Diego Garcia
Thread Starter
Diego Garcia
The UN appears to be backing the end of UK rule to the island and thus hand it back to the Mauritius government. In saying that, the Mauritius government also says the air base would still be allowed to operate providing it conforms with international law..
Any thoughts?
Cheers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48371388
Any thoughts?
Cheers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48371388
How can it be 'handed back to the Mauritius government' when it never came under its jurisdiction in the first place? It was intentionally excluded from Mauritius as part of the independence agreement. The islanders don't want to be a part of Mauritius, having been poorly treated when evacuated there. They have since resided close by Gatwick, patiently awaiting a return to their homeland.
They would prefer to be a British dependency thereafter, despite being expelled by us. They are about to be disappointed yet again, I fear.
They would prefer to be a British dependency thereafter, despite being expelled by us. They are about to be disappointed yet again, I fear.
Never going to happen. Gibraltar will be given away to Spain before Diego Garcia is given up.
Anyway, the UN can make all the declarations it wants. Ignore them as they are meaningless.
Anyway, the UN can make all the declarations it wants. Ignore them as they are meaningless.
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The treatment, by the British Government, of the people of Diego Garcia is frankly a national disgrace, an utterly shameful piece of UK foreign policy.
But this is a wicked problem: There must be an airfield there to provide strategic power projection in the region and keep the US sweet, but it's near impossible to reconcile with the Chagossians' right to return.
The UN appears to be backing the end of UK rule to the island and thus hand it back to the Mauritius government. In saying that, the Mauritius government also says the air base would still be allowed to operate providing it conforms with international law..
Any thoughts?
Cheers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48371388
Any thoughts?
Cheers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48371388
Yes, I thought that Diego Garcia had been given to the Americans as their permanent presence in the Indian Ocean.
They are very unlikely to give it up any time soon. It might even become another state if we are not too careful!
They are very unlikely to give it up any time soon. It might even become another state if we are not too careful!
I fully understand the strategic importance of both and the respective power balances. That being said the treatment of local residents can not be even compared. What the UK has done, most likely under the instructions of the US, is nothing short of abject, plain and simple.
Join Date: May 2019
Location: London
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Absolute disgrace - and there is no reason why the the islanders and the base can't co-exist as they seem to do on Okinawa, Cyprus, Norfolk and just about everywhere else...........
Join Date: May 2019
Location: London
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"It is entirely possible the Americans will refuse to vacate Diego Garcia just as they have refused to vacate Guantanamo Bay."
The USA has a legal right to Guantanamo - the 1903 Lease for Guantanamo has no fixed expiration date.
Chagos Islands is a deal between the USA and the UK who "own" the islands - it's a lease extended to 2036
The USA has a legal right to Guantanamo - the 1903 Lease for Guantanamo has no fixed expiration date.
Chagos Islands is a deal between the USA and the UK who "own" the islands - it's a lease extended to 2036
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: glasgow
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's not big, and it's not getting any bigger
On the plus side, there is very active protection of the marine life around the atoll, the booties (well they used to) make sure any visits to the Northern islands by yachties are not extended. Consequently it is a very special place for wildlife.
Wrecked Catalina inside the atoll at Diego Garcia. First time I went there it was just as it had been in WW2. Second time there had been a huge transformation. And the 'booties' were actively patrolling in RIBS,
Must be a 30 Sqn crew looking for spares...!
Sycamore,
second visit was during my 30 Sqn time. A colleague and I sailed a dingy around looking at all the interesting 'things' parked up.
second visit was during my 30 Sqn time. A colleague and I sailed a dingy around looking at all the interesting 'things' parked up.
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: glasgow
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The other islands are tiny, and apart from getting submerged by tropical storms from time to time, there is no fresh water. Infrastructure wise there are no buildings, no harbours, no airstrips, and no electricity.
I suspect that people who have never been there believe that they are just like an undeveloped Maldives, that might work for a very few visitors on Diego Garcia itself - if the military left, leaving behind their oil fired powerstation and the fragile network of saltwater lenses. We'd be rescuing any inhabitants from the ravages of tropical storms at great expense to the taxpayer within a few years. I dread to think what the cost of shipping everything in and all the rubbish out will come to.
I suspect that people who have never been there believe that they are just like an undeveloped Maldives, that might work for a very few visitors on Diego Garcia itself - if the military left, leaving behind their oil fired powerstation and the fragile network of saltwater lenses. We'd be rescuing any inhabitants from the ravages of tropical storms at great expense to the taxpayer within a few years. I dread to think what the cost of shipping everything in and all the rubbish out will come to.