If anyone else has seen the documentary ‘Stealing A Nation’, you will understand why there is a lot of anger against the governments in both the U.K. & the U.S.A..
On Google Earth, which is usually quite precise, Chagos archipelago is a black hole, but Egmond island, and curiously Diego Garcia which gets a precise definition.
Quite strange when you know that Diego Garcia was the starting point of all that mess …
You're right, after the population was evacuated, now the water from the wells has turned into brine. These islands are no longer habitable. Uninhabited, they are visited only by a few rich vacationers in sailboats who no longer know how to spend their money, eager for forbidden adventures on these prohibited access islands.
You're right, after the population was evacuated, now the water from the wells has turned into brine. These islands are no longer habitable. Uninhabited, they are visited only by a few rich vacationers in sailboats who no longer know how to spend their money, eager for forbidden adventures on these prohibited access islands.
You're right, after the population was evacuated, now the water from the wells has turned into brine. These islands are no longer habitable. Uninhabited, they are visited only by a few rich vacationers in sailboats who no longer know how to spend their money, eager for forbidden adventures on these prohibited access islands.
Perhaps the British PM was scrolling through the other thread and got embarrassed into finally handing over the islands to the Mauritians lol. Do we know if Starmer is a coin collector and member of Numista ? 😂
You're right, after the population was evacuated, now the water from the wells has turned into brine. These islands are no longer habitable. Uninhabited, they are visited only by a few rich vacationers in sailboats who no longer know how to spend their money, eager for forbidden adventures on these prohibited access islands.
Perhaps the British PM was scrolling through the other thread and got embarrassed into finally handing over the islands to the Mauritians lol. Do we know if Starmer is a coin collector and member of Numista ? 😂
Honestly I'd love to know. Any famous figure (no matter how controversial) are just a little cooler if they collect coins. 😆
But yeah, I don't care what anyone says, handing the islands back to Mauritius was the right thing to do.
Perhaps the British PM was scrolling through the other thread and got embarrassed into finally handing over the islands to the Mauritians lol. Do we know if Starmer is a coin collector and member of Numista ? 😂
Politicians have loads of official and unofficial advisors, consultants and backslappers and I wouldn't be surprised that one of those is reading the forum. I guess it's easy to let a possession go that for every year that passes by has less and less area.
Talking about people finding “golden nuggets” of new ideas on forums. About twenty years ago I let a brain fart go on a forum entertaining the idea of the state outsourcing jails for criminal immigrants to third world countries. It was in a discussion comparing jail systems and how deterent the jail systems of Western Europe are to criminal immigrants. Low and behold, twenty years later and the first jails are outsourced for exactly the same purpose. 😲
PS. I should ad that the discussion on the latter issue has been going on for the last 10-15 years.
Actually, I didn't realise it was the whole of BIOT that was transferred to Mauritius. I thought some islands were staying British.
So there has been and will be no BIOT Charles III coins ever, I guess. I don't really mind: when it comes to NCLTs, the less the better…
Honestly I totally agree with you.
I kind of hate countries that sell NCLTs. Not to mention I do think those islands rightfully belong to Mauritius.
That being said, the agreement also included that the UK and US would be allowed to keep their bases on the islands. So they won't be completely gone. But I also seriously doubt they'll be making BIOT coins again. What's most likely going to happen is that the islands will either accept Mauritian rupees alongside the US dollar and the Pound, or it'll only be Mauritian rupee.
Perhaps the British PM was scrolling through the other thread and got embarrassed into finally handing over the islands to the Mauritians lol. Do we know if Starmer is a coin collector and member of Numista ? 😂
Politicians have loads of official and unofficial advisors, consultants and backslappers and I wouldn't be surprised that one of those is reading the forum. I guess it's easy to let a possession go that for every year that passes by has less and less area.
Talking about people finding “golden nuggets” of new ideas on forums. About twenty years ago I let a brain fart go on a forum entertaining the idea of the state outsourcing jails for criminal immigrants to third world countries. It was in a discussion comparing jail systems and how deterent the jail systems of Western Europe are to criminal immigrants. Low and behold, twenty years later and the first jails are outsourced for exactly the same purpose. 😲
PS. I should ad that the discussion on the latter issue has been going on for the last 10-15 years.
Typically countries hold on to islands and atolls because it either grants militarily strategic access to various trading routes or to extend exclusive economics zones which could potentially hold vast oil and/or fishing rights. The Chagos islands certainly qualify for the former if not the latter as well. Rising sea level is not a reason to Let go of them, after all you can simply build a concrete platform where once there was a sandy bank. The Chinese have been particularly vigorous in following this course in the south China sea. the worry for the UK/US is that China will now take advantage of the situation by cozying up to mauritius. But imo that’s a red herring and trying to justify staying there longer. In all of this, the UK is at best a bit player, it’s the USA that really matters.
ashlobo… Rising sea level is not a reason to Let go of them, after all you can simply build a concrete platform where once there was a sandy bank…
Are you kidding or are you unaware of the inevitable disappearance of all atolls and their biodiversity ?
Whatever walls you would imagine to build.
This is a man-made disaster in progress, of course, but from the strategic / military point of view, you'd expect world powers to hold on to those dots by all possible means since they are worldwide-recognized territorial entities (even if contested by a number of states, usually small). Unfortunately, political and military leadership is a totally different set of people from environmentalists.
After all, the Chinese are starting from coral reefs to build artificial islands in waters on which their hegemonic claims are very dubious.
Canadian sovereignty over the North-West passage is currently contested by powers such as Russia now that the ice is melting and the waters have a greater strategic and shipping value.
ashlobo… Rising sea level is not a reason to Let go of them, after all you can simply build a concrete platform where once there was a sandy bank…
Are you kidding or are you unaware of the inevitable disappearance of all atolls and their biodiversity ?
Whatever walls you would imagine to build.
This is a man-made disaster in progress, of course, but from the strategic / military point of view, you'd expect world powers to hold on to those dots by all possible means since they are worldwide-recognized territorial entities (even if contested by a number of states, usually small). Unfortunately, political and military leadership is a totally different set of people from environmentalists.
After all, the Chinese are starting from coral reefs to build artificial islands in waters on which their hegemonic claims are very dubious.
Canadian sovereignty over the North-West passage is currently contested by powers such as Russia now that the ice is melting and the waters have a greater strategic and shipping value.
Correct, the islands/atolls may over time submerge permanently with climate change regardless of who controls them. That said, anyone can google on how china has built bases even with airstrips on nothing more than a shallow sand bank to bolster their claim to the spratley islands and extend their territorial claims. China of course is not the only one doing this. It’s certainly no kidding matter
Correct, the islands/atolls may over time submerge permanently with climate change regardless of who controls them. That said, anyone can google on how china has built bases even with airstrips on nothing more than a shallow sand bank to bolster their claim to the spratley islands and extend their territorial claims. China of course is not the only one doing this. It’s certainly no kidding matter
I'm sure that Diego Garcia won't be submerged soon :)
Then I do think that other atolls of the Chagos archipelago are not livable anymore 😒
Except an international mobilization of the type "save Gaza" or "Save Lebanon". "Save Chagos" won't happen.
And by the way .. have you heard about the island of north sentinel not so far away from Chagos? An island out of our world, it's crazy when you think about it.
Correct, the islands/atolls may over time submerge permanently with climate change regardless of who controls them. That said, anyone can google on how china has built bases even with airstrips on nothing more than a shallow sand bank to bolster their claim to the spratley islands and extend their territorial claims. China of course is not the only one doing this. It’s certainly no kidding matter
I'm sure that Diego Garcia won't be submerged soon :)
Then I do think that other atolls of the Chagos archipelago are not livable anymore 😒
Except an international mobilization of the type "save Gaza" or "Save Lebanon". "Save Chagos" won't happen.
And by the way .. have you heard about the island of north sentinel? An island out of our world, it's crazy when you think about it.
Someone should get the North Sentinelese to mint their own coins. 😏
Correct, the islands/atolls may over time submerge permanently with climate change regardless of who controls them. That said, anyone can google on how china has built bases even with airstrips on nothing more than a shallow sand bank to bolster their claim to the spratley islands and extend their territorial claims. China of course is not the only one doing this. It’s certainly no kidding matter
I'm sure that Diego Garcia won't be submerged soon :)
Then I do think that other atolls of the Chagos archipelago are not livable anymore 😒
Except an international mobilization of the type "save Gaza" or "Save Lebanon". "Save Chagos" won't happen.
And by the way .. have you heard about the island of north sentinel not so far away from Chagos? An island out of our world, it's crazy when you think about it.
You’ll be surprised how nature can spring back if left alone long enough.
I have indeed heard of the North sentinel island which is part of the andaman and nicobar island chain under India. The Indian govt bars anyone, including its own citizens from trying to make contact with the tribals. infact a couple attempts were made in the 1950s and 60s which went very badly. Once in a while you’ll hear of someone illegally trying to contact the islanders only to end up being shot by an arrow. Other tribals who are not so aggressive from the neighbouring islands get to experience modern life, though one can argue whether it is fortunate or unfortunate for them. In general, many if not most islands in both the Andaman and lakshadweep chain are off limits either due to military reasons or maintaining human, animal and plant bio diversity
Shhhh 🤫 — The people at Power Coin and New Zealand Mint might see this thread…
Imagine the New Zealand evangelist businessman or the italian speculator, relying on his trendy Mediterranean look to coax natives, landing under a cloud of arrows! A few drones already disappeared.
Shhhh 🤫 — The people at Power Coin and New Zealand Mint might see this thread…
Imagine the New Zealand evangelist businessman or the italian speculator, relying on his trendy Mediterranean look to coax natives, landing under a cloud of arrows! A few drones already disappeared.
According to Wikipedia (with sources): “In 2006, islanders killed two fishermen whose boat had drifted ashore, and in 2018 an American Christian missionary, 26-year-old John Chau, was killed after he illegally attempted to make contact with the islanders three separate times and paid local fishermen to transport him to the island.”
The resolution of the Chagos Islands issue did not make the news in May 2025 over here, but the recent blabberings of a particular head of state changed this. For those who didn't know, here are a few links about the Mauritius–UK Agreement:
Still, it's conceivable that the Cheetoh-in-Chief's powerful minions might push him to seize Diego Garcia (1) because of its strategic military importance in the area, and (2) since the main user of the base is not the UK but the USA.
Here are some interesting lines in the Agreement from Article 2 which is specifically about Diego Garcia:
1. As sovereign, Mauritius authorises the United Kingdom to exercise the rights and authorities of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
2. The authorisation under paragraph 1 shall comprise all rights and authorities that the United Kingdom requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base, including for the Defence and Security Requirements, Conditions and Procedures in Annex 1 and the Jurisdiction and Control Arrangements in Annex 2.
3. Mauritius retains title over the land and the territorial sea of Diego Garcia, including the seabed and subsoil, as well as all rights and authorities not authorised under paragraphs 1 and 2, including:
a. […];
b. issuance of coins, including for commemorative purposes;
c. issuance of stamps, including for commemorative purposes;
d. […]
Almost a year ago, that same cheetoh challenged the validity of the Canada–US Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. I'm sure he would have never heard or cared about a century-old treaty unless one his lackeys mentioned it to him in order to implement their imperialistic policies. Diego Garcia is much more important to the US than any such treaty with Canada.
EDIT — Article 4:
Each Party agrees to ensure that in the implementation and application of this Agreement, including activities in relation to the Base, there shall be compliance with international law.
Just because its Donald trump, I think the headlines will be Sensational without any grand strategy or substance behind it.
however the national external strategy released a few months ago … the “donroe doctrine” seems to suggest that the US looks to dominate the western hemisphere. The corollary to that is that those behind trump whispering in his ear have come to a tacit understanding that eventually they will not be able to project power in Asia or even Europe for that matter, and as such they are laying the ground work to cede the other areas of the world to the other great powers.
Overall, by design or not, I think this is inevitable. The US foreign policy seems to be so beholden to domestic politics now, unlike before, that the rest of the world will not take the US at face value in future even if a democrat comes to power and says they want to reverse everything done previously. Who’s to say there wouldn’t be another reversal when the next republican/ Democrat president comes to power with radical ideas always pushing the envelope.
I think the UK going back on its agreement with Mauritius does incredible damage to their own reputation as a country not to be taken at face value. But the murmurs are that the UK has caved in.
Someone should get the North Sentinelese to mint their own coins. 😏
You made my day.
Ayyy!!! 🤣
They are living a Paleolithic lifestyle, as in farming and pottery are beyond their abilities let alone coins.
But anyone could exploit them, Powercoin, NZ Mint for coins and for stamps Stamperija and Philatelic Collector.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
[…] the rest of the world will not take the US at face value in future even if a democrat comes to power and says they want to reverse everything done previously. […]
I think the UK going back on its agreement with Mauritius does incredible damage to their own reputation as a country not to be taken at face value. But the murmurs are that the UK has caved in.
Indeed, even if a Democrat is the next President, the rest of the world will not trust the Americans again for a very long time. And the MAGA movement will not die with Trump — he is just their current mouthpiece. From what I've seen, almost all specialists of world politics and military strategy agree that Trump and his lackeys are weakening US power by the day. Some say it will take a generation to fix things — if they even get fixed at all.
As for the UK–Mauritius Agreement, I didn't know this was happening. I see the Tories are unhappy.
