View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Long reads
24 May 2007updated 24 Sep 2015 11:16am

Chagos: Dirty tricks and delays

A British court again upholds the right of the Chagossian people to live in their homeland four deca

By Robert Bain

It is four decades since the Chagossian people were tricked, coerced and eventually forced into leaving their Indian Ocean islands, so that the British Government could lease the main island of Diego Garcia to the US, for use as a military base.

Today, for the third time, a British court has upheld what the Chagos islanders always knew was theirs – the right to live on their homeland.

The Chagossians’ first court victory in 2000 was accepted by the then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, but since then they have seen nothing but delays and dirty tricks. Firstly the Government wasted time with feasibility studies which were roundly ridiculed for their inexplicable conclusions and failure to consult the islanders. Then it resorted to Royal Prerogative powers to bypass parliament and overrule the previous decision. These secret royal orders were later quashed, and today’s appeal court ruling called them an ‘abuse of power’.

Today’s headlines tell of victory, and the judges certainly consider the decision final – refusing permission for a further appeal to the House of Lords. But it must be hard for these islanders – who know first hand how low the Government is willing to stoop – not to wonder what it will pull out of its sleeve next.

For too long the Government has hidden behind phoney arguments against resettlement, in the knowledge that the islanders are not in a position to re-establish their lost island society without help.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Compensation settlements made in the 1980s were inadequate, mismanaged and one-sided; the security threat of a population on the outer islands is minimal; and claims that resettlement is not viable have not been backed up. Treaty obligations to the US are cited as a reason why obligations to British citizens must take second place.

This time the Government needs to take resettlement seriously, engaging in discussions with the islanders, conservation groups, and potential partners who could help develop fisheries and tourism in the islands.

The surviving islanders, who still vividly remember being rounded up, shipped off and dumped helpless on the docks of Mauritius and the Seychelles, would be devastated if the Government were to drag their suffering out even longer.

Millions of pounds have been spent trampling on the rights of these vulnerable people. Now it is time to respect the court’s decision, and start pumping those resources into putting the islanders back.

Robert Bain is a London-based journalist who campaigns voluntarily for the exiled Chagos islanders

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU