Wikileaks cables reveal Foreign Office misled parliament over Diego Garcia

[muriel_volestrangler]

Via the Chicken Yogurt blog:

In May 2009, Colin Roberts, the Foreign Office director of overseas territories, told the Americans Diego Garcia's value in "assuring the security of the US and UK" had been "much more than anyone foresaw" in the 1960s, when the plan to set up the base was hatched.

"We do not regret the removal of the population since removal was necessary for (Diego Garcia) to fulfil its strategic purpose," he added under a passage that the Americans headed "Je ne regrette rien".

Roberts, admitting the government was "under pressure" from the islanders, told the US of the plan to set up the marine park on 55 islands around Diego Garcia, known as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). "Roberts stated that, according to (Her Majesty's government's) current thinking on a reserve, there would be 'no human footprints' or 'Man Fridays' on the BIOT uninhabited islands," according to the American account of the meeting. The language echoes that used in 1966 when Denis Greenhill – later the Foreign Office's most senior official – described the inhabitants as "a few Tarzans and Man Fridays".
...
The Foreign Office told parliament the proposed park "will not have any direct or indirect effect on the rights or otherwise of Chagossians to return to the islands. These are two entirely separate issues".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/02/wikileaks-cables-diego-garcia-uk

And, inevitably, the parties that said they were on the Chagossians side in opposition are now dumping on them from a great height, since they've become the government:

Just over 100 days ago, then Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague made a bold promise to the Chagossians. “I can assure you that if elected to serve as the next British government, we will work to ensure a fair settlement of this longstanding dispute.” The islanders cheered.

Hague has since expounded on his theme, saying: “In our first 100 days, we have brought the energy of a new government to bear on the promotion of human rights”. But the Chagossians are still waiting for justice.

In opposition, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg was even more outspoken in support of the human rights of the Chagos islanders. His office went on the record, saying: “Nick and the Liberal Democrats believe the Government has a moral responsibility to allow these people to at last return home.”

The islanders’ leader, Olivier Bancoult, wrote to Foreign Office minister Henry Bellingham, reminding him of these words and politely inquiring when precisely his people might be allowed to go back home. Bellingham’s reply came early in the autumn. “The UK Government will continue to contest the case brought by the Chagos Islanders to the European Court of Human Rights. This is because we believe that the arguments against allowing resettlement on grounds of defence, security and feasibility are clear and compelling.”

http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2010/12/privy-to-chagos-islanders%E2%80%99-injustice/