Email to the Second Clerk of the Committee
from Richard Gifford, Legal Representative, Chagos Refugees Group,
Clifford Chance: British Indian Ocean Territory
I recently met Mike Gapes MP and he mentioned
the forthcoming meeting with David Miliband and the concern of
the Committee over Human Rights in the Overseas Territories. Since
we have a mutual interest in one Territory in particular, namely
BIOT/Diego Garcia, I offered to brief him and the members of the
FAC on the current situation of the resettlement campaign.
This includes a major resolution of the Full European
Parliament on 25 March 2029, calling on the EU to facilitate the
Foreign Secretary that in bypassing the FAC when he obtained the
Orders in Council from the Privy Council, he "exchanged speed
for legitimacy". This was described by Quentin Letts, the
presenter of the radio programme as being as near as it gets to
"entering a guilty plea".
To assist Mike, should he wish to minute these
developments and circularise them to Members, I attach copies
of the following:
1. Letter to Mike Gapes MP dated 15 May 2009;
2. Letter from Olivier Bancoult to Minister Gillian
Merron dated 20 April 2009;[22]
3. Enclosures to the above:
Minister's letter;[23]
Letter from EU development commissioner Louis
Michel to Glenys Kinnock dated 18 September 2007;[24]
Statement of Defence official ML Howard dated
6 August 1999;[25]
List of international institutions and their
resolutions condemning the UK's Policy of Exile of Chagossians.[26]
I hope this is helpful to you and Mike.
I wonder if it is possible to attend the meeting.
If so I would appreciate if you could let me know the date and
time.
16 May 2009
22 Not published. Back
23
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24
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25
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26
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