MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ascension Islanders accuse Britain of betrayal and deception

Ascension Islands airport

A bitter diplomatic row has broken out on a tiny south Atlantic island and British dependency that played a key role in the Falkland Islands conflict 25 years ago, reported this week the Daily Telegraph.

Almost the whole council on Ascension has resigned in protest over Britain's decision to withdraw promised rights. Islanders have accused ministers of betrayal and of deception - and a visit by a Foreign Office delegation sent to smooth ruffled feathers merely made matters worse. Ascension serves as an air base for the RAF and the US air force and was an important re-fuelling stop on the way to the Falklands during the war in 1982. It currently serves as a mid Atlantic stop for the Falklands/Brize Norton air bridge. About 1,000 people - mostly from St Helena - live and work there, though they were expected to leave once their employment ended. However, a few years ago, the islanders were told that permanent rights of abode and property ownership would be introduced. The idea was to create a ''settled society'', with taxation and representation for islanders. Since 2002, they have elected their own seven-member council and set about building up tourism and private enterprise. A draft land register was prepared to allow property ownership and islanders invested in the hotel, petrol station and shop, previously Crown property or owned by the commercial "users". However last year the British government changed its mind and said there would be no reforms after all. According to the Daily Telegraph Islanders believe the US military objected to the idea of a settled community on Ascension. The controversy has been likened to the treatment of the Chagossian islanders, forcibly removed from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to make way for the American air force. The Ascension islanders were hoping for a reconsideration but after last week's visit from the Foreign Office five of the Councilors resigned. They are now threatening to withhold taxes because they have no rights or proper representation. In a statement, the councilors said: "During the FCO visit we were left in no doubt that not only were our hopes misplaced but that we had all been misled and misinformed at every step of the way." Lord Triesman, the foreign office minister, told parliament last year that the reforms were dropped because of the contingent financial liabilities that British taxpayers would face if they had to bail out the islanders. Geoffrey Fairhurst, a former administrator of Ascension, said last night: "Ministers should be ashamed".