Article 11

Argentina still carries mark of las Malvinas
By James Sturcke / UK news 02:34pm Interviewed for Guardian Unlimited's Falklands 25 Years On multimedia presentation, the Argentinian merchant seaman, Edgardo Dell'Elicine, complained that when he returned home from the conflict, he found people were more interested in events in the World Cup than the contested islands.
A quarter of a century on and times have changed dramatically. Today's papers in Argentina devote substantial space to the 25th anniversary of the invasion of the south Atlantic islands. Pagina 12 leads with details of a new study which says that 40% of Argentinian veterans polled have attempted suicide since the conflict. Almost half experience alcohol problems and 70% still have difficulty sleeping, the study of 200 veterans by Pami, a social services institute, found.
Report author Margarita Morini tells the paper:
"When they returned from the Falklands, the military brainwashed the conscripts so that they hid, so that they were ashamed of, [their experiences]. Consequently, they never externalised the after effects, particularly the psychological ones."
Clarín reports that the Argentinian president, Néstor Kirchner, will head an anniversary parade today on the Patagonian island of Tierra del Fuego, the part of Argentina closest to the Falklands. His appearance had been in doubt due to threats that local government employees would stage a protest about domestic grievances.
A reporter from the paper writes about a chance encounter on a flight from Chile to the Falklands between two Goose Green veterans, one Argentinian, the other British.
On being told by journalists that the Argentinian five rows back was a Falklands veteran, Garry Clement, who has decided to settle on the islands, went over and shook the hand of Oscar Mario Núñez, who watched 37 of his colleagues die at the battle. The two agreed to meet up in Port Stanley and visit the battlefield together, the paper says.
La Nación has a special report on the conflict with videos interspersed with photos - interesting even if you don't speak Spanish.
Such is the level of interest, the paper even has a gallery of screen grabs showing how British newspapers are reporting today's anniversary.
The post was written by James Sturcke. You can email the author at james.sturcke@guardian.co.uk
Comments
The Malvinas subject is a typical case of British bad faith, exercised with gusto by different British governments of all kinds over centuries of plunder, havoc, use of brute force and cheating, in order to built an empire, now almost defunct.Malvinas is one of the last remains of this shameful past.Since 1833 when they were forcefully taken away from Argentina, the sole presence of a certain number of crown employees apparently served, as Britain claims, to reinforce its rights, originally obtained by brute force.UN resolutions to and international calls that compell both parties to sit down, discuss and agreed on sovereignty were (and are)systematically disregarded by the British government, whatever its party colour is.But, conversely of what Britain usually claim, Malvinas is not an isolated issue between Argentina and Britain long, difficult relationship over the centuries.Britain attempted to conquer us in 1806,in 1807 (sending in both cases armies and a fleet from S. Africa for this purpose) and in 1845 as part of a more comprehensive plan to built a colony in this part of S. America. Fortunately those plans failed, and failed miserably thanks to the resistance of the people of this land.Until the last employee of the crown and his/her army counterpart leaves the islands, every Argentine citizen - regardless of his/her political views - will continue to consider Malvinas as part of our Fatherland, illegally occupied by an alien country.In spite of what Thatcher ( this decrepit gorgon and notorious war criminal) and what that former Socialist ( now an enthusiastic colonialist ) Blair could mumble about,the Islands wil continue to be part of our Argentine hearts and souls.
Mario M. helmanBuenos Aires,Argentina
Posted by Malvinas on April 3, 2007 1:25 PM. Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Dear Mario, who gave you the right to speak for "every Argentine citizen"?
Islanders seem to be happy with their life. It is extremely unlikely that they will be equally happy with a government that can't even make sure traffic code is respected, let alone deal with poverty in places like Chaco or Formosa, which, since they are NOT illegally occupied by Britain, are of no interest to "every Argentine citizen".
So, I agree partly with what you say here:
"Until the last employee of the crown [...] leaves the island, every Argentine citizen [...] will continue to consider Malvinas as part of our Fatherland [...]".
Absolutely. Only UNTIL THEN. After that, they will fall in the same oblivion where most of Argentina proudly dwells.
More than a territorial claim, Falklands are a symbol. A symbol of all things lost by Argentina in the past centuries. It's hard to let go of a symbol, especially if you are force-fed its importance since kindergarten.Perhaps it's best to start WORKING in order to recover past wealth, and leave Falklands to their happy inhabitants.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007

Vocabulary:

Contest: If someone contests an election or competition, they take part in it and try to win it. (mainly BRIT)

Poll: A poll is a survey in which people are asked their opinions about something, usually in order to find out how popular something is or what people intend to do in the future.

Grievance: If you have a grievance about something that has happened or been done, you believe that it was unfair.

Intersperse: If one group of things are interspersed with another or interspersed among another, the second things occur between or among the first things.

Grab: If you grab something, you take it or pick it up suddenly and roughly.

Plunder: If someone plunders a place or plunders things from a place, they steal things from it. (LITERARY)

Havoc: Havoc is great disorder, and confusion.

Defunct: If something is defunct, it no longer exists or has stopped functioning or operating.

Decrepit: Something that is decrepit is old and in bad condition. Someone who is decrepit is old and weak.

Mumble: If you mumble, you speak very quietly and not at all clearly with the result that the words are difficult to understand.

Oblivion: Oblivion is the state of having been forgotten or of no longer being considered important.

Main Ideas:

Las Islas Malvinas and the consequences of the war in soldiers.
Many Argentinean newspapers have mention the 25th anniversary of the war
Argentinean veterans polled have attempted suicide since the conflict.
The opinion of a British man who suggests to take into account the impoverished provinces of Chaco and Formosa instead of being concerned about the Falklands.

Personal Reaction:

Las Islas Malvinas is topic which has hurt the hearth of many Argentinean citizens longing this land to be part of our Argentina. On the 25th anniversary many parades were held but the holiday was not on the 2nd April, since thank to a law holidays are celebrated on Monday. The conflict on the islands dates from many years, which has left the marks. On the war many young boys died because of a liar censorship which pretended to win a war against one of the most powerful countries. On those times, Argentina was struggled difficult moments with a ruler, missing- people, and the war. I think that it is true, we have learnt since kindergarten that Islas Malvinas belong us, and this is the reason why we will still thinking the same the so called Falklands are Argentinean not British.