What are your plans for tonight?

I only ask because, in case you didn?t know, you?re invited to dinner; obviously, it?s not free; you pay a sum of money and that money goes towards helping to pay for the trip of some British citizens who are fighting against their government in a British court of law, to convince that very same government that has ill-treated them in the most cruel fashion some years back, to let them return to the Chagos islands.

In short, you are being asked to pay to help others work against the interests of your country.

You see, to be able to fight the British government in a British court of law, those people have claimed that they are British and have demanded that they be recognized as subjects of her Majesty. It?s a free world and good for them if they prefer to be British rather than Mauritians.

We?ll pass on the ungratefulness to the country that has - albeit grudgingly - given them a home when their government forcibly removed them from their native islands. We?ll also pass on the fact that, as Chagossians living in Mauritius, they have had full access to social benefits - free health, free education and whatever else the country likes to give for free. No, we won?t go into this. It?s ugly to reproach people for what one has freely given. It would be out of place indeed.

But the problem, you see, is that Mauritius, our beloved country, the country whose territory was dismembered when the British stole the Chagos from her, is claiming sovereignty over the Chagos. Mauritius has never and will never recognize the sovereignty of Britain over the Chagos for the simple reason that the Chagos islands don?t belong to them; they belong to us.

You see where the problem is? British citizens (as they like to be called), living in our country, go to the UK (where they?re not even wanted) and say loud and clear that the Chagos islands belong to the British and that they want to ?stay British.?

This is what is called playing right into the hands of the British.

Oh and by the way, the UK government has made provision in its white paper on overseas territories for the possibility of holding a referendum among the natives of ?their? territories (natives whose existence the British conveniently forgot when they expelled the Chagossians from their islands).

If they hold a referendum and Chagossians say they want to ?stay British? as that Bancoult has already said, then that?s it as far as Mauritius? claim to sovereignty is concerned.

Are you still keen to go to the ?solidarity? dinner?

Do you know what? Even if you were, there will be no retaliation from your country. Even if you are helping to work against her interests; that?s how great your little country is - she gives you the freedom to do as you please.

It will be a damn shame if you repay her by being a traitor.