New Visit to Diego Garcia scheduled for the 20th of January 2010
A second visit will take place on the 20th of January 2010, when the group of six will be lead by Allen Vincatassin to Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory, from the UK. The Bon Voyage Ceremony will take place at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley at 6.00pm on Sunday the 17th.Laura Moffatt MP is our guest of honour.
Some pictures of the visit
November 2008 Historic visit
The Leader of the Diego Garcian people has done it.He took his community from Mauritius to settle in the UK in 2002, and from the UK for a historic visit to their homeland after 40 years, here hoisting the West Sussex Flag(Given by Henry Smith, Leader of West Sussex County Council) at East Point, Diego Garcia.
The six members of the Diego Garcian Society that went on this historic visit to Diego Garcia, Eagle Island, Peros Banhos and Salomon islands from the UK in November 2008
A good coconut drink for the first time at home at Pointe Marianne, Diego Garcia
Selmour Chery getting on with one of his tasks after 45 years, but for this time he was able to do it at the administrator's office at East Point, Diego Garcia.
Nelzir Mandarin landing on his homeland Peros Banhos for the first time after forty five years. He offered a good coconut drink to his friend Selmour Chery, afterward posing for a picture infront of the administrators office of Peros Banhos.
Steward getting ready to land on Salomon island and Allen having a drink of fresh water from the well under the supervision of Joseph Robert
Joseph Robert flowering the middle cross of East Point Cemetery, Steward Vincatassin putting a memorial plate at her grandmother's tomb, and Eddy Ramdas flowering his grandfather's tomb at Pointe Marianne, Diego Garcia.
Allen Vincatassin kissing the veranda of his home for the first time after 37 years, which was the house of the last chief supervisor( 'Chef Commandeur' ) Mr. Michel Vincatassin(his Grandfather). A plaque to mark this first historic visit from the UK being fixed by Selmour Chery.
The final hand shake between the British Representative and the leader, and the Deputy Brits Rep giving a British Indian Ocean Territory flag to Allen on the BIOT Pacific Marlin Patrol vessel.
In the VIP lounge at Diego Garcia
'Come on guys, lets cheer up, its time to go home to the UK where we now belong'
17.11.08
HI EVERYBODY
'Its 12:57(local time) we are in the waiting room at a military base in Singapore, after we checked in.All the guys are sitting silently and thinking,its a special moment for them.We will board our plane at 13:55 for Diego Garcia our homeland.
This morning I was thinking about all of you in the UK, who participated in one way or the other for us to be where we are now.We are just at the right place in our destiny-to step on our homeland Diego Garcia for the first time after 40 years of exile.
A big thanks to all of you, specially our MP Laura Moffatt.'
From Allen Vincatassin in Singapore
The Diego Garcian leader Allen Vincatassin has won his campaign for a visit to Diego Garcia and the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory(formerly Chagos Archipelago)
Allen is leading five of his compatriots on this visit on the 15th of November 2008 next week, and the campaign was supported by Laura Moffatt MP(Crawley).
The official 'Bon Voyage' ceremony will be held on Friday the 14th at 06:30-08:30, at the WRVS opposite Crawley Hospital.
' I am delighted that the Government has agreed to our request and we intend to work in partnership with them, as its high time that our people move forward and that we do not continuously dwell on the things of the past.'
'The judgement of the House of Lords of the 22nd of October, I know, has been disappointing for some of our people in Mauritius who wanted to press for a resettlement on the outer islands of Chagos, but again I still believe that the UK remains the best place for our people to resettle. Even if the right of return was going to be upheld by the Lords, the Diego Garcians was not going to be allowed back to their homeland in Diego Garcia, simply because the UK needs to respect the military treaty with the US. I think the judgement brings all the islanders on the same level. I feel for those who sincerely wanted to return, but I think we need to be realistic here and move forward.'
This visit to our homeland is vital, as it will give us a broader picture of whether it is more advantageous to live in the UK or in the islands.We are also being reconnected to our cultural and ancestral heritage.We will be bringing back this heritage to share with others, in the UK. I will be writing my report with recommendations to the Government, which I believe will be important for any future decisions.' said Allen Vincatassin
