I am obliged to Guthrum at Looking for a voice for reference to this (the constitution of the Falkland Islands); Guthrum wonders whether this might represent a draft written UK constitution.
It starts off with a grandiose statement about everyone’s ‘rights’,
then proceeds in subsequent paragraphs to whittle away those ‘rights’
until, in every case in which they might actually be needed, they will
not apply.
Among other things this ‘constitution’ allows for the imposition of
indefinite forced labour upon the population, should the government
deem this necessary for the ‘well-being of the community’ (4.3.d),
and
for the shooting of rioters (2.2.c).
Detention for any period of time
is provided for by 5.6, the term ‘promptly’ (like what seems to be all
critical terms in the document) being undefined.
6.12.b provides for
secret trials;
6.3.b for conviction in absentia.
8.3.a provides for
movement restrictions and passport confiscations on the basis of
undefined conditions (including the risible ‘reasonably justifiable in
a democratic society’).
9.2.a.i gives search and entry powers in
respect of ‘public morality’ and ‘the development or utilisation of any
other property in such a manner as to promote the public benefit’.
10.3.b allows the regulation of ‘in the public interest, the procedures
and modalities of marriage’ (whatever that means).
11.5.b does not
define ‘unsolicited intervention’.
12.4.b allows the prescription of
educational curricula on political grounds.
13.3.a.ii appears to be
intended to eliminate the public-interest defence in cases of alleged
libel.
14.2.b provides for the suppression of assemblies on the grounds
that they might inconvenience the police.
15.1.a allows the seizure of
private property ‘in the public interest’.
17 provides for suspension
of all other provisions in the event of an ‘emergency’.
18.1.c allows
for indefinite detention under emergency powers, with reviews every
three months (90 days).
19.3.b allows for the award of damages in
respect of violation of constitutional rights against the agents of the
state, but not against those who enacted the violating law.
And that’s just the first page. As the old song says: “If you want any more, you can sing it yourself.”
I am not a constitutional expert but I have drafted constitutions
for a couple of voluntary organisations and have to say that even on
this strictly amateur basis I feel that I could do better than Mr.
Straw.
Fortunately I was not thinking of emigrating to the Falkland
Islands. One suspects that if this constitution is imposed upon that
once happy place, the reverse process will quickly occur, until there
is nobody left there at all except for members ‘of a disciplined force
in pursuance of his or her duties’ (4.3.b).
I wonder how many who fought in the Falklands saw this as the end result of their sacrifice.
If this is how Government represent the people, if Jack Straw believes that this is what is genuinely required in the Falklands, and it is a blueprint of what he intends to put in place in a post democratic UK, then I can only say that the dawn of the tyrannical Dictatorship is well and truly upon us.
“The English are not worth saving as a race” – Jack Straw.
The Libertarian Party totally denounce the UK Government for the imposition of a Dictators Charter on the people of the Falklands Islands, and demand that they withdraw this new Constitution immediately.
Hattip LandedUnderclass
