TIME Opinion foreign affairs The Islands Stuck in the Middle of Scotlands Vote for Independence Houses of the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, on June 1, 2014 in Bay of Skaill, Scotland. The Skara Brae settlement was discovered in 1850 and is one of the most important prehistoric sites on the Orkney, showing how people lived approximately 5,000 years ago. Jeremy Sutton-HibbertGetty Images For Orkney, a "yes" vote may not lead to sovereignty

Ten years ago a farmer was digging in his backyard in Ness of Brodgara village on one of the islands that makes up the Scottish archipelago of Orkneywhen he came across some strange stones. They seemed to be man-made. By 2008 archaeologists had started to excavate the site on a small stretch of green land between the waters of the North Atlantic. Soon they realized they had found the most well-preserved stone houses of the Stone Agewhat are now being called the First Stonehenge.

Who governed Orkney then? We dont know. Who governs Orkney now? We still dont know. But some clarity could come this month with a referendum that will impact the lives of the 23,000 people who inhabit these 70 islands. On September 18, the voters of Scotlandall residents older than 16 yearswill decide whether to become an independent country or remain within the United Kingdom.

The question is a complicated one, and it is being debated in not only Scotland but also around the world. The question is even more complicated in the case of Orkney, where sovereignty has been an open question since the beginning of European society here more than 5,000 years ago.

Orkney lies in the sea north of the Scottish mainland, between Scotland and Norway. This strategic position has given the Orkney people both opportunities and challenges. Over the ages, the archipelago has been occupied by Nordic Vikings, Norwegian kings, and Scottish monarchs. In 1707, it was attached to the United Kingdom along with Scotland.

During the two world wars, the British military used Orkney as their main naval basethe remains of sunken warships can still be seen today along the coastlines of Orkney. More recently, the regions enormous natural resourceincluding fish, gas, oil, and new opportunities to generate electricity from wind and tidal flowshave given rise to a great deal of interest in Orkney.

The fertile land and mild climate offered (and still offer) a perfect setting for people to settle, meet, and develop, explains the historian David Murdoch, who makes his living by showing the archipelago to foreigners from Scotland and beyond. When I arrived on the tiny airfield to report on Orkney for the Swiss Broadcasting Company, the first landmark outside the airport in Kirkwall, the main city of Orkney, was a large sign with three big lettersY-E-S.

A yes vote in the September referendum would mean independence for Scotland, but its not clear if that would mean more independence for Orkney. Sovereignty has a difficult history here. When Scotlandafter a successful popular vote back in 1997achieved more autonomy within the United Kingdom, Orkneys regional powers were reduced. And Orkneys regional powers werent much to begin with, the UK being one of Europes most centralized polities.

Orkney is hoping for a reversaland more sovereignty. The question is whether an independent Scotland will produce that result.

We need to be taken much more seriously, stresses the islands Prime Minister Steven Heddle as he welcomes me at the Orkney Islands Councils headquarters in Kirkwall. The Council governs all of Orkney. While we contribute a lot to the wealth of Scotland and the UK, we have very little possibility to decide our own local affairs, says Heddle, who would like to see the development of a strong democracy across Orkney, including what he calls the features of true direct democracy.

Read the original post:

The Islands Stuck in the Middle of Scotlands Vote for Independence