Page 131 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

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aCta
Since 12 June, lieutenant commander Rodolfo Angelo, the Undersecretary of Finance,
had begun to prepare the documents and other effects that would be evacuated from the
Military Government’s Treasury. On 15 June, it was decided to take all documentation and
the Argentine flag from the government’s premises to the Yehuin towboat with a view to
have them later transshipped to the ARA Bahía Paraíso, anchored as a hospital ship at Puerto
Argentino. A total of 29 bundles were taken on board, of which 18 belonged to the Govern-
ment.
At the end of the operations it was possible to save the Military Government’s Treasury
and documentation which had been taken to the hospital ship, but the local currency and the
pounds sterling were left in the hands of Mr. Rowland. All the administrative acts were later on
approved by the Argentine Accounting Court after an examination of the relevant books and
documents, which were also considered by working commissions of the United Nations.
66
“The spontaneous joy of the islanders after their liberation seemed to die down very
quickly, which was quite understandable. Instead of the Argentine vehicles spilling mud on
the streets you could now see those of the British”. 67
The news of the Argentine surrender was transmitted to the different garrisons in the in-
terior of the islands. “At Fox Bay there was an oddly joyless little celebration between locals
and their one-time captors. After surrendering to sailors from HMS Avenger, the garrison´s
defeated commanding officer and a colleague visited the Falklanders. Griselda Cockwell
recalled the meeting: “The Major produced a bottle of champagne out of his jacket and said,
“I told you we would drink champagne to the victory –and the victory is yours. Here is the
champagne.” We all had a glass of champagne; us, the Argentines and a Lieutenant-Com-
mander from Avenger. The major made a very gracious little speech, admitting that it was our
victory and we had done well. Then they left, and it was the last we saw them”. 68
Life on the islands would no longer be the same for their inhabitants. “The costs of the
change will be acceptable as compared to the benefits. It has already been said that “anyway,
life would never be like in the past again”, implying that any level of development would the
be acceptable”. “Of course, the Malvinas garrison will be a necessary event on the islands,
69
even if one of considerable impact”. 70
That was how it was perceived by the islanders. “The Islands are indeed different now. I
make no predictions about the future. The ten weeks of the occupation changed our streets,
our homes and our environment”. 71

9. concLusions
Since the start of the Malvinas operations Argentina has not expressly recognized the
application of the Geneva Convention, as that would imply accepting its condition as “oc-
cupant” of the Malvinas territory. The Argentine position was that the landings represented

66 37th Period of Sessions of the UN General Assembly (November 1982).
67 Hastings, Max & Jenkins, Simon, “The Battle for the Falklands”, page 314.
68 Bound, Graham, op.cit., page 213
69 Shackleton Report, page 43
70 Shackleton Report, page 43
71 Bagnall, Harry, op.cit., page 157.