Chagosians to tour islands of origin

[jonno99]

Port Louis, Mauritius, 01/15 - About 100 Chagosians based in Mauritius and Seychelles are expected to visit the Chagos archipelago where they lived until the 1970s at the end of March and early April this year, according to Olivier Bancoult, the leader of the group, who quoted a letter from Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam.

The British forced the Chagosians to leave their islands before granting independence to Mauritius in 1968 so as to create an American military base on Diego Garcia Island.

Speaking in Port Louis Saturday, Bancoult he had received the news with a lot of pleasure.

"This is the outcome of a long struggle we waged which is being crowned with success thanks to the Mauritian government, particularly the Prime Minister, who informed us in a letter that 85 Chagosians living in Mauritius and 15 in Seychelles will make the trip," he said.

According to him, the majority of people who were born in the Chagos islands were now very old. "This will be an unforgettable and emotion event for them to visit the tombs of their parents and close relatives," Bancoult added.

This is the third promise made to the Chagosians to visit their islands of origin. The first two in April and October 2005 were abortive.

from: http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=408050

Esperons cette fois-ci ki banne Chagossiens pou capav aller.

[Rocco]

When the Argentineans invaded the Falkland Islands in the 80s, the British Government dispatched it arm forces to protect the lives of 100 white families and their sheep, and that conflict cost the lives of thousands of people. Yet, on the other side of the Atlantic, the same British Government dislodged the Chagosians in the middle of the night like cattle in ships to an unknown destination (Mauritius). The moral in this, is that when you are white, you are protected at all cost, and when you are black we can do anything we want with you, you are worth nothing.
We acquired a conditional independence at the expense of those poor Chagosians and Chacha should not have accepted that deal. Those people are still traumatised after so many years of unrest; those who have gone to the UK are still experiencing inequality and racism.

That forthcoming visit to the island will be a strict and restricted tour where the islanders will be conducted by the yanks. They will unfortunately not have access to many parts of the island where they would wish to go.

All this hassle was due because we wanted our independence, are we better off today? I’ll let you answer that one.

Rocco

[mervyn]

rocco to chagosian toi ??
MO ENA FAMI KI ORIZINAIRE LA BAS

[Rocco]

Mervyn, mo pa ene Chagosien mais mo detester l'injustice, de temps en temps nou besoin souleve l'histoire de Chagos.

Rocco

[jonno99]

Posté par Rocco

We acquired a conditional independence at the expense of those poor Chagosians and Chacha should not have accepted that deal. Those people are still traumatised after so many years of unrest; those who have gone to the UK are still experiencing inequality and racism.

That forthcoming visit to the island will be a strict and restricted tour where the islanders will be conducted by the yanks. They will unfortunately not have access to many parts of the island where they would wish to go.

The sad part is, I think many of the Chagossiens experince racism and discrimination in Mauritius too.

What is even worse is that the Americans refer to Diego Garcia as "Footprint of Freedom". http://www.dg.navy.mil/2005/html/gen...nformation.htm

[samemsa]

Posté par jonno99

The sad part is, I think many of the Chagossiens experince racism and discrimination in Mauritius too.

What is even worse is that the Americans refer to Diego Garcia as "Footprint of Freedom". http://www.dg.navy.mil/2005/html/gen...nformation.htm

Man chagossiens experience racism dans maurisme
ki qualité? Coumsa sa? MO pas comprend

[jonno99]

Posté par samemsa

Man chagossiens experience racism dans maurisme
ki qualité? Coumsa sa? MO pas comprend

1 fois kan mo ti alle baie du tombeau (la plage) ti ena 1 Chagossien sans abri - li ti pe dormi dans kiosk pres kot la mer. la pluie inne commencer et tou dimoun cachiete dans kiosk. Bann dimoun inne trouve chagossien so matelas, so bann linge, so di pain en bas banc et zott tout commence chicane li.. ena ki ti pe zoure li aussi.

[b52]

I was living in the Chagos when suddenly a military
plane flew low over the island and scattered the chooks
and the dogs. Two days later a warship appeared
on the horizon. They landed, talked to the manager,
played ball with the chagossiens, gave them cartons
military rations and second hands books for the school
but at the same time they were surveying the island
and nobody knew why. A few years later we knew
why!!!

[Rocco]

I wonder if the media would be allowed to escort those poor islanders on their visit. This visit should not be just an event of nostalgy or curiosity, it should be well orchestrated by various fields to detect the real facts on the island. I strongly recommend that our politicians be included amongts the visitors.

Rocco

[mervyn]

oki Rocco , seryé net sa moi ausi mo r toi
Pou combattre injustice ki chacha in fer