bbc story : Mauritian PM to discuss Diego Garcia
Quote:
Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Berenger is to meet the Commonwealth secretary general in London to discuss the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.
Inhabitants of one of the islands, Diego Garcia, were evicted more than 30 years ago so it could be a US airbase.
A British court ruling in 2000 said the eviction was unlawful but a ruling in 2003 said there were no grounds for compensation or a right of return.
The 24-square-mile archipelago was separated from Mauritius in 1965.
At least 1,000 people were displaced from the archipelago between 1967 and 1973, to make way for the airbase.
Mauritius wants the archipelago returned and has not ruled out going to the United Nations over the case.
"The possibility that Mauritius will seek the backing of the UN to take the dispute to the International Court of Justice is also under consideration," a Mauritius government source told AFP.
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so, as I see it, the British government evicted the inhabitants, let the US build a big military base there, and are now ignoring the issue for all they're worth
i've only heard of it occasionally and i'd regard myself as fairly politically aware ...
any opinions? is it ok to take people's islands away from them? has anyone even heard of this place?