They reached Port-Louis with their heads full of beautiful memories. Their trip to the Chagos was expected to be full of emotions but it might have been beyond expectations. After 38 years of living in extremely difficult conditions, the hundred or so Chagossians who could be part of the voyage on the Mauritius Trochetia deserved this pilgrimage to the land of their homeland? even if it was only for a short visit to each of the islands of the archipelago.

On Tuesday, they set foot on Chagossian sand after 38 years of hard exile. They attended mass on Bodham Island in the Salomon atoll. To celebrate this first victory, they erected a stele to commemorate their historical visit.

On Wednesday, they headed for L?Ile du Coin in Peros Banhos atoll. Same ritual: mass in the only church of the island, meditation and praying on their relatives? graves; and the erection of a commemorative stele. The dilapidated state of these two islands made the visit quite difficult but this in no way prevented them from taking full advantage of those precious emotional moments.

However, the peak was reached when they arrived on Diego Garcia. Half of the Chagossians come from there and the return was full of emotions.

Modern Diego

The fact that Diego Garcia is also the ?bone of contention? that forced them to leave for Mauritius or the Seychelles only added to the intense historical visit. When the United States made a secret agreement with Great Britain to have a military base in Diego Garcia, Great Britain had to make sure that all Chagossians be displaced to other islands in the region.

As Diego Garcia is managed by the Americans and some people live there, the island has more infrastructure than the other islands of the archipelago, which made the visit easier. Even though the islanders had to give all cameras to the militaries, they will keep all their memories in mind. The visit appeared far more solemn than the previous ones. Some 40 Mauritians who work on the island organised a lunch for the exiled natives.

During the evening, the Chagossians were able to return the courtesy by inviting the 40 Mauritians as well as a few US militaries for dinner on the Mauritius Trochetia.

Soon after the dinner, the Mauritius Trochetia headed back towards Port-Louis with 100 nostalgic Chagossians on board? probably dreaming of their permanent return to their homeland?