikileaks documents makes the official nature of your visit all the more unacceptable.

We call on you, as representative of the Monarchy, to take note of our protest against the illegal dismembering of our country and the banishment of our co-citizens, the Chagossians, from their Islands, by Royal Decree, and also to take note of our protest against this form of monarchical and undemocratic decree.

Yours faithfully,

Rajni Lallah
For LALIT, 3 December, 2010

Its not that simple guys to hand over the island to mauritius as UK is benefitting billions of pound from the US for Leasing the ISLAND until 2014 and paid peanuts to Mauritius Govt back in the days for a lease of 50 years.Their game is up now as Mauritius govt is not that stupid anymore for accepting such deal.

Diego was bargain against the independance of mauritius and that's it...Ramgoolam's son must stop fooling the chagossian and let them believe that they will go back to diego. his father gave diego to become the father of the nation. THAT'S THE TRUTH AND THE BLUFF MUST STOP NOW...

David says:

"The one person who does not share it is the Princess Royal. To pretend that the Queen has any real option NOT to sign an Order in Council is naive and ignorant."

But the point is that the Queen should not have the power through an order in council to keep the Chagossians in exile. This should be a matter for Parliament not the monarch -- and if this policy had been subject to parliamentary scrutiny, the islanders would almost certainly be back in their homeland.

The truth finally triumphs.. in the case of the Chagos, the truth has so many times triumphed and revealed the atrocities that political leaders have forced on the islanders. But has it changed anything? The islanders are still, after 40 years, fighting and crying. Who's listening? Who has ever listened? Will Princess Anne listen?

@ Sylvia..She is deaf...Do you think she has time to think of the Chagossians or Diego Garcia?
But this should be big embarrassment for her and the British Embassy. No journalist allowed to approach her for some questions on the issue.

@ Sean, the Mauritian Television has given extensive coverage of her visit.

Sorry, guys, the British territory will be defended at all costs. God Save The Queen!