MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pte. Duahlde in “Malvinas” commemoration.

Argentina will remember today with several ceremonies the 21st Anniversary of the April 2 Falklands landing in 1982. Most commemorations have been organized by Malvinas veterans and caretaker president will be present in Puerto Madryn, Chubut province, where a Monument to the Malvinas Combatant will be unveiled together with two statues from a well known local sculptor.

"I gave my word last year when we participated (of the ceremony) in Tierra del Fuego and Santa Cruz, now we will be present in Chubut with the Malvinas heroes that will be converging from all over the country", indicated president Duhalde who will be accompanied by Defence Minister Horacio Jaunarena and Chubut province governor, Jose Luis Lizurume.

In Buenos Aires other groups of veterans will deposit flower wreaths in the Malvinas monument and then march towards Plaza de Mayo next to Government House.

Next of kin belonging to the "Committee of relatives of the fallen in Malvinas" will be holding a mass at 19:00 hours in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral and next Friday an exhibition of publications, books, newspapers, photos and personal belongings donated by veterans of the 1982 South Atlantic conflict will be inaugurated in the National Library under the name of "Malvinas and Ibero-American unity".

In Rio Grande the commemoration actually began last Saturday with a Peace concentration for the Iraq conflict and will end this Wednesday at mid night with the hoisting of the Argentine flag, the singing of the national anthem, mass and speeches from the Commander of the local garrison and veterans organizations.

A huge tent next to Rio Grande's Monument to the fallen in Malvinas will open at 10:00 in the morning with stands remembering different aspects of the conflict, plus videos and conferences by former servicemen.

Costs bog Darwin Memorial

According to the Buenos Aires press whose main newspapers are giving ample coverage to the April 2 Falklands landing anniversary, commemorations this year have an additional encouraging ingredient for the relatives of those Argentine servicemen who lost their lives in the South Atlantic conflict of 1982: the soon to begin construction of the Darwin cemetery Memorial. However the project still has some hurdles ahead mainly financial.

Apparently the Argentine delegation that recently made a one day visit to the Falklands to meet with local authorities returned to Buenos Aires quiet concerned about the overall cost of the project.

The Commission of Relatives of the Fallen in Malvinas together with representatives from the Argentine businessman who has offered to finance the project and the architect who designed the Memorial believe it would be cheaper to have is done in Argentina and then assemble it in Darwin.

"At the moment we can't make ends meet and therefore negotiations are continuing", said César González Trejo from the Relatives Commission, adding that "we have the full support from British Ambassador Mr. Robin Christopher who helped overcome several difficulties. Other Argentines are also collaborating anonymously".

The one million plus US dollar project will be entirely financed by a so far anonymous Argentine businessman.

During the recent visit to Stanley the Commission's president, Mr. Héctor Cisneros; vice-president Delmira de Cao; Treasurer Leandro de la Colina; architect Carlos D'Aprile and representatives from the Argentine businessman on whose aircraft the delegation flew, met with Morrison Construction, MOD officials and the Islands Deputy Governor.

Architect D'Aprile described the Memorial as having two, two meters tall walls, stretching out as arms where 649 granite plaques with the engraved names of the Argentine fallen will be placed. In the centre a four metres white cross with the Lujan Virgin Mary image on one side and on the other a plaque saying "In the name of the People of the Argentine Nation".