Islanders win right to go home

By Luke Baker

LONDON (Reuters) - The people of the Chagos Islands, driven from their balmy Indian Ocean home by Britain more than 40 years ago, won a resounding court victory on Wednesday that could see them return as soon as they can plan a trip.

The High Court dismissed an appeal by the Foreign Office against their return, saying the right to go home was "one of the most fundamental liberties known to human beings".

The Chagossians were removed from their palm-fringed archipelago during the Cold War when Britain granted permission to the United States to build an air and naval base on the largest atoll, Diego Garcia.

Diego Garcia has since been used in U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the British government has argued that on security grounds it would not be right for the Chagossians to be allowed home.

In its ruling, the High Court also said the government should not be allowed to appeal any longer, having lost three times in various courts, but would leave that decision to the House of Lords.

Pending any appeal, Wednesday's decision means surviving members of the 2,000 Chagossians originally removed, and their descendants, could return as soon as they can organise a trip -- not an easy challenge given the remoteness of the islands.

Olivier Bancoult, chairman of the Chagos Refugees Group, who has driven the campaign to win the right to return, emerged from court beaming and his fingers held up in a victory sign.

He said his priority now was to go home as soon as possible and tend the graves of his ancestors.