The Falklands - Who should own these godforsaken islands?

NI is the best argument for continued British control of the Falklands

 

Yes , for as long as the residents choose to remain part of UK . Would you dent them their democratic right to choose. ?



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Technically , the Falkland Islands are NOT UNDER British Control ,

The islands are a self-governing British Overseas Territory, with the United Kingdom responsible for its defence and foreign affairs.under its 2009 Constitution,it enjoys a large degree of internal self-government.
Executive authority is vested in the Queen and is exercised by the Governor on her behalf. The Governor is also responsible for the administration of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, as these islands have no native inhabitants. The governor acts on the advice of the Executive Council, composed of himself as chairman, the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and three elected Legislative Assembly Members. The current Governor Nigel Haywood took office in October 2010.

The Legislative Assembly consists of the Chief Executive, Director of Finance and the eight members elected for four-year terms by universal suffrage, of whom five are from Stanley and three from Camp. It is presided over by the Speaker, currently Keith Biles.

Justice is administered by a resident senior magistrate and a non-resident Chief Justice of the Islands who visits the islands at least once a year. The senior magistrate handles petty criminal cases, civil, commercial, admiralty and family cases and is also the island's coroner. The Chief Justice handles serious criminal cases and hears appeals. The constitution binds the judiciary to comply with decisions of the European Court of Human Rights when hearing cases related to human rights.,

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I doubt whether the citizens would continue enjoying such self-governing rights if the Falklands was under Argentiniian control. (wink)

(source wiki)
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btw any oild revenues would go to the Falkland Island Government NOT to the UK Treasury.

 

The correct solution to this matter is for it to be submitted to international adjudication as was the case with another island with competing claims of soveignty, Greenland which is closer to Canada, USA, Iceland, Russia, UK and Norway than it is to Denmark which won the case.

 

The only thing that matters is the opinion of the inhabitants.

 

That wan't the case with Hong Kong with a much bigger population so why should it be here?

 

That the people of HK were screwed over by Britain and China doesn't make it okay for Argentina to deny the people of the Falkland Islands their right to self determination.

That the people of Derry were screwed over by the British government and the first Dail and the boundary commission does not invalidate the inherent right of Unionists to their own self determination

 

England, of coarse.

 

So does this work for say the people of Bressay an island north of Scotland with a similar population to the Falklands? Lets say the population wanted to become Danish which they were for around 500 years ago, is that their right? What if oil was discovered there and the Chinese struck a deal with the islanders so that they would all become millionaires under Chinese rule, would that be ok?

 

If the current population of the island wanted to become danish, and there wasn't a large contingent of British citizens who had been forcibly removed from their homes to create that majority then yes.

 

(*)(*)(*)(*) good soldier that Serfin .
I like a man with the right instincts .
Two purple Hearts .

 

What makes you think we are coarse ?
Not particularly hairy at all . But your sentiments are good .

 

What you are suggesting is a recipe for disaster. We cannot have small communities of a few hundred people deciding which state they want to belong to or becoming independant.

 

Course we can particularly when they occupy a very specifically defined geographical area, are a community that has a strong common history and shared identity, and their leaving does not create enclaves withing other states.

 

But all big countries are run that way .
Except Russia .
One is ample for them .

 

Some are much coarser than others, in my experience.

 

British television portrays an increasingly coarse image of the country to the world.

 

Don't forget the oil and rich fishing grounds around the Falklands.

The question today is: Do the British have the will to hold them?

 

What's the difference among Israeli settlers on the West Bank of the Jordan River, illegal aliens from Mexico in California, and Orange Unionists in Northern Ireland?

 

Valentia island when the islanders see a future in offshore banking, convenience flagging etc.?

 

That the Ulster Unionists have been there for upwards of 400 years and there are no living gaels with a claim to the lands that they (the unionists) own. When there is no one left who can credibly claim the lands and the people who now inhabit it have not received the lands through force but have inherited it and built communities there it is very difficult to argue that those people who have committed no fault should be punished for the sins of their great-great-great-great-great-great-great grand fathers.

 

Have at it

Frankly I'd love to see the Peoples Republic of Cork formally secede.

And the Healy-Reas assume their rightful place as the Ri's of Kerry.

Actually all of the western seaboard. Seriously. And the Gaeltachts.

 

The Unionists are the beneficiaries of force, clearings, dispossessions, invasion and oppression that has continued for centuries. Oust the Orange.

The same is true of the Falkland Islanders. They are the beneficiaries of colonialism. Out they go.

 

They are beneficiaries of forceful clearings from centuries ago. Yes their have been incidents more recently but the majority of the population traces its roots back a few centuries and almost all of the land transfers date tot he 1500's.

My mothers surname is Knightly, catholic family of small farmers from kerry. Some where back along the was someone was of british extraction that doesn't change the fact that her grandfather fought with the IRA in the civil war it doesn't make my family less Irish.

DeValera of Norman extraction.

Fitzgerald Ditto.

Yeah way back a few centuries ago we all have someone who wasn't a Gael. We are all descendants of invaders and oppressors.

 

Do you think gangbangers of mexican ancestry are oppressors?