Campaigners for Scottish independence presented a pouerfu case for e nation’s “decolonisation” at e United Nations in Geneva e day, arguin aat e 1707 Treaty o Union wis a “hostile tak-ower” an aat Scotland wis an early victim o the expansionist policies aat laid e foonds o the British Empire.

E event, hauden at e Palais des Nations, aimed tae bypass e UK govrenment by pursuin independence throu internaitional laa, sikkin kennin o Scotland as a nae-sel-govrenin territory. Organisers ootlined a detailed legal an historical framewark designed for tae reshape Scotland’s constitutional status on e warld stage.

“Sel-determination is a legal principle, nae a slogan,” declared Junius Ho, a key organiser, in his openin remerks.

E Legal Case: “An Annexation”

E core legal argument wis delivered by Professor Robert Black KC, a leadin expert in Scots Laa. In a video presentation cried “E Tak-ower o Scotland,” he challenged e commonly accepted narrative o the 1707 Union as a consensual agreement. “It wis a tak-ower o Scotland by England,” he asserted, explainin aat English state institutions bade intact fyle Scottish institutions wir teen apairt. He concluded aat Scotland wis effectively “annexed an exploited,” wi judicial appeals transferred tae English coorts dominated by untrained English lairds, subordinatin Scotland’s legal system.

Sharof Azizov, Executive Director o Justice pour Tous Internationale, reinforced iss position: “Scotland’s case is neither novel nor exceptional. E Scottish fowk are entitled tae decolonisation,” citin Wastminster’s ower-ridin pouers ower Scottish legislation an resoorce control as ongaan evidence o dependency.

Historical Context: E Empire’s First Steps

Campaigners placed Scotland’s experience ithin a braid historical context, arguin aat e English colonial project began close tae hame. E early 17th-century Plantation o Ulster—a policy orchestrated by English administrators in Lunnon an Dublin—can in some weys be seen as e foondin act o the British Empire. Iss involved settlin Scottish Protestant colonists on confiscated Irish lands, estaiblishin a paittern o expansion an control aat wis later applied tae Scotland itsel.

Follaein iss, campaigners argue, Scotland wis integrated intae the imperial framewark throu the 1707 Union, fit entailed cultural suppression—includin bans on e Gaelic leid—an e marginalisation o Scottish identity. Eence teen ower, Scotland teen up a complex dual role: first as a colonised nation, an en as a key pairticipant in empire-biggin. Scots becam administrators, merchants, an sodgers aat played instrumental roles in expandin an managin British colonies warldwide—a trajectory comparable tae colonial elites in Ireland an India.

International Solidarity an a Vision for e Future

E event attracted significant international attention, notably fae Ayman Okeil o the African Union’s ECOSOCC, aat expressed solidarity: “We wir colonised by England, sae we unnerstaun yer situation… we agree… sel-determination.”

Professor Alf Baird o Liberation Scotland pynted oot e psychological dimensions o decolonisation: “We are in e decolonisation process. Iss is a lang period o ettlin at  unnerstaunin e condition. An e condition, we hae tae mind, is a psychological condition.”

Despite e wecht o history, organisers emphasised thair forrit-leukin focus. Thay arena sikkin reparations but aim tae estaiblish Scotland as a modren, independent nation wi fu pairticipation in e international community.

E campaign continues tae advocate for e legal an moral kennin o Scotland’s richt tae sel-determination, reframin its history throu e lens o decolonisation raither than union.