[Coral-List] Chagos MPA

David Evans davidjevans1818 at yahoo.com
Wed Oct 6 12:27:26 EDT 2010





----- Forwarded Message ----
From: David Evans <davidjevans1818 at yahoo.com>
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Sent: Tue, October 5, 2010 11:55:19 AM
Subject: Re: Coral-List Digest, Vol 26, Issue 4


Pete and List -

Regarding Chagos - I personally wholeheartedly agree that we "seek and read only 
the 'true' facts...."

But who is the arbiter of those "true facts" in a situation like this...???

The science itself certainly tries to hold to those ideals (hopefully).

But it is how the science is used and how the "other information" is presented 
that causes the trouble.

Each side claims to be that arbiter of truth.

But then it just goes back and forth and ends up breaking down and sounding like 
a quarrel among school kids. Not very productive other than to distract from 
real issues.

I think part of the problem here is the remoteness of the islands (their 
location as well as the 'remoteness' of the crisis in both space and time) and 
the restricted nature  of information and the islands (access to to both). 


Who is going to be the objective party? There just are not enough individuals or 
organizations involved to play that role... Maybe the European Court of Human 
Rights can play it on the Social side of things or the UN in regards to maritime 
boundaries and conservation zones. But what about on the reporting and science 
side of it?

We've seen the difficulty of finding that objectivity in issues like 
Anthropogenic Climate Change and the Gulf Oil Spill. Almost everybody involved 
does seem to have their own vested interests: from the US Military to the 
Conservationists to the Chagossians themselves.

So maybe we shouldn't say "don't listen to them, they are a bunch of 
Charlatans." And we should say listen to both sides (or more than both sides) 
and let folks decide for themselves.

I'm not sure Personality Analysis should play a big role in this other than 
setting a basis from which to know  each other (where we are coming from). None 
of this is personal on my part (I don't know Ted or Charles or you Peter well 
enough for this to be personal).

Personally, I don't think think that the Chagos Conservation Trust website or 
Ted Morris fit the role of "core source" of information in the preferred 
unbiased and objective way.

I think it is safe to say that 99.56% or more of the people reading this list 
would think that an MPA of some sort at the Chagos is a good idea (I am one of 
those). But it is working out the details in relation to the Human Rights 
history and future of the Chagos along side the ecological and military 
considerations that needs to be looked at with Honesty and Good Faith.

Again, I am glad the issue is being discussed civilly and that it is even being 
discussed. It is important on so many different levels.

I, myself, know where I want to stand. I offer the petition link again that 
Richard Dunne  presented earlier.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/let-the-chagos-islanders-return-home.html

Best Regards,
David J. Evans






________________________________
From: "coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" 
<coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Sent: Mon, October 4, 2010 8:33:14 AM
Subject: Coral-List Digest, Vol 26, Issue 4


Today's Topics:

   1. Atolls and SL rise (Paul Blanchon)
   2.  Re: Online Coral Job Sources (Kristof Ketch) (Kris)
   3. ASLO 2011: Frontiers in Ocean Acidification Research (Anne Cohen)
   4. Re: Online Coral Job Sources (Pete Raines)
   5. Bleaching and sponge disease in Tobago. (marie smedley)
   6. Chagos sociopolitical discussion (Jim Hendee)
   7. Re: Atolls and SL rise (Richard Dunne)
   8. Re: Chagos MPA (Pete Raines)
   9. new field guide to crustaceans (Douglas Fenner)



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Message: 8
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 2010 04:54:17 +0100
From: Pete Raines <psr at coralcay.org>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Chagos MPA
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Message-ID: <4CA94FE9.6090004 at coralcay.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

  Dear Listers,

I've been lucky enough to visit the Chagos Marine Protected Area earlier 
this year; as Operations Manager for the Expedition Leader, Prof Charles 
Sheppard and his team comprising many of the worlds top scientists. I've 
seen at first hand those stunning yet low-lying islands, dived those 
"near-pristine" reefs and experienced the tremendous practical 
difficulties of survival on those very remote islands.

I've also been very blessed to work with and help support one of the 
most dynamic, focussed, proactive, practical, rational and 
forward-thinking of the majority Chagossian communities: The Diego 
Garcian Society, led by Dr Allen Vincatassin 
(http://www.coralcay.org/content/view/953/281/).

An awful lot of misinformation, untruths and to be frank, utter ignorant 
nonsense, has been said about the Chagos and its now vitally important 
Marine Protected Area status. All I or anyone can ask is this: Seek and 
read only the true facts, and don't listen to or be swayed by all the 
nonsense and waffle. Try as a core source the Chagos Conservation Trust 
website and also that of Ted Morris. Don't listen to tired, boring and 
grumpy old men (like me?), grinding out their same turgid, biased opinions.

All the best,

Pete Raines
CEO, Coral Cay Conservation
www.coralcay.org



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End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 26, Issue 4
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