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| Fifth Column | |
| Britain Approves Chagos Islands reserve, Greenpeace Wants To Close Diego Garcia | |
| 2010-04-02 | |
| Britain gave the green light Thursday for the creation of the world's biggest marine reserve around the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, provoking fury from Mauritius which claims the archipelago. The reserve will protect an area which experts say compares with Australia's Great Barrier Reef for its marine life, including coral reefs, yellow fin tuna, turtles and coconut crabs. It will include a "no-take" marine reserve where commercial fishing is to be banned, the Foreign Office said. "The MPA (Marine Protected Area) will cover some quarter of a million square miles (400,000 square kilometres) and its establishment will double the global coverage of the world's oceans under protection," said Foreign Secretary David Miliband. "Its creation is a major step forward for protecting the oceans." But Mauritius -- where Chagossians were sent after being taken off the islands to allow construction of a military base -- lashed out at the decision. "Perfidious Albion is dishonest," Mauritian Foreign Minister Arvind Boolell told AFP. "I am very angry. "As recently as last week, I asked the British government through its high commissioner in Mauritius John Murton to present the results of the British government's consultations to the bilateral committee on Chagos," he said. "The British government refused," he added. The Chagos Islands were ceded to Britain in 1814 and the archipelago was evacuated four decades ago. Its main island, Diego Garcia, is now populated by an estimated 1,700 US military personnel, 1,500 civilian contractors and around 50 British personnel. The base played a key role in the 1991 military operation against Iraq. Around 2,000 Chagossians were moved to Mauritius, which still claims the 55 islands. Mauritius formed part of the same administrative area as the Chagos Islands when it was under British rule. Most of the refugees are still campaigning to go back, although the British government has paid compensation. Which, legally, is supposed to have settled the issue. Unless the 'refugees' gave the money back ...
Miliband said in his statement that the creation of the reserve "will not change the UK's commitment to cede the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer needed for defence purposes". He said the decision on the marine reserve was taken following consultation and pledged to work with "all interested stakeholders" in making it work. The announcement was welcomed by environmental campaigners Greenpeace, who said it marked an "end to the unfair commercial exploitation of Chagossian seas". "These coral seas are a biodiversity hotspot in the Indian Ocean and unquestionably worthy of protection from destructive activities like fishing," Greenpeace campaigner Willie Mackenzie said. "The creation of this marine reserve is a first step towards securing a better and sustainable future for the Chagos Islands. "But this future must include securing justice for the Chagossian people and the closure and removal of the Diego Garcia military base." | |
| Posted by: Anonymoose |
| #4 one boat sunk, one man imprisoned and a total laughingstock, but they expect to be listened to as a serious player? For accuracy, that's Sea Shepherd (appropriately shortened to 'SS'). Started by an ex-Greenpeacer. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-04-02 20:04 |
| #3 Uh, uh, Chagossians, or KARDASIANS [Star Trek:DS9]? Gut nuthin. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2010-04-02 19:15 |
| #2 These idiots simply do NOT learn, one boat sunk, one man imprisoned and a total laughingstock, but they expect to be listened to as a serious player? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2010-04-02 15:20 |
| #1 I can understand why Greenpeace wants to close Diego Garcia. The damn island is capsizing. |
| Posted by: GK 2010-04-02 01:32 |