Islanders sleep rough in protest

The islanders want to return to Diego Garcia after being exiled

Exiled islanders from Diego Garcia are sleeping rough in Westminster in protest at their treatment by Britain.

A group of men from the remote Indian Ocean island are camping under the statue of Winston Churchill in central London to highlight their plight.

The islanders were exiled from their home in the 1970s when it was taken over by the British government for a British and American military base.

They say they have endured poverty and prejudice while in exile and have taken legal action against the UK government.

'We want a boat'

The islanders, who all hold British passports, are part of a larger party of about 100 Diego Garcians who had wanted to stay in Crawley after they arrived in Britain in July.

Originally social services in Crawley had paid for their accommodation but now the money has run out.

Gabriel Valentin, one of the islanders, said: "We want a boat, we want a flight.

"We want to return to our island - that is what we want to do."

On Thursday the High Court will decide whether the British Government was legally responsible for the removal of the islanders.

If the judge rules in favour of the Diego Garcians they will be able to continue their fight for repatriation and for compensation.