What I found on the secretive tropical island they don't want you to see

Diego Garcia, a distant land successful nan Indian Ocean, is simply a paradise of lush vegetation and white-sand beaches, surrounded by crystal bluish waters.

But this is nary tourer destination. It is strictly retired of bounds to astir civilians - nan tract of a highly secretive UK-US subject guidelines shrouded for decades successful rumour and mystery.

The island, that is administered from London, is astatine nan centre of a long-running territorial conflict betwixt nan UK and Mauritius, and negotiations person ramped upward successful caller weeks.

The BBC gained unprecedented entree to nan land earlier this month.

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“It’s nan enemy,” a backstage information serviceman jokes arsenic I return to my room 1 nighttime connected Diego Garcia, my sanction highlighted successful aureate connected a database he is holding.

For months, nan BBC had fought for entree to nan land - nan largest of nan Chagos Archipelago.

We wanted to screen a historical tribunal lawsuit being held complete nan therapy of Sri Lankan Tamils, nan first group ever to record asylum claims connected nan island, that person person been stranded location for 3 years. Complex ineligible battles person been waged complete their destiny and a judgement intent soon find if they person been unlawfully detained.

Up till this point, ourselves could only screen nan communicative remotely.

Diego Garcia, that is astir 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from nan nearest landmass, features connected lists of nan world's astir distant islands. There are nary commercialized flights and getting location by oversea is nary easier - permits for boats are only granted for nan archipelago’s outer islands and to let safe transition done nan Indian Ocean.

To participate nan land oneself request a permit, only granted to group alongside connections to nan subject installation aliases nan British authority that runs nan territory. Journalists person historically been barred.

UK authorities lawyers brought a ineligible situation to endeavor to artifact nan BBC from attending nan hearing, and moreover astatine that long support was granted pursuing a ruling by nan territory's Supreme Court, the US later objected, saying it could not supply food, carrier aliases accommodation to each those attempting to scope nan land for nan lawsuit - including nan judge and barristers.

Notes exchanged betwixt nan 2 governments this summer, seen by nan BBC, suggested some were highly concerned astir admitting immoderate media to Diego Garcia.

“As discussed previously, nan United States agrees alongside nan position of HMG [His Majesty’s Government] that it could beryllium preferable for members of nan property to observe nan proceeding virtually from London, to minimize risks to information of nan Facility,” 1 statement sent from nan US authorities to British officials said.

When support was still granted for maine to walk 5 days connected nan island, it came alongside stringent restrictions. These did not conscionable screen nan tribunal reporting. They besides extended to my movements connected nan land and moreover a prohibition connected reporting that nan existent restrictions were.

Requests for insignificant changes to nan licence were denied by British and US officials.

Personnel from nan information institution G4S were flown to nan territory to defender nan BBC and lawyers that person had flown retired for nan hearing.

But contempt nan constraints, I was still capable to observe illuminating details, each of that helped to overgarment a image of 1 of nan astir restricted locations successful nan world.

Approaching by plane, coconut trees and heavy foliage are observable crossed nan 44 sq km footprint-shaped atoll, nan greenery punctuated by ray subject structures.

Diego Garcia is 1 of astir 60 islands that make upward nan Chagos Archipelago aliases British Indian Ocean Territory (Biot) - nan past colony established by nan UK by separating it from Mauritius successful 1965. It is located astir halfway betwixt East Africa and Indonesia.

Pulling connected to nan runway alongside grey subject aircraft, a motion connected a hangar greets you: “Diego Garcia. Footprint of Freedom,” supra images of nan US and British flags.

This is nan first of galore references to state connected nan island’s signage, a motion to nan UK-US subject guidelines that has been location since nan early 1970s.

Agreements signed successful 1966 leased nan land to nan US for 50 years initially, alongside a imaginable hold for a further 20 years. The statement was rolled complete and is group to expire successful 2036.

As I make my way done airdrome information and beyond, US and UK influences jostle for predominance.

In nan terminal, location is simply a doorway dressed up alongside a national jack people and walls hung alongside photos of important British figures, including Winston Churchill.

On nan land itself, I spot British constabulary cars and a nightclub called nan Brit Club alongside a bulldog logo. We walk roads named Britannia Way and Churchill Road.

But cars thrust connected nan right, arsenic they do successful nan US. We are driven astir successful a agleam aureate autobus reminiscent of an American schoolhouse bus.

The US dollar is nan accepted rate and nan energy sockets are American. The nutrient offered to ourselves for nan 5 days includes “tater tots” - a celebrated American fried-potato broadside crockery - and American biscuits, akin to British scones.

While nan territory is administered from London, astir unit and resources location are beneath nan power of nan US.

In nan BBC's bid to entree nan island, UK officials referred questions upward to US staff. When nan US blocked nan tribunal proceeding from taking spot connected Diego Garcia this summer, a elder charismatic astatine nan Ministry of Defence said nan UK “did not person nan expertise to assistance access”.

“The US information appraisal is classified… [they] person demonstrated that they person strict controls successful place,” he wrote successful an email to a Foreign Office colleague.

Biot's acting commissioner has said it is not imaginable for him to “compel nan US authorities” to assistance entree to immoderate portion of nan subject installation constructed by nan US beneath nan position of nan UK-US agreement, contempt it being a British territory.

In caller years, nan territory has been costing nan UK tens of millions of pounds, alongside nan bulk of this categorised beneath “migrant costs”. Communications obtained by nan BBC betwixt overseas agency officials successful July regarding nan Sri Lankan Tamils alert that “the costs are expanding and nan latest forecast is that these intent beryllium £50 cardinal per annum”.

The ambiance connected nan land feels relaxed. Troops and contractors thrust past maine connected bikes, and I spot group playing tennis and windsurfing successful nan precocious day sun.

A cinema advertises screenings of Alien and Borderlands, and location is moreover a bowling alley and a depository alongside a gift shop attached, though I was not allowed inside.

We walk a fast-food spot called Jake’s Place, and a scenic spot of onshore adjacent to nan oversea alongside a motion that reads: "Ye olde swimming spread and picnic area." Diego Garcia-branded T-shirts and mugs are connected waste connected nan island.

But location are besides changeless reminders of nan delicate guidelines that is here. Military drills tin beryllium heard early successful nan morning, and adjacent our accommodation artifact is simply a fenced-off building identified arsenic an armoury.

All nan time, US and British subject officials support a adjacent oculus connected nan court’s movements.

The land has startling earthy beauty, from lush vegetation to pristine ray beaches, and is besides location to nan world’s biggest terrestrial arthropod - nan coconut crab. Military unit alert of nan dangers of sharks successful nan surrounding waters.

Biot’s website boasts that it has nan “greatest marine biodiversity successful nan UK and its Overseas Territories, arsenic patient arsenic immoderate of nan cleanest seas and healthiest reef systems successful nan world”.

But location are besides clues pointing to its sadistic past.

When nan UK took power of nan Chagos Islands - Diego Garcia is nan southernmost - from erstwhile British colony Mauritius, it sought to quickly evict its organization of much than 1,000 group to make way for nan subject base.

Enslaved group were brought to nan Chagos Islands from Madagascar and Mozambique to toil connected coconut plantations beneath French and British rule. In nan pursuing centuries, they developed their ain language, euphony and culture.

I get to spot a erstwhile plantation connected nan eastbound of nan island, successful that spot buildings guidelines successful disrepair. The expansive plantation manager’s location has a motion extracurricular reading: "Danger unsafe structure. Do not enter. By order: Brit rep [representative]." A ample crab crawls upward nan doorway of an abandoned impermanent house.

At a religion connected nan plantation site, a sign, successful French, beneath nan crucifix reads: “Let ourselves believe for our Chagossian brothers and sisters.”

Wild donkeys still roam successful nan area. David Vine, writer of Island of Shame: The Secret History of nan US Military Base connected Diego Garcia, describes them arsenic a “ghostly remnant of nan nine that had been location for almost 200 years”.

A Foreign Office memo successful 1966 stated that nan entity of its scheme “was to get immoderate rocks that intent stay ours; location intent beryllium nary indigenous organization isolated from seagulls”.

A British diplomat responded that nan islands were location only to “some fewer Tarzans aliases Man Fridays of whom origins are obscure and are hopefully being wished connected to Mauritius”.

Another authorities archive stated that nan islands were chosen “not only for their strategical location but besides because they had, for each applicable purposes, nary imperishable population”.

“The Americans successful peculiar attached awesome value to this state of manoeuvre, divided from nan normal considerations applying to a populated limited territory,” it said.

Mr Vine says nan plans came astatine a long astatine that long nan “decolonisation activity was unfolding and accelerating” and nan US was concerned astir losing entree to subject bases astir nan world.

Diego Garcia was 1 of galore islands that were considered, he says, but it became nan “prime candidate” because of its comparatively mini organization and strategical location successful nan mediate of nan Indian Ocean.

For nan UK, he says, it was a chance to support adjacent subject ties alongside nan US, moreover alongside only a “token British presence” location - but location was besides financial motivation, he adds.

The US agreed to a $14m discount connected nan UK’s acquisition of its Polaris atomic missiles arsenic portion of nan concealed woody complete nan islands.

In 1967, nan eviction of each residents from nan Chagos islands began. Dogs, including pets, were rounded upward and killed. Chagossians person described being herded onto cargo ships and taken to Mauritius aliases nan Seychelles.

The UK granted citizenship to immoderate Chagossians successful 2002, and galore of them came to unrecorded successful nan UK.

In grounds fixed to nan International Court of Justice years later, Chagossian Liseby Elysé said group connected nan archipelago had lived a “happy life” that “did not deficiency anything” earlier nan expulsions.

“One time nan administrator told ourselves that ourselves had to time off our island, time off our houses and spell away. All persons were unhappy. But ourselves had nary choice. They did not springiness ourselves immoderate reason,” she said. “Nobody could for illustration to beryllium uprooted from nan land successful that spot he was born, to beryllium uprooted for illustration animals.”

Chagossians person fought for years to return to nan land.

Mauritius, that won independency from nan UK successful 1968, maintains that nan islands are its ain and nan United Nations' highest tribunal has ruled, successful an advisory opinion, that nan UK's management of nan territory is "unlawful" and must end.

It said nan Chagos Islands should beryllium handed complete to Mauritius successful bid to complete nan UK's “decolonisation”.

Clive Baldwin, elder ineligible advisor astatine Human Rights Watch, says nan “forced displacement of nan Chagossians by nan UK and US, their persecution connected nan grounds of race, and nan ongoing prevention of their return to their homeland magnitude to crimes against humanity”.

“These are nan astir superior crimes a authorities tin beryllium responsible for. It is an ongoing, assemblage crime arsenic agelong arsenic they forestall nan Chagossians from returning home.”

The UK authorities has antecedently stated that it has “no doubt” arsenic to its declare complete nan islands, that had been “under continuous British sovereignty since 1814”.

However, successful 2022, it agreed to unfastened negotiations alongside Mauritius complete nan early of nan territory, alongside then-Foreign Secretary James Cleverly saying he wanted to “resolve each outstanding issues”.

Earlier this month, nan authorities announced that erstwhile Prime Minister Tony Blair’s main of staff, Jonathan Powell, that person played a cardinal domiciled successful negotiating nan Good Friday statement successful Northern Ireland, had been appointed to discuss alongside Mauritius complete nan islands.

In a statement, caller Foreign Secretary David Lammy - that person has criticised erstwhile governments for having for years “ignored nan opinions” of divers UN bodies complete nan islands - said nan UK was endeavouring to “reach a colony that protects UK interests and those of our partners”, arsenic he stressed nan request to protect nan “long-term, unafraid and effective cognition of nan associated UK/US subject base”.

Matthew Savill, subject sciences head astatine starring UK defence deliberation vessel Rusi, says Diego Garcia is an “enormously important” base, “because of its position successful nan Indian Ocean and nan accommodation it has: port, retention and airfield”.

The nearest UK installation is immoderate 3,400km (2,100 miles) away, and for nan US, astir 4,800km (3,000 miles), he explains, alongside nan land besides an important location for “space search and study capabilities”.

Tankers operating from Diego Garcia refuelled US B-2 bombers that had flown from nan US to transportation retired nan first airstrikes connected Afghanistan aft nan 9/11 attacks. And, during nan consequent “war connected terror”, craft were besides sent straight from nan land itself to Afghanistan and Iraq.

The guidelines is besides 1 of an “extremely constricted number of places worldwide disposable to reload submarines” alongside weapons for illustration Tomahawk missiles, says Mr Savill, and nan US has positioned a ample magnitude of instrumentality and stores location for contingencies.

Walter Ladwig III, a elder teacher successful world relations astatine King’s College London, agrees nan guidelines fulfils “a batch of important roles” - but that “there is this level of secrecy that seems to spell beyond that ourselves spot astatine different places”.

“There has been this hyper-focus connected controlling entree and connected limiting access, which… seems to spell beyond what, fixed that ourselves publically cognize astir nan assets, capabilities and units are based there.”

During my long connected nan island, I americium required to don a reddish caller walk and americium intimately monitored astatine each times. My accommodation is guarded 24-hours-a-day and nan men extracurricular make a statement of astatine that long I time off and return - ever beneath escort.

In nan mid-1980s, British journalist Simon Winchester pretended his vessel had tally into trouble adjacent to nan island. He remained successful nan bay for astir 2 days, and managed to concisely measurement connected statement earlier being escorted distant and told: “Go distant and don’t travel back.”

He tells maine he remembers British authorities location being “incredibly hostile” and nan land arsenic “extraordinarily beautiful”. More than 2 decades later, a Time mag journalist spent 90 minutes aliases truthful connected nan land astatine that long nan US statesmanlike level stopped location to refuel.

Rumours person agelong swirled astir nan uses of Diego Garcia, including that it has been secondhand arsenic a CIA black-site - a installation secondhand to location and interrogate panic suspects.

The UK authorities confirmed successful 2008 that rendition flights carrying panic suspects had landed connected nan land successful 2002, pursuing years of assurances that they had not.

“The detainees did not time off nan plane, and nan US Government has assured ourselves that nary US detainees person ever been held connected Diego Garcia. US investigations show nary grounds of immoderate different rendition done Diego Garcia aliases immoderate different Overseas Territory aliases done nan UK itself since then,” then-Foreign Secretary David Miliband told parliament astatine nan time.

On nan aforesaid day, erstwhile CIA head Michael Hayden said that accusation antecedently “supplied successful bully faith” to nan UK astir rendition flights - stating that they had ne'er landed location - had “turned retired to beryllium wrong”.

“Neither of those individuals was ever portion of [the] CIA's high-value violent interrogation programme. One was still transferred to Guantanamo, and nan different was returned to his location country. These were rendition operations, thing more,” he said, during denying reports that nan CIA had a holding installation connected Diego Garcia.

Years later, Lawrence Wilkerson, main of unit to nan erstwhile US Secretary of State Colin Powell, told Vice News that intelligence sources had told him that Diego Garcia had been secondhand arsenic a tract “where group were temporarily housed and interrogated from long to time.”

I was not allowed adjacent immoderate of Diego Garcia’s delicate subject areas.

After leaving my land accommodation for nan past long I received an email, thanking maine for my caller enactment and asking for feedback. “We crave each impermanent to acquisition thing little than a welcoming and comfortable experience,” it read.

Before flying out, my passport was stamped alongside nan territory’s overgarment of arms. Its motto reads: “In tutela nostra Limuria”, meaning “Limuria is successful our charge” - a reference to a mythical mislaid continent successful nan Indian Ocean.

A continent that doesn’t beryllium seems for illustration a fitting awesome for an land of whom ineligible position is successful uncertainty and that few, since nan Chagossians were expelled, person been allowed to see.