Let's not forget that the British Government stalled structured land reform in Zimbabwe thus allowing Mugabe to exploit this loophole make it a political issue which has destroyed one of Africa's most adavanced nations. Surely, in a nation were 80% of the arable land was owned by less than 20% of the population, re-distribution of land cannot be a bad thing. This is so much so, especially, were the land owners are descendants of former colonialists who took the land by force in the first place. The british want to hold out the 'human rights' card when it best suits their interests or not at all. The rest of the world deserves justice too....

Taff, Stoke-on-trent, UK

Of course Robin Cook was right on this subject. This government shares in the disgrace of the original authoritarian and inhumane decision if it fails to correct it

Margaret Cook, Edinburgh, UK

I am suprised to hear your praise of the Human Rights Act, interpreted by our loopy judiciary it has been a disaster. The sooner it is repealed the better.

David, Harrogate, Yorkshire

Chris Coles knows nothing about the Civil Service, or he could not express the strange opinion he does. The boot is on the other foot. Ministers decide what to do and then expect civil servants to come up with arguments in support.
As for the Palestinians - not everything is about you, you know.

Alexandria, Sheffield, UK

Tha Chagiossians have been most cruelly and unjustly treated. It is within the government's power to rectify the situation. To learn more, visit www.chagossupport.org.uk

Celia Whittaker, Leyland, UK

..and what about the "right of return" of the Palestinians, why is the western world so silent about this injustice?

Jawed, London,

What % of readers want film posters?
Is this not a waste of resources, and contributing to global warming?

Rex Keech, Herne Bay, Kent/England

Governments ; human rights.
Surely this is an oxymoron?

Simon, Esher, Surrey

Having an empire is a bitch, mates. Even worse is not having one.

There are many ways to provide equity in cases where returning to the status quo ante is difficult or not desirable or not in the larger interest. Compensation, for example.

Try to suck it up and act like a nation with balls.

Donna Fattigone, Erewhon, USA

Why would the British Government care about the rights of what it perceives as a weak voice (no more!) when it could strengthen its relationship with the US by keeping the Chagossians as far away as possible from Diego Garcia. Who had priorly heard of Chagossians? Yet another story that priorities are neither Human rights nor justice (nor liberation of the people for that matter) but simply power, power and more power.

Ashwina, London, UK

I am outraged and digusted by such injustice

A.T. Martin, Warsaw, Poland

It is not unprecedented for someone to have the right to live in their own country withdrawn. This happened to a Gibraltarian, Albert Fava, who was expelled from Gibraltar in 1948, fot trade union activities.

John, Southampton, UK

The Americans have always been there when you needed them. They aver that they require Diego Garcia for common defense with such allies as Australia, New Zealand, India, and (yes) the UK, and you have no objective basis to dispute that. Moreover, the Sino-Pakistani development of the port of Gwadar and China's creeping takeover of Burma only heighten the need for that base. Similarly, siting here at your desks in the First World, you have no objective basis to quibble with the American fear that the rest of the archipelago is a security risk (remember DR. NO?). So, boys and girls, express your gratitude for not having to report to a reichsminister or a commissar and let the US do its job. Besides, if Al Gore is even partially correct, in a few years the UK will have to remove the islanders back to Mauritius when the seas rise.

Mark Bingley, new york/new york, usa

Blair like many former lefties has just taken his stalinist views and moved them to the right. The difference between stalinism and fascism is just the difference between black and red. Just another example of British governments kow towing to the Americans.

Neil Murphy, cromer,

Everything a government minister does is overseen and advised upon by the Civil Service. No government minister may act without the Civil Service agreement and consequent briefing. This deplorable action is not at the behest of elected ministers; it is at the direction of the British Civil Service, who, in turn, sit at the head of the table called the establishment. The people of a fuedal nation can only look on and wish for true democracy.

Chris Coles, Medstead, Alton, UK

I absolutely agree with Ishbel Mathieson. The treatment of the Chagossians is disgraceful and shaming on us as a country. I would gladly add my name to any petition regarding this.

R E Ward, Penarth, Vla of Glamorgan

Such injustice! I thought that the British people stood for fairness and justice and truth. Their leaders are damaging the nation's image beyond repair. Is there no way in which they can be removed from power? This is a shock to all the people in the world who used to look up to Britain as a just arbiter and the protector of the weak. It's a disgrace that these people should be denied a return to their homeland. This is what you expect of totalitarian regimes, not Britain.

Chie, Tokyo, Japan

As Banquo's ghost is summoned from the vasty deep, Henry Percy speaks disparagingly thereof...!!! Methinks all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

Brian D Finch, Glasgow,

Why am I not surprised!

Martin Morrow, Los Angeles, USA

So that’s what it says on Cook’s gravestone. I wonder if it was his suggestion, as it reflects rather poor odds for a betting man. It sounds to me like a different recipe for the same old disaster.

Henry Percy, London, UK

Has anyone delved into the possibility of huge oil/natural gas deposits in the sea bed surrounding the islands in-question?

After-all, that WAS eventually disclosed as the root cause for the Falklands War and today persists as investors and a very few LSE listed companies drill away in the leased 'blocks' of sea bed.

It's really not very far-fetched a reason considering the Reagen/Bush (senior) administration's military assistance in the East Timor slaughter - to preserve a deep channel submarine passage around the north of Australia and the off-shore oil deposits therein.

Seems like it always comes back to oil and those in Govt authority with personal interests in the oil industry - doesn't it?

Larry, Middletown, USA/NY

I hope the Islanders win, for the triumph of justice and individuals with their human dignity over the excessive and unjust use of governmental power.

Miland Joshi, Birmingham,

The U.K. government righly condemned the expulsion of Ugandan Asians in the 1970s, Black South Africans to the Homelands in the 1980s, the various Balkan ethnic groups in the 1990s, the Zimbabwe clearances and Kosavo in this decade and others. Why do we once again ignore what is logical, right and just in this case, it seems that our total subserviance to America's will. Diego Garcia is one of those places were America can claim that the Constitution othe U.S.A. does not apply and that the laws of the U.K. do not apply within the base this makes it very useful to both governments as base for activities that fall outside the rule of their and Europian law, the minds that folow this logic will be unable to fathom the justice of the islanders case or the hypocracy of both governments.

Huw Williams, Milford Haven, U.K.

And, on the other hand, the government talks about what it means to be British and fair play. I feel a sense iof shame.

Mike Sedgwick, Eastleigh, Hampshire

As anyone hoping to use legal process to recover financial loss from official maladministration will know, Crown Immunity and the sovereign prerogative can seem impregnable. This is an area of English Law which may have remained unaltered to date because it is invoked so rarely.

Those critical of a monarchy may forget its usefulness in enabling historical precedent and ancient law which can be at unease with democratic ideas to enable government ministers to overcome opposition to just about anything. In the case in point, it may be that a distance of 100 miles from the US base is too close for those uncomfortable with the transparency afforded by modern electronic devices.

But it might be better to say so, and pay the former islanders proper compensation, rather than to use law used in slave trading days to perpetuate modern injustice.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK