An Account of Diego Garcia and its people

H. Ly-Tio-Fane and S. Rajabalee l. Discovery and settlement of Diego Garcia and Indian sailors travelling across the Inciian used Ocean to pause in the middle of the Indian themselves Ocean to in the sp acious bay of Diego Garcia. European The first sailor who discovered Diego Garcia Psdrqù[a,scaf¡uhas is believed to be who in 1532 rravelled across Ocean to . the Indian During that voyage, he discovered and the Ch agos Archipelago and probably stopped refit at Diego Garcia, to which he named after the Portuguese Admiral, Don Garcia de Noronh ar Although the strategic position of those atolrs was by earry navigators appreciated in thË ocean, no attempt was setrlement. made at their , It was only during the eight..nrt, i de France ;;;rr* while Ile was b:Tg áru"topJoãr rn imporrant expansion na'ar base for {,the of rrgryrr i,n;;;;i* in india, th;; /for the settlement ;; artempr of Diego Garcia was made. The Chagos Archipelugã titt miãway'between India. , and It covers a.n^area extending from about latitude 7,-ì9, to 4041, South and from 70'.s0' ,,ï 12041' rongtitude East. It is approximatery r, r75 mires or 2, r50 kms distant from Mauritius. The disrance berween the largest otit, ;, ó;;;; äarcia in the South of the Archiperago ãn¿ tr,. n'ort northerly isrand in rhe Peros Banhos group is l zi mires2. Diego Garcia is an isrand of t! coral formation and covers an area of 230sq. kms. It is in the form of a -shoe enfolding an ,*t.nriue ragoon rvhich forms a spacious bay. Betrveen the- extremities of its arms minor lie three named respectively : (i) Noith or Bird Islanå 90 Siècle Voies de Navigâtion dans L'Océan Indien au XYIIIe

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A : La Route rles lles' 19ó? pl'7 D'après le Neptune Oriental' 1775 pl'9 et Tousaint' An Account of Diego Garcia and its people (ii) Middle Island (iii) East or Grande Barbe Island The American naval station is situated in the western portion of the and the only entrance to f { the Diego Garcia,s spacious bay is situated North, between the North ãnd Middle lsland and is roomy enough for the rargest vesser to enter. It is about 15 miles in length from end to end and from two to fìve miles in breadths. When Ile de France was retroceded to the Royal Government in1767 ,theMinistère de la Guerre et de Ia Marine outlined a new foreign policy for the island as the main objective of the Royal Government was the re-establishment of French supremacy ln India. Ile de France was to serve as the "point d'appui" for French expeditionary forces. In xt a new shorter route to lridia needed to be chartered. In evalier Grenier was appointcd to fulfill that mission, he was accompanied by Abbé de Rochon, a famous astronomer to the navy Their mission was to survey the seas north of the Ile de France. During that survey, Grenier and Rochon established correctly ( the position of Diego Garcia and chartered a new route which shortened the voyage to India by 800leagues. It was during those hydrological surveys that the French government a

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he presented to the Governor, Vico¡nte de Souillac, a uesting the permission to create a settlement on , Diego Garcia. He offered to develop a plantation on the land concession he would be granted and proposed to repay C^RTt 9t An Account ol Diego Carcia and its people 1 the. taxes owed An Account of Diego to the govern ment with the Garcia and its People he would ( tl produce. He received afa ) Pointe Mr.¡r"n" - on the ÏVest. vourable reply in February l7g3 mmediately prepared and During the year l 863-64D his voyage to Diego Garcia. iego Garcia alone produced 71, .lt He was velts of oil, *,J Ai half the consumption of MauritiusT. The number of settlers on the island also progressi lncreased and vely was numbered at about 200 by the turn centurL_Th e of life of the settlers on t was although the popul ation lacked material comfort. The houses were built from the material produced by the lush vegetation of the island. They looked lower and darker because they were dominated by the vegetable richness of their backgro und. The estate managers supplied to the la a [Iie. Labourers su ied their diet which was in abundance, the fowls and ducks which they reared in quantity, the coconut wh lcn was at hand and some vegetables. During -..-.'-...... --.- the last quarter of the nrneteenth gradually century, steamships began to replace sailing vessels companies and steamship which had mon opolised the carryi ng trade in the were early to recognise the geographical position convenient of Diego Garcia in the middle ocean. Taking advant of the age of the spacious bay which berth to the afforded larges t steamship of the time, the_Qtjey_gleary_ Nav tion Com obtained from the Mauritian government permlsslon to build a coaling station ræar Grande Barbe to used solely for the accommodation be of their magnificent vessels which passed on their way to and from and . Shortly after, another steams hip company, petitio the Lund on be converted into the coas r the ships of company. Thus their statlons provided additional work. The improvemennt which those Co mpanies brought on the island raised the st andard of livlng of the islanders. The is landers benefited from the and aera apparatus which, the coaling company installed on the ls urnish fresh water to their shipss. During rhe firsr half of the cent ury, coconut plantations on Diego Garcia steadily_ increased 92 and modern technic was 93 An Account of Diego Garcia and its People il':åffi :i,i.ïffi:ï:l .* us ed t o of the Atlantic in the eighteenth century that gave Britain the clear the land. Between the years "."0,.6"i)ere 1955-5T,production on Diego means to dominate the Indian ocean politically as well as Garcia increased at an average of seventy-five tons of a strategically during the nineteenth century. Starting from year and the export of coconut for the same period reached Bengal, the richest province of India, Britain gradually built hundred thousands of . Another natural product of round that centre a peripheral set of interests in the Mascarenes, Diego Garcia which was at that period profìtably exploited was East Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. To control the guê{o deposit. In 1957 one third of the total value of export that complex web of assets and commitments, Britain had to from OÈþOrG'a'fía was represented by guano shipment. pry. assume control of the ship ways into the Ocean. fjÊhlndlqqrylso represented a notable percentage of the exþlrt The advent of modern technology at the dawn of the twentieth economy of Diego Garcia. The communication between century has shifted the area of strategic importance from India Mauritius ancl Diego Garcia was assured by the famordsir/ìÞs -- to the Middle East: a convenient term that covers the oil vessel whose voyages .' -' inspired Jacques Cantin to proìùcè-his producing countries i.e. Iran, Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, famous popular song. Israel, Jordan, the United Arab Republic and Sudan. Together In the luxuriant vegetation of Diego Garcia, the people bred these countries produce 62 per cent of the world's total oil ormally. Neither the birth rate nor the death rate production. 'Western Europe imports half of its total oil difference with that recorded in Mauritius. On consumption and Japan 63 per cent from the. Middle East. The first war for oil happened during the 'World life was characterised by a eertain irdete-ce.. Their spriritual First War (1914-1918) when need was looked after by the military activities in the Indian Ocean were localized in the Middle East and East Africa. The political sent missionaries on visit to the island. The result was that p0 per consequence the emergence c of of the Middle East countries was rn\rt the awakening of Asian countries which first supported Turkey iv I Horvever unforseen events in the Indian Ocean were soon to her conflict with European powers, disturb the quiet life of Diego Garcians. in then fought for their own liberation from the colonial yoke. During 'World War II, the nationalist movement in Asian countries gained momentum and the aspirations of colonised II. changing strategic area in the Indian ocean during the nations were fulfîlled when Britain started the "decolonization" Trventieth Century process with the recognition of India as a nation state. The post \ryar era radically changed 's The Indian Ocean covers a vast expanse of some 17,000,000 posjtion in the Indian Ocean. Having recognised the square miles. Entrance into the ocean is however restricted to independence of her colonial possessions in the region, Britain four gateways: the narrow Suez - Red Sea passage which leads to lost primarily the chief motive to act as guardian of the ocean the Mediterranean, the island gaps between the Malaypeninsula ways and secondly the legal status of sovereignty from which she and Australia rvhich afford passage to the pacific, the open used to act during her interventions. The loss of colonies has entrance round the cape that leads to the Atlantic and the wide equally deprived the United Kingdom of her chief naval bases expanse South of Australia that opens upon the Antartic. from which she used to control air and naval communications Because of its vastness, none of the surrounding countries has East of Suez. Accordingly, in 1958 when acceded to controlled the ocean's well defined ship rvays. It was command independence, Britain transferred her control communication 94 95 An Account of Diego Garcia and its people An Account of Diego Garcia and its people base to Mauritius, which was however scheduled to become an Meanwhile the situation in the Middle East was deteriorating. independent state ten years later. In anticipation Egyptian and Israeli armies were shooting at each other across of the event, the British government issued Royal Instructions gth the the , a conflict that was gradually to involve all the dated Novem ber, 1965, which provided for the creation of the British Middle East countries. During the Arab-Israeli war that Indian Ocean Territory with the design of preserving followed, two major powers moved in to provide military for Britain a perman ent strategic position the heart in support on each side of the Suez Canal; the U.S.S.R. and the of the ocean. The administration of the new territ ory United States, for British influence in the region waned was entrusted to the British High Commissioner, when Sir Hugh Britain left Egypt in 1954. The closure of the Suez Norman-Walker, Governor of Seychellese Canal to The islands which navigation inirially constituted the British in June 1967 precipitated events. Western Europe's Indian Ocean Territory were the Chagos Archipe economy including that of Britain could not normally function lago, the Aldabra, Desro ches and Farquhar Islands. The cession for more than sixty days without oil, and the to Britain of the Chagos, considered territorial possession of Mauritius a closure of the Canal lengthened the oil route to European ports , was agreed upon during the negotrations that were carried by some 4,000 nautical miles. The U.S.S.R. was equally affected on between the British Govern- ment and Sir Seewoos agur Ramgoolam by the closure of the canal, for deprived of the Mediterranean- then Black Sea outlet,the transport of tropical products Prime Minister of Mauritius, rel¿. bj sea was tive to the terms D G GA CIA lengthened by another several thousand miles. In that situation on which Mauritius r Village or carirp would become t o it became imperative for the U.S.S.R. either to obtain an outlet an independent state. Bor,on on the shores of the Indian Ocean, sepure 8o), or to refueling and repair facilities in some Indian Ocean ports. It also became important for the U.S.S.R. to protect her merchant navy operating in the ocean by some military and naval support. BRITISH rnuÊN oc€Ên T€RB|TORy Soviet naval activity in the Indian Ocean was received in the 0l+ 200 1oo óoo Kilonc rcn \Mest with gro'wing apprehension and concern and as Moscow 0 200 óo0 o Xiloñatart enlarged her network of facilities in a number of strategically located ports, Great Britain thought it wise to eniure that her economic interest in countries bounding the ocean be protected by a military presence, however modest it may be. Earlier on the Chagoe A lclr lpelrrgo r.' 30th , Great Britain had signed an agreement

Dlogo with the United States "concerning the availability of the British l,l r'.i t i ¡r I I I r cl i ¿r I Carela! AldRbra ì r Occu r r,I.e rri to r,), t\'-t.r'. Indian Ocean Territory for defence purposes" for on strategic Frt r.c¡ t r hrr r. level, Britain had been forced to recognize American naval Conroco I ¡s. qñ .{ Is' superiority since World War II'0. I /ndian While the penetration of the U.S.S.R. navy into the Indian l\l [(l¡rf|ôAcrrr. Oceon ¿r¡{ |¡OASY Ocean became disquieting, Mauritius celebrated her independence on l2th March 1968 and accordingly Britain had to move out her naval communication base and reinforce the Stoddard,7... Area Handbook for Indian Ocean Territories, l97l - p. 50. guards 96 nava! basg a!_!iqo!!tow-n.ryhich the Cape route into the 97 An Account ot Diego Garcia and its people An Account people Atlantic. ol Diego Garcia and its The development of that naval base intensified threats from facility on "Diego Garcia to track space and surface ships, to surrounding pro-communist countries. At that stage, the provide navigational aids to united states South African government pointed out that south Africafould and friendly súrface no longer vessels and submarines, and to listen for unidentified naval make herself a target for attack because of her defence of the cape route movements in the central Indian Oceanr3". unless the west was prepared to help in the protection of her harbours and industrièsri. As the threat of military conflict in the tn¿ian ocean became more precise, Indian ocean states which The new line in foreign policy adopted by independent have common interests Mauritius, and common approaches to the ocean's shores some time later seemed to add íeight to the becamc argumenr. prime concerned. Their main objective was to keep the Indian In 1970 the Minister of MauritiuJ signed an ocean an.open sea without threats agreement with the u.s.s.R. allowing to Soviet rrawlers ñ";t";; to their access routes. The country which took the lead in that facilities in Port Louis and permission to use plaisance Airport new approach was ceylon, a small island state, strategically for the movement of ship personnel. This agreement located in the Indian ocean and was possessing the finest interpreted by a number of western observe* u, harbour of the ocean - Trincomalee. of soviet involvement "ã.niurg.-.n, ceylon with a more acute oceanic consciousness introduced the in the affairs of the Indian ocean in as concept of Indian ocean "as a zone peace" much as Soviet political activity in countries on the periphery of at the Lusaka conference in 1971. she explained that "our concept of the Indian ocean were accornpanied by extensive of a peace zone totally excludes the intrusion grear "hydrographic, oceanographic, and maritime áctivities". of power ðonflicti into Furthermore at that period the region with their attendant defence systãm".ra The general Moscow had succeeded to establish a link road from opposition to foreign bases was equally voiced by the Soviet centrar Asia via io tt . ,ru 'when newly coast the independent state. the seycheilás of Indian ocean by obtaining pðrmission to use the obtained port of Bandar Abbas persian independence in lgT6,thegovernment of seychelles claimed and on the culr.-tt was feared that in a foreseeable obtained from Great Britain the retrocession future the u.S.S.R. would succeed to build her of Aldabra, military and naval Desr-qçhes and Farquhar islands as part of the independence potential in the Indian ocean to such an extent that settlement and the British Indian ocean Territory shrunk it would become a serious military threat to Great then to Britain the territorial limits covered by the . and allies, rvhose navy pries the Indian ocean.r2 The administration of the territory then passed under the up to the present time, the Indian ocean has retained its responsibility of the Foreign commonwealth office in . historical role as an arena for external trade of European However for the great powers the concept countries and the nation with the greatest commercial stake of Indian ocean as a peace zone is closely connected remains the united Kingdom which continues to draw its most with the assurance of freedom vital of the seas which may be guaranteed industrial and agricultural raw material from the area. It is mainly through the maintenance of a balance of power. also estimated that 20 per cent of the world's maritime activity is Accordingly a new. agreement was signed conducted across that sea transporting Europe's vital between Great Britain and the united' States of America in 1976 which includes provisions commodities such as oil, copper, tin, rubbEr and grãins. I "to develop I present I the limited naval communication facility on Diegò Accordingly following 1967 agreement lhe with washington Garcia as a support facility of united states 'oconcerning : navy"rs . The faciliiy the availability of the British Indian ocean t was to consist of an anchorage, air field support elements, Territory for defence purposes" the united States began in 1972 ¡ personnel accommodation, transmitting to t and receiving services. construct a $ l9 million naval communication and ãir support I The purpose of building such a facility was to provide an I 98 I 99 i ¡ ¡ I An Account peoþle , of Diego Garcia and its An Account ol Diego Carcia and its People improved link in united states defence communication and United States of America concerning the availability of the furnish support for ships and aircrafts owned or operated by or British Indian Ocean Territory for naval communication facility on behalf of either the government of the united States or Great necessitated the departure of the civilian population from the Britainr6. area. Accordingly, the British government began to apply At present, pertinent information on the naval facility that it is pressure on the civilian population remaining on the British being built on Diego Garcia is regarded as "inaccessible" and Indian Ocean Territory and requested the acceleration of their "secret". For the people, common it is but a demonstration of departure for Mauritius. The movement out of the island was political intent rather than an effective military instrument but however progressive and it took the government of Mauritius like the iceberg which shows only the tip of its summit, the nearly eight years (1965-1973) to complete the repatriation of all facility base at Diego Garcia is meaningfur in the measure of the the "ilois". Compulsory removal from the native country was polaris,/poseidon military deterrent behind it, that is, the strike however but the first bead of.a long string of misfortunes that force, the nuclear-powered missile carrying submarines and awaitecl Diego Garcians on the soil of Mauritius. anti-nuclear submarine strike capability of both the united First of al!the Mauritian government was slow in distributing States and Soviet Union¡7. to the "iloisn the indemnity paid by the British government for rehabilitation purposes. The plight of the "ilois" awakened the sympathy of the Mauritian population. Protests were voiced in tire iocal newspapers and in 1976, Russell Prosper, Counsel on 3. Diego Garcians, a pawn on the political Chess-board social questions, acting on behalf of the British government' report on the situation of the "ilois" in Mauritius. The fifth constitutional conference that took place during producõd a payment of an indetnnity amounting to Rs the month of september 1965, invorved secret negotiationi i{e obtained the each displaced personr8. concerning the cession of the Chagos Archipelago to Great 7,3g0. for Britain before the granting of independence to Mãuritius. It It was suggested that the best way to help Diego Garcians was later became clear that the secret agreement included a clause to create living quarters where "ilois" would be lodged in providing for the compulsory removal of the civil population of groups, but the Diego Garcians, preferred their liberty of the chagos to Mauritius. As compensation for theLxcision of movement and opted for an allocation of money which they the territory, the government of Mauritius accepted a sum of obtained in 1978. The high cost of living in Mauritius reduced to Rs40. million to be used for the rehabilitation of the displaced nil the amount they obtained in a short time, and they soon again population which then amounted to some l,z}}persons and for constituted a problem for the Mauritian government. the financing of developing projects. World wide opinion on the plight of the "ilois" had however After the proclamation of the Royal Instructions of the gth been roused earlier when the question of the defence of the November 1965, by which the British Indian ocean Territory Indian Ocean was debated at the Congress in Washington in came into bèiñg, Diego Garcians were invited to leave the September 1975. The American Government had declared that Archipelago for Mauritius. But Diego Garcians who were born Diego Garcia was uninhabited but had failed to add that the fishermen ignored the invitation and preferred to remain on autochthones had been previously transferred to Mauritiusre' their island home. A few families however moved to Isle du coin The statement was construed by political parties opposed to the and Boddam Islands, and some tried to settle in Mauritius. presence of Americans in the Indian Ocean as an intent of deceit The agreements which Britain subsequently signed with the and the case of Diego Garcians became intimately linked with r00 101 I An Account of Diego Garcia and its people An Account of Díego Garcia and its people the militarisation of the Indian Ocean. open for U.S.S.R. military forces to gain access into the Indian p.M.S.D. In Mauritius, Mr. Gaetan Duval,leader of the (parti Ocean. President Carter immediately announced a series of Mauricien social Democrate) took up the defence of the,,ilois" measures, economic as well as military against U.S.S.R. namely: through the case of Michel venkatessen, a displaced native of th-e blockage of the supplv of cereals and interruption in supply Diego Garcia, who had entered a lawsuit against the British of sophisticated military gadgets. The declaied government, claiming compensation for the moral and financial between the United States and the U.S.S.R. escalated when damages as a result of his forced emigration from Diego Garcia2' Washington proposed a military alliance with pekin, As a result of that intervention, Mr sheridan who claimed to Arab countries bordering the Indian Ocean, namely Saudi act on behalf of the committee representing the interest of the Arabia, Egypt and Iran were also alarmed by the advance of Diego Garcians, a¡rived in Mauritius on the 7th November 1979, U.S.S.R. armies towards the ocean ways. India equally voiced and offered to obtain from the British government, on the protests against the threats on herborders,as American powerful behalf of Diego Garcians,a compensatioin of Rs 20 million in airforce began their survey missions of the area. As a result of return for their ienunciation of their right to return to Diego United States direct involvement in the waters of the ocean, the Garcia. He called an assembly of all the "irois" at the cente base of Diego Garcia had to be ready to support the American 22. social de Marie Reine de Ia Paix and asked each of them to sign naval and air forces In order to bring to a fast conclusion the question the agreement, But the publicity given to Mr Sheridàn's mission, of Diego Garcia, the British Government announced forced the M.lr{.N'Í. (Movement Militant Mauricien) to inrervene at the end of January that it was ready to offer an additional compensation in the person of Mr K. Bhayat, Vice President of the M.N{.M. He to the amount of Rs 22million that is about Rs 18,000 perdisplaced stopped the "ilois" from giving to Mr Sheridan the power of person in return for Diego Garcians' renunciation artorney affording him the power to negotiate wirh the British of theiirights govermnemt on thei¡ behalf 2'. to return to Diego Garcia. Since Diego Garcia had by that time become an important As a result of Mr Bhayat's intervention, ..ilois" the constituted element of the British American military strategy in the Indian their orvn committees for the defence of their rights. These Ocean, Jean Claude de I'Estrac, spokesman of the M.M.M., committees came under the leadership ,.organisation of thought it convenient to use the "ilois" question as a platform Fraternellen' and M.M.M. members, As a first Ãove they for the party's political offensive. It was calculated that the decided to take legal steps in order to obtain the revocation of M.M.M. would earn world wide recognition if it took a clear the conditions attached to the distribution of a new stand on the question of the demilitarisation of the ocean. compensation namely the renunciation of the right of Diego To limit the ground thus won by the M.M,M., the labour ParJy Garcians to return to their native land, adopted a similar policy and Sir V. Ringadoo took the lead of The .,Ilois" incident caused by the offer of Sheridan to the the committee formed to obtain the adhêsion of world nations obtained world rvide coverage. Non-arigned countries took bordering the ocean to the efforts of maintaining the Indian advantage of the incident to voice thqir protests on the Ocean as a peaceful zone. However the action of the Labour installation of an Anglo-American facility base on Diego Party rvas hindered by the fact that it had ceded Diego Garcia to Garcia. Matters came to a head when Russian armies overran the British government. Accordingly Sir V. Ringadoo promised Afghanistan in the early month of January 19g0. It was a direct to the members of the Labour Agents Association, that the threat to the peace of countries bordering the Indian ocean government would call for the retrocession of Diego Garcia to including that of Mauritius, for from Afghanistan the road was Mauritius.23 t02 . 103 An Account o[ Diego Garcia and its People An Account of Diego Garcia and its people The problem was discussed during the annual meeting of Mauritian government would ever obtain the retrocession of Commonwealth leaders and the result was a visit of MrR. Luce, Diego Garcia. Under-Secretary of State, in May 1980. Officially Mr Luce The question of compensation for the people of Diego Garcia arrived to review the financing of different development projects was finally settled in August 1982by the M.M.M,/P.S.M. (Parti in Mauritius but he was to take advantage of his visit to have the Socialiste Mauricien) government. Each adult "ilois" born at view of political leaders of the island on the problems of Diego Diego Garcia received a compensation of Rs 46,000. and each Garcia. Accordingly the committee for the defence of the child half that amount..The "Ilois Trust Fund" was then created "iloisn' took the opportunity to present to Mr Luce a petition in to manage the çompensation money on behalf of the Ilois which Diego Garcians explained their sad situation in Mauritius population. The main task assigned to the Ilois Trust Fund was and their desire to return to Diego Garcia. Mr Luce was then the settlement of the displaced population. The Central Housing forced to explain to the population the attitude of the British Authority provided relatively cheap lodging and the government on Diego Garcia and to give the assurance that the Development Bank of Mauritius provided expert guidance for military arsenal built on Diego Garcia, was for the purpose of the creation of small scale industries. At present, the problem of defending the freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean. In the the Diego Garcians seems mainly to be a human problem which same breadth he announced that his government would examine the government of Mauritius is inclined to examine with with sympathy the plight of the Diego Garcians. The feminine sympathy by making available to them all the social benefits to element in the march of protest organised by the Corttíté de which the people of Mauritius is entitled. It is hoped that with Soutien aux llois was predominant, it was the beginning of the time Diego Garcians would become Mauritians "à part entière" involvement of women in the struggle of the "ilois" for when they would exercise their civil rights. recognition of their rights. However, it is heartening to note that the material comfort As negotiations lingered and no agreement was reached, it was which Mauritius affords, has not erased in the heart of Diego decided that a Mauritian delegation would go to London to Garcians theþulture des îles" Diego Garcians have shown negotiate directly with the British government. The delegation o op ir identity by creating their was composed of Mr. Purryag, Minister of Social Security, own musical and theatre group and by popularising their eating habits and by propagating their songs, beliefs and legends. The members representing the "ilois" were Mr. J. Burty David, I the Laour Party, Mr. Paul Cheong Lon, Minister of I danger is that, in the future, political organisations may again President of f ! use Diego Garcians as a pawn. Already there are indications Justice and Mr. P. Bérenger, leader of the M.M.M. The I I I that a pro-communist party has launched the concept of Diego compensation proposed by the delegation amounted to Rs 158. I t million but the British government was adamant. Its offer was I Garcia as a sovereign state, on the theory that Diego Garcians I Rs 26. million coupled with the same condition that the "ilois" were denied their fundamental right to decide freely their own t political status26. should renounce their rights to return to Diego Garciaza. ¡

On opening the debate, Mr Purryag declared that he wished i that the British and Mauritian governments would solve the : problem "once and for all, in a spirit of conciliation, fair play, ; Notes justice and in the interest of those unfortunate "ilois" who need , i Scott, Robert the lesser dependencies to be adequately compensated"25. The negotiations sadly failed. i 1. : Limuria, of Mauritius. The firm stand taken by Great Britain leaves little hope that the i London, Oxford University Press, 1961. p. 34 i , 105 104 .. í I a An Account ol Diego Garcia and its People An Account of Diego Garcia and its people Ly-Tio-Fane, M. : Indian Ocean Islands - naturally. Annueire des pays de l'Océan Indien, 1979, p. 177-209. Some account of their natural history as depicted in the literature. 20. Le Mauricien, 7 and 8 November 1979 Proc. 2nd International Conference Indian Ocean Studies. , 2t. Le Mauricie¿, 8 Novemberl9T9 , 5-12 December 1984. 22. Le Mauricien, 22 January 1980 Section F : Resources for research, and Section A : Resources, 23. LtMauricien, 8 February 1980 Environment and Economic Development. The scientific work 24. Le Mauricien, 3 July l98l conducted in the Indian Ocean South of the and within 25. Le Mauricien, 3 July l98l the Tropic of since the eighteenth Capricorn century is reviewed. 26 O.N.U. Resolution l514 of the l4th December 1980. Tous les The natural features and resources of the small isolated islands peuples ont droit de libre détermination. En vertu de ce droit ils are discussed, as are the impact of the agricultural explosion of the déterminent librement leur statut politique, et poursuivent nineteenth century and the effect of the exploitation of phosphatic librement leur développement économique, social et culturel. fertilizer on the native biota. Conservation policies are outlined. 2, Scott, R.: op. cit. p. 5. [-:. Dupont, I. : Report on Diego Garcia by Inspector of Police, I Sheppard,1884. "4. Scott, R. : op. cit. p. 68 { Nagapen, A. : Moulin ¿i Poudre. Published by the Diocese de po¡t Louis, 1980. 6. Mauritius Archieves : RA,/1 24 Document I 7. Dupont, I. : op. cit. 8. Dupont I. : op. cit. Exchange of notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of 9. The British Indian Ocean Territory Order Royal Instructions Great Britain and and the Goyernment of the United States of America concerning a support facility 1965, dated 8 November 1965, Statutory Instruments, 1965 no. on Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean territory 1920. London, H.M.S.O. London 1965. No. I l0 Treaty Series No. l5 (1967) Cmnd 3231 South Africa Department of Informa¡ion. ll South Africa in l4/orld Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affiirs to the Strategy, Pretoria Dept. of Information, 1968. Chargé d Affiires ad interim of the United States of America t2 Soviet Policies South and East of Suez. Foreign Affairs, October Note No. DPP 063/530/2 1970. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 13. Treaty Series No. 126 (1972) Cmnd 5160 London. 14. Ceylon Daily News,22 January l97l 25 February, 1976.

15. The British Indian Ocean Territory Order 1976 dated June 1976 . Statutory Instruments, 1976, No. 893. London H.M.S.O. Publication, 1976. Sir, t6 See annexed document. I have the honour to refer to the Agreement constituted by the t7 Leymaire, Ph : Les grandes manoeuvres dans I'Océan Indien. le Exchange of Notes dated 30 December 1966 between the Government monde diplomatique, Décembre 1976. of the Uìite¿ Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America concerning the r8. Posser, R. : Resettlement of persons transferred from the Chagos availability of the British Indian Ocean Territory for defence Archipelago, Sept. 1976, Government Printing. 1976. purposest and to the Agreement constituted by the Exchange of 19. Oraison, A. : Les avatars du British Indian Ocean Territory. Notes dated 24 October 1972 between the two Governments 106 t07