Chagossians warn of hunger strikes if government does not act
Sunday 22 August 2004
The Chagos Refugees Group (CRG) has written to the Queen and to Prime Minister Tony Blair, threatening protests and hunger strikes if the government does not move to help them.
The
letter says that if progress has not been made by the end of August, "we
will have no choice but to go and live and sleep in front of the British High
Commission in Port Louis to ask for our rights and start a hunger strike if we
are not being given appropriate consideration by the UK Government."
The group's demands of the government include that visits to the islands - including the Diego Garcia cemetry - be organised, that Chagossians be given the chance to work on their islands, that Chagossians be given support in line with that received by residents of other overseas territories, that negotiations be launched for compensation, and that the cases of Chagossians who have not yet been granted passports be considered.
The petition to the Queen asks for the orders passed in June, which banned the Chagossians from their islands, to be revoked, and calls for support in the areas of employment, pensions, medical care, and education. It also calls for the formation of a new body, run by Chagossians, to deal with Chagos affairs.
The CRG has also asked for the help of the Southern African Development Community.
You can read the letters in full here:
- Letter to the Queen, Tony Blair and Bill Rammell (11 Aug 2004)
- Petition to the Queen (13 July 2004)
- Letter to the Southern African Development Community (14 Aug 2004)
Related stories:
28 July 04 - Compensation appeal rejected
8 July 04 - Government slammed from all sides in Chagos debate
17 June 04 - Government defends "Orders in Council" in parliament
16 June 04 - ALL CHAGOSSIANS BANNED FROM THEIR HOMELAND