Looks like like one of the greatest wrongs in the history of the "special relationship" is nearer to being righted.
The British Government has all but exhausted the legal delaying tactics, in preventing the Chagos Islanders from returning home.
Here's hoping they eventually get to return to Diego Garcia itself soon, too.
Agreed, it's been a shabby performance throughout by our elected representatives, and I hope they are ashamed - but I doubt it.
On the other hand, I suppose the argument is that at times of a perceived threat to national security any government will evict people from their land in order to build airbases, defence establishments etc, and I'm sure it has happened on many occasions in mainland UK. Also, people are evicted to build roads and dams, even in peacetime. But it's not convincing and I hope the decent thing is done at last by our government.
More background at The UK Chagos Support Association
All true. But at least these people have representation - they can vote, write to MPs, etc. It's a democracy.
Who do the islanders go to for redress? Only the courts, it would seem. Another reason why people should be slow to criticse judges.
I feel a plug coming on for the Magistrate's blog, which deals with a lot of this disparity between reality and public perception of the judicial process...and this week features a rebuttal of newspaper reports that a High Cort judge didn't know what a web page is...
Bit of a non sequitur, I think. Judges are human, therefore have to go through a learning process and sometimes make mistakes. No reason to exempt them from criticism if and when they do. The same would go for DANCE judges too, of course, but they don't get paid as much!
What the judge actually said, more than 4 weeks into the trial of the alleged cyber-terrorists, did seem to betray a lack of personal understanding:and this week features a rebuttal of newspaper reports that a High Cort judge didn't know what a web page is...
Mr Justice Peter Openshaw, who is conducting the trial at Woolwich Crown Court, stunned prosecutors when he said: “The trouble is I don’t understand the language. I don’t really understand what a website is.”
I know the theory of having jargon terms explained in non-technical language for a jury and for the purposes of justice being clearly seen to be done, but there didn't seem to be much ambiguity about the judge's comments. If he had really wanted it explained he should have chosen his words better - whoops, I'm criticising a judge!
See Marcel Berlins article Guardian Unlimited | Comment is free | Was this judge just too clever at playing dumb?
Another blog in the Gruaniad on this affair. The British Government has found a new way to drag out the process, so another few of the 850-odd islanders left will die off before ever returning home.
No Place Like Home
Sit this pathetic saga alongside Brown's speech "On Liberty" last month
I shouldn't really be surprised, but sadly the Chagossians will not get to go home. This appears to be the end of the legal road.
The law lords presiding have described them as trespassers. Nice.
Democracy at work.
Seeing the title of this thread, it was a big disappointment to see that our elected Government (with Uncle Sam's hand well up its back) has won its case, albeit only by 3-2. I'm ashamed.
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