posted on May, 29 2012 @ 06:28 PM
Many Gibraltarians feel that we always end up with the short end of the stick when it comes to international politics, and we do, in my honest
opinion.
We may be a small community, but we're a vibrant one.
An ever growing, fast and economically competant nation.
So what is Gibraltar's most dire problem?
The fact that right next door lives a country whose current and former governments claim sovereignty over the Rock.
Gibraltar feeds ten thousand commuting spaniards.
That should be enough for the spanish government to say "thank you", considering Spain's unemployment problem.
But the spanish central government of Madrid does the opposite, they spit in our face by constantly claming "Gibraltar is Spanish."
Those are the least of our worries. What they fail to realise is; that they will never change the minds of Gibraltarians, regarding Spain, with
fascist tactics like inhumane border ques.
What's even more interesting is that; most of the spanish people who are born and bred in the area of Campo de Gibraltar, want Gibraltar to remain
British, and one can only guess why.
The latest conflict between Gibraltar and Spain has begun out at sea.
Gibraltar's last government completely ignored a law passed by the previous government, protecting the envoirnment.
Fast forward sixteen years, of the same government in office and the previous government win the election and implement the law, which they passed.
This law prevents fishing practices that doesn't give the fish a chance to reproduce.
The Spanish fishermen continue to use illegal nets.
They completely defy Gibraltar's laws.
The problem is the Spanish central government PP doesn't recognize Gibralta'rs territorial waters.
They don't even recognize our constitution, which was accepted by the UK.
They say that when Spain ceded Gibraltar to England, Gibraltar had no territorial waters.
That argument is moot because no country had territorial waters in 1713, when the Treaty of Utrecht was signed.
as defined today, the concept having developed to the UN convention on territorial seas, first concluded in the 1950s to a 3-mile limit and
subsequently, in the 1980s, increased to a limit of 12 miles to all territories having a sea coast.
The thing is, the UK and Gibraltar have offered Spain to settle the dispute in an international court, of course Spain declines.
Because once it's settled there, there will be no more dispute.
The other morning I witnessed a stand off between the Spanish Guardia Civil and Gibraltar Police and the Royal Navy.
Despite warning from Gibraltar police to the Spanish fishing boats, the proceeded to fish in Gibraltar waters.
The police intercepted. That's when the Spanish Guardia Civil entered Gibraltar waters. Things were heating up.
The Royal Navy was there on stand by and as soon as that Guardia came in, they sent them a message;
“This is Gibraltar Navy Ops,” the officer said over the VHF radio.
“You are in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and I consider you to be violating UNCLOS Article 19 governing the right of innocent passage.”
“Your activities are being recorded and are being reported to a higher national authority.”
“You are to cease your current actions and leave British Gibraltar Territorial Waters immediately.”
The warning was repeated three times, sources said.
That's when the Guardia boat turned back.
The tension is building up and it's dividing the people no doubt, on both sides of the border.
It was only last year when a Spanish Guardia boat docked in Gibraltar, the guards jumped out their boat and started firing shots in a park full with
children and their families, because they were chasing tobacco smugglers.
This incident never made it to mainstream news, it was swept under the carpet.
We'll see where this ends. William Hague and Margallo met to discuss the issue. The reports are that the matter will be dealt by the parties
involved, the Gibraltar government and the Spanish fishermen.