Sealand News has learned that friends and admirers of the Principality of Sealand are called to sign an on-line petition asking the British Government to recognise the micro-nation’s sovereignty.
So far over 40 people have signed the petition on the Ten Downing Street website.
The petition has been posted by Francis Warrick who argues that “Sealand should be officially recognised because it is a real nation, and has been since Paddy Roy Bates and his associates occupied Roughs Tower/HM Fort Roughs in 1967 (at the time in international waters), outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and all other sovereign states, thus constituting terra nullius which could be settled and claimed by a new State.”
Sealand – who has not sanctioned this petition – claims that it is an independent state for nearly 40 years.
The adventurous history of Sealand began during the Second World War, when the United Kingdom established a number of military bases along the east coast of England to fight off German air raids. One of these bases was the famous royal fort Roughs Tower situated 7 miles off the coast of Suffolk, outside the territorial waters of England.
After the end of World War 2, all troops were withdrawn from these bases, and HM Fort was deserted. From a legal point of view, it therefore constituted extra-national territory.
On Christmas Eve 1966, former English major and pirate radio broadcaster Paddy Roy Bates and his family took possession of the abandoned HM Fort Roughs. On 2 September 1967, they hoisted their own flag and declared the existence of a new state – the Principality of Sealand.
Roy Bates, henceforth Prince Roy of Sealand, exerted state authority on the island and thus was its absolute sovereign. The Royal Family and other persons that have declared loyalty to Sealand have occupied Sealand ever since.
Over time, national treasures were developed, such as the flag of the Principality of Sealand, its national anthem, stamps, gold and silver coins launched as Sealand Dollars and even Passports. As soon as the British navy became aware of the existence of the Principality of Sealand, they tried to remove Prince Roy and his Royal Family. Units of the navy entered the territorial waters claimed by Roy of Sealand. Prince Roy threatened the navy and tried to scare them off by firing warning shots. Since Roy of Sealand was still an English citizen, he was accused of extensive crimes in Britain and was summoned to an English court. The result of this legendary lawsuit was a spectacular success for Sealand’s claim to sovereignty. In its judgment of 25 November 1968, the court declared that it was not competent in this case as it could not exert any jurisdiction outside of British national territory. This was the first de facto recognition of the Principality of Sealand.
Their rights and claims of Sovereignty over the island and its territorial waters have been ratified time after time over the intervening years by National Courts and leading international Jurists, and the existence of the Principality as an independent State and the de facto recognition of its sovereignty has been demonstrated time and time again over the last three decades by European and other States and in particular by its nearest neighbour, the United Kingdom. Britain has stated clearly and has demonstrated on a number of occasions either that it has no jurisdiction within Principality territorial limits or that it has no interest in events that have taken place within the Principality.
Moreover, a number of independent legal experts have weighed carefully all arguments for and against Sealand sovereignty and unanimously have agreed that jus gentium applies as a basic principle underpinning the independence of the Principality. This position is further supported by de facto events which demonstrate that reality. On many occasions, other States have either left Sealand alone to deal internationally with matters critical to its National interest, or have recognised Sealand as the legal and administrative authority over all activities within its territorial limits.
In 1971, for instance, French President Pompidou recognized the Principality when he wrote Sealand a thank-you note for stamps he had received.
In the summer of 1978, Sealand was invaded by a number of Dutch men in the employ of a German businessman, who came to the Principality to discuss business dealings with Sealand. While the Prince was away, they abducted his son Michael, and took Sealand by force. Soon after, Roy recaptured the island in a daring helicopter assault and held the attackers as prisoners of war. The Governments of the Netherlands and Germany petitioned for their release. In an act of de facto recognition of Sealand’s sovereignty, Germany sent a diplomat directly to Sealand to negotiate for the release of their citizen.
In 1987, Britain extended its territorial waters from 3 to 12 nautical miles. The previous day, Prince Roy declared the extension of Sealand’s territorial waters to be a like 12 nautical miles, so that right of way from the open sea to Sealand would not be blocked by British claimed waters.
Since May 2000, the Royal Family allows the internet company HavenCo exclusive use of the high-tech facilities of Sealand.
Prince Michael, who was appointed Prince Regent of the Principality in 1999, vowed to hold Havenco’s clients to an “acceptable use” policy barring certain Internet traffic that would be illegal elsewhere. On Friday the 23rd of June 2006, a fire broke out in Sealand and nearly destroyed the micro-nation. UK emergency facilities attended the Principality and the fire was extinguished some four hours after it began. The damage caused by the fire was estimated at £ 500,000 but only five months later, Sealand was completely restored with no signs of the disaster remaining.
In early January 2007 Sealand was offered for sale by the Royal Family. The infamous Swedish file-sharing website “The Pirate Bay” almost bought the Principality of Sealand for £65m but their offer was finally turned down by Prince regent Michael Bates on moral grounds.
Roy Bates’ amazing adventures and his fight for freedom and sovereignty will be made into a big-budget movie by Warner Bros. that will hit the cinemas in the summer of 2008.
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