Charlesia Alexis

"I left (British Indian Ocean Territory) in 1967. My husband was ill and we had taken him to Mauritius for treatment. When we were ready to return, (Mauritian) officials said they had instructions not to let us go back. They told us Diego (Garcia) had been sold. They tried to starve us. There was no milk, no oil, no salt."

"We were just women; there were no men at all in those days. When we did demonstrations, the police beat the men... so we decided to use a majority of women and a minority of men."

"It’s no a compensation for the Chagossians. It’s not even a British person’s pay for one month."

"We're a small people. We have no arms to make war with the British government, nor with the Mauritian government. We didn't know if the money was a lot, or if it was a little. Me, I say that the Mauritian government and the British government looked after their own interests."

"...the Ilios problem isn't going away; the British government must recognize our suffering..."

"I like England, I'll stay here ... I've seen how the Government helps old people and those with children, although those who don't speak English don't get work. In Mauritius, even if you work ... it's not enough to save, whereas here people who work can save quickly."

"My heart is full of sorrow/ See my child growing up/ See the children growing up/ Without knowing their mother’s native country"