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| Argentina's Falklands war cemetery vandalised | Argentina's Falklands war cemetery vandalised |
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| Argentina's war cemetery in the Falkland Islands has been vandalised, leading families of the country's war dead to blame British hostility for what they described as an "act of sacrilege". | Argentina's war cemetery in the Falkland Islands has been vandalised, leading families of the country's war dead to blame British hostility for what they described as an "act of sacrilege". |
| The island's government condemned the incident and police are carrying out an investigation after the glass protecting a statue of the Virgin Mary was found to have been repeatedly smashed and shattered. | The island's government condemned the incident and police are carrying out an investigation after the glass protecting a statue of the Virgin Mary was found to have been repeatedly smashed and shattered. |
| "Clearly we condemn any action of this sort and very much regret that this might have happened. Anyone who knows anything about the cause of the damage should contact the police," Dick Sawle, a member of the islands' legislative assembly, said in a statement. | "Clearly we condemn any action of this sort and very much regret that this might have happened. Anyone who knows anything about the cause of the damage should contact the police," Dick Sawle, a member of the islands' legislative assembly, said in a statement. |
| Families of the Argentinian war dead sent letters to Argentinian foreign minister Héctor Timerman and Britain's ambassador in Buenos Aires, John Freeman, demanding an urgent and exhaustive investigation. | Families of the Argentinian war dead sent letters to Argentinian foreign minister Héctor Timerman and Britain's ambassador in Buenos Aires, John Freeman, demanding an urgent and exhaustive investigation. |
| "We believe this reflects escalating hostility by certain British sectors who are influential locally," their commission said in a statement. "We will not let up until this repugnant act of sacrilege is clarified." | "We believe this reflects escalating hostility by certain British sectors who are influential locally," their commission said in a statement. "We will not let up until this repugnant act of sacrilege is clarified." |
| The vandalism could have happened anytime in the last week or more, said Sebastian Socodo, an Argentinian who takes care of the cemetery that holds the remains of 237 Argentinian combatants killed during the 1982 conflict. | The vandalism could have happened anytime in the last week or more, said Sebastian Socodo, an Argentinian who takes care of the cemetery that holds the remains of 237 Argentinian combatants killed during the 1982 conflict. |
| "It's basically the glass that covers the Virgin Mary. They just smashed the glass. I don't know with what or how," Socodo said. "I was there a couple of weeks ago and there was no damage." | "It's basically the glass that covers the Virgin Mary. They just smashed the glass. I don't know with what or how," Socodo said. "I was there a couple of weeks ago and there was no damage." |
| Images of the damage showed the glass was broken by more than a dozen sharp blows. The Virgin figure, whose blue and white garments are the only expression of Argentine pride permitted in the islands, has been removed to protect it from the elements until the shrine can be repaired. | Images of the damage showed the glass was broken by more than a dozen sharp blows. The Virgin figure, whose blue and white garments are the only expression of Argentine pride permitted in the islands, has been removed to protect it from the elements until the shrine can be repaired. |
| The remote cemetery has been the focus of attention during this year's 30th anniversary of Argentina's occupation of the islands, but on most days and nights, the lonely hillside more than an hour from the capital of Stanley gets few visitors. | The remote cemetery has been the focus of attention during this year's 30th anniversary of Argentina's occupation of the islands, but on most days and nights, the lonely hillside more than an hour from the capital of Stanley gets few visitors. |
| In all, the war claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers, along with three elderly islanders. Argentina has not given up its claim to the territory despite losing the war, and accuses Britain of ignoring UN resolutions urging sovereignty talks. | In all, the war claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers, along with three elderly islanders. Argentina has not given up its claim to the territory despite losing the war, and accuses Britain of ignoring UN resolutions urging sovereignty talks. |
| The vandalism came in the wake of increased tensions between Argentina and Britain and a 90-second Argentinian government video featuring one of the country's sportsmen doing step-ups on a British war memorial. It sparked a diplomatic row after it was aired in May, although there is no evidence that the incident is connected. | The vandalism came in the wake of increased tensions between Argentina and Britain and a 90-second Argentinian government video featuring one of the country's sportsmen doing step-ups on a British war memorial. It sparked a diplomatic row after it was aired in May, although there is no evidence that the incident is connected. |
| The clip showed Argentinian hockey player Fernando Zylberberg on a training run around landmarks including the memorial. It ended with the tagline: 'To compete on British soil, we train on Argentine soil' | The clip showed Argentinian hockey player Fernando Zylberberg on a training run around landmarks including the memorial. It ended with the tagline: 'To compete on British soil, we train on Argentine soil' |
| Zylberberg was omitted from the national squad which travelled to the UK for the Olympics. The team met their British counterparts on Monday in a good-natured match which was the focus of considerable media interest. Headlines in the Argentinian press reflected grim spirits over the 4-1 loss to Britain. "A hard defeat," said the daily Clarín. | Zylberberg was omitted from the national squad which travelled to the UK for the Olympics. The team met their British counterparts on Monday in a good-natured match which was the focus of considerable media interest. Headlines in the Argentinian press reflected grim spirits over the 4-1 loss to Britain. "A hard defeat," said the daily Clarín. |
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