TNAG-1119-FCO40-1394-Territorial-claims-to-British-possessions-and-dependencies-1982 — Page 24

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6. IN 1966 IT WAS AGREED TO MAKE THE CHAGOS ISLANDS

AVAILABLE FOR THE DEFENCE PURPOSES OF THE US AND UK (IN THE FIRST

INSTANCE FOR FIFTY YEARS) AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO RUN DOWN THE

PLANTATIONS AND TO RESETTLE THE WORKERS ELSEWHERE. MOST OF THE

LATTER HAD CLOSE TIES WITH MAURITIUS AND THE MAJORITY (ABOUT

1,200 PEOPLE) SETTLED THERE, WITH FINAL ARRIVALS IN 1973.

7. IN 1973, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PAID POUND STERLING

650,000 TO THE MAURITIUS GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST THE RESETTLEMENT

OF THE ILOIS. THIS PAYMENT WAS ACCEPTED IN FULL AND FINAL

SETTLEMENT OF ANY CLAIM UPON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN RESPECT

OF RESETTLEMENT. IN 1975 ONE OF THE ILOIS INSTITUTED PROCEEDINGS

AGAINST HMG FOR WRONGFUL REMOVAL FROM THE TERRITORY. FOLLOWING

LENGTHY NEGOTIATIONS, AGREEMENT WAS REACHED WITH THE MAURITIUS

GOVERNMENT IN MARCH 1982 WHEREBY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE

AN EX-GRATIA PAYMENT OF POUND STERLING 4 MILLION TO A MAURITIUS

TRUST FUND TO BE ADMINISTERED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ILOIS

COMMUNITY IN MAURITIUS. FOR ITS PART, THE MAURITIUS GOVERNMENT

WILL MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE ILOIS LAND TO THE VALUE OF POUND

STERLING ONE MILLION. FORMAL SIGNATURE OF THE AGREEMENT IS

EXPECTED SHORTLY.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY

8. WE ARE NOT ON STRONG GROUND IN THE QUESTION OF THE EXTENT TO

WHICH THE ILOIS WERE CONSULTED PRIOR TO THEIR REMOVAL. DURING

THE PERIOD IN QUESTION, NO BRITISH OFFICIALS WERE RESIDENT ON

DIEGO GARCIA, WHICH WAS ADMINISTERED FROM SEYCHELLES. NO

RELIABLE RECORDS EXIST ON WHAT TRANSPIRED BETWEEN THE LOCAL

PLANTATION MANAGERS AND THE ILOIS WHEN THE PLANTATIONS WERE

CLOSED AND WE DOUBT IF ANY CONSULTATION THAT TOOK PLACE WENT

BEYOND OFFERING THE ILOIS A CHOICE OF DESTINATION. CERTAINLY,

REMAINING ON DIEGO GARCIA WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN OPTION

OFFERED TO THEM, SINCE HMG HAD ADOPTED A POLICY THAT DIEGO

GARCIA SHOULD BE CLEARED OF PEOPLE. OF COURSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN

IMPRACTICABLE FOR THEM TO REMAIN AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE

PLANTATIONS SINCE THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT. BUT THIS

IS NOT A POINT THAT WOULD CARRY MUCH WEIGHT IN THE CONTEXT OF

COMPARISON WITH THE FALKLANDERS.

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