(Thanks to Pensioners for Independence for sharing this post)
Scotland Goes to the UN, courtesy of Liberation Scotland and Geneva-based decolonising campaigning group JPTi.
Salvo and their campaigning arm Liberation Scotland have taken legal advice on their view that Scotland is a colony of UK. They have laid out the case for that view. Their case has now been endorsed by Geneva-based group Justice pour Tous Internationale. (JPTi)
On 7 March 2025, JPTi formally submitted an Advance Notice of Petition to the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24) saying “this historic step seeks to secure Scotland’s recognition as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, affirming its right to self-determination under international law.”
Sharof Azizov, Executive Director, Justice pour Tous Internationale, has commended the strength of the case:
- “The Advance Notice of Petition convincingly argues that Scotland lost its political autonomy and became a colony under Westminster’s governance and that this and other institutions of the state have systemically eroded Scotland’s constitutional distinctiveness and suppressed Scotland’s rights to self-determination.”
JPTi’s Analysis of the Petition to United Nations
Their analysis includes some of the campaigning issues that many of us have voiced since 2014.
- Denial of Self-Determination: The UK government has repeatedly obstructed Scotland’s democratic mandate for independence, violating UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV), which states that “all peoples have the right to self-determination.”
- Colonial Exploitation: Scotland’s natural resources, maritime rights, and economic assets have been systematically controlled by Westminster, depriving Scots of sovereign governance and economic self-sufficiency.
- Historical Misrepresentation: The 1707 Treaty of Union has been falsely presented as a voluntary agreement. In reality, Scotland’s annexation was achieved through coercion, economic sanctions, and political bribery—a clear case of colonial subjugation.
- Democratic Violations: Despite electoral majorities in favor of independence, the UK government has denied Scotland the right to hold a legally binding referendum, contrary to international norms on self-determination.
- Scotland’s Right to Decolonization. Under UN Resolutions 1514 (XV), 1541 (XV), and 1654 (XVI), Scotland meets the criteria for recognition as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, entitled to UN-supervised decolonization and independence. The UN Charter guarantees that no nation should be held in political subjugation against its democratic will.
JPTi’s Call to Action
- The UN Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24) must formally recognize Scotland’s status as a Non-Self-Governing Territory.
- The UK government must cease its obstruction of Scotland’s right to self-determination and adhere to international law.
- Human rights organizations, international legal experts, and the media must expose the ongoing suppression of Scotland’s independence and support its decolonization process.
- This is a turning point for Scotland’s liberation. The world must take notice. Share this message, spread the truth, and support Scotland’s right to self-rule!
Response from Prof Alf Baird of Liberation Scotland
Liberation Scotland have issued this Press Release. In it Professor Alf Baird, co-convener of the Liberation Scotland committee says:
- “Scotland’s political and constitutional status aligns with the established international criteria for recognition as a Non-Self-Governing Territory. The forthcoming petition aims to rectify Scotland’s exclusion from the United Nations N decolonization agenda by formally requesting its inclusion on the list of Non- Self-Governing Territories, thereby initiating the process for Scotland’s recognition as a territory entitled to self-determination and independence under UN oversight.”
He added:
- “This is a momentous development but necessary due to the undemocratic nature of our political system whereby successive elected majorities of nationalist politicians in Scotland have failed to deliver independence, and with the UK Government continuing to block the inalienable right of Scots to self- determination. There is also the realization that colonial exploitation and domination of Scotland and its people must be ended and can be, via the UN decolonization process Liberation Scotland has initiated. Almost all former colonies that have become independent countries since the creation of the United Nations in 1945 have done so through the UN self-determination and decolonization process.”
Well Done!
We wish Salvo and Liberation Scotland well in their campaign at the UN. The submission still has a stringent process to go through in UN. It will be very interesting to see how UKGov respond at the UN. If it is successful that will be a humiliating blow to the UK Government.
But while that is happening at the United Nations, our task remains what it always has been: to persuade more Scots to support independence and to show conclusively that we have a settled majority in favour of independence.
Gaining a measure of UN backing is not in itself enough. But if Liberation Scotland do achieve that, then that may well help persuade more people and it may well open a gateway to negotiations with UK Government.
Listen to our previous conversation with Prof Alf Baird when he talked about a colonial state of mind is a present danger for Scots: Doun Hauden
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