This site has been set up by the Ilois Support [IST], registered with the Charity Commission under reference 1087561. The Trust supports the Ilois population based on the islands of Mauritius and Seychelles. It is the intention of the site to raise global awareness of the struggles that the population of the islands face, and those currently living in Crawley, England as they battle the UK Government for their right to reclaim their homeland and return home. Ilois Support Trust [IST] is the only British charity set up exclusively to provide assistance to the Chagossian population of Mauritius. Since early 2000, when IST was founded, the volunteer management has managed to raise funds to meet social need in the Chagossian community and to build the skills and organisation of the Chagossian leadership. There are approximately 8,000 people living in Mauritius, born on, or children of parents born on one of the islands in the Chagossian archipelago, the largest of which is Diego Garcia, now known as one of America's most important military bases.  The Chagossians (also known as the Ilois -'islanders') make up a severely impoverished and marginalized community within Mauritius. Until 1971, they populated Diego Garcia, Peros Banhos and Salomons atolls, many families tracing their origins on the islands back into the early 19th century. Having done a deal in 1965 with the USA to "let" the island for use as a military base, the British Government of the day in Parliament and public denied the existence of an Ilois population and then spent six years removing that population to Mauritius where they were dumped in run-down slum properties. The disgraceful mistreatment of the Chagossians became public in 2000 thanks to the tenacity of Olivier Bancoult of the Chagos Refugee Group (CRG) and his supporters who fought and won a legal battle with the British Government. On 3 November 2000, the High Court ruled that the Government acted unlawfully in removing the population of Diego Garcia. The current Government have accepted that view' and feasibility studies are now under way with a view to enabling the Ilois to return to one or more of the Chagos islands, though not Diego Garcia itself which continues to be an important US military base. In the meantime, the Chagossians remain on the margins of Mauritian society, socially excluded and extremely poor. Living conditions for many families remain cramped and inadequate to cope with the extremes of heat and rain that characterise Mauritius' climate. Unemployment is at 60% compared with the national figure of 4% (men) and 11 % (women). Illiteracy rates, only 15% in Mauritius as a whole are 45% amongst the Chagossians. Excluded from work, education and the possibility of a decent livelihood, many younger members of the community have turned to negative coping strategies; national problems of drug abuse and alcoholism are dramatically worse amongst the Chagossians, prostitution is rife, and suicide rates are very high. This project and the work of IST in general seeks to provide opportunity for learning, skills development and employment for the Chagossian youth in particular. Donald Anderson, Chair of Foreign Affairs Select Committee said: "It's clearly been found that there was an indigenous population, that the government of the day was wrong, and that successive governments from the middle 1960s have colluded in that."                                             Olivier Bancoult          of the Chagos Refugee Group (CRG)                   and his supporters          who fought and won a legal battle             with the British Government                 On 3 November 2000 To use the Trust Fund for the  welfare, education, training  and cultural re-establishment of the Chagossian community. 1 The Trustees shall apply the income, and may at their discretion, apply the whole or any part of the capital of the Trust Fund for the welfare, education, training and cultural re-establishment of the Ilois. 2 The Trustees may grant assistance to the Ilois through the agency of other charities. 3 In carrying out the trusts declared by this deed, the Trustees shall have special regard to the long term welfare of the Ilois community whether in their country of their present residence or in the Chagos Archipelago. During construction of the site the charity can be contacted at the following address: The Ilois Support Trust 53 Court Rd Caterham Surrey CR3 5RJ Phone No: 01883 342902 E-mail : administrator@iloistrust.org                                                                              Site Last Updated                                               13 Feb 2008                                                                 ***                                          Errors and Omissions Excepted                                        © 2003-2004 All Rights Reserved