Law Lords decision a heavy blow for Chagos justice

12.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Oct 2008

The House of Lords has ruled in favour of the UK government - which appealed against previous court rulings - and said that the Chagos islanders have no right to return home.

The government argued that allowing the islanders to return would seriously affect defence and security, in effect the operation of the Diego Garcia US military base which was the reason for the islanders' eviction 40 years ago. This base was scandalously used after 9/11 for the refuelling of 2 'rendition' flights.

Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman Sarah Ludford MEP, who has consistently supported the Chagossians' campaign, said:

"There is a disgraceful symmetry to the fact that it was a Labour government which evicted the Chagossians and a Labour government which has strained every sinew to deny them the justice of return."

"it is a source of great shame to the British people that the government has refused in our name to do the decent thing and allow the return of Chagossians to their rightful home."

"The Law Lords' judgement is deeply disappointing in endorsing Labour pandering to US demands and betrayal of vulnerable people who are supposed to enjoy the 'protection' of this country. It is a truly shocking legacy of colonialism that the court said the government using 'Crown prerogative' could legislate for a colony 'in the interests of the United Kingdom' and that the Chagossians had no right to the land."

"I give my wholehearted support to the Chagossians' continuation of their fight for justice which might now go to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg."