Time to say ‘enough’ to those who deny Gibraltar’s right to self-determination, UN told

The international community should respect the Gibraltarians’ desire to remain British and defend their right to self-determination, Richard Buttigieg, the chairman of the Self Determination for Gibraltar Group, told the UN Fourth Committee on Monday.

Speaking during the committee’s session in New York, Mr Buttigieg called on the UN to stand up and say “enough” to those who would “run roughshod” over the Gibraltarians’ right to self-determination.

“This committee has in fact done absolutely nothing regarding my country,” he said.

“You pass the same stale resolutions year after year, but do not take any active steps.”

“You appear to be disinterested in our future.”

Mr Buttigieg said the committee had for decades ignored requests to send a UN visiting mission to Gibraltar, even though it had sent them to other territories, most recently the British Virgin Islands.

“You do not even acknowledge our requests,” he said.

“Why the different attitude?”

“When it comes to Gibraltar, our voices, our aspirations and our dreams matter just as much as those of any other people in the world.”

The chairman of the SDGG said the principle of self-determination empowered communities and individuals who wanted to determine their own future.

He acknowledged that Gibraltar was not “a large or powerful nation” and that there were more influential nations at the UN “who do not care” about the Gibraltarians’ right to self-determination.

“But does this committee simply bow down to those who seek to perversely use their power?” he asked.

“The people of Gibraltar have consistently expressed their desire to remain British, a choice that should be respected and upheld by the international community.”

“So when will the United Nations stand up and say ‘enough’ to those who would seek to run roughshod over international law, basic human justice and the right of a people to choose?”

Mr Buttigieg told the committee that Gibraltarians were “resolute and tenacious” people who would never give up their rights or stop fighting for self-determination.

“We will never cease in our struggle to let the world know that we are proud British Gibraltarians and wish to remain so,” he said.

“But our Spanish neighbours claim our wishes do not matter, that we are not a people and that we should have no say over our future.”

“We should simply be handed to Spain as if we were nothing but a trade on the international stage.”

“But Gibraltar cannot be treated as a colonial possession, as it is no one's to give away or claim.”

“The people of Gibraltar will not yield to coercion or pressure and we will never be made to surrender.”

“We will never give up our undeniable right to self-determination and we will pay whatever price is necessary to uphold our democratic freedoms.”