MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Young Falkland Islanders want to present strong message to Cristina Fernandez
The delegation will have a chance to come across at the UN in New York on Thursday A group of young Falkland Islanders hope to present Argentine President Cristina Fernandez with a firm message at the UN in New York that they want to remain British subjects and continue their current way of life.
A small delegation of Islanders, most of whom were not yet born when the Falklands War took place in 1982, will travel to the United States with a “message of peace” for Cristina Fernandez and Argentine delegation at a UN conference on decolonisation.
But they said that the South American country's dismissive attitude to Falkland Islanders is an “insult” to the generations of families who have forged a life there.
The Argentine president is planning to attend the meeting of the UN's Committee of 24 (Special Committee on Decolonisation) on June 14, which is Liberation Day and the 30th anniversary of the end of the 74-day conflict which claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, 655 Argentines and three islanders.
James Marsh, 31, a delegate who works for the Falklands government, said: “We are sixth and seventh generation Falkland Islanders, our families forged a life in the Falklands when times were much less easy than they are now.
”It is an insult to those people that their endeavours, the 150 years we have been in the Falklands, are not recognised by the Argentine politicians.“
He added: ”I think the most important thing we can tell them is we are a vibrant, young, self-sufficient community who just want to be left in peace to forge our own future.“
The Islands’ delegation said they often get drowned out by the arguments over sovereignty taking place between the UK and Argentina.
Ailie Biggs, 29, who runs a chain of convenience stores on the Islands, said: ”It is not often we are asked, a lot of the time it is discussions between Argentina and the UK. This is one opportunity, we really feel, where as Falkland Islanders we can say what we feel and we are the important ones in the equation - we are the ones who live there”.
The other members of the Falklands new generation include Andrew Pollard, Krysteen Ormond, Caris Stevens and Michael Poole.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsWill CFK even acknowledge a group of islanders that clearly don't want to be Argentine?
Jun 12th, 2012 - 09:49 am 0They should try and put her on the spot.
Well the C24 have already stated that this is a sovereignty issue and not a decolonisation issue. So not only are C24 anachronistic, but even if they still held any importance, they have effectively said that the Falkland Islands are not their responsibility.
Jun 12th, 2012 - 10:02 am 0Good. That is the decolonisation argument settled assuming that KFC still recognise C24 as any kind of authority. But seeing as this kills one of her cornerstone arguments she will probably sweep them aside as having no authority over Argentina.
I do take issue with the statement that young Falklanders voices are being drowned out by the arguments between the UK and Argentina though. Argentina is TRYING to argue with the UK. The UK government is referring Argentina to the Falklands Islands government. The UK isn't arguing with anybody. The UK is simply clarifying their position in support of the Falkland Islanders whatever decision that they make and that is a matter for the younger generations.
I sense an imminent huff.....
Jun 12th, 2012 - 10:05 am 0Shine on you Falkland Islanders.......
(I thought I would paraphrase Pink Floyd - just to p*** off Roger Waters)
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