MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Memorial inauguration marks positive chapter in Falklands-Argentina relations

A view of the mass on Saturday at the Argentine cemetery

The Malvinas Families successfully closed on Saturday the chapter of the much awaited humanitarian inauguration of the Memorial at the Argentine cemetery in Falklands, which removed an unnecessarily irritating element in the otherwise warm and respectful relations between Argentine visitors and the Islanders.

In this second trip, 183 next of kin, mostly brothers and children from the Argentine combatants killed in the 1982 conflict with Britain and buried in Darwin kept to a similar schedule as last week’s visit of 170, except for the enthroning of a statue of “Our Lady of Lujan”, Argentina’s saint patroness.

The image was brought from the mainland after having toured Argentina’s 24 provinces and as such completed the assembling of the cenotaph that stands as two stretched out arms made of blocks, embracing the 237 graves and crosses, and with engraved plaques with just the names (alphabetic order and no service or rank) of all 649 Argentines that went down during the South Atlantic conflict.

“Our Lady of Lujan, Mother of God will watch over the eternal repose of our brothers who fought the good fight for independence and national sovereignty” reads the inscription at the foot of the statue.

As last Saturday the religious service was jointly conducted by visitors and a local Catholic priest: Argentine Army Chaplain Miguel Martínez Torrens, Rio Gallegos bishop Juan Carlos Romani and the Falklands padre, Peter Norris.

A clear and sunny sky and relatively mild temperature made the day particularly emotive together with the excellent logistics and timing displayed by the British forces command in the Falklands: tents to protect against the wind, abundantly supplied with hot drinks and meals, servicemen ready to help visitors and chemical toilets. At mid day a quick lunch was also distributed.

The rest of the time was spent by the next of kin with their beloved or recognizing names in the plaques, adorning crosses, meditating, reflecting, and quietly walking around the Memorial which stands out at the distance on a barren wind-swept knoll.

By four in the afternoon the Malvinas Family group, together with the press and special staff were ready to return to Rio Gallegos from where they had left early morning. They flew back in the same weekly Lan Chile flight that links the continent with the Falklands, and brought them in the morning.

Saturday night Argentine television reported the group had arrived in Buenos Aires, emotionally satisfied and ever so grateful to the organizers: the Argentine government, the British Foreign Office, the Falkland Islands government and Islanders whom at all times were most helpful and respectful.

“These trips have been historic, there’s no previous experience” and open the way for similar opportunities next year said Héctor Cisneros, president of the Malvinas Families.

The Argentine government financed the trip and expenses of all next of kin, home-to-home, and although no Argentine officials were included in the delegation, members of the so called “white helmets”, which depend from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and are sent out in cases of catastrophes provided professional support (medic and psychological).-

Paul Martinez from the Foreign Office and who acts as Deputy Governor of the Falklands said after last week’s successful experience that further similar trips should not face difficulties, but it will be up to the next Falkland Islands government since a general election to renew the Legislative Assembly is scheduled for November.