With
elections on both sides of the Atlantic, we can expect the Falklands to be on
the news more throughout 2015. Indeed, Presidential elections in Argentina and
General elections in the UK in the months to come. Does it not seem just a
little bit too similar to the 1980s dialectic? Both Argentina and the United
Kingdom were (and are) going through deep crisis, not necessarily financial
ones but social and political. Back in the 80s, it was very convenient for both
of them at that time (is it the same now?) for personal and political internal
agendas. That is to say, Ms Margaret Thatcher and the Military Junta; Mr David
Cameron and Ms Cristina Fernández de Kirchner: the characters seem different.
But wait a minute, the play is the same! So it is not that the characters are
different but the actors! We are in presence of the same play with the same
script played again in the same theatre but now by different actors.
The
government of Argentina only knows about either rejecting the Falkland
islanders, the British government of, if convenient, the international society
and legal order. The British government, sometimes proactive, sometimes
reactive. Proactive in inviting the Falkland islanders to ANY negotiations;
reactive, to any declaration coming from the Argentinean government.
For a very
brief view of the Falklands’ conflict
see the first article of this blog:
And for a
more recent account, see Professor Klaus Dodds’ post:
In what if
of interest here, Prof Dodd says that:
“In March
and April, however, two stories emerged about these islands that make it ripe
for coverage. The first involved a parliamentary statement by the Secretary of
State for Defence, Michael Fallon, which outlined the findings of a defence
review for the Falkland Islands. Citing the risk of Argentine aggression and
noting the ‘potential for development of an oil and gas industry’, as well as
noting a post-Afghanistan context, the Islands’ military base would be
supported by additional helicopters. The communication facilities and air
defence systems stationed at Mount Pleasant Airbase are to be upgraded as well.
Overall, £180 million has been earmarked for the modernisation of the British
military presence.
The second
story involved claims via the former NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden (now
exiled in Moscow) that the British government spied on Argentina between
2006–2011 and was intent on infecting Argentine computer systems with viruses
and spreading rumour and innuendo in the hoping of discrediting the Argentine
government of President Christina Kirchner. At the time of writing, the British
government had made no official statement about these allegations but
interestingly President Kirchner ordered all the classified Argentine documents
relating to the 1982 conflict to be released. She also criticised the British
government for allocating further monies to defend the Falklands in the midst
of domestic UK austerity.
[…]
While there
has been no major oil strike thus far, the UK and Falkland governments are
clearly working hard to garner support in Latin America – with an array of
trade missions, diplomatic exchanges, cultural visits and military
collaboration. Earlier news that Argentina might lease long-range bombers from
Russia in return for beef and wheat reminds one of what former UK Prime
Minister James Callaghan used to say about ‘dots on the map’ and their capacity
to provoke crisis at a proverbial drop of a hat.”
But, what do
the Argentinean and British electorate think of the dispute? What do Falkland
Islanders have to say about it? What do Argentineans think of the Britons and
the Falkland Islanders? What do the Britons know about Argentina and the
Falklands?
After almost
four decades of hearing the story of Falklands/Malvinas from both sides, more
than two decades researching the topic, having lived in Argentina and living in
the United Kingdom, being in contact with Falkland Islanders, I can tell that,
more often than not, the many take their side depending on their nationality or
country of origin without really knowing much about what they are referring to.
And not only about the Falklands but in regards a culture as a whole: the
English are… the British are … (for instance, do they know English and British
mean something different? That the Union Jack and the English flag are two
different flags?). And on the other side, the Argentineans are… (When did you
go to Buenos Aires? Have you been to Mar del Plata? Do you know there are
places in Patagonia where people speak and study in both Welsh and Spanish?).
And of course, the Falkland Islands: the islanders, those people … has anyone
met a Falkland Islander? Has anyone been to the Falkland Islands? Do you know
they have families there that work, pay taxes and send their children to
school? Yes, they have children too! They are as human being as any Argentinean
or Briton.
Media and
social media are part of our daily life but they exist as long as we use and/or
buy them. Governments come and go. We elect them, they come; we do not vote for
them, they go. They’re our representatives; they’re high ranked civil servants,
but civil servants. Unfortunately, some of them cannot separate the public side
from the private side, and it is then when private, selfish or self-centred
interests come into play. So next time we read or listen to a speech, let’s try
to have a critical eye and dissociate that what is simply orientated by
selfish, one sided interests from that reflecting what population, the people
they represent, want.
Why? Kofi A. Annan, in his ‘Two concepts of
sovereignty’ said it clearly when referring to international intervention in
humanitarian crises and it’s perfectly applicable here: “Because, despite all the difficulties of
putting it into practice, it does show that humankind today is less willing
than in the past to tolerate suffering in its midst, and more willing to do
something about it.” (The Economist, 18 September 1999).
It‘s true,
we’re either citizens of one or another country. However, we’re far more than
that. We’re part of a broader net called mankind. It’s the time to work
together. It’s the time to leave behind selfish, self-centred, one-sided
policies or speeches. It’s time to address serious issues with serious agendas
by mature representatives. All of us, Argentineans, Britons and Falkland
Islanders deserve better. 2015 and elections in Argentina and the United
Kingdom: we will hear and see about the Falklands again. But, any real, actual
solution to the dispute from Kirchner, Macri, Scioli, Cameron, Miliband, Farage
or any other? Doubt it…
