Member

Rather than allowing the opinions of legal certainty to be constrained by the circumstances of the non-legally binding judgment, the Government’s approach going forward should be fully animated by appreciation of the following truths. First, it was just as wrong of us to split the colony that covered Mauritius and the islands before decolonisation without consulting the Chagossians, let alone providing them with self-determination, as it would have been to refuse to split the Gilbert and Ellice Islands before decolonisation after having afforded the Ellice Islands a self-determination referendum in which they elected to separate. Secondly, it was profoundly wrong for us to forcibly remove the Chagossians from the Chagos Islands between 1968 and 1973. It was and is profoundly wrong that, from 1973 until today, we have refused to return the Chagos Islands to the Chagossians. In this context, the Government should produce a report that considers all the legal ways forward. I submit that the one best equipped to provide unassailable legal certainty is to afford the Chagossian people a self-determination referendum and to implement its results. I beg to move.