Falkland Islands: Desmond Tutu Urges Britain To Give Up Its Claim

Posted: 28/03/2012 11:31 Updated: 28/03/2012 11:31

Desmond Tutu

A group of Nobel Peace Prize winners including Desmond Tutu has urged Britain to back down over its claim to the Falkland Islands.

The retired South African Anglican bishop is one of the signatories to a letter sent to David Cameron on Wednesday, which calls on the prime minister to "review the British government's position of refusing to dialogue on this matter".

According to the AFP news agency the letter also calls on the British government to "comply with United Nations resolutions calling for the initiation of talks with the Republic of Argentina."

The calls are led by Argentine artist Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who won a Peace Prize in 1980 for his work on human rights and his opposition to the military dictatorship in his country that was in power at the time of the Falklands War.

The other signatories to the letter are Argentinian Adolfo Perez Es, Rigoberta Menchu of Guatemala, Mairead Maguire of Ireland, American Jody Williams and Iran's Shirin Ebadi.

The letter comes as Nick Clegg rejected Argentinian claims that Britain had deployed nuclear weapons to the South Atlantic.

Speaking in South Korea on Tuesday, the deputy prime minister said the accusation was "unfounded" and "baseless",

"The United Kingdom ratified the protocols to the treaty in 1969, the treaty referred to by President Pinera which guarantees a nuclear weapons-free zone covering Latin America and the Caribbean," he said.

He added: "We have respected those obligations since 1969 and we will continue to do so."

Tensions between Argentina and Britain have been simmering for months as the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War approaches.

Argentina reacted angrily to the recent deployment of the Royal Navy's most advanced destroyer HMS Dauntless (pictured below) to the region, as well as the decision to send Prince William to the Falklands in his capacity as a RAF search-and-rescue pilot.

Britain has condemned the decision by Argentina to ban Falkland Islands-flagged ships from docking at its ports, as well as its attempts to raise the issue of the territory's sovereignty at the United Nations.

Related on HuffPost:

1  of  9
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
(Photo credit: Chris Ison/PA Wire)
FOLLOW UK POLITICS

A group of Nobel Peace Prize winners including Desmond Tutu has urged Britain to back down over its claim to the Falkland Islands. The retired South African Anglican bishop is one of the signatorie...
A group of Nobel Peace Prize winners including Desmond Tutu has urged Britain to back down over its claim to the Falkland Islands. The retired South African Anglican bishop is one of the signatorie...
Filed by Ned Simons  | 
 
 
  • Comments
  • 340
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Post Comment Preview Comment
To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2 3 4 5  Next ›  Last »  (7 total)
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
plansmaker
There Is No Such Thing As Infinity In Science
06:43 PM on 04/14/2012
To give up Falkland Island to Argentina, what does Britain get in return...That is the bottom-line!
You don't give up something for nothing, do you Desmond?
08:44 PM on 03/30/2012
The Falklanders will reap little benefit from their oil
as we did the Scottish population.fact.
wes
09:55 PM on 03/29/2012
I see president Obama awarded Archbishop Tutu with the Medal of Freedom in 2009. What a remarkable legacy he ;eaves to the world. Truly a unique man.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
01:33 AM on 03/30/2012
Is that the same President Obama that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for reasons that most of the world has no idea why?
12:37 PM on 03/30/2012
Yes. Though presumably the awarding body knows why - it ceratnly wasnt because an accidnet of birth or because of who he married.
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
02:54 PM on 03/29/2012
To get a `yes to Argentina' vote, he could perhaps poll the Falkland Islands and Argentina. To get a `no to Argentina' vote, he could include just the Falkland Islands.

In keeping with Mr Tutu's usual respect for democracy, perhaps he would care to comment on the right constituency for this question?
11:23 PM on 03/28/2012
Mr Tutu as your retired now perhaps you could find the time to nip over to the faulklands and knock on a few doors and ask the people themselves what they want ,because thats all that really matters
10:10 PM on 03/28/2012
This cannot be ignored we must retaliate, perhaps a stiff letter signed by Wayne Rooney, Katie Price, Phil Mitchell and that woman who thinks an unmade bed is art.
10:23 AM on 03/29/2012
Dont forget to get Waitey Katie to sign as well, might as well have one person representing low achieving non -entities who live off the tax payer.
02:00 PM on 03/29/2012
Make your own list she'snot on mine.
This comment has been removed.
07:23 PM on 03/28/2012
Idiot! I have lost all faith and respect for Tutu. He would be better asking how come serial rapist gets to be President of his own country!
10:10 PM on 03/28/2012
Usually it is by getting more votes than others.
10:38 PM on 03/28/2012
Or killing your opponents or rigging the vote. Or excluding specific ethnic groups. Or simply ignoring the results..................... shall I continue?
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
09:34 AM on 03/29/2012
schalis has you there, GearoidOD.
07:16 PM on 03/28/2012
Ok lets just give everything back but where shall we draw the line how about argentina back to spain or Texas back to Mexico, then Mexico back to spain or back to the indiginous indians, or South Africa back to the uk and the boar settlers. Just give the islanders a referendum then when they have decided give us one on europe so we can have our country back.
This comment has been removed.
Southern law girl
Researching my viewpoint....
07:46 PM on 03/28/2012
The Islanders already had a referendum and they decided to stay British. But what you say is purely that, the whole world would change faces, and the dominos would start to fall!
07:14 PM on 03/28/2012
Is this the same Desmond Tutu that was preaching hatred and death from his pulpitt whilst Mandela was calling for peace and calm and the same Desmond Tutu calling for the world to back Robert Mugabe & Nkomo to oust Ian Smith from Rhodesia? I don't hear much support for Mugabe now, after he has masacred the tribe of his supposed "blood brother" Nkomo and turned his country from being the second richest in Africa to being the most bankrupt in the world whilst he personally has become the worlds 6th richest man (I think, sorry if that is incorrect) Maybe I am uneducated but who are the "others" that signed this letter to David Cameron ? As far as I am concerned they are nobodies. I can understand there being a couple of Argentinians but the others ..... sorry. These ex reactionaries should keep their noses out of other peoples affairs.
10:23 PM on 03/28/2012
I dont hear many people calling for advice from batty Thatcher now either !
10:53 PM on 03/28/2012
Well of course not. She's old and frail. As a result, yes shes losing her marbles. whats your excuse?
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
09:43 AM on 03/29/2012
shalis is wiping the floor with you, GearoidOD, perhaps you should stop typing rubbish now.
This comment has been removed.
07:12 PM on 03/28/2012
The Falklands belong to the Falkland Islanders. Not Britain and not Argentina, they are a 'protectorate' as The Channel islands are. Stop discussing their future without involving them.
Very rude and condescending.
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
08:08 PM on 03/28/2012
rayjsj55, I think you will find that the Falkland Islanders are very keen to remain British.
A lot of them painted the Union Flag on their rooftops prior to the invasion of the Argentinians .
10:25 PM on 03/28/2012
So were the Hong Kong chinese.
09:05 PM on 03/28/2012
The UN resolutions consider the matter as billateral between the two countries, and urges both countries to sit and talk about souvereignity. The self-determination of the population has no value in this subject. The UN asks the islanders interests to be considered, not their "wishes", because the population is considered "implanted". Britain has repeatedly refused to follow UN resolutions.
09:51 PM on 03/28/2012
"The self-determination of the population has no value in this subject"
That kind of thinking caused a lot of problems 1939-45.
As to implanted populations, which native American tribe is the name 'Juan' derived from exactly?
11:07 AM on 03/29/2012
Juan,
Until the Falkland Islanders and their government are represented in this 'Discussion' about their future, there will be no Discussion. There are NO 'Displaced indigenous natives' from the Falklands to consider. The Population were 'Implanted' nearly 200 years ago. Talk to them ! It is not Britains place to be involved, 'Unless of course, someone decides to invade again'. That's what meant by 'Protectorate'.
07:05 PM on 03/28/2012
Iceland is quite close to the UK. Perhaps we could claim it as ours??
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
deluk
disgusted.
07:48 PM on 03/28/2012
I quite fancy the Faroe Islands.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
photo
12:56 AM on 03/29/2012
They do a nice line in knitwear.
Kraptonfactor
They're coming to take me away ha ha, hee hee, ho
08:08 PM on 03/28/2012
Bit too cold for me eddie.
07:02 PM on 03/28/2012
Reference my observations rucking should read ruling
This comment has been removed.