Submission from Mr Allen Vincatassin, Leader, British Indian Ocean Territory People's Party.

I led the Diego Garcian Community and other Chagos Islanders to the U.K. to start a new life, when we were granted the right of abode in the U.K. under the British Overseas Territories Act 2002.

I came with 19 of my compatriots despite the F.C.O. saying that we needed to fend for ourselves, as the rule was clear, no state benefit on arrival. I had to defy the rules because the Government failed to make exceptional circumstances rules in our case. People from Monserrat and the Irish can claim benefit from day 1 of their arrival in the U.K.

We remained at the airport for 3 days and nights and the Government made no move to accommodate us. There was no provision. We remained stranded at the airport.

On the third day, West Sussex County Council decided to temporarily accommodate us in a hotel under the National Assistance Act 1948. I started to learn the system and help my community members find jobs, open bank accounts, register with a G.P. etc. Then I supported and encouraged a group of 50 in March 2003 and I continue to learn, helping them find their way and settle here.

I planned it because the government was refusing to allow us to return to Chagos. I thought it was the only good way to change the lives of these people out of acute poverty in Mauritius.

We had to wait 6 months to get jobseekers allowance for us to stand on our feet. We were living on £30 a week given to us by Social Services.

Now we are waiting for a judgement from the Court of Appeal as we want exemption from the Residency Test and we are saying that there has been discrimination plus failure of provision by the Government as they knew that we had been evicted in the past to make way for the military base.