By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:37 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:48 EST, 25 July 2012 . A High Court judge has ordered two senior Government officials to face cross-examination in court over a classified US document leaked by WikiLeaks about the exiled residents of the Chagos Islands. The islanders were expelled from the British Indian Ocean Territory between 1965 and 1973 so the US could build an airbase on the atoll of Diego Garcia. The expulsion has been described by critics as one of the most shameful episodes of modern colonial history. The islanders have battled since for . the right to be able to return to their homes and hope a US cable leaked . by the controversial WikiLeaks website will help their cause. The entire population of the Chagos Islands were expelled to Mauritius and the Seychelles so the US could build an airbase on Diego Garcia, pictured . Protest: Islanders have campaigned for decades for the right to return to their homes . The cable is alleged to relate to a private US-UK diplomatic meeting over the Government’s decision to create a Marine Protected Area (MPA) round the islands, which would ban commercial fishing. The islanders claim it was established to prevent them from resettling. The UK Government denies anything improper and maintains the MPA was created for environmental reasons. But the islanders say their case is . supported by the cable obtained by WikiLeaks. Foreign secretary William Hague tried to block the cross-examination on the grounds the document was leaked by 'improperly' It was sent by the US . embassy in London to the US State Department in Washington in May 2009. In the leaked . cable, Colin Roberts - commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory - asserted at a May 2009 diplomatic meeting with the . Americans that creating the MPA would not adversely affect US defence . interests, but it would the islanders. Mr Roberts is reported in the cable to . have said 'establishing a marine park would, in effect, put paid to . resettlement claims of the (Chagos) archipelago’s former residents.' Representing the Government, Foreign Secretary William Hague fought attempts to put Mr Roberts and Joanne Yeadon - a civil servant involved in the talks - in the dock. Steven Kovats QC, appearing for the . Government, said the High Court was in 'a novel situation' with regard . to WikiLeaks disclosures. Mr Kovats said: 'My clients are not opposing cross-examination because they have anything to hide. 'We are opposing it because, as a matter of principle, it does not seem right in relation to an improperly leaked document.' But Justice Stanley Burnton today rejected the Government’s objections and ordered that cross-examination should go ahead, even though the document must have been obtained unlawfully by 'the notorious internet organisation.'
Chagos Islanders expelled in 60s and 70s so US could build airbase on Diego Garcia .
Islanders claim UK Government made islands a marine park to hamper their legal battle to return .
Claim backed up by leaked US cable .
British Indian Ocean Territory commissioner and a second civil servant will now be cross-examined under oath .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:37 EST, 25 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:48 EST, 25 July 2012 . A High Court judge has ordered two senior Government officials to face cross-examination in court over a classified US document leaked by WikiLeaks about the exiled residents of the Chagos Islands. The islanders were expelled from the British Indian Ocean Territory between 1965 and 1973 so the US could build an airbase on the atoll of Diego Garcia. The expulsion has been described by critics as one of the most shameful episodes of modern colonial history. The islanders have battled since for . the right to be able to return to their homes and hope a US cable leaked . by the controversial WikiLeaks website will help their cause. The entire population of the Chagos Islands were expelled to Mauritius and the Seychelles so the US could build an airbase on Diego Garcia, pictured . Protest: Islanders have campaigned for decades for the right to return to their homes . The cable is alleged to relate to a private US-UK diplomatic meeting over the Government’s decision to create a Marine Protected Area (MPA) round the islands, which would ban commercial fishing. The islanders claim it was established to prevent them from resettling. The UK Government denies anything improper and maintains the MPA was created for environmental reasons. But the islanders say their case is . supported by the cable obtained by WikiLeaks. Foreign secretary William Hague tried to block the cross-examination on the grounds the document was leaked by 'improperly' It was sent by the US . embassy in London to the US State Department in Washington in May 2009. In the leaked . cable, Colin Roberts - commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory - asserted at a May 2009 diplomatic meeting with the . Americans that creating the MPA would not adversely affect US defence . interests, but it would the islanders. Mr Roberts is reported in the cable to . have said 'establishing a marine park would, in effect, put paid to . resettlement claims of the (Chagos) archipelago’s former residents.' Representing the Government, Foreign Secretary William Hague fought attempts to put Mr Roberts and Joanne Yeadon - a civil servant involved in the talks - in the dock. Steven Kovats QC, appearing for the . Government, said the High Court was in 'a novel situation' with regard . to WikiLeaks disclosures. Mr Kovats said: 'My clients are not opposing cross-examination because they have anything to hide. 'We are opposing it because, as a matter of principle, it does not seem right in relation to an improperly leaked document.' But Justice Stanley Burnton today rejected the Government’s objections and ordered that cross-examination should go ahead, even though the document must have been obtained unlawfully by 'the notorious internet organisation.'
the British Indian Ocean Territory between 1965 and 1973 so the US could build an airbase on the be able to return to their homes and hope a US cable leaked . by the controversial WikiLeaks build an airbase on Diego Garcia, pictured . them from resettling. The UK Government denies said 'establishing a marine park would, in and Joanne Yeadon - a civil servant involved in