• Mane25@feddit.uk
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      1 year ago

      The British Indian Ocean Territory was formed specifically to prevent the native inhabitants from gaining self-determination, allowing for a joint UK/US military base to be set up. The inhabitants were forcibly expelled in the 1960s, and ever since then the British government have taken active, sometimes deceptive, measures to prevent them from ever returning. You should look it up.

    • Telodzrum@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I assume it’s an oblique reference to British Colonialism. Seems like an odd topic to attach so directly to British imperialism, but whatever.

      • Mane25@feddit.uk
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        1 year ago

        It’s pretty bad even in the context of British Colonialism and notably recent.

        • Quokka@quokk.au
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          1 year ago

          Damn looked into it, and in 2010 they were secretly planning on turning the entire area into a marine reserve to ensure the exiled people’s could never go back.

          • Mane25@feddit.uk
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            1 year ago

            Yep, the strict marine reserve. But it doesn’t stop the military base from pumping sewage into it, and it doesn’t stop rich people with yachts from going there. Just normal people and Chagos islanders aren’t allowed. Also a difficult thing to note is that this was during a Labour government (which many liberal-minded British people consider a lesser of two evils). The only major politician who intended to do right there was Jeremy Corbyn, but he was slaughtered by the media for being not evil enough.