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an interesting topic, never came across of it before
our honorable government and it's actions in 1970's!
For many years, family groups of Chagossians had made trips to the Mauritian mainland on the periodic steamers that collected the copra from Diego Garcia. They would then get to spend the money they had earned in the townships, and experience something of modern life. When they had tired of this, they would simply get on the next steamer home - even though this might mean a wait on Mauritius of several months.
Starting in March 1969, Chagossians visiting Mauritius found that they were no longer allowed to get on the steamer home.[citation needed] They were told their contracts to work on Diego Garcia had expired. This left them homeless, jobless and without means of support. It also prevented word from reaching the rest of the Diego Garcia population. Relatives who travelled to Mauritius to investigate their missing family members also found themselves unable to return.
[edit] 'A Memorandum of Guidance' (1970)
In 1970, British MP Tam Dalyell heard about what was happening to the Chagossians and gave notice that he intended to ask a number of questions in Parliament. Within days of Dalyell's notification, Eleanor Emery, Head of the Indian Ocean Department at the FCO, drafted a 'memorandum of guidance' for internal circulation. The reason for the memorandum, she stated, was 'a recent revival of public interest in the British Indian Ocean Territory'.
She then stated:[citation needed]
"We shall continue to try to say as little as possible to avoid embarrassing the United States administration.
"Apart from our overall strategic and defence interests, we are also concerned at present not to have to elaborate on the administrative implications for the present population of Diego Garcia of the establishment of any base there.
"We would not wish it to become general knowledge that some of the inhabitants have lived on Diego Garcia for several generations and could, therefore, be regarded as 'belongers'.
"We shall advise ministers in handling supplementary questions to say that there is only a small number of contract workers from the Seychelles and Mauritius, engaged to work on the copra plantations.
"Should an MP ask about what would happen to these contract labourers in the event of a base being set up on the island, we hope that, for the present, this can be brushed aside as a hypothetical question at least until any decision to go ahead with the Diego Garcia facility becomes public."
Starting in March 1969, Chagossians visiting Mauritius found that they were no longer allowed to get on the steamer home.[citation needed] They were told their contracts to work on Diego Garcia had expired. This left them homeless, jobless and without means of support. It also prevented word from reaching the rest of the Diego Garcia population. Relatives who travelled to Mauritius to investigate their missing family members also found themselves unable to return.
[edit] 'A Memorandum of Guidance' (1970)
In 1970, British MP Tam Dalyell heard about what was happening to the Chagossians and gave notice that he intended to ask a number of questions in Parliament. Within days of Dalyell's notification, Eleanor Emery, Head of the Indian Ocean Department at the FCO, drafted a 'memorandum of guidance' for internal circulation. The reason for the memorandum, she stated, was 'a recent revival of public interest in the British Indian Ocean Territory'.
She then stated:[citation needed]
"We shall continue to try to say as little as possible to avoid embarrassing the United States administration.
"Apart from our overall strategic and defence interests, we are also concerned at present not to have to elaborate on the administrative implications for the present population of Diego Garcia of the establishment of any base there.
"We would not wish it to become general knowledge that some of the inhabitants have lived on Diego Garcia for several generations and could, therefore, be regarded as 'belongers'.
"We shall advise ministers in handling supplementary questions to say that there is only a small number of contract workers from the Seychelles and Mauritius, engaged to work on the copra plantations.
"Should an MP ask about what would happen to these contract labourers in the event of a base being set up on the island, we hope that, for the present, this can be brushed aside as a hypothetical question at least until any decision to go ahead with the Diego Garcia facility becomes public."
how about that...
but that is not all... it's not just 1970's, it's 2007 also!
In 2000 the British High Court granted the islanders the right to return to the Archipelago. In 2002 the islanders and their descendants, now numbering 4,500, returned to court claiming compensation, after what they said were two years of delays by the British Foreign Office.
However, on 10 June 2004 the British government made two Orders-in-Council forever banning the islanders from returning home [2], reversing the 2000 court decision. Some of the Chagossians are making return plans to turn Diego Garcia into a sugarcane and fishing enterprise as soon as the defence agreement expires (some see this as early as 2016). A few dozen other Chagossians are still fighting to be housed in the UK.[3]
On 11 May 2006 the British High Court ruled that the 2004 Orders-in-Council were unlawful, and consequently that the Chagossians were entitled to return to the Chagos Archipelago. [4] [5] It remains to be seen whether the British Government will appeal, and when or how the judgment might be implemented in practice. An action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Robert McNamara, the former United States Secretary of Defence, was dismissed as a nonjusticiable political question. [6]
On 23 May 2007, the UK Government's appeal against the 2006 High Court ruling was dismissed.
However, on 10 June 2004 the British government made two Orders-in-Council forever banning the islanders from returning home [2], reversing the 2000 court decision. Some of the Chagossians are making return plans to turn Diego Garcia into a sugarcane and fishing enterprise as soon as the defence agreement expires (some see this as early as 2016). A few dozen other Chagossians are still fighting to be housed in the UK.[3]
On 11 May 2006 the British High Court ruled that the 2004 Orders-in-Council were unlawful, and consequently that the Chagossians were entitled to return to the Chagos Archipelago. [4] [5] It remains to be seen whether the British Government will appeal, and when or how the judgment might be implemented in practice. An action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Robert McNamara, the former United States Secretary of Defence, was dismissed as a nonjusticiable political question. [6]
On 23 May 2007, the UK Government's appeal against the 2006 High Court ruling was dismissed.
all done for a military base
exemplary respect of human rights, at least the courts are still working, and got some justice after 35 years...
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