Scotland his teen a bauld stap by beginnin a campaign tae eyn its ties tae foreign rule. On 7 Mairch, a group representin mair nor 17,000 memmers o Liberation Scotlan sent an Advance Notice o Petition tae the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation. E petition, alang wi supportin scrievins, is noo on view at www.liberation.scot.

E petition argues aat Scotlan his bin denied its richt tae self-rule. E legal case rests on UN General Assembly Resolotions 1514 (XV), 1541 (XV) an 1654 (XVI), plus Chapter XI o the UN Chairter. Iss rules gie fowk e richt tae choose their ain wey an tae shak aff foreign rule. E claim is aat e UK government his stapped Scotland fae makkin its ain chyces. Ae passage in e supportin papers notes aat “aa fowk hae the richt tae self-determination” an aat e “subjection o fowk tae alien subjugation, domination an exploitation constitutes a denial o fundamental human richts.”

Professor Alf Baird, a leadin vyce for the campaign, explained, “Scotland’s political an constitutional status aligns wi the established international criteria for recognition as a Non-Self-Governing Territory. E forthcomin petition aims tae rectify Scotland’s exclusion fae the UN decolonisation agenda by formally requestin its inclusion on e list o Non-Self-Governing Territories, thereby initiatin e process for Scotland’s recognition as a territory entitled tae self-determination an independence unner UN owersicht. He added, “Iss is a momentous development but necessary due tae the undemocratic naiture o oor political system far successive elected majorities o nationalist politicians in Scotland hae failed tae deliver independence, an wi the UK Government continuin tae block e inalienable richt o Scots tae self-determination. There is e realisation aat colonial exploitation an domination o Scotland an its fowk maun be ended an can be, via the UN decolonisation process Liberation Scotlan his initiated. Aamaist aa former colonies aat hae become independent kintras syne the creation o the United Nations in 1945 hae deen sae throu the UN self-determination an decolonisation process.”

Sara Salyers, Director o Salvo Scotland the campaign group, described e historical ties wi the UK in sombre terms. “Contrary tae fit wis thocht in Scotland – as weel as e warld at lairge – fowk hae bin led tae believe, e historical incorporation o Scotland intae the United Kinrick in 1707 didna constitute a voluntary pairtnership. It wis nivver an expression o self-determination, but a process merked by political coercion, by threits o economic sanctions an military invasion an by bribery. Ultimately, it saa e abandonment by England o the Treaty o Union in favour o the annexation an ongaan colonisation o Scotland. E dissolution o Scotland’s independent governance structures follaeed, alang wi the displacement o the indigenous population, e suppression o Scotland’s cultures, an e colonial exploitation o Scotland’s maritime an territorial assets. E denial o Scotland’s democratic richts has continued ivver syne. By misrepresentin Scotland as a voluntary pairtner in e creation o a new state, raither than a dependency o the English Croon, e UK government his failed tae meet its responsibility unner e criteria set furth by the United Nations unner Resolution 1541 (XV): Principles fit should guide Memmers in determinin fither or nae an obligation exists tae transmit e information caad for unner Airticle 73e o the United Nations Charter. Fit Liberation Scotlan noo sikks is baith internationally laafu, an a fundamental human richt. It is simple justice for oor nation an lang owerdue.”

Sharof Azizov, Executive Director o Justice pour Tous Internationale, spak on e strenth o the legal case. He noted, “E Advance Notice o Petition convincingly argues aat Scotland lost its political autonomy an becam a colony unner Westminister’s governance an aat iss an ither institutions o the state hae systemically eroded Scotland’s constitutional distinctiveness an suppressed Scotland’s richts tae self-determination.”

E petition maks clear aat evidence shaws Scotland is still livin unner rules set by an external pouer an lacks a fu measure o self-rule. E petition awaits further staps fae the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation. In time, a formal request will be made tae include Scotland on e list o Non-Self-Governing Territories. Iss legal muive micht appen e wey for Scotland tae gain true self-rule unner UN owersicht.