Falkland Islanders vote on British sovereignty

PORT STANLEY The population of the Falkland Islands is going to the polls on Sunday and Monday in a referendum on whether to remain a British overseas territory. Argentina has constantly reiterated its claims to the islands, 30 years after it was repelled by a British Task Force in a 74-day conflict. Falkland Islanders vote on British sovereignty The islanders decided to hold the vote in response to Argentine pressure for negotiations over sovereignty. The tiny community is expected to overwhelmingly back remaining British. But a "yes" vote backing the status quo is unlikely to resolve the dispute. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has said the inhabitants' wishes are not relevant in what is a territorial issue. Most Argentineans regard the islands, which they call Las Malvinas, as Argentine and their recovery is enshrined in the national constitution. Falkland Islanders will have their voices heard in the referendum, with 1,672 people eligible to vote out of the islands' total population of about 2,900. Dick Sawle, a member of the island's legislative assembly, played a leading part in pushing for the vote to happen. He told the BBC he hoped the result would reaffirm the principle of self-determination and send a message to both the international community and to Argentineans. "I would hope that whilst the government of Argentina may not listen to us, I hope the people... will listen to us, because I think there are many people within Argentina who are not in tune with their government." He rejected Kirchner's suggestion that they were an "implanted" population, saying the Falklands had been settled throughout history in the same way as South America, but with no indigenous population to displace. Despite the clarity of the history, he added, there was the fundamental right to self-determination "to which no-one can attach conditions". International observers will oversee the vote. There are mobile polling stations, some of which will have to be flown out to and from the outer islands, hence the voting being held over two days. Those who cannot vote include those aged under 18 and people who are not Falkland islanders. Some Argentines living on the islands have "Falklands status" which makes them eligible to vote. Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982, entering the capital Port Stanley early in the morning. The garrison of Royal Marines was overwhelmed and other British South Atlantic territories including South Georgia were also seized. In two months of fighting, 255 British and about 650 Argentine servicemen were killed, along with three Falklands civilians, before Argentine forces surrendered. BBC

Falkland Islanders vote on British sovereignty

The islanders decided to hold the vote in response to Argentine pressure for negotiations over sovereignty.

The tiny community is expected to overwhelmingly back remaining British.

But a "yes" vote backing the status quo is unlikely to resolve the dispute.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has said the inhabitants' wishes are not relevant in what is a territorial issue.

Most Argentineans regard the islands, which they call Las Malvinas, as Argentine and their recovery is enshrined in the national constitution.

Falkland Islanders will have their voices heard in the referendum, with 1,672 people eligible to vote out of the islands' total population of about 2,900.

Dick Sawle, a member of the island's legislative assembly, played a leading part in pushing for the vote to happen.

He told the BBC he hoped the result would reaffirm the principle of self-determination and send a message to both the international community and to Argentineans.

"I would hope that whilst the government of Argentina may not listen to us, I hope the people... will listen to us, because I think there are many people within Argentina who are not in tune with their government."

He rejected Kirchner's suggestion that they were an "implanted" population, saying the Falklands had been settled throughout history in the same way as South America, but with no indigenous population to displace.

Despite the clarity of the history, he added, there was the fundamental right to self-determination "to which no-one can attach conditions".

International observers will oversee the vote.

There are mobile polling stations, some of which will have to be flown out to and from the outer islands, hence the voting being held over two days.

Those who cannot vote include those aged under 18 and people who are not Falkland islanders.

Some Argentines living on the islands have "Falklands status" which makes them eligible to vote.

Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982, entering the capital Port Stanley early in the morning.

The garrison of Royal Marines was overwhelmed and other British South Atlantic territories including South Georgia were also seized.

In two months of fighting, 255 British and about 650 Argentine servicemen were killed, along with three Falklands civilians, before Argentine forces surrendered.