Page 119 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

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aCta
would be determined through the political process”. 30
The task of General Menéndez would be to “Exercise the Military Government so as to
generate a favorable attitude of its inhabitants towards the Argentine Republic and permit
their smooth and gradual integration to the Argentine population”. To this effect, the fol-
lowing was decided: “The Military Government will perform activities oriented to bring
immediate tranquility to the population, ensure public order and the provision of public and
justice administration services, thus guaranteeing the rights that the argentine Constitution
assures to all inhabitants of the National Territory. It will ensure the supply of all necessary
provisions for the population and the normalization of all activities. It will expatriate all
British officials and any possible troublemakers, avoiding at all cost any events and circum-
stances which might affect the image of the Argentine Republic abroad”.
The British, however, based on the provisions of U.N. Security Council Resolution 502,
which demanded the immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of all Argentine
forces, sent off a naval Task Force on 5 April to recover the Islands, and this forced the Ar-
gentines to reconsider the situation on the islands and make preparations for their military
defense.
Meanwhile, on that same day the Military Junta issued Communiqué N° 15, in an attempt
to consolidate the recovery by announcing the first measures to be adopted by the Military
Governor, who was on the Islands since 4 April accompanied by his team of assistants. 31

Their activities unofficially started the next day, when the Government’s Treasury (which
played the role of a local Bank) was opend to the public in order to facilitate the normal bu-
siness activities and the life of the population. The Governor took a helicopter flight to get
a personal view of the islands’ geography while other members of the Military Government
and officials from the National Government were getting acquainted with their respective
areas, trying to test on the ground if the proposed measures were likely to succeed or it would
be necessary to study new ones.
In those initial days of activity, the Governor got in touch with the most important perso-

30 Paul, T.V., ob.cit; page157.
31 Communiqué N°15 of the Military Junta: “The Military Junta, in order to maintain and consolidate what
was achieved, and for the tranquility of the whole nation, hereby communicates the following:
2. All measures to be applied by the Malvinas military government will tend to bring tranquility to the popu-
lation, ensure public order, maintain the public services and the administration of justice and guarantee the
rights of all of its inhabitants.
1. The commitments assumed by the Argentine Republic with the inhabitants of the Malvinas during the long
period of diplomatic negotiations with Britain will be respected.
3. Efforts will be made to improve the living standards of the population by:
a. Preserving and increasing the sources of labor as a result on an increase in the commercial interchange.
b. Improving the facilities of supply from the continent.
c. Providing new services such as:
-1) Banks
-2) Post office operating on a permanent basis
-3) Television and radio
-4) Better medical services
4. No change will be made in the present sanitary restrictions on the imports of food and animals.
5. Permanent efforts will be made to respect and preserve the population’s way of life.