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Mauritius: Inspiring Struggle!
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L'Express (Port Louis)
COLUMN
24 May 2007
Posted to the web 24 May 2007
Pauline ETIENNE
Port Louis
The Chagossian story is first a story about people. People, who have been rejected from their native land by the British and forced to come and live in a country they did not know.
With this in mind, the new ruling of the British Court must be a big relief and, above all, a source of great happiness for the Chagossian community in Mauritius. The British authorities have lost their appeal, which means that the Chagossians can go back to their native archipelago whenever they want.
This victory of the Chagossians is the proof that everything is not only a matter of power. The little Chagossians did not hesitate to challenge a big power as Great Britain because they felt they were victims of an injustice and they were indeed right to do so.
However, they may still have a long way to go. First, there is still a chance that the British choose to appeal again through the House of Lords. It will be their last resort. But they still have 27 days ahead to decide.
But other questions now have to be raised for all these Chagossians who are celebrating their victory. Are they in a position to go back to their islands immediately? Or, more exactly, are the islands ready to welcome them? No one has lived on the archipelago - except for the Diego Garcia military base, which will in any case not be fit to welcome people - for more than 30 years and Chagossians who had the chance of visiting it last year realised that life would be difficult there. Whatever the official speech of Olivier Bancoult might be, reality shows that immediate return is simply impossible.
When the first ruling of the British Court proved the Chagossians right last year - allowing them to go home - their lawyer, Robin Mardemootoo, made it clear. "Now that the court has declared that the Chagossians have the right to go back and live on the islands, the Government has a duty to make this return possible; otherwise, it is a direct violation of one of its treaty obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights."
Richard Gifford, the islanders' solicitor also insisted: "They now call upon the British Government for a new start in this abusive relationship and to proceed with the utmost urgency to restore these loyal British subjects to their homeland."
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But let's face it; there is little chance that the British government will willfully decide to give back water, electricity and everything to make a living decent in the Chagos at the moment. This means that they will have to continue fighting to make their dreams come true! But Chagossians have already shown that they are patient people and that struggle does not scare them
As for Mauritius, the way is even longer. Even though the government should seize the opportunity of this ruling to claim its sovereignty, chances are low. Britain will fight tooth and nail to keep the Chagos archipelago.
The September 11 attacks will give them one more excuse to conduct a fierce battle, as they will say Diego Garcia is a way of protecting the world against terrorism But the Mauritian government should get inspiration from its fellow Chagossians! Struggle pays!
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