Give us the land of Diego Garcia. (Europe).
Indian Ocean Indian Ocean, third largest ocean, c.28,350,000 sq mi (73,427,000 sq km), extending from S Asia to Antarctica and from E Africa to SE Australia; it is c.4,000 mi (6,400 km) wide at the equator. It constitutes about 20% of the world's total ocean area. islanders Islanders may refer to: - New York Islanders, a ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York that plays on the National Hockey League (NHL).
- Puerto Rico Islanders, a Puerto Rican soccer team in the USL First Division, that currently play their home games at Juan Ramon
sued the British Foreign Office in
London's High Court in late October, saying they were
"tricked" into giving up their land. Thirty years ago, the
islanders were forced to leave the Chagos Islands by the British
government. The United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. then established the Diego Garcia Diego Garcia, coral island, 11 sq mi (28 sq km). Indian Ocean, largest island of the Chagos Archipelago, SW of Sri Lanka. Part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, the island was leased (1970) to the United States and later developed as a joint U.S. Air
Force Base on the largest of the islands, which it leased from Britain.
Residents were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles. They are
demanding compensation and the return of their property.
Robin Allen, the barrister barrister: see attorney.
barrister
One of two types of practicing lawyers in Britain (the other is the solicitor). Barristers engage in advocacy (trial work), and only they may argue cases before a high court. representing the displaced islanders,
told the London Guardian that his clients did not move willingly.
"They were removed from these islands by the British government.
The desired end of the British government was to obtain empty land in
the middle of the Indian Ocean. The problem in achieving this end was
that the Chagos Islands were not uninhabited." The US bases B-52
bombers at Diego Garcia, which played a crucial role in past
bombardments of Iraq and Afghanistan. As the case went to court, the US
said it was sending B-2 "Stealth" bombers to the island base
to take part in the coming war on Iraq.--London Guardian, Nov 1.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Earth Island Institute
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.
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