Argentina presents official protest to UK over Malvinas cemetery vandalism
The Argentine foreign ministry confirmed in a release that it had delivered an official protest to the United Kingdom repudiating “the profanation of the monument” in Darwin, Falkland Islands, to the memory of the Argentine combatants killed during the 1982 Malvinas war.
The Wednesday release states that Argentina is “strongly convinced that through dialogue and respect for United Nations resolutions acts of vandalism such as those we are today deploring could be avoided and neutralized”.
The release concludes calling for negotiations on the Falklands and reaffirming Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Gerogia, South Sandwich and adjoining maritime spaces.
Earlier this week the government of the Falkland Islands government reported that the local police was investigating acts of vandalism committed at the Argentine memorial in Darwin, and that it had also informed of the incident to the Malvinas Families Commission in Argentina, whose members regularly visit the cemetery.
The Falklands release signed by MLA Dick Sawle strongly condemned “any action of this sort and very much regret that this might have happened”.
It was later confirmed that the safety glass pane protecting the hermitage of the white-blue Virgin of Lujan, Argentina’s patron saint, had been bashed several times.
The Memorial at Darwin holds the remains of 238 Argentine soldiers killed during the conflict.
Reacting to the incident the Malvinas Families Commission said that “an act of profanation” had been suffered by the statue, and that the cemetery had been “the victim of an act of vandalism, the responsibility for which is still unknown.”
“Our group has sent statements to Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman and British Ambassador to Argentina John Freeman, so that both may guarantee an urgent and exhaustive investigation of the profane act committed against the monument to Argentine soldiers who fell in 1982,” said the statement.
“We believe the incident reflects escalating hostility by certain British sectors that are influential locally,” continued the statement. “We will not rest until this repugnant act of sacrilege is clarified”.
The British Foreign Office also made a statement on Tuesday:
“We condemn this act of vandalism. All war memorials should be treated with the deepest respect,” said a spokesperson, who added that “the Argentine Families Commission has been contacted and is making arrangements to repair the damage.”
Images of the damage show the glass was broken by more than a dozen sharp blows. The Virgin, whose blue and white garments are the only expression of Argentine pride permitted in the Falklands, has been removed to protect it from the elements until the shrine can be repaired.
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It IS a disgrace that the RG gov. use this event to go on about the sov. of the islands
“All war memorials should be treated with the deepest respect.” Please note the word ”all”.
As the Argentine government are clearly against desecrating memorials, I wonder when they will be bringing that hockey player to justice for desecrating the British World War One memorial when he was abusing the trust of the Falklands people by pretending to be on the island to run in a good will event hosted by the Falklands government?
Also, what has this got to do with UN Resolutions???
If it was an islander (not sure as the CFK government have immorally used their war dead as a political tool before, so I wouldn't put it past them to stage this event) that was pissed off and took a hammer to the glass, surely it is the Argentine government sponsored blockade and blatant public hostility that is causing the bad feelings to boil over.
@2 I think you are understanding the cause rather than excusing the action if it was an islander. It goes without saying that really there is no excuse for vandalising any memorial whoever it was.
@3 It is all a bit strange...lets hope the police get to the bottom of it.
Last note...before Conqueror comes up with some trip inspired theory as to “this being Argentine special forces launching rubber dingies off a submarine in the dead of night and that is why the UK should launch a nuclear strike against BA”, can I just pre-emptively:
i) disown his obnoxious ravings as being extraordinarily un-British;
ii) suggest he either keeps taking the pills the doctor prescribed or go and see his doctor;
iii) apologise to any normal Argentine offended by his tripe: unfortunately we have a few people of the same deranged mindset of the mask wearing flag burning extremists you have to put up with on your streets.
There are people on the islands that could have done this at the behest of Argentina.
Fail.
@10 - It won't be flawed if they catch them before they go back to Argentina or if it was an islander as they will be subject to the falkland islands legal jurisdiction.
Not only that, Argentina will look a joke if the evidence turns out to show it was an Argentine tourist that did it, and Argentina failed to bring them to justice themselves.
Let's stop kidding ourselves and face the truth. At least for ourselves. Argies have no real concept of honesty, honour, truth or anything of that nature. Any “normal” bunch of people could have sat down, looked at “real” evidence, chosen not to “brainwash” their kids with compulsory lectures and accepted “real” truth. They want “negotiations”, they say. About what? Either the Islands belong to Britain and the Falklanders or they don't. It doesn't require “negotiation”. The Islands legally belong to Britain and the Falklanders. That's all there is to it. Argies LOST a war but they still don't accept it. They will have to be FORCED to accept it.
News
Argentine Cemetery
August 1st, 2012
We have been made aware of damage that has been done to the Argentine cemetery at Darwin. From what we have been told this appears to be damage to a glass screen. We understand the police are investigating what appears to be an act of vandalism. Clearly we condemn any action of this sort and very much regret that this might have happened – anyone who knows anything about the cause of the damage should contact the police. The Families Commission has been informed and is working on the arrangements for repair.
Hon. Dick Sawle
Member of the Legislative Assembly
www.falklands.gov.fk/news/
Though...here's a thought...Conk has known to be a little angry on the odd occasion...and he has a personal issue with all things Argentine...and he isn't shy about his dislike of the cemetery.
Conk...it wasn't you was it?
If it was the false trail you'r trying to lay is the least convincing ever.
(just to be clear 1...I'm making fun of Conk: vandalising a memorial isn't remotely funny and has to be condemned, fingers crossed that the culprits are caught asap whoever they are)
(just to be clear 2...actually quite well done Conk: you didn't actually describe Argentinians as sub-human which is making progress for you, nor did you call for an act of indiscriminate genocide or further cemetery desecration. Keep taking the tablets and we'll soon have you discriminating between obnoxious Kirchnerite politicians using the Falklands for their own gain/to hide their own incompetence (and their sycophants/masked thugs) and normal Argentinians who are usually perfectly nice people and often surprised that the lessons they learnt in school could be taught in a different way)
The Argie cemetery is right on the main road from Stanley and Mt Pleasent to the Camp, and its less that 5 miles away from Goose Green and Darwin settlements and given the frequency of drink driving from Stanley and Mt Pleasant to the Camp its a no brainer.
The eejit whoever did it, just did it to make a point, you don't need to go and play football with a patron saints head to make one, its like smashing a neighbours window that you don't particularly like, you don't need to loot their house and play football with Grandma Murphy's ashes do you?
The Argies are always going to be quick to release statements on any thing in the Falklands given the obsessive and deranged amount of scrutiny and attention they give to the islands.
I'd go one better and forward the letter to the Maldives, as this is the place they obviously mean.
But the UK won't. We will forward it to the FIG.
Personally the next time any Argentine says or does anything anti-British we should protest it to everyone in the world...Nah we have too much class and respect for ourselves to do that.
Poor Argentina, fancy being stuck with a government that doesn't understand how to do things diplomatically.
While this was not a good sign to us Argentines, I feel it should not be regarded as islander's hostility towards our country but most probably the individual act of one, unstable, person.
The current shortage of local policemen may contribute, in my view, to a reduced vigilance.
----- ----
I wasn't able to connect to Mercopress yesterday. Was it hacked or undergoing 'service'?
On Mercopress - it was up all day yesterday - a local problem at your end?
Without doubt a malicous act by an idiot - but wether that idiot was an Islander-an Argentine- or from elsewhere we will probabaly never know.
@18 Sorry to disappoint. I had to better things to do than travelling 8,000 miles to try to smash a pane of glass. And another 8,000 miles back. Mind you, let me know about a possible argie invasion of the Falklands and promise me an assault rifle and unlimited ammunition...........
But to take up your other point. What are “normal Argentinians”? Are these the ones that fill the plazas and streets celebrating the invasion of the Falklands with no questions about how many Falklanders might have been injured or killed? Are they the ones that turn up to CFK's warmongering rallies? (And because she hasn't mentioned war doesn't mean anything). Are they the ones that happily send their kids off to attend the compulsory Falklands brainwashing sessions? Now here's some simple questions for you to ask yourself. Have you noticed ANYTHING, anything at all, that suggests that argieland is ready to accept the status quo? Do you see argieland being satisfied with anything other than sovereignty, ownership and occupation? And what percentage of argies would NOT support an adventure to “recover” the Falklands? Can you bring all your brainpower to bear and answer these questions believably?
@20 Let's ask YOU a simple question. With around 80 British troops on the Islands, would YOU have found it necessary to despatch 4 naval task groups and 66,000 troops for an invasion? Try for some credibility. And then review your comment!
Conk is a daft old Walt. He doesn't know any better.
But seriously, nothing to see here folks...move along please!
It is also very distasteful for Her Across The Water to use this as a political ploy to further her ridiculous claims.
The plan to exhume the unknown bodies for identification would be an excellent opportunity to return them to their homeland where they belong among their loved ones instead of in hostile territory where their brutal leaders sent them to die in a hopeless cause.
@27 Evenin' FFF. At least he's been a bit less offensive today. I'm not sure I'd trust him with a firearm of any kind...or even scissors...but I'm coming to the opinion that he may be trusted with a Pritt Stick.
You say:
“... an isolated place with no electricity a mile off a road that only averages one vehicle an hour if that in daylight in winter....”
I say:
Well......
In an Island with less than 3.000 squatters and 2.000 vehicles...... that should simplify the local coppers investigation of that ”smashed piece of glass...
Don't you think?
- be prepared to dig deep in your pocket!
Without doubt a malicous act by an idiot - but wether that idiot was an Islander-an Argentine- or from elsewhere we will probabaly never know.
“In an Island with less than 3.000 squatters”
Heh heh, no my friend, the last squatters on the Falklands Islands returned home in 1982.
There are no squatters there now, using people's bedrooms as latrines like many of the Argentine soldiers did in 1982 .
“We will not rest until this repugnant act of sacrilege is clarified”.
The broken pane of glass at the Argentine Cemetery is sounding more and more like a Monty Python sketch!
Yes it's wrong, yes we utterly condemn it, regardless of who did it but lets face it - Cui Bono? Which nation is using it for POLITICAL PURPOSES and the RATCHETING UP of TENSIONS, after their act of sacrilege - exercising on a British War Memorial backfired. Is this their method of getting back at us? It looks like it!
British and Commonwealth War Cemeteries all over the world are regularly vandalised - we are talking tens of thousands of graves and we're not talking about a broken window, we talking about rows and rows of grave stones smashed and graves dug up and desecrated. There is no excuse for it but that should put this into perspective.
We should remember that the Argentine War Cemetery is only in the Falklands for political reasons, the Argentine government refused to repatriate their dead. Many islanders do not want the cemetery on the islands for what it represents and reminds them of, but they respect it and the Argentine dead all the same, regularly laying flowers and tending graves.”
Oh Think, think!! The finger of blame is pointing very firmly at Argentina on this one I afraid.
On the one hand you have an Argentine cemetary on the Falkland Islands, that has not had any vandalism in the passed 30 years. and you have the falkland Islanders, who just want to live their lives in peace.
Then, on the other hand, you have the Argentine's who booby trap schools, use peoples houses as toilets, film promotions on war memorials, ignore UN resolutions, attack other peoples embassies, plant bombs, get into land squabbles with their Neighbours.............
and you have to ask who vandalised the cemetary?
I say to you look no further than B.A
.........Or was it you?
That's just a stupid comment
As we dont have your type of Police Stae road blocks etc the RFIP will have little idea who was or was not driving along that road that week whenever!
Wont be us whose pockets get hit? Agree with you though that whoever did it whatever their nationality is a despicable sod.
Repairs will be paid for by the cemetery owners - or the culprit if found.
Interested to hear your comments on No 36?
I note that majority world opinion is that it was an RG job..... another KFC boomerang......
.....nor the high level of security that the RGs maintain at the Falklands memorial in BA.... did they ever catch anyone responsible for that stabbing?
Somebody has broken a piece of glass....and the Argies want to make it a major international incident.
30 years ago Argentina cost the lives of these people, sending them to their death for their own selfish dogma, they showed contempt for them then, and are doing it now using them as pawns in a strange diplomatic game.
For Gods sake, show some honour you disgraceful scum. Let these poor people rest in peace.
It appears that there is no depths this Argie government won't stoop.
He had:-
1) the means,
2) the motive,
3) the opportunity.
Standard Police work.
1) The deaths of 52 and injury of 700 people at Once railway station!
2) The deaths of 85 and injury of several hundred at the AMIA bombing!
This means that in Kretina's dream world, a piece of glass is more important than 137 human beings!!!!
Conspiracy theories are already appearing on the net. My feeling along with many is that it was an inside job.
He was furious at not making the Olympic team, and has a history of this kind of thing.
Strange how La Nation & Mercopress obtained the photograph so quickly.
31 Think- You really are a prat.
48 Pirat-Hunter- You are an even bigger prat.
Has anyone considered an act of nature, I have seen the wind shift some fair heavy objects in them there Islands on windy days (thats most days).
Just a thought
@47Simon68,
As you would know,
lts because those incidents took place in Argentina & not the Falklands.
She cannot make international mileage from them.
Also with the Falkland case, she can get domestic sympathy.
There would be no domestic sympathy, in fact public anger about the deaths in Argentina.
What a devious, unscrupulous, ruthless little toad, she is!
I'm merly pointing out the absurdity of your theory that the Argies despatched a SF group via a submarine to go and smash a pain of glass at a cemetery in order to provoke a diplomatic incident? Even you can see that? Why risk being caught, when all you can do is pay a tourist to the islands a few extra bob to do the dirty, IF IT was an agent provacteur, which I highly doubt.
Many years back when I worked for the National Trust Scotland at Culloden, we had the grave of British soldiers vandalised, immediately blame fell on the Nats, however they all said it was a Unionist agent provacteur as a nationalist could never do that, turned out we were both wrong to an extent and it was a drunk SNP activist wondering the moor at 4 am after the local Nat shin dig.
The Argies will make political capital out of anything, simple as that.....
#4&18 Apart from your reference to Kirchnerite politicians, brilliant comments, you've really nailed Conk who as you say comes across profoundly un-British
#47 Transport minister sacked after Once, AMIA still a running sore with Iran (especially since Nestor took over) so you're just wrong
From where do you get all your detailed information on Argentinian politics
I'm just curious. You profess to know what appear to be obscure points in the day to day workings of Argentinian politics and foreign affairs.
If you are a British citizen (?) then why are you so pro Argentinian by supporting every aspect of their foreign policy and by by default anti -British ? Venezuela and Cuba also seem to be favoured by you as bastions of rectitude.
Chile and Uruguay are not particularly favoured if they dare to have an opinion which may differ from Argentina, and Paraguay seem to be beyond the pale.
You are entitled to your opinion as anyone else who posts here but where did this burning enthusiasm for Argentina come from ?
No one I know gives a monkeys for Argentina and are neither for nor against it as a country.
If you are from the UK, give me the name of the town, the area and the school you attended - this will be some proof that you are in fact not a closet Argentinian. Nothing more detailed than this would be necessary.
I have previously given plenty of information about myself. How about you ?
Of course BK is Argentine, there ain't no such animal as a British Kirchnerist!!!!!
You can tell the sock puppet accounts quite easily by sentence structure, they usually make deliberate mistakes or deliberate differences in sentence construction in order to mask their real identity....
Take BK's sentences never puts a full stop at the end of anything, yet almost perfect punctuation before that...essentially deliberately trying to create the impression of a different user.
www.facebook.com/Britain1592
Ohhh, the alarm clock's been ringing.... Was it a dream then?
Cheers!
Liars! Pirates! Squatters!
Why oh why would anybody break the glass and then place a carefully protected bible inside, with a note signed and dated.............. and then go and report it as some heinous crime committed by those terrible 'oh so anti Argentine' Falkland Islanders?
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