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THE ACTOR SEAN Penn has become the latest public figure to have his say on the ongoing dispute surrounding the Falkland Islands.
The Oscar-winning star said that Britain and Argentina should open negotiations over the distribution of natural resources around the South Atlantic islands and discuss immigration, in an op-ed in the Guardian today.
Britain and Argentina have renewed old tensions over the tiny islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, nearly 30-years after they fought a ten-week wear in which hundreds died on both sides following the Argentine invasion of the islands.
Officially classed as a British Overseas Territory, the 3,000 or so islanders themselves predominantly wish to maintain the status quo. Penn believes Britain should help Argentinians to move to the Falklands.
“The very people who suffered and fought most enduringly against this military junta in Argentina are the ones who today lead that country, and on behalf of their people seek simply a fair and re-established diplomacy in issues of the disputed islands ranging from immigration to natural resources,” he writes.
Penn, who also acts as ambassador at large for the Haitian government, had previously criticised Britain’s claim of sovereignty to the islands as “colonialist, ludicrous and archaic” but claims in today’s article that his remarks were distorted by the British media.
He is however critical of the deployment of Prince William, an RAF pilot, to the region as well as a Royal Navy destroyer ship, describing the moves as “pre-emptive intimidation.”
“The recognition that the diplomatic process of the 1970s gives to some of the legitimacy of Argentinian claims should not be dispelled or denied by the great United Kingdom through the exploitation of a more recent past, or for the greed of superpowers desperate to control the natural resources of the world. God save the Queen,” he concludes.
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Should it not be left to the Islanders to decide? The thing is they overwhelmingly wish to remain a dependant of the UK so that should be it. At. the end of the day the Argies are only sabre rattling because of the potential resources there, that’s it
Team America had this guy sussed years ago.
U said it, Begrudgy. He seems to be getting more & more “unstable” as time goes by. What the hell has it to do with him anyway ? If he wants to talk about handing land back to the natives, leave the U.S. & go back to the land of his own ancestors. Hand U.S. territority back to the American Indians.
Hmmm. An American sticking his nose in foreign matters where huge oil resources are involved….why am I not surprised.
brian your comment makes no sense whatsoever man. Sean penn has always spoken against the invasion of iraq and afghanistan under false circumstances and countless other nations for the exploitation of their natural resourses. it was britan who supports the US where ever they want to invade next for oil gas ect…
This guy is seriously deluded and is trying to back pedal from the putting both feet in his mouth on more than one occasion earlier this month. On some facts he is simply wrong. The Royal Navy maintains a constant presence in the South Atlantic.
I can’t wait to hear what other celebrities have to say about disputed territories. What does Kevin Spacey say about South Ossetia?
I’m not a politician, but I play one on T.V.
Expert opinions from a F**king actor. This guy stood toe to toe with fellow socialist in support of Assad, killing his own people. He should go back to his multi million dollar mansion in California. Wading in on things, hah.
Hear, hear! The vast majority of the people of the Falkland islands wish to maintain their links with Britain and therefore Britain is merely protecting their democratic rights just like the vast majority of Irish people want to,… Oh crap!
While I agree with Britains stance on the Falkland islands it does smack a little of selective democracy. However the islands do appear to be a cohesive geopolitical unit where the majority want to remain British. If they held a referendum there its not hard to guess what the result would be. What I would like to know is what is Argentina’s basis for a sovreignty claim? Any links would be appreciated.
Just looking at your other posts. you are a complete tool. you are now arguing the other side of the coin. i though intervention was good as the British will never give independence?? Loser, go back to your video games and masterbation !!
Meh
The Faulklands are over 450 miles from Argentina. At the nearest point Ireland and the UK are about 12 miles apart. Does Sean think Ireland should be liberated from Europe and join a United Islands of Britannia?
Self-determination seems to be the wisdom in international relations. So long as there’s no oil in the vicinity. If there is oil, the inhabitants could be quids in without being a British protectorate…
Who lived on these Islands before the British?
Penguins…
Correction. French and Spanish settlers…
And penguins…
Correction: French then British then Spanish (and penguins….)
Correction – 450km…
Fair play Sean Penn. Has done great work around the world highlighting corruption and is a great ambassador for Haiti. As far as i’m concerned colonialism is sponsered by corporations and is more prevelant than ever.
That comment makes absolutely no sense in this particular instance
Here here, Toorkeel.
I’ve been saying this for years and I’ll say it again, somebody needs to get him in a boxing match with Sean Bean refereed by Sean Connery.
So what’s your point Sean? Is that the same Navy that got well and truly annihilated by another Navy fighting 8000 miles from home?
I’d say Sean Penn would have difficulty pointing out the Falklands on a globe.
They are British…case closed
Penn makes sense, his tash does not.
Tashies give people an air of importance and authority. That’s why I’m desperately trying to grow my own.
Regardless of the Falklands question, it is somewhat ironic to hear this muppet going on about colonialists whilst apparently not realising that, as a non-native american, he is one!
Irish people should never forget the founder of the Argentine Navy our own Admiral William Brown…. Las Islas Malvinas Argentinas.xx
On precisely what basis do you think Argentina has a claim over the falklands?
I suppose on the same basis that england does…with one difference, it is closer to Argentina. However, I agree with all those on here regarding the Islanders right to vote on who they would like as the governing sovereignty and resulting benefactor.
Argentina has, for years been at this one and the woman in charge now sees an opportunity to raise her political game again. Do they really want to go to war over this…I doubt it. Argentina has about thruppence ha’penny as a country without support from other countries and it would be a very one sided affair, as it was before.
It speaks volumes that she has had to use a well known hollywood actor to raise the stakes. All that says is that Argentina pretty much figures nowhere on the world political stage as they don’t have the lobbying power.
Ok Sean. So if Argentina’s proximity (450 miles) to Las Malvinas legitimises their claim to it, should the UK’s proximity to here (12 miles) legitimise a renewed claim to sovereignty over Ireland?
The first president of independent Chile was Bernardo O’Higgins, who’s father was from Sligo. Following the logic of your outburst, does Chile have a claim to the islands, given Chile is almost as close, and a president out-ranks an admiral?
OK, lets look at a few facts:
First known sighting of the islands – 1600, Dutch.
First known to have set foot on the islands – 1690, British
(native patagonians were relatively primitive hunters and farmers, believed to engage in coastal seal hunts but with no evidence of true seafaring capability – extremely unlikely that they would have been capable of crossing 265 miles of some of the wildest oceans on the planet).
First known settlements – 1764, French, East Falkland. 1765-66, British, West Falkland. Each settlement ignorant of the presence of the other.
First involvement of the Spanish – 1767, when they took control of the French settlement.
First act of aggression – 1770, when the Spanish attacked the British colony and temporarily drove them from the islands.
By 1811 all settlers had withdrawn, leaving the islands uninhabited once again. Each settlement leaves its respective claim to the islands.
1816 – Argentine Republic founded.
1820 – Argentina claim the islands for themselves.
1828-31 – settlement established by Louis Vernet, a German merchant, after seeking permission from British and Argentine authorities. Settlement destroyed by the US.
1832 – Argentina attempt to create a penal colony but subsequently agree to leave after being requested to do so by the British.
1833 – Settlement established by the British. In continuous settlement to the present day, despite ten week Argentine invasion in 1982.
It is clear that Argentina have no legitimate claim based on first settlement or first discovery. The only basis of their claim must therefore be on geographic proximity. Applying that logic closer to home, it follows that France would have a legitimate claim to the islands of Ireland and Britain (see how ridiculous this is beginning to sound…..)
The islanders have a right to self-determination and they wish to remain British. Following the 1982 Argentine invasion I can’t see that changing anytime soon.
Either way, I think the current Argentine posturing has more to do with domestic politics than any serious intention to claim the islands….
Clarification to avoid confusion: “each settlement leaves its own claim to the islands” – a less ambiguous wording would have been “each settlement maintains its own claim to the islands”.
Apologies for any confusion…
Indeed so. Couple of points:
France successfully invaded England in C11.
France then successfully invaded Ireland in C12…
Had to check to make sure i was on the journal .ie website as most of the comments here youd fine in the sun or daily mail.the british plant 3000 people on these islands most of them military and then say the natives want to remain british?Sounds like another place we all know.As for the true natives, lets say we only have to look at what british policy was for the maori,aboriginal and indians to know what their fate was.
Paul you are a wee bit off on your history here.
The first people to try and govern the Maori were the Dutch which is where the name New Zealand came from. There were also various other european countries including the French involved in trying to govern the two islands. The english did have a part to play, definately. But they were not the sole contributors to this.
As far as the Indians go, and I am assuming you mean the peoples from India as opposed to North American Indians? The english did a lot of good in India as well as bad.
I suppose my point is that most countries around the world have at one time or another been invaded, colonised or taken over by another race or people with in the main terrible consequences. I am not particularly fond of the english or their policies but even they had their troubles to seek with invading forces over the course of time.
I think it is more your own issues with the english as opposed to the generalisation you have made. Ireland was invaded by the norsemen too but I don’t see you calling out the swedish or norwegians. I am not overly fond of the english as a race as I said (and I know its a generalisation) but it has happened to most races at one time or another.
Paul – there’s one major flaw in your thesis, there was never a native population living on the Falklands, just a few temporary settlements at various periods in history put there by other colonialists, namely France and Spain.
Penguins were there first…
and elephant seals…
There was Sean Penguin, Nuala Penguin, the Magdalene penguins, the penguin brotherhood, the official penguin army, provisional penguin army, the penguin volunteer force, the popular front for penguinosity, the progressive penguin party and the officially provisional real continuity unionist penguin army party…
have your say