Falkland Islands Association

Last updated

The Falkland Islands Association (FIA) is a United Kingdom-based organisation, established 1968, that campaigns internationally for the self-determination of the people of the Falkland Islands. [1] [2]

Contents

Activities of the association include the monitoring of political activity and press comment relating to the Falklands and the lobbying of politicians and officials on matters relating to the islands. The association liaises with the Falkland Islands Government and their representative in London attends Executive Committee meetings of the association. The association maintains a representative presence in the Falkland Islands. [1]

The FIA was instrumental in the establishment of the South Georgia Association. [3]

People

The chairman of the association since December 2018 has been John Duncan, a retired diplomat who had served as UK's ambassador for Arms Control and Disarmament at the United Nations from 2006 to 2011, acting governor of the Falkland Islands in 2014, and governor of the Virgin Islands from 2014 to 2017. [4] A former chairman was Sir Rex Hunt, governor of the islands at the time of the 1982 invasion by Argentina. [5] [6]

The first patron of the association, until her death in 2013, was Margaret Thatcher. [1] The current president is Lord Hurd of Westwell (Douglas Hurd). [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of the Falkland Islands</span>

The politics of the Falkland Islands takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary representative democratic dependency as set out by the constitution, whereby the Governor exercises the duties of head of state in the absence of the monarch and the Chief Executive is the head of the Civil Service, with an elected Legislative Assembly to propose new laws, national policy, approve finance and hold the executive to account.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falklands War</span> Undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982

The Falklands War was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial dependency, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The conflict began on 2 April, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands, followed by the invasion of South Georgia the next day. On 5 April, the British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force before making an amphibious assault on the islands. The conflict lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender on 14 June, returning the islands to British control. In total, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel, and three Falkland Islanders were killed during the hostilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands</span> British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is a British Overseas Territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote and inhospitable collection of islands, consisting of South Georgia and a chain of smaller islands known as the South Sandwich Islands. South Georgia is 165 kilometres (103 mi) long and 35 kilometres (22 mi) wide and is by far the largest island in the territory. The South Sandwich Islands lie about 700 kilometres (430 mi) southeast of South Georgia. The territory's total land area is 3,903 km2 (1,507 sq mi). The Falkland Islands are about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) west from its nearest point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Symonds College</span> Sixth form college in Winchester, Hampshire, England

Peter Symonds College is a sixth form college in Winchester, Hampshire, in the south of England. Founded as a boys' grammar school, it is one of the few specialist sixth form colleges which is also a boarding school. It serves Falkland Islands residents for sixth form. It is the biggest sixth form college in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Allardyce</span> British Colonial Governor

Sir William Lamond Allardyce, was a career British civil servant in the Colonial Office who served as governor of Fiji (1901–1902), the Falkland Islands (1904–1914), Bahamas (1914–1920), Tasmania (1920–1922), and Newfoundland (1922–1928).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Olympic Association</span> National Olympic Committee

The British Olympic Association (BOA) is the National Olympic Committee for the United Kingdom. However it is almost unique in that its teams also incorporate representatives from other British dependent territories, who do not have their own separate Olympics teams, but which also excludes some UK citizens from Northern Ireland due to internal governing body territories in sports such as rugby, tennis and field hockey. Founded in 1905, it is responsible for organising and overseeing the participation of athletes from the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team, at both the summer and winter Olympic Games, the Youth Olympic Games, the European Youth Olympic Festivals, and at the European Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Governor of the Falkland Islands</span>

The governor of the Falkland Islands is the representative of the British Crown in the Falkland Islands, acting "in His Majesty's name and on His Majesty's behalf" as the islands' de facto head of state in the absence of the British monarch. The role and powers of the governor are set out in Chapter II of the Falkland Islands Constitution. The governor in office resides at Government House, which serves as the official residence.

Sovereignty over the Falkland Islands is disputed by Argentina and the United Kingdom. The British claim to sovereignty dates from 1690, when they made the first recorded landing on the islands, and the United Kingdom has exercised de facto sovereignty over the archipelago almost continuously since 1833. Argentina has long disputed this claim, having been in control of the islands for a few years prior to 1833. The dispute escalated in 1982, when Argentina invaded the islands, precipitating the Falklands War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rex Hunt (diplomat)</span> Governor, Falkland Islands, 1926–2012

Sir Rex Masterman Hunt, was a British Government diplomat and colonial administrator. He was Governor, Commander-in-Chief, and Vice Admiral of the Falkland Islands between 1980 and September 1985. He became a household name in the United Kingdom during the Falklands War, after the Argentine invasion of the islands in 1982, when he was taken prisoner and temporarily removed from his position.

Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour, is a British author, sailor, and retired Royal Marine. He served for 32 years in the Royal Marines and, after retiring, he concentrated on his sailing and writing careers and has written a number of books on military history and the Royal Marines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Falkland Islands</span> Group of islands in the South Atlantic

The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 mi (480 km) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about 752 mi (1,210 km) from Cape Dubouzet at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 sq mi (12,000 km2), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, but the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The capital and largest settlement is Stanley on East Falkland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands</span>

The Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands was the unicameral legislature of the Falkland Islands from 13 November 1845 until 1 January 2009. The new constitution came into force in 2009 and replaced the Legislative Council with the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colin Roberts (diplomat)</span> British diplomat and Governor of the Falkland Islands

Colin Roberts is a British diplomat and the former Governor of the Falkland Islands and former Commissioner of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

A referendum on political status was held in the Falkland Islands on 10–11 March 2013. The Falkland Islanders were asked whether or not they supported the continuation of their status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom in view of Argentina's call for negotiations on the islands' sovereignty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlos Büsser</span>

Carlos Alberto César Büsser was an Argentine naval officer who commanded Argentine forces during the 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands who forced the surrender of the Governor of the Falkland Islands, Rex Hunt.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 About Us. Falkland Island Association. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  2. Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  3. The South Georgia Association Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary. South Georgia Newsletter, September 2011. South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  4. Executive Committee. Falkland Island Association. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  5. Falklands governor Sir Rex Hunt dies. BBC News , 12 November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  6. Falklands governor Sir Rex Hunt dies. The Telegraph , 12 November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.