Court of Appeal says British government abused power in blocking Chagos islanders' return

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Associated Press

The British government abused its powers in preventing the return of Chagos islanders who were evicted to make way for a major U.S. air base, the Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday.

The government indicated it would appeal to the House of Lords.

Lord Justice Stephen Sedley, writing the main ruling, said the government acted unlawfully in using an Order in Council — not subject to Parliamentary debate — to stop the islanders from returning.

Lord Justice George Waller said the decision had been taken by a government minister "acting without any constraint."

Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/23/europe/EU-GEN-Britain-Chagos-Islands.php

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The government, of course, despite having lost every single legal case, is still taking the appeal further, so that it doesn't have to do anything yet. All British governments have tried to wash their hands of this, with no regard for the Chagos islander's lives. Because Diego Garcia is just too useful, both as an airbase, and a black hole of a prison, where there's no oversight whatsoever, for human rights to have any chance of being upheld.