Falkland Islanders assert right to self-determination at UN Decolonization Committee
Written for the June 24, 2022, issue of Penguin News. Printed under the headline “MLAs assert Islanders’ rights at UN-C24 Special Committee”.
Members of the Legislative Assembly Leona Roberts and Gavin Short each delivered speeches on June 23 at the United Nations (UN) Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) and asserted again the “fundamental right to determine our own future,” as was described by MLA Roberts.
Both MLAs invited the C24 to send a delegation for a fact finding mission to the Falklands, MLA Roberts stating “the C24 has a duty to understand the territories and people it considers,” and added that “the Argentine Government so vehemently opposes such a mission speaks volumes: Argentina fears that by visiting our Islands you will see the truth.”
MLA Short offered: “Please come and see our islands, our country, our people.”
MLA Short continued with a reminder of the actions of Argentina against the Falklands, stating “Argentina do their best to attack us via diplomatic and economic means; they refuse requests for overflight permissions even for humanitarian flights and refuse to engage in work to create a regional fisheries management zone in the South West Atlantic.
“They would rather see the ecosystem ruined by irresponsible fishing than sitting down (as we wish to) to try and conserve life in the seas for the benefit of all.”
MLA Roberts in her speech said that Argentina “fear that [the C24] will see how they – a neighbour more than 12 thousand times our size – actively tries to restrict our social and economic growth; to disrupt trade, communications and international relationships. They seek to illegally sanction organisations doing business with us, have threatened to arrest cruise ships visiting us and even harass our sports teams competing overseas.”
MLA Roberts also spoke during her speech about the multinational nature of the Falklands and how the “natural growth” is “very far from the ‘implanted population’ that Argentina proclaims.”
She said “our population of less than 3,500 people is made up of more than 60 nationalities and is diverse and inclusive. Some families, like mine, can trace nine generations in our Islands. Others came to the Falklands more recently and from all over the world – countries ranging from Argentina to Zimbabwe – many of those families have achieved citizenship and are now proudly Falkland Islanders.”
MLA Short during his speech said, “You will probably hear calls today for talks to find a peaceful solution. We have had peace in the Falklands for the past 40 years.
“But Argentina’s constitution states that any negotiations can only have one outcome – the Falklands and its people become Argentinian irrespective of the wishes of its people.”
Each MLA spoke also on their heritage in the Falklands. MLA Short stated, “During the meeting in St Lucia I listened to an Argentine speaker say we did not have the right to self-determination because we are an implanted population. Let me be clear, our European roots are no different to that of our neighbours and I challenge them to show me proof that my family was implanted.”
MLA Roberts said, “in past years an Argentine delegate spoke here of their ancestor’s piano and how they planted tulips.
“Well, my father was Chilean, but my mother’s family arrived in the Falklands 180 years ago. James and Margaret Biggs were genuine and humble settlers. They could not dream of luxuries such as pianos. They initially lived in canvas and turf huts. And there was no time for tulips – no, my ancestors planted vegetables and raised livestock to keep their children alive.
“Life was hard, but these pioneer families prevailed and built a country where none existed.”
The two MLAs each concluded with statements on the self-determination of the Falklands.
MLA Short stated, “we will practice self-determination, we will manage our natural resources responsibly, we will build a stronger future for our people, I don’t care how much Argentina flex their muscles – it will be the people of the Falkland Islands and only the people of the Falkland Islands who decide their political future and I invite you to walk with the us on the journey that we are making – and at the core of that journey will be self-determination.”
MLA Roberts concluded: “We Falkland Islanders, whether ninth or first generation, must not be denied our voice. Our fundamental right to determine our own future should be respected by all who value freedom and democracy, and this committee should not, through its support or its silence, condone the threats and colonial desires of our bullying neighbour.”
Following statements by the representatives of the Falkland Islands, representatives from Argentina asserted their claim.
Over the course of a further hour, statements were made by members of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization (C24).
The majority of support was either in favour of the Argentinian claim or that peaceful negotiations for sovereignty should resume between the UK and Argentina. The only statement of support for Falklands self-determination came from Sierre Leone.
Following statements the resolution by the committee was continued that a solution needs to be achieved through peaceful negotiation between the UK and Argentina.
Nicholas Roberts