OPENING SPEECH
In 1967 the Chagos archipelago was home to a small but thriving community of Chagossians. However a conspiracy was born to steal their homes and destroy their community. Our government aligned with the United States to drive the Chagossians from their home and seize it to setup a military base. The Chagossians, deprived of their land languished in poverty, many of them perishing illness and malnutrition. This was great crime, targeted against a people with no capacity to defend themselves from the power of two nations.
Now we have a chance to absolve this great sin. Our contract with the United Sates to supply the Chagos Archipelago ends in 2016, and we must take this opportunity to restore the islands to their true owners. This motion will endorse not only restoring the Chagossians to their home, but secure their future as independent nation, paving the way for them to rebuild the thriving community they once had.
Now allow me to reject the criticisms my fellow members have brought up. Some members have raised the fact the islands are a marine reserve as a reason to continue depriving the Chagossians of their home. Firstly you should know that establishing the islands as a marine reserve was a cynical move, done solely to provide justification for refusing the Chagossians their right tot return. Leaked cables demonstrate this. Furthermore, those concerned about environmental proctection should consider who will be the best caretakers of the islands and their surrounding waters: the Chagossians or the American military. The Chagossians, have an interest in building a sustainable environment, whereas the US military have only an interest in exploiting the land as a strategic resource.
Other members are concerned about the effect this will have on international relations. Firstly, the contract allowing the US to remain expires next year, the US can have no complaint with us for choosing not to renew this contract. We are not breaking any agreement with the US. We have as much right to ask them to leave the islands, as we would to ask them to remove a base from Great Britain. Secondly, we cannot as a nation allow the threat of diplomatic repercussion to intimidate us into depriving these people of their rights. Every day we face pressure from the international community to surrender the residents of Falklands Isles to a foreign nation, but we refuse at great cost, because the rights of those residents come before smoothing over relations with a foreign country. Lastly, we can endure displeasing the US for a short time. We are and will continue to be a valuable ally and the US and they are unlikely to trade that alliance in order to maintain their grip on these islands.
I hope I've answered all your issues, and look forward seeing a resounding AYE form the house.