That Time of the Month Again...

Yes, the ever-reliable UK Chagos Support Association have brought out their latest update (albeit only on their email list for the timebeing, it should be up on the website in a few days). Much of interest within, but I thought I'd flag up this extract on the latest developments in the legal wranglings between the Chagossians and the British Government:

The Government has now exceeded the time directed by the Court for their response to the Chagossians’ case which is based on International law and Human Rights law. They were given twenty eight days which expired on July 21st. They then asked for the end of July, which was agreed by the solicitors. Then they said they could do nothing until September 30th, despite the Court order. Is procrastination the name of the game?

A simple request for information, made by this Association, to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which should have been answered on August 10th has been delayed, citing many reasons including :

"Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act. This states that information is exempt from disclosure under the Act if its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice:

a) relations between the UK and any other state.
c) the interests of the UK abroad, or
d) the promotion or protection by the UK of its interests abroad."

There was no b) [In case anyone's interested it's "relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or international court" - Dk]

This extract begs several questions :

a) what about relations between the UK and its own citizens – the Chagossians?
c) how does it help the UK abroad (and its image abroad) to trample on the Human Rights of its own people?
d) Surely the promotion or protection by the UK of its interests abroad does not include exiling them illegally from their own land and leaving them in a destitute state?

There doesn't seem much more to add. So I'll leave it there. More as I hear about it