To:-

The Right Hon.Tony Blair MP
The Foreign Secretary, The Right Hon. Margaret Beckett MP


INHUMAN TREATMENT OF THE CHAGOS ISLANDERS (ILOIS)

We have become aware of the shocking treatment of the Chagos Islanders who were removed by the British Government to make way for a US airbase in Diego Garcia.

Their treatment is a shameful act of colonial bullying, racism, and inhuman and degrading treatment of people who are loyal British subjects. It is obvious that they have been living in conditions of neglect and suffering, severe hardship, high death rates, ill health, malnutrition and inadequate access to all public facilities which British citizens should have.

We are appalled that the British Government has broken all rules of international law in treating its own subjects so harshly. We are aware that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has been systematically broken year after year by the British Government in Chagos, and we fully endorse the recommendation of the UN Human Rights Subcommittee dated 6th December 2001, when the committee directed the United Kingdom to:-

“… make exercise of the Ilois’ right to return to their territory practicable. It should consider compensation for the denial of this right over an extended period. It should include the territory in its next periodic report”.

We are appalled that, instead of implementing this direction, the Government has chosen to continue the injustice, resorting to the use of Orders in Council to bypass the democratic process and overrule the High Court. We are even more appalled that the Government is using public funds to pursue a lengthy appeal against the High Court’s decision in May to quash these ridiculous orders.

We find it outrageous and offensive to these poor people that the Government is trying to hide behind a pathetic settlement payment in 1982, and feasibility studies which have been met with ridicule in the scientific community.

This outrageous appeal should be dropped immediately, and the committee’s damning judgment should be implemented immediately and in full. Anything less would be a shameful violation of all civilised norms of behaviour and will hasten the destruction of a peaceful rural community of islanders.



Sincerely,

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