MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands surprised with unexpected arrival of 60 Argentine veterans

Falklanders concerned with veterans who may suffer from “post traumatic stress disorder”

FALKLAND Islanders have expressed surprise at the unexpected arrival in Stanley of around sixty Argentine veterans of the 1982 War.

Councillor Mike Summers of the Falkland Legislative Assembly told Mercopress, “I’m very disappointed that we were not informed earlier of the plan to send such a large group of veterans to the Falklands.

“We did not have the appropriate amount of time to either inform people here or take necessary actions such as providing a briefing for the group or even a civil liaison individual to guide them.”

He said it would have been helpful if the veterans could have had someone to meet them and help them understand such things as how the Falklands society worked, and what they should or shouldn’t do. With regard to the latter he said it was useful to be able to ask veterans not to remove relics from battlefield sites, or desecrate any war monuments including removing soil, as has occurred before at the Argentine cemetery.

Another Islander said she was concerned that provisions may not have been made for veterans who may well suffer still from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (PTSD). She said two of the Argentine veterans had been seen on the road at the back of Stanley carrying a bottle of whisky and clearly under the influence of alcohol.

“What would happen if they had had some kind of accident and there is no one keeping an eye on them?”

Councillor Summers supported her concerns saying when British war veterans visit, appropriate provisions are made should any individuals suffer difficulties or distress as a result of PTSD, and he had, “…no idea,” if this provision had been made for the Argentine veterans.

There are currently also a small group of British war veterans visiting – former members of the Parachute Regiment.

Councillor Summers confirmed that the Legislative Assembly was, however, aware of the visit to the Islands by Carlos Porto, an associate of former Argentine President Leopoldo Galtieri and who is said to have links with far right nationalistic Argentine groups.

Three other visiting Argentines competed in the Standard Charted Bank marathon on Sunday. Argentine Marcelo de Bernadis who took third prize last year, also achieved the same placing this year.

By Lisa Johnson – SeAledPR – Stanley