Falklands after young leaders to attend Youth Parliamentary event in London
Following on the successful experience of this year’s attendance at the UN Decolonization committee, the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly is looking for young Islanders interested in representing the Falklands’ at another political event.
This time the event is not in New York but the 5th Commonwealth Youth Parliament (CYP) in London, United Kingdom, that will take place from 4 to 8 December 2012.
Gilbert House’s intention in sending young Islanders overseas to this kind of events is to introduce the new generations (some of them probably could turn into future leaders) to the political realities and challenges the Falklands face internationally.
According to an ad published in the local Penguin News the interested parties must be 18 to 29 years old and be able to demonstrate an interest in the Commonwealth and parliamentary affairs and have potential leadership qualities.
Good communications skills are also essential and the attendees will be expected to take an active role in the debates and proceedings of the Youth Parliament.
The 5th CYP will focus on governance, looking at the concept from a local, national and international perspective. It will be hosted and organised jointly by CPA UK and the CPA Secretariat to mark HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
“The historic and ornate surroundings of the Palace of Westminster will provide an inspirational setting for this exciting and extremely important program”, reads the ad.
In a first experience last June the Falklands’ delegation to the UN Committee on Decolonization meeting or C24, included several Islanders most of whom were not yet born when the Falklands war in 1982, with the purpose of presenting Argentine president Cristina Fernandez a “message of peace”, but above all with their presence underline at the UN they are very proud of belonging to the Falklands and want to remain British subjects by will of self determination.
In several press interviews both in the US and Canada the young Islanders were able to express that the Falklands is their home and motherland, and that the Argentine government dismissive attitude towards Falkland Islanders is an “insult” to the generations of families who have forged a life there.
This year’s C24 meeting took place on 14 June, Liberation Day, (when the Argentine invading forces surrendered to the British Task Force sent to recover the Falklands) and was attended in a most unusual circumstance by President Cristina Fernandez.
The young Falklands’ delegation was made up of James March, Ailie Biggs, Andrew Pollard, Krysteen Ormond, Caris Stevens and Michael Poole.
At the time 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 it was most important “to tell them that we are a vibrant, young, self-sufficient community who just want to be left in peace to forge our own future”.
Andrew Pollard a fully qualified agronomist and Senior Agriculture Advisor said he is “passionate about the Falklands”.
“I am very honoured to be able to represent the Falkland Islands at the C24. There is a great need to increase the global awareness of the Falkland Islands. Whilst I am not a politician, I am a Falkland Islander who is passionate about my country and understands the social, economic and political strengths and challenges that we all currently face”.
MLA Mike Summers, who together with MLA Roger Edwards addressed C 24, said the young delegation represented a new generation of Islanders who will have a chance to face the political realities challenging the Falklands as an early stage.
Suggested Stories
-
May 23rd 2013
Falkland Islands wish for normal neighborly relations with all South American neighbors
-
May 22nd 2013
Falklands and other BOT should be given a seat in the Commons, says MEP Farage
-
May 21st 2013
Falkland Islands: it’s a three-side debate; Argentina must recognize Islanders right to decide their future
-
May 21st 2013
Falklands: optimism about identification of the unknown Argentine soldiers
45 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
Come on you youngsters-grab it! Its your country, it's under political threat. continue to DO SOMETHING about it! Defend it to push the Argies down the hill of deception they are ascending.
the UN descolonization committe said self determination is not applied and the only solution is bilateral negotiations between argentina and the UK...
poor ignorants
and no serious nations takes seriously what a corrupt commite in the back pocket of CFK has to say. There ruling was not legaly binding. Also they stated that the issue was soverign integrity and not decolonisation and therefore they commite actual over stepped its mandate when it passed a judgement in the matter. You will have noticed that no other UN commite has ever expressed that self-determination does not apply, as it is in shrined in detail in the charter and resolution GA/SPD/406 absed by the general assemably upheld the universal right of all people to self determination.
Self dtermination is an inate human right and is the foundation of the existence of the UN, without it the UN has no mandate from its members. Self dtermination applies to all even in the case of sovernigty dispute. To believe in anything else is to anti democratic by deffintion.
What is welcome home supposed to mean?.....You lived in the Falklands and were very happy to call them the FALKLAND ISLANDS until you were found to be a lier and fraud.
UN Decolonization Commitee: “Falklands: NON SELF governing territory, particular COLONIAL situation that needs to be solved between TWO parties.
What success are they talking about exatcly?
”Some of them probably could turn into future leaders”. Probably. There no many other to chose anyways...
Ball is currently in your court.
Besides, as per the UN, there are TWO parties: Argentina and UK.
Your pretention for Argentina to talk to the “Islands Elected Govt” is a joke.
The C24 actualy stated the issue is not decolinisation and is to about sovernigty. Therefore, the islands should be removed from the list.
The sucess they ar erefering to is the expose of young islands to the internatioanl community, this strengths their standing in world politics and gains more intrest in the islands, its people, its politics and its economy. This can be only a good thing for the islands.
The problems as far as Argentina is concerned is that they have no way or forcing the issue (the C24 can not issue binding resolutions) and as such de-facto british control will continue until a time at which the de-facto controlers wishes that the islands be granted the right to self determination is met. Argentina needs to chnage it approch to indear itself to the islands and the future leaders so that they are seen as a friend and partner which will pave the way for future discussions on sovernigty. No success other than popularist national fervour can be achieved by the current adopted approch.
The only joke around here is your posts.
CN24 stated te issue is about sovereignty and not decolonization. I couldn´t agree more.
The islands should be removed from the list. Incorrect. UN: SPECIAL COLONIAL SITUATION that should be resolved between Arg and UK.
The de-facto british control will continue until the UK can continue with the control. That´s for sure.
“Argentina needs to chnage it approch to indear itself to the islands and the future leaders so that they are seen as a friend and partner which will pave the way for future discussions on sovernigty” That sounds reasonable. I see recognition of the need of discussing about sovereignty. I´m pleased. If only the UK shared your thoughts.
@12 Dont be blind.
Conqueror @9 Ohh, come off it. Assume your age.
Marcos knows, like everyone else, that Mike won his case.
By the way, in that picture above there is a “government” official (not that young).
“Eventually Bingham took the Falkland Islands Government to the Supreme Court for Human Rights abuse, and won. The Governor, Chief Executive, Attorney General and elected members of Executive Council were ruled to have committed acts of human rights abuse that the Supreme Court described as ”morally and constitutionally indefensible“. This is the story of the Falklands Regime”
www.falklands.net/FalklandsCorruption.shtml
Quit flogging a dead horse, it is not getting you anywhere.
We lost any claim to the FI by not emigrating during the period between 1850 and 1982. If we had managed to put a large population of Argentines on the Islands during that period it would be US who would be self-determining, but we didn't do thing about it, in fact it worked the other way round, the Territory of Santa Cruz was populated by people from the Islands in the 1870s.
So we made a big mistake and now we must live with it, too bad!!!!
I'm guessing you are all over 30, and you are on here picking on people just over 1/2 your age. grow up.
The islands should be removed from the list. Incorrect. UN: SPECIAL COLONIAL SITUATION that should be resolved between Arg and UK.
If the issue is not colonisation then the decolonisation commite does not have a remit in this case, by defintion.
The position I support is that there is a potnential for Argentina and the UK to have very succesful and adventageous relations. You are slightly wrong in saving that I acknollege there is a need to discuss sovernigty. I believe that if there is a will to then we should. However, for this to happen there needs to be a reconition that the islands are a) a people b) the island is their home and c) have the same human rights as you and may. There I would suggest it is a pity that the Argentine governemnt does not think like you and make the process of actualy talking to the Islands as they have been invted to do.
In the future I could see a system of joint sovernigty but this will only come if Argentina is willing to enagage in diplomatic dialogue with the islands themselves. I do not believe the UK should retain the islands for the sake of some kind of national pride however I believe whole hearlty in the right to self dtermiantion and the right of the islands is decide their own futures.
www.facebook.com/Britain1592
Of course you know Mike won his case as you are Mike. Ok some FIG offical acted a bit underhand but to catch a rat you have to act a bit underhand.
This does not change the fact that you are a liar and a fraud. You lied about your degree and there are countless liers in your book, the biggest is when you discribe how you got your ugly scar on the face/eye, you state that you got it while being attacked by a man trying to rape your wife. The truth is you got it in a motorbike crash. Remember your wife still live in the Falkland Islands.
OK now I'am confused, Mr Marcos is British? Please fill me in on the details Mr Expat 1987 this has rocked my world a little bit.
Mike Bingham lived in the Falkland Islands until he was found out to be a fraud/liar, he then left after as he will point out was treat badly. He left to work in Chile and then Argentina, he now lives in Rio Gallegos and calls himself Marcos Alejandro. sad story but true.
I see, I read the article on Bingham very interesting I must say but were is your evidence that he is a) a liar/fraud as the Falklands executive was prosecuted and b) how do you know that he is Marcos Alejandro? I don't mean to be rude Im just curious as to how you know.
Get yourself to London and have a great time. I strolled past Parliament yesterday among races of all colours and creeds (with the sun shining.. makes a change) snapping photos churchill, cromwell, richard the lionheart and each other. Soak up the rich heritage and you'll know the argentine posters have more chance of becoming british citizens than you have of becoming an argentine one.
@18 EA
Why on earth should argentina have the right to any kind of sovereignty over the falklands? There is no UN binding resolution forcing the two countries to have talks about sovereignty. There is only a UN non-binding resolution and this quite simply means that it is just as legitimate to have no talks as to have talks. Britain is within its rights to have no talks. Britain has stated time and time again that only the islanders view of sovereignty is important and so no talks can take place on this issue.
Quite clearly the islands and pretty much all others spread around the world must have the right to self determination and this is why the C24 committee was set up. So now the islanders say 'we want to be british' and the corrupt C24 officials so 'ah no, it does apply to you islanders'. This is a 180 degree turn on the whole purpose of the committee.. it has no other reason to exist except to ensure self determination and so in truth the C24 is now contrary to its whole remit.. it now works to remove islanders or remove their self determination. The C24 is now a disgrace.
@18
a) The islanders are not recognized as a people. Otherwise the UN would have said so.
b) the island is their home: this point is not in question.
c) have the same human rights. Correct. What they don´t have is self determination.
Talks between Argentina and the british de facto non self governing administration won´t happen.
a) The UN is neutral therefore their opinion is irrelevant.
b) Then what is in question? Sovereignty? You have provided no leaders and a great deal of Argentines would like to see them deported.
c) Why cant they have self determination? Argentine did in 1816.
Marcos is not Mike Bingham. Bingham, despite his disagreements with Falklands Government, supports Falkland islanders' right to self-determination. He said so on the Falklands Malvinas forum:
“From my view point as a British citizen, with experience of both countries, I fully support the rights of the Falkland Islanders to self-determination. ”
a) The islanders are not recognized as a people. Otherwise the UN would have said so.
On the formation of the UN in 1945 the borders were locked at their then positions. This was done to prevent claims of this sort from being dated back to the beggining of time. i.e. North America/South America should be returned to native indians and all European descendents should be returned to Europe. When Argentine signed the UN charter in 1945 it therefore accepted that the Islands were a soverign overseas territory of the UK. If the islands are not people what exacly are they? The UN has never stated a deffintion of a people and so has therefore never definind Argentines or British or any other nationalist as a people. See the section on dffinying people here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-determination#Defining_.22peoples.22. If the world needed the UN to state something in order for it to be true then a lot of the world is not true. The UN has instance never stated the world is flat, it does not make it any less true.
c) have the same human rights. Correct. What they don´t have is self determination.
But the UN has stated that the right to self dtermination is a indenible human right applicable to all. So do you believe they have human rights or not?
Also which argument are you going to mantain? A (says that it cant be true because the UN has stated it isnt so) or B (says that it isnt true even though the UN has stated it is so). logically the two arguments you have made are incompatable with each other.
Talks between Argentina and the british de facto non self governing administration won´t happen.
Then there is no way the Argentine government will ever have a say on the way the islands are administered and I leave you to your complaining.
@24
Go back and read my comment! I never stated they had a right to sovernigty. I stated that this decision lies with the islands. Do not lambast me when you have misunderstood the comment.
If what you say is true- then how come vessels from Chile-Uruguay-Spain-China-Russia-Japan etc etc - deal with- and thus recognise the Falkland Islands Govt when they come here or apply for fishing licences?
Same for Lan when their flight arrives every week!
Not a worry to us - but if Arg wants to talk about Communications and Fisheries - then it has to talk to the elected Islands Govt as they have the responsibilty in these areas - UK does not and formally confirmed it to Arg recently.
So I guess that means Arg will never actually agree to sit and talk! - Your problem though, as your President stated in the UN that all she wants to do IS sit and talk - and not even about Sovereignty initially!
So:
Ball is in your Court.
Mr David Barrow
I know you love to re-write history in your new country Peru, but did you examine Mr ExPat 1987 overwhelming evidence?
Islander1, that fake Argentine “Simon radicheta 68” and a few more believe him.
Next time around ask Mr Think what he thinks.
:)
Are you Mike Bingham?
Chuckle chuckle.
Mr. David Barrow14763 doesn’t “ask” me anything anymore….............
Not since he lost his wager against me about the impossibility of Ollanta Humala ever becoming president of Perú…….......................
It did cost him 100 pesos :-)
Anyhow……..:
There are many things I don’t know, but one think I know is that you are not Mr. Mike Bingham…..
But don’t worry…………….., you are not alone.
I myself have been “accused” by some in here of being this handsome, blue eyed young fellow, ……....... incidentally on the papers today!
www.clarin.com/mundos_intimos/malvinense-siente-argentino_0_740326172.html
“The islanders are not recognized as a people”
Have the UN definitively stated they are not a people?
Please quote a reference to justify this otherwise you are talking nonsense.
Try travelling to the Falklands and see for yourself-Falkland Islanders definately exist. They are people, not plants or animals, therefore they do exist as a people and a sub race. Because they have been descended from many nationalities who have gone to the islands of their free will (ie not artificially sent there, there), they're not implanted either. They do not commute to and from the UK every day, they actually live there and some can trace their families back to the Vernet settlers who the British allowed to stay in 1833.
If the Falkland Islanders do not exist, that is the same as saying that because they are British, that the Scottish and Welsh do not exist.
I suggest that it is the Argentines, not the UN, who do not recognise the Falkland Islanders as people, but I wonder who can take a country seriously without laughing their heads off at Argentina when it puts a case for migrating birds as a reason to claim the Falkland Islands.
So Mr. David Barrow14763 not only likes to re-write history but also doesn't pay bets...baaad Brit.
Talking about bets...nice article about Alejandro Betts.
Let me assure you that I don't have any relation with the other Mr Alejandro, you know these Brits are kind of paranoid.
I am glad that you know that Mike Bingham is not a bostero like me, he likes birds if you know what I mean :-)
Saludos
Well clearly you must think there is some legitimacy in argentina's argument for sovereignty otherwise you wouldn't try to define a dual sovereignty approach. If you think they've no right, why bother inventing a scheme, just be brave and state it. The Falklands will stay british until they decide otherwise.
To all our British friends:
- If you believe in democracy respecting human rights.
- If you believe in respecting the right of Chagos Islanders to determine their own future in their home land.
- If you want the UK to stop violating several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- If you believe that the indigenous Chagossian, who have suffered for over 45 years, must be allowed to return to their homeland, the Chagos Islands, without further delay.
Sign the petition calling on the British government to work to allow the banished Chagossian people to return home immediately.
The peoples of the world who believes in democracy, human rights and self determination will be thankful.
Thank you!
Not every human group is a people.
The British in the Malvinas Islands can not decide on the issue of sovereignty.
Therefore, in hypothetical negotiations, Buenos Aires responds to London and not the de facto government of the islands.
Why cant they have self determination? Argentine did in 1816.
Because usurped the islands to Argentina, another country. His country had diplomatic relations with ours. And did not follow the proper channels if there was a problem.
Some time ago I believed these blogs were to discuss the points raised on the note or issue that heads each of them.
Later on, I found that seldom was the heading considered, and nonsense and abuse were rampant without the Mercopress people doing anything to stop - at least - strong language.
Now I find the blogs useful to learn Spanglish or perhaps to ruin one's English.
At any rate, I feel that limits should be put up by the owners, e.g. subjects discussed should only relate to the proposed issue and no hard language or insults would be allowed and the owners will ban for good those infringing these two simple rules. Bad or broken English could be accepted though.
Cheers!
What kind of an answer is that!? First of all its the Falklands government that you have to negotiate as its their land, homes and families that will be affected.
Argentine had self determination despite being a “usurped” country, how the hell dod this Spanish speaking nation end up 7000 miles away in South America? Did it perhaps drop out of the sky? No us Europeans came and too the lands away from the natives and put you people there, and now Argentina is complaining about colonialism in the Falklands! Hypocritical? Drop your claim Mr Malvinense and get on with your life.
“The British in the Malvinas Islands can not decide on the issue of sovereignty.”
1/- They are not the Malvinas, tthey are called the Falkland Islands. The clue to this that even a 4 year old child could work out is that there are no government or legal documents withthe word Malvinas on. Also there are big signs that simpletons like you could read in the Falkland Islands, spelt F-A-L-K-L-A-N-D I-S-L-A-N-D-S. There are no Malvinas Islas signs.
To achieve that you'll have to illegally invade, but I wouldn't advise that.
2/- As most of the Falkland Islanders were born on the Islands, they are not therefore English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish. Many have families with Island origins that date back well into the 1800s. Therefore they are not from the British Isles. This means that they have every right to determine their sovereignity and the only Argentines that have the right to vote are those BORN on the Islands.
So yes the only opinion that matters on the Islands are from the people born there, not the opinions of people living in the UK or Imperialist Argentina.
Your views suggest that because Argentina is a transplanted population from Europe that displaced the rightful inhabitants, that every Argentine with European ancestors therefore has to go back to Europe to let the rightful rulers of Argentina (The Amerindians) take control.
3/-“Because usurped the islands to Argentina, another country. His country had diplomatic relations with ours. And did not follow the proper channels if there was a problem.”
What on earth does (3/-)this mean????????? Please could you enlighten me as it does not make grammatical sense.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!