Below follows the Chairman of the SDGG's, Richard Buttegieg, address to the Special Committee On Decolonisation:

Good afternoon Madame Chair and members of the Committee.  Thank you for the opportunity to address you all.  

In 1969 General Franco, the then fascist dictator of Spain, closed the  frontier between Gibraltar and their country.  

In doing so, he tore families apart, destroyed businesses on both sides of  the border and totally alienated the people of Gibraltar from the outside  world. The generation that lived through that endured great hardships  because of the political whim of a person who thought we could be  brought to our knees. 

What he never realised is that the will of the people of Gibraltar cannot  be broken. Instead of destroying us, the closure of the frontier became  one of the most important events that helped shape the unique identity  of the Gibraltarian.  

There was great social cohesion, we learnt to adapt so as not to depend  on Spain for food and other vital supplies and, perhaps most important  of all, it fostered a huge sense of belonging to our Rock which prevails to  this date.  

Years later, when Spain wanted to become a member of the European  Union in the early 1980’s, the United Kingdom made it a precondition to  Spain’s membership that they open the frontier. It was therefore Spain’s  desire to form part of the EU that was the beginning of a new era for  Gibraltar and its people.  

Ironically, nearly 40 years later, the EU is once again relevant to the next  stage of Gibraltar’s evolution. Everyone will be aware that the United  Kingdom voted to leave the EU. As a consequence, Gibraltar was forced  to do so as well.  

Leaving the Union meant that Gibraltar can no longer rely on the  protection afforded by EU laws in order to ensure a fluid border. Some  in Spain saw this as an opportunity to further an outdated irridentist claim. 

The Government of Gibraltar is negotiating hard to ensure that this is not  going to be possible.  

Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, however, no one in Spain  should be under any illusions. The People of Gibraltar will not yield to  any form of pressure.  

Now, given this juncture in our history, I ask myself the following  question, and I respectfully pose it to you all today.  

If the United Kingdom and Gibraltar have developed a modern  relationship which is non-colonial in nature, which grants Gibraltar a level  of self-governance which is also non-colonial, and if Spain is unwilling to  test its outdated claims over the sovereignty of Gibraltar in an  international court, what is this Committee waiting for in order to act?  

You repeatedly urge the United Kingdom and Spain to resolve the issue  of Gibraltar, but it should be abundantly clear to everyone concerned that  there cannot be any progress on the decolonisation of Gibraltar if the  right of self-determination of the Gibraltarians is not respected.  

As the guardians of such a fundamental right we must and will continue  to demand positive action from you.  

Firstly, this Committee should tell us, once and for all, what else we must  do if, in your view, Gibraltar has not done enough to achieve delisting. 

This is a question that has been posed to you for over a decade and which  you continue to ignore.  

Secondly, this Committee must, as it is mandated to do, send a visiting  mission to Gibraltar for it to see for itself what we are about. I simply  cannot understand the reluctance to do so.  

As the custodians of the right of self-determination, we implore this  Committee to act more decisively on the issue of Gibraltar. We appreciate  the issue may not be a simple one to resolve, but there is more you can  and should do.  

Do not make the mistake of thinking that the People of Gibraltar will  soften their stance. We will never weaken in our resolve.  

Because successive generations of Gibraltarians have endured many  hardships and their sacrifices can never be in vain. Because the Rock of  Gibraltar is built on the shoulders of those who faced the burdens of an  oppressive dictator, and that Rock can never fall.  

But, most of all, because our children must grow up with the privilege of  being able to be the sole arbiters of their destiny.