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From Our Own Correspondent: Return of the Chagos Islanders

19/02/2022

Return of the Chagos Islanders

BBC Radio 4 - From Our Own Correspondent, Return of the Chagos Islanders

Fifty years after their removal, a group go back to visit the land they once called home.

The return of exiled Chagos Islanders, Dutch homes allegedly ruined by gas exploration, plus Kenya's booming tech, a French-Algerian novelist, and the Japanese and their ghosts.

When a boat carrying a group of Chagos Islanders landed on their homeland this week, it represented return after half a century of exile. The Islands were once part of British-run Mauritius, and in 1972, Britain removed the inhabitants, so it could hand one of the islands over to the United States, to build a military base. The move has been condemned by the International Court of Justice, and by the United Nations, but the UK has so far refused to allow the Islanders back. This week, they took matters into their own hands, and returned by boat for a visit. Andrew Harding was on board.

It was in the 1960s that gas was discovered in The Netherlands, and since then, it has provided the country with both cash and energy security. However, some people living near the gas fields claim that the exploration has damaged their homes, and even destroyed them. Anna Holligan has visited the damaged properties, and met the residents who say their lives have been ruined.

Kenya's world-wide image is often restricted to wildlife and beaches. However, the country now plays host to one of the most vibrant tech sectors in Africa, with a particular emphasis on putting tech into practice. The aim is to find a development route which does not necessarily copy the heavy industrialisation of wealthier countries. Indeed, Zeinab Badawi says Kenya is already pursuing a greener path, which could make for a more prosperous future.

The French-Algerian writer, Fatima Daas has won huge praise for her first book, a semi-autobiographical account of a life attempting to reconcile being a Muslim and Lesbian. Mike Wooldridge joined her for a walk round the Paris neighbourhood where she grew up.

Japan's current Prime Minister is the first for many years to live in his official Tokyo residence, and reports claim this is because previous holders of the post were scared the building was haunted. This should not be too surprising, according to Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, as Japanese people regularly take account of ghosts when considering where to live.

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