Bain, Robert

Bain, Robert

Robert Bain

1 June 2006News

In May, the High Court granted the people of the Chagos islands the right to return to the land Britain stole from them. The islanders are now waiting to see whether the government will honour this decision or revert to the dirty tricks that have been used against them for four decades. Robert Bain reports.

It is now almost 40 years since the Chagos islanders were secretly thrown off their Britishowned* islands to make way for a US military base. On 11 May, they celebrated winning the right to return.

It is the second time the High Court has had to give them this right, and their experience shows just what the British Government is capable of when it is determined to trample on people's rights.

Secrets and lies

The depopulation of the Chagos islands is a story of secrets, lies…