Part One: How the British Empire and U.S. Department of Defense Murdered an Island Paradise
Jun 18, 2024
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Historian and podcaster Andrew Ti discusses the dark history of the Chagos Islands, exposing the British Empire and U.S. Department of Defense's exploitation for military purposes. The podcast unveils the colonial devastation, strategic importance, and sinister motives behind the actions that wiped out an island paradise founded by former slaves.
Chagos Islands began as a utopian paradise founded by former slaves, living a cheerful, well-fed, and isolated life.
Post-war modernization and external interests exposed the Chagosians to the outside world, leading to departures and changing dynamics.
The forceful removal of Chagos Islanders by British and US authorities disregarded their indigenous status and well-documented history.
Deep dives
Development of the Chagos Islands
Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean started as a paradise with a small population that lived a utopian life post-slavery. The inhabitants were cheerful, well-fed, and isolated, engaging in unique cultural practices. Despite colonial rule, life on the islands was described as pleasant and matriarchal, with the people owning their homes. The population grew to over a thousand, and uniquely developed their language and musical traditions.
Impact of World Wars and Post-War Changes
During and after World Wars, outsiders noticed the islands' unique culture and pleasant lifestyle. The islands remained mostly unaffected by the wars, retaining their isolated and idyllic setting. However, post-war developments, like radios and steamships, exposed the Chagosians to the outside world, leading to departures and changing dynamics. The islands faced pressures of modernization and external interests.
Fate of Independence and External Influence
As the British Empire began decolonization, Chagos Islands could have thrived independently but never achieved sovereignty. In 1961, plans for a US island base on Diego Garcia disrupted the islands' trajectory. Stuart Barber's interest in geography led to the islands being surveyed for a military base, altering the fate of the Chagosians' idyllic existence. The islands' future shifted from potential independence to serving strategic military interests.
Strategic Island Concept: Stockpiling Bases for Cold War Defense
To prepare for potential conflicts during the Cold War, the idea of establishing strategic island bases away from populated areas gained significance. Stu foresaw the challenges of relying on established countries and proposed the strategic island concept to avoid resistance and ensure continuous access to airstrips. By prioritizing small, lightly populated islands, Stu viewed these locations solely as military assets rather than considering them as communities, aiming to secure long-term bases.
Ethnic Cleansing for Naval Base: Exploiting Chagos Islanders
The British and the US collaborated in the forceful removal of the Chagos Islanders to accommodate a naval base on Diego Garcia. Despite the established society and culture of the Chagosians, officials dismissed them as unsophisticated laborers and denied their indigenous status. Racist remarks were fueled by the desire to maintain control over the British Indian Ocean Territory while disregarding the Chagosians' well-documented history and livelihoods.
Robert welcomes Andrew Ti back to the show to tell the story of the Chagos Islands, a paradise founded by former slaves that was wiped out by the British empire so they could lease it to the U.S. as an air base.
(2 Part Series)
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