Wildcat   10 #1 Posted May 28, 2008 In June the Chagossians go to the House of Lords in the hope of finally winning the right of return to their Island home they were cleared from by the UK Govt. in the 1960s to make way for a US military base.  Successive Govts have treated them appallingly. It is about time we righted the wrong we did to them.  Guardian story  Their Campaign website Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Wildcat   10 #2 Posted October 22, 2008 The High Court has ruled and the 2,000 people evicted from their homeland by the UK Govt in the sixties lost their right of return in a judgement made today by a narrow decision of 3 judges to 2.  So much for justice and our historic traditions.  Magna Carta "No freeman shall be taken, or imprisoned, or exiled, or any otherwise destroyed, but by the lawful judgment of his peers, or by the law of the land."  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7683726.stm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
taxman   12 #3 Posted October 22, 2008 Wasn't one of the "reasons" given was that if they were allowed back they could ask the British Govt for funds to rebuild their devastated islands...and we wouldn't want that would we?  "Lord Hoffmann said the case's subtext was funding - the UK may have had to pay for rebuilding their community.  He said the Chagossians had understandably "shown no inclination to return to live Crusoe-like in poor and barren conditions of life". "  So much for British fair play and all that stuff Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Evremonde   10 #4 Posted October 22, 2008 Lets be realistic, they are just a bunch of islanders who were inconvenienced.   The base was needed, there was a cold war and we were more concerned with potential apocalypse than a few island fishermen, so why do the lickspittles of this world have to have a go at the government for what was at the time a necessary situation? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Halibut   12 #5 Posted October 22, 2008 Lets be realistic, they are just a bunch of islanders who were inconvenienced.  If you were kicked out of your home and sent to live miles away and never allowed to return would you regard it as a mere inconvenience? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Evremonde   10 #6 Posted October 22, 2008 If you were kicked out of your home and sent to live miles away and never allowed to return would you regard it as a mere inconvenience? I'm not a native making a basic subsistance living, and therefore with little to leave behind. They were. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Halibut   12 #7 Posted October 22, 2008 I'm not a native making a basic subsistance living, and therefore with little to leave behind. They were.  Oh, so your life is more important because you have lots of money?   And you think that makes you anything better than an arrogant, pompous, selfish loser because? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Evremonde   10 #8 Posted October 22, 2008 Oh, so your life is more important because you have lots of money? And you think that makes you anything better than an arrogant, pompous, selfish loser because? I never mentioned money Mr H? Do you have some complex about money? A bit of a chip on the shoulder perhaps when dealing with those more affluent than yourself? You really shouldn't you know. Have I, in our discussion, called you anything? Offered you any insults that might justify ripostes or accusations of my being arrogant, pompous, selfish or a loser?  As far as I can tell, your attack is entirely unprovoked, and not well mannered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Halibut   12 #9 Posted October 22, 2008 I never mentioned money Mr H? Do you have some complex about money? A bit of a chip on the shoulder perhaps when dealing with those more affluent than yourself? You really shouldn't you know. Have I, in our discussion, called you anything? Offered you any insults that might justify ripostes or accusations of my being arrogant, pompous, selfish or a loser?  As far as I can tell, your attack is entirely unprovoked, and not well mannered.  Grow up. It's what you come here for. It's what you crave, tool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Evremonde   10 #10 Posted October 22, 2008 Grow up. It's what you come here for. It's what you crave, tool.Oh, such sweet irony . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
melthebell   864 #11 Posted October 22, 2008 great britain and its long great history of its "empire".... ........ .......of slavery, death, stealing, greed and displacement Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Korky   10 #12 Posted October 23, 2008 great britain and its long great history of its "empire".... ........ .......of slavery, death, stealing, greed and displacement That my be one view - a somewhat jaundiced one though I would suggest. Would you care to comment on Britain's leading role in the abolition of slavery, and the many years (and financial commitment) of policing and preventing the slave trade across the world's oceans based on the strength of the Royal Navy?   On your other points, what about the education Britain gave to developing nations? Medicines, water systems, roads, working governments, trade links and governmental parenting that continue to this day - much to the satisfaction of those very ex-colonies? Have you travelled to any of them and asked their opinions?  Whenever I hear the anti-colonial Brit arguments I have to smile and think of that wonderful scene in The Life Of Brian - what have the Romans done for us?  It's simple really. The Romans dragged us into a civilised state, and we in turn did that for a third of the world in recent centuries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...