ARGENTINA:
Belated Recognition for Veterans of Malvinas/Falkland War
Marcela Valente
This Tuesday the Argentine government announced
a substantial increase in the pensions paid to veterans of the 1982
Malvinas/Falkland Islands War. The decision is a first step towards
recognising the participants in a conflict that continues to cause suffering
and death even 22 years later.
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 5 (IPS) -
The islands, located in the south Atlantic off the coast of Argentina, are
considered an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, but sovereignty over
the islands has never been officially relinquished by Argentina, where they
are known as the Malvinas.
In 1982, during the final stages of the 1976-1983 military dictatorship,
Argentina launched an unsuccessful attempt to wrest control of the islands,
and a war against the British ensued.
The number of Argentine soldiers who lost their lives during the conflict
has now been almost matched by the number who have died since the end of the
war, due to the physical and psychological damage that veterans have been
forced to confront without adequate support from the government.
Veterans of the war over the islands in Argentina first began to receive a
monthly government pension of 400 pesos (equivalent to 400 dollars at the
time, but now the equivalent of just 134 dollars) in 1992, or ten years
after the end of the conflict.
The decision announced Tuesday by the government of Néstor Kirchner will
raise the pension to 924 pesos, or roughly 310 dollars a month.
"This is a first step in the right direction," IPS was told by Héctor Gómez,
a non-commissioned officer during the 1982 war. "We would also like an
official recognition," he added, alluding to the claim for monetary
compensation that is currently being studied by the government.
The pension hike came in response to protests waged by the veterans, who
camped out from May until mid-September in the Plaza de Mayo, the central
square located across from the government palace in downtown Buenos Aires.
At one point, the veterans attempted to storm the palace itself.
Their protests were aimed at demanding an increase in their pensions, access
to quality health care services, credit facilities for purchasing homes and
"official recognition", consisting of monetary compensation.
In response, the government organised a census of veterans that is to be
completed Oct. 30. According to the estimates of veterans' representatives,
the census will reveal that there are roughly 15,000 ex-combatants, half of
whom are facing serious problems in finding adequate housing.
While the census is underway, the decision was adopted to increase the
monthly pension paid to all those who fought in the war, which lasted from
Apr. 2 until Jun. 14, 1982.
Statistics from the Federation of Malvinas War Veterans point to 649
Argentine and 250 British casualties during the conflict.
Around one-half of the Argentine deaths resulted from the sinking of the
General Belgrano, a cruiser that was hit by a missile fired by a British
submarine.
But the most pressing concern for ex-combatants is the high number of
veterans who have fallen ill or died after coming back from the
Falklands/Malvinas, as victims of post-traumatic stress syndrome, which can
lead to physical and psychological ailments, substance abuse, and even
suicide.
As a result, another 400 combatants in the war have died since the end of
the conflict, including 265 who committed suicide. The last two cases of
suicide occurred this year, and their causes were directly related to the
victims' involvement in the war.
"The raise in pensions is a form of a recognition, and of remembrance,"
Edgardo Esteban told IPS. Esteban was sent to the Malvinas/Falklands as a
soldier at the age of 18, and he remained there until the Argentine troops
surrendered to the British on June 14.
"It's no coincidence that there have been so many suicides. It's a result of
the complete lack of recognition for those of us who took part in that
terrible war. People give you a pat on the back on every anniversary, but
there has never been a serious policy of medical and psychological
assistance for ex-combatants," he said.
Esteban is a journalist and writer who was able to channel the trauma of the
war into an autobiographical account entitled Iluminados por el fuego
(Enlightened by Fire). The book inspired a feature-length movie of the same
name that is currently being produced by Argentine director Tristán Bauer.
The movie recently won the Films in Progress award at the San Sebastián Film
Festival in Spain, and is scheduled to premiere in Argentina in April 2005,
on the 23rd anniversary of the invasion of the Falklands/Malvinas.
Enlightened by Fire tells the story of a young soldier who loses his two
best friends to the war. One dies in combat, while the other commits suicide
shortly after returning home.
(END/2004)
