NON-FICTION CRUEL BRITANNIA IN THE DOCK.

In his latest book, titled The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy, Philippe Sands - international lawyer and professor at University College, London - movingly tells the story of Britain's continuing colonial occupation of the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean, the deportation of all of its inhabitants from their homes half a century ago, and their quest for justice. Events described in The Last Colony will leave the reader, as they first left its author, 'appalled by a story of continuing injustice and my own ignorance.'

Before its colonial occupation of Mauritius came to an end in 1968, Britain had severed the Chagos archipelago, which had been 'long part of Mauritius', to form a new colonial territory which it called the British Indian Ocean Territory. The British also secretly allowed the United States to establish a military base on the island of Diego Garcia, which is part of the Chagos archipelago. Filipinos, Bangladeshis and Mauritians work at this base, but Chagossians are not allowed.

The Last Colony weaves together a number of themes and Sands calls the book a compendium of 'interwoven tales.' These tales include the author's 'own evolving relationship with the world of international law' as well as the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague 'in the gradual demise of colonialism, with a focus ultimately on the case of Mauritius.' The book also focuses on the mendacity, hypocrisy and racism of the British authorities and their utter disregard for international law.

However, what Sands calls 'the beating heart of this book' is the tale of Liseby Elyse, 'the wrongs done to her and other Chagossians and their quest for justice that continues to this day.' The book begins with Elyse and her testimony at the ICJ.

A book by an international lawyer tells an appalling tale of British imperialism and the mendacity, hypocrisy and racism of British authorities and their utter disregard for international law

On April 27, 1973, the British deported 1,500 people - the entire community of Chagossians - from their homes and the land of their ancestors. Those living on Diego Garcia had been deported earlier. Without any explanation, the Chagossians were cruelly told: 'The island is being closed.' Among those being deported was a 20-year-old, pregnant woman named Liseby Elyse.

In 2018, in her testimony to the ICJ, Elyse recalled the deportation, which the British knew at the time was a...