{{Short description|Chagossian activist}}[[File:Diego Garcia meeting (5925497441) (Allen Vincatassin cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Vincatassin in 2011]] '''Allen Vincatassin''' is a [[Chagossian]] activist who is the first and current President of the [[Diego Garcia and Chagos Islands Council]]. He was arrested and jailed in 2020 and 2021 for [[fraud]].
==Early life==
Vincatassin was one year old when he was evicted from the [[Chagos Islands]]. His parents were not married and so ended up on separate islands. Vincatassin went with his paternal grandparents to [[Mauritius]] where he was forced to live in poverty.{{cn|date=March 2020}}
==Political career==
Vincatassin was elected as the President of the [[Diego Garcia and Chagos Islands Council]] in 2011.<ref name=moral>{{cite web|title="UK has a moral duty to Let Us Return" Chagossian Allen Vincatassin on Sputnik|url=http://archive.chagossupport.org.uk/index.php/2015/05/30/uk-has-a-moral-duty-to-let-us-return-chagossian-allen-vincatassin-on-sputnik/|website=UK Chagos Support Association|accessdate=31 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055957/http://archive.chagossupport.org.uk/index.php/2015/05/30/uk-has-a-moral-duty-to-let-us-return-chagossian-allen-vincatassin-on-sputnik/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Vincatassin is opposed to [[Olivier Bancoult]]'s Chagos Refugee Group as "they want Mauritian sovereignty over the islands. That is something we cannot negotiate. We believe that the rights of our people come first, not the state of Mauritius. We are proud to be British citizens and we believe a true democratic future lies with the UK."<ref name=meet>{{cite news|last1=Morrison|first1=Alex|title=Meet the world’s smallest democratic government|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/alex-morrison/meet-world%E2%80%99s-smallest-democratic-government|accessdate=31 October 2015|work=Open Democracy|date=23 February 2011}}</ref>
Vincatassin said that the government "should disclose how much money it has received" from the sale of [[.io]] [[domain names]] and asked the government to provide "assurances that it will be used for the islands, including the resettlement that so many Chagossians want to see happen."<ref name=milmo>{{cite news|last1=Milmo|first1=Cahal|title=Government accused of profiting from sales of Chagos Islands '.io' domain name|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/government-accused-of-profiting-from-sales-of-chagos-islands-io-domain-name-9574316.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701054055/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/government-accused-of-profiting-from-sales-of-chagos-islands-io-domain-name-9574316.html |archive-date=2014-07-01 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|accessdate=31 October 2015|work=The Independent|date=30 June 2014}}</ref>
In 2015, Vincatassin was interviewed by [[George Galloway]] on [[RT UK]]'s ''[[Sputnik (television programme)|Sputnik]]''.<ref name=moral />
==<span class="anchor" id="Controversies"></span>Criminal activities==
In February 2020 Allen Vincatassin, along with Sandeeren Mareemootoo, Yiliana Hengari and Marie Dorothee, appeared in the [[Snaresbrook Crown Court]] to face charges of fraud, conspiracy to defraud and fraud by abuse of position.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ikonen |first1=Charlotte |title=President ‘conned elderly woman with Alzheimer’s’ |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/18225407.president-conned-elderly-woman-alzheimers/ |publisher=The Argus |access-date=2020-02-11}}</ref> They are alleged to have conspired in 2016 to swindle GBP 88,000 out of 83 year old Marie Lucienne Anodin's bank account. Vincatassin is also alleged to have used his influence to convince Anodin, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, to sell her Newham home to a real estate agency for GBP 300,000 which was about half of its market value.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Armoogum |first1=Vilorsha |title=Allégations d’escroquerie: Allen Vincatassin aurait vendu à Rs 12 M une maison valant Rs 25 M |url=https://www.lexpress.mu/article/370948/allegations-descroquerie-allen-vincatassin-aurait-vendu-rs-12-m-une-maison-valant-rs |publisher=L'Express |access-date=2020-02-25 |language=Fr |date=2020-02-25}}</ref> Vincatassin was sentenced to a four-year prison sentence in November 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sophie |first1=Lovina |title=Escroquerie en Angleterre: le fils de feu Lucienne Anodin satisfait que justice soit rendue |url=https://lexpress.mu/article/401442/escroquerie-en-angleterre-fils-feu-lucienne-anodin-satisfait-que-justice-soit-rendue |publisher=L'Express |access-date=2023-03-19 |language=Fr |date=2021-11-13}}</ref>
==Books==
* ''The Flight to Freedom'' (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: 2015), {{ISBN|1499224176}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Chagos Islands dispute}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincatassin, Allen}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Chagossian people]] [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Exile]] [[Category:Expatriates in Mauritius]]