[thizzbuzz]

> The right to occupy some specific geographic coordinates is not a human right.

What? That's exactly what happened here.

The Chagossians were forcibly removed, because a government(s) claimed "the right to occupy some specific geographic coordinates". If the Chagossians don't have that right, then no one else can come in and force them out.

[kijin]

Governments are not people. They neither have, nor claim, any human rights.

The UK and USA only ever claimed a legal right within the framework of their own laws. Despicable as their actions may be, they never pretended to claim a human right.

The displaced Chagossians, on the other hand, are claiming a human right to occupy the islands. That's different.

[bbcbasic]

Aha.. so the Chagossians just needed a pen?

[rustyfe]

And an army to back it up.

Might may not make right, but it certainly helps. Other states may have some moral obligation to step in to defend a human rights violation, but only the government of a state is expected to protect its legal rights.