We fundamentally believe in self-determination for residents of the British Overseas Territories, and also that as many powers as possible should be devolved to them. We believe that self-determination, as set out in various international treaties such as UN Resolutions 1415 (XV) and 2625 (XXV) and also the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is sacred where Non Self Governing Territories (NSGTs) such as the British Overseas Territories are concerned. When it comes to decolonization, including of British Overseas Territories, self-determination is the only acceptable manner in which to do it. As such, we will defend the wishes of the residents against any aggressor states.
We will conduct a review into the state of democracy and people’s rights on Ascension Island. This review will include the right to abode, cementing the powers of the Ascension Island Council and the right to own property.[^2]
The UK should repatriate fully the natives of the Chagos Archipelago that were evicted illegally by the British government between 1967 and 1973. All descendants of those originally evicted should be given the option to return. A referendum should then be held from those that choose to return to decide what to do with Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia which is currently based on the islands.
The UK should revoke the Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA) as it was founded under the auspices of a legitimate environmental project, when it was later revealed to be a plot to keep the Chagossians off the islands. The Chagos MPA was declared illegal by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 18 March 2015, as it is a breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The UK should revoke the Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA) as it was founded under the auspices of a legitimate environmental project, when it was later revealed to be a plot to keep the Chagossians off the islands. The Chagos MPA was declared illegal by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 18 March 2015, as it was in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and therefore the UK ought to act swiftly in dismantling it.
We support the right of Falkland Islanders to determine their own future, and so respect the outcome of the 2013 sovereignty referendum, when 99.8% of Falklanders voted to remain an Overseas Territory of the UK.
We will commission a report into how best to help Montserrat recover in the long-term and how better infrastructure can be put in place to cope with future crises and disasters.
We will commission a report into how best to help Montserrat recover in the long-term following recent eruptions from Soufrière Hills volcano. We will also look at how better infrastructure can be put in place to cope with future crises and disasters.
We will grant British citizenship to the 67 residents of Richmond Village, Akrotiri.[^2]
We will grant British citizenship to the 67 residents of Richmond Village, Akrotiri, Cyprus.[^3]
We recognise that the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) has attempted to turn to peaceful means to secure rights for the Kurdish people[^2]. We also note the PKK's leadership in resisting the brutality of the ISIS forces in the Middle East. We therefore wish to delist the PKK as a terrorist organisation should it commit itself to disarming in Turkey and re-engaging in the peace process.
We recognise that the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) has attempted to turn to peaceful means to secure rights for the Kurdish people[^4]. We also note the PKK's leadership in resisting the brutality of the ISIS forces in the Middle East. We therefore wish to delist the PKK as a terrorist organisation should it commit itself to disarming in Turkey and re-engaging in the peace process.
@OliverJackson1 - almost 8 years ago
@andrewdwilliams are we comfortable enough with the actions of President Erdoğan to agree to simple de-listing of the PKK? Would we potentially be better calling for a Kurdish state as a form of peace agreements out of concessions from Iraq and Syria. Not sure that we should really mention the PKK at all just forward devloution and non-intervention. Something like "We wish to pursue an evenhanded foreign policy and in light of violence from both the Turkish state and the Kurdish Rebels we condemn both sides. We believe in the establishment of a Kurdish State in the North East and North West Regions of Syria and Iraq, respectively, where there are effective military campaigns against Daesh (ISIS). We believe this will establish peace and we aim to see this new state provisioned with peacekeepers until such a time as peace is secured."
The fear is that otherwise we validate the violence of one side and not the other. Additionally, this conflict will run for decades without an evenhanded approach that recognizes the Kurdish desire for a free state.
@OliverJackson1 the only thing that changed in the PKK section is the footnote numbering, not the policy, so if we want to discuss it, let's do it under a separate change before we get offtopic here :)
@anilliams - almost 8 years ago
@OliverJackson1 That wasn't my original addition to the manifesto, as @Floppy pointed out the only bit I altered in the PKK section was the footnote numbering. But if you want to change the PKK section, feel free to start a new pull request and I'll give it a look over.
@anilliams - almost 8 years ago
@Floppy @OliverJackson1 Could you look at this and give it a thumbs up or not, so we can get this passed?
The OpenPolitics Manifesto
@andrewdwilliams - almost 8 years ago
Updated some stuff, added a little more, just general expansion.