Exiled islanders set for emotional return to their homeland
There is an interesting story in today's Independent concerning the fight by former residents of Diego Garcia to be allowed to return to their homeland, which the British have leased to the US as a military base for the past 40 years.
Many ex-residents are to be allowed to visit their indigenous land in a trip sponsored by the British government, at a cost of £400,000, although they will not be allowed to spend a night on their former home.
Various excuses have been given as to why they should not be allowed to permanently return, from mosquito infestation to poor weather, but no concrete reason has ever been given as to why the islanders and the US base could not co-exist.
There is one paragraph in the article which made me sit up, and may possibly provide the reason for their permanent exclusion.
The US military has used the island base as a hub for the "war on terror" and is reported to have taken "high value" suspects there for interrogation.
Are we perhaps looking at a new Guantanamo?
Click on title to read article.
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