MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British ridicule Belgrano trial demand.

People in Britain have reacted with ridicule and contempt to a demand from Argentina for Baroness Margaret Thatcher to face trial in an international court for ordering the sinking of the Argentine cruiser Belgrano as Prime Minister during the 1982 Falklands War

The demand is contained in a motion passed by the lower house of the Argentine Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, reported in the Argentine media several days ago, which has been repeated in a front-page lead story in a British newspaper, the Sunday Express.

This report, reviewed nationwide on various BBC and other radio stations throughout the night, brought hundreds of telephone calls from incredulous listeners expressing their resentment and astonishment. These calls condemned what the British public regard as shameful Argentine arrogance and effrontery in criticising Prime Minister Thatcher's legitimate response of defending British territory and lives against Argentine aggression against the Falkland Islands.

Many British callers believe this latest demand has back-fired on Argentina in exposing its own double standards. Its air aft attacked several British warships and a merchant vessel in the task force with heavy casualties, and the three military juntas in the run-up to the invasion stand accused of torturing and murdering more 20-thousand of their own citizens without any wide scale attempt to bring their military death squads to trial.

Argentine demands to punish Margaret Thatcher date back many years. The authorities in Britain and even Argentina's own naval commanders have never taken them seriously. They lack credence and legitimacy even in Argentina where the latest move is not a Government demand and does not have the approval of the Senate even for action by the Argentine Congress.

Call to indict Baroness Thatcher is "arrant nonsense"

The sensational Express article contains a number of errors. In condemning the move, the newspaper wrongly attributes it to "the Argentine Government". It describes the call for Baroness Thatcher to face war crimes as "a disgrace'' and as "arrant nonsense". The newspaper praises her for what it calls "her personal and political courage" and "her quick and decisive reaction" to Argentina's "snatch- and-and grab raid". It says that Argentina should thank her because the defeat of General Galtieri's military junta resulted in its collapse and restoration of democracy.

The newspaper repeats a number of false claims and errors in Argentina's version of the sinking of the Belgrano with the loss of 323 Argentine crew as the vessel sailed away from the 200-mile British exclusion zone.

The Express article quotes the Argentine Deputies' motion as saying the Belgrano did not represent a military threat, that the British submarine, HMS Conqueror, whose two torpedoes sank the cruiser, did not issue "a previous warning or ultimatum" and that it left the scene without attempting to rescue the Argentine crew.

Much of this is a travesty of the truth. Many of the shipwrecked sailors perished from exposure aggravated by a high wind chill factor in stormy seas because the Belgano's own two escorting warships fled the scene leaving them to die. Even Argentine naval commanders, including the Belgrano's Captain, have conceded the cruiser was a threat and sinking it was the right military action to take.

Conqueror's captain, Commander Christopher Wreford-Brown, was praised for his professional, efficient conduct. Under the Navy's rules of engagement he had no choice but to carry out the order to attack when the opportunity arose. He might otherwise have faced court-martial.

Prior British warning of possible attacks

The Express article fails to point out that the British Government had clearly warned the Argentine Government on April 23rd, nine days before the attack, that Argentine vessels, whether inside or outside the exclusion zone, might be attacked if they were perceived to constitute a threat to the British Task Force.

British commanders were convinced the Argentine fleet was engaged in a menacing pincer movement led by the aircraft carrier, Veinticinco de Mayo, in the north and the Belgrano in the south. The aircraft carrier was the prime target and would also have been sunk if detected by British submarines.

As Argentine reports later indicated, all three of the Argentine fleet's battle groups had previously been advancing at full speed towards the battle zone. But after the commander of the fleet, Rear Admiral Gaulter Allara, had analysed the risk of such an attack, the Commander of the South Atlantic Theatre, Admiral Juan Jose Lombardo, sent this intriguing signal in code: "Withdraw from Luis to Miguel". Translated into military language, this was an order to the Belgrano and her escorts to withdraw to rearward positions in less deep water to avoid the presence of nuclear submarines which cannot easily manoeuvre in shallow water.

While the British deeply regretted the heavy loss of life in the biggest single casualty figure of the war, British commanders argue that it may well have saved lives overall on both sides because the Argentine Navy withdrew its fleet and never gave battle to the Task Force as it had previously planned.

Royal Navy commanders believe the casualties would have been far less if the Belgrano had not been such an old ship ? a survivor as a former United States warship in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour ? and if the ship had been kept at battle readiness as she withdrew, and her frigate escorts had not fled the scene.

Harold Briley, London

Note: As the BBC's Latin America Correspondent in 1982, Harold Briley reported the sinking of the Belgrano at the time, spoke to her captain in the immediate aftermath in Buenos Aires, and also subsequently interviewed Conqueror's Captain and Admiral Lombardo.

Categories: Falkland Islands.

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