Falklands : Falklands Warn Scots Newspaper to Stop Stirring the Pot
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 24.09.2006 (Article Archived on 29.10.2006)
The Scotsman's Article can be classed as a "pot boiler" and all that has happened is that someone has come along and stirred the pot.
FALKLANDS WARN SCOTS NEWSPAPER TO STOP STIRRING THE POT
An Editorial by J. Brock (FINN)
Falklanders, yet again, are under attack from the UK media about the Argentine claim to sovereignty over the Islands. This time it’s the wordsmiths from Scotland that just can’t wait until the UK and Argentina come to blows over the Falklands. People, who have internet access by the way, living in the Falklands simply look on articles like the one in the Scotsman entitled “Britain and Argentina on Collision Course Over the Falklands” as if they are rubbish and some even wonder why that rubbish is being thrown our way. Aren’t we supposed to be on the same side?
In particular, Falklanders find the following especially offensive:
“The UK's new representative on the islands has issued a grim warning that "relations with the government of Argentina are now more difficult than we would wish" as he took up his position this month. Falklands governor Alan Huckle's warning comes two months after Scotland on Sunday revealed Britain had been forced to write to the United Nations restating its sovereignty over the islands, as Argentina escalates attempts to gain international support for its claim.”
A statement of fact is not a grim warning. For years now Argentina has ratcheted up the economic pressure. Falklanders have been aware of economic pressure on us since it started and we don’t need to be warned about it.
The Scotsman’s assumption two months ago that Britain was forced to write the UN restating its sovereignty over the (Islands) is rubbish as well because the UN are well aware of Britain’s position about sovereignty. A timely reminder written to the UN is just that. It is a routine job and no one forced Britain to do it.
Islanders are also aware that Argentina is seeking to gain sovereignty over the Islands (Note the capital “I”) by diplomatic means. Seeing that they promised at the end of the 82 Conflict never again to try to take the Falklands by armed force, they do not have a limitless supply of options to achieve their goal.
“His comments follow revelations by the outgoing governor, Howard Pearce, that the British Embassy in Buenos Aires had received a record number of official protest notes on Falkland issues.”
Writing an official protest letter to the British Embassy in Buenos Aires is simply an option that is being exercised by our ‘friends’ across the water.
Falkland Islanders do not wish to be drawn into a “Lets You and Him Fight” scenario and feel that the newspaper could do better. The Scotsman’s article can be classed as a pot boiler because there is nothing new in it. All that’s happened is someone has come along and stirred the pot.
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