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First published by Macmillan London Limited in 1989
This edition published by Alma Books Limited in 2012
Copyright © Peter Benson, 1989

Peter Benson asserts his moral right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

Printed in Great Britain

Typesetting and eBook design by Tetragon

ISBN: 978-1-8468-8192-3
eBook ISBN: 978-1-8468-8222-7

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not be resold, lent, hired out or otherwise circulated without the express prior consent of the publisher.

Contents

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23
• Chapter 24
• Chapter 25
• Chapter 26
• Chapter 27
• Acknowledgements

‘(The Ilois), mostly men and women born and brought up in the islands… live their lives in surroundings of wonderful natural beauty and in conditions most tranquil and benign.’

From a British Colonial Office Film, 1950

‘The nature of (Diego Garcia) itself, which is a rather small piece of land, is also fortuitous in that it has no local population whatsoever…’

From evidence presented to US Congress Sub-Committee, March 1974

‘This is the deed of me… and the adult members of my family… I am an Ilois who left that part of the BIOT never to return… we accept the money already paid… and we abandon all our claims and rights (if any) of whatever nature to return to the BIOT’

Extract from a ‘Deed of Acceptance & Power of Attorney’ prepared by the British Government in 1979

‘If you liked Vietnam, you’ll love Diego Garcia.’

Congressman Robert Leggett addressing the American Congress, 1974

‘There are very, very few secrets in Government.’

Tony Benn speaking to the UK Parliament’s Public Administration Select Committee on 16 March 2006. Tony Benn was a member of the Labour cabinet that secretly agreed to remove forcibly the Ilois from Diego Garcia and lease the island to the USA in exchange for a $14 million discount in the cost of purchasing Polaris ballistic missiles.