Sir, I was pleased to read the letter from parliamentarians of all parties, urging the FCO not to press ahead with an appeal to the Lords (Nov 3).

Apart from the legal costs, which have to be funded by post closures in Africa, the UK’s reputation for defence of human rights and basic freedoms is brought into question. For the British Government to be pursuing a case that denies the Chagossian community its fundamental right to return to its homeland, a right that has been restored by our courts at each level over the past seven years, puts us on a par with those countries we condemn for lesser human rights violations.

I do hope that the Foreign Secretary will try to see how this looks to the rest of the world, especially in Africa.

David Snoxell
Ambassador to Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, 1997-2000
High Commissioner to Mauritius, 2000-04

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