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Our February 2005 update
The
government is putting up stout resistance to the second judicial review by
Olivier Bancoult in which he challenges the Orders in Council banning
Chagossians from their homeland as beyond the powers of the Crown’s
prerogative. One of the grounds for justifying this measure was the supposed
susceptibility of Chagos to seismic activity. Following the Boxing Day tsunami,
Richard Gifford, Chagos Refugee Group’s solicitor in London, has asked for
permission for an Expert and a Chagossian Representative to visit a selection of
islands to study the effects. A response is awaited.
Meanwhile,
preparations are at an advanced stage for lodging a Petition to the European
Court of Human Rights against the treatment of the Chagossians over the last
forty years.
“The
Plight of the Chagossians” by the CRG in Port Louis, which tells their story
in their own words, is now on our website www.chagossupport.org.uk
thanks to the very good efforts of Ann Stewart (a member in Edinburgh) and
Robert Bain (our webmaster). Ann presented a copy of this to Robin Cook at a
meeting where she was able to talk informally to him. She also gave details of
our website to everyone else at the meeting. It is a most interesting but
saddening read. If any member would like a print out, please contact me. As it
is about 30 pages long, a contribution towards postage etc. would be
appreciated.
In
January I was able to meet Allen Vincatassin and some of the exiled Chagossians
in Crawley. It was a pleasure and privilege to spend time with them and I was
impressed by their courtesy and fortitude in the face of all their misfortunes.
I was accompanied by a young man who has since flown on to Mauritius. He is
planning a photo documentary of the Chagossians. Also with us was a young lady
from the Seychelles who is studying journalism in London and is fluent in
English, French and Creole which meant that she could talk to the Chagossians in
their own language, albeit in a slightly different accent. She was very
surprised by their lack of bitterness and anger.
The
visit by Foreign and Commonwealth Minister, Bill Rammell, to the Chagos
community in Mauritius was mentioned in the last Update. It seems that he
arrived at the Community Center
with over a dozen policemen whom he ordered to keep journalists outside. He told
the assembled meeting that Mauritius had prohibited the British from contracting
the boat which was to carry some Islanders to visit their ancestral graves.
Olivier Bancoult then said “You say, Mr. Rammell, that you support our visit,
its financing etc. but the only problem is the boat? Well we have a boat” and
handed the minister a dossier of information on a boat based in Dubai that is
prepared to do the trip. The Minister looked taken aback and said he would have
to review the information before commenting further.
For
the rest of the twenty minute meeting he took a few questions. On being asked if
Chagos had been affected by the tsunami he seemed to have difficulty
understanding the question and eventually said “Not according to my
information”. On being asked about the state of the graves, he was again not
very forthcoming. As Minister responsible for these islands it is his business
to know.
He
then visited two Chagossian homes after which he made the extraordinary remark
that their poverty has “absolutely nothing” to do with the fact that they
are Chagossian and were forced into exile where they were deserted by a
government who owed them a duty of care. Members reading “The Plight of the
Chagossians” will realize how much better their life was before their forced
exile. Simple but sufficient for their needs and happiness.
As
a contrast to the Minister’s visit, that of Don McKinnon, Secretary General of
the Commonwealth, was much more cordial. He walked with the CRG to visit the
Chagossian homes instead of being driven and did not object to journalists. He
was diplomatic, polite and took time to listen to people. He was accompanied by
Professor Adefuye, Undersecretary for African Affairs (Commonwealth), who said
he hadn’t realised what a Human Rights issue this was and was anxious to learn
more.
Going
back to the boat business: Paul Beranger (Prime Minister of Mauritius) said it
was out of the question that a Mauritian ship should go to the Chagos under a
British order when the UK has enough ships of her own. One wonders if this was a
reaction the Foreign Office anticipated when first booking the ship? Another
delaying tactic?
From
Commonwealth to Common Market : A Mr. Neilson made a statement on behalf of the
Commission in May 2002 saying that
it was aware “following the
Nov.2000 ruling by the British High Court, that the expulsion of the Islanders
(who are British subjects) had been illegal.” The statement went on to say
“Under the circumstances, it is considered unlikely that the Commission would
be asked to assist in returning the Islanders to Chagos.”
However,
the circumstances are now very different from when this statement was made as
Orders in Council have been passed forbidding the Chagossians EVER to return
(except for the “promised” visit). This being the case, could all members
contact their Member of the European Parliament, explain the situation to them,
and ask them what the Commission can do now about a member state that ignores
the Human Rights of its citizens?
Last
year, the Commission sent a group of MEPs to Spain to investigate a case where
Spaniards were likely to lose their homes without consultation to make way for
proposed developments. Some similarity there to the plight of the Chagossians.
Pierre
Prosper, leader of the Seychelles Chagossians, says there has been a lot of
interest in Germany and he plans to raise more awareness through papers, TV,
politicians etc., assisted by a German IT specialist who will be able to help
with translating material.
A
lady born on Chagos, brought up in Seychelles and now living in Australia has
been in touch with us via the website. We have been able to put her in touch
with Pierre.
We
have also been able to put a gentleman, who has moved to Mauritius, in touch
with Olivier and the CRG there so that he can help in some practical way.
All
our contacts are valued and of interest.
Far
Sight 3 contacted us to say there was a series of articles on www.rumormillnews.com
that might interest us and they did – including an exchange in the House of
Lords where Lord Beaumont of Whitley and Lord Avebury spoke up on behalf of the
Chagossians.
The
Early Day Motion, sadly, is out of time but other useful things you could do are
:
1.
Keep going with your MP to get them onside and active.
2.
Contact your MEP to get the European Community to act. Addresses can be found
under Members of European
Parliament in the business section of the phone book.
3.
Contact Don McKinnon, Secretary general of the Commonwealth
via
this website (click on
Feedback to leave a message) or write to him c/o New Zealand High Commission, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House, Pall
Mall, London.
The
Commonwealth, having, rightly, criticized Mugabe for ignoring the human rights
of Zimbabwe citizens, might like to look at how the UK has been and still is
ignoring the human rights of the Chagossians.
4.
Spread the word about the Chagos issue to all and sundry – print off what you
need from the website.
5.
If possible, raise funds to help alleviate poverty and need. Our latest
contribution to the CRG in Mauritius was used to buy books necessary for the
children’s education.
6.
Please encourage everyone you know all over the country to write and ask for a
repeat of John Pilger’s “Stealing a Nation” – and preferably at an
earlier time. The person in charge is:
Mr.
Nigel Pickard
Director
of Programmes
ITV
Network Ltd
200,
Gray’s Inn Road
LONDON
WC1 8HF
Finally,
the committee of the UK Chagos Support Association are having a meeting on
Sunday 13th. March at 2.00 at the Friends Meeting House (Quakers),
Skipton Road, Keighley, West
Yorkshire
Anyone
who is interested in coming will be most welcome.
With
thanks and best wishes,
Celia
Whittaker,
Secretary
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