Falklands/Malvinas: Compliance Officer’s Role Remembered 30 Years On

As the Falklands/Malvinas conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom marks its 30th anniversary, Edmond Corthésy, a former head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Buenos Aires, reflects on the organization’s humanitarian efforts during and after the conflict.

The ICRC’s Humanitarian Efforts

Corthésy recalls that the ICRC’s primary focus was visiting prisoners of war, both on land and at sea. The organization had access to all prisoners held in Port Stanley/Puerto Argentino, including senior officers such as the commander-in-chief of the Argentine armed forces in the Falklands/Malvinas.

• The ICRC visited and registered over 11,000 Argentine troops captured by British forces between May and July 1982.
• The organization also facilitated various prisoner-release operations, some during the hostilities and others afterwards.

Personal Experience

Corthésy was personally involved in one such operation at the end of the conflict, when more than 4,000 prisoners of war arrived in Puerto Madryn, Argentine Patagonia, on board a British ship. He flew to Madryn from Buenos Aires using a helicopter provided by the Argentine armed forces and spoke with both British officers and Argentine soldiers.

The ICRC’s Role as a Neutral Intermediary

The ICRC’s role as a neutral intermediary was crucial in facilitating contacts between the parties to the conflict and organizing the handover of prisoners of war to the Argentine government, in accordance with the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

Additional Humanitarian Efforts

In addition to its work with prisoners of war, the ICRC also played a significant role in:

• Facilitating the visit of families of Argentine soldiers killed in battle to the military cemetery in Darwin on the Falklands/Malvinas. The visit, which took place in 1991, was facilitated by the ICRC and involved over 300 people.
• Issuing prisoner-of-war certificates to ex-servicemen seeking recognition of their pension entitlements today.

The ICRC’s Legacy

During the conflict, the organization visited and registered 11,692 prisoners of war, delivered 800 Red Cross messages, carried out preventive activities on the mainland and on the islands, and deployed a team of 11 expatriates.

As the Falklands/Malvinas conflict comes to mind, Corthésy’s reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the ICRC’s commitment to humanitarian work and its role in bringing relief and comfort to those affected by armed conflicts.