![Relatives attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0FE.jpg?resize=640%2C428)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
Tres años después del accidente del vuelo MH17 en cielo ucraniano, cerca de 2.000 familiares rindieron homenaje a las 298 víctimas este lunes en Holanda, durante la inauguración de un “bosque del recuerdo”, monumento oficial en su memoria.
AFP
Formando un “lazo verde”, se plantaron 298 árboles en homenaje a cada una de las víctimas, entre ellas 196 holandeses, que murieron después de que el Boeing 777 de Malaysia Airlines fuera abatido por un misil en el este de Ucrania, en guerra.
A los pies de cada árbol, familiares y amigos depositaron girasoles, la flor que cubría el campo ucraniano en el que se encontraron algunas partes del aparato derribado. Una niña pequeña plantó, un poco más lejos, varias mariposas de plástico.
El monumento fue inaugurado en presencia del rey Guillermo Alejandro y de la reina Máxima de Holanda y del primer ministro, Mark Rutte, en el parque de Vijfhuizen, cercano al aeropuerto de Amsterdam-Schiphol, de donde despegó el 17 de julio de 2014 el avión con destino a Kuala Lumpur.
“Hoy hace tres años que el MH17 fue abatido en pleno vuelo”, declaró Evert van Zijtveld, presidente de la asociación de familias de las víctimas, al comienzo de la ceremonia. “Pero para nosotros, fue ayer. Ese día (…) dejó un vacío en nuestras vidas. Hay un antes y un después del 17 de julio de 2014”, continuó.
“Las víctimas no pueden ser jamás olvidadas”, añadió. “Este monumento nacional MH17 es para ahora pero también para las generaciones futuras”, sentenció.
– 298 nombres –
Antes de que la Orquesta Nacional de las Fuerzas Armadas comenzara a ejecutar las primeras notas, los asistentes se sumieron en un absoluto silencio interrumpido únicamente por el ruido de los aviones que despegaban y aterrizaban a pocos pasos del lugar.
Los nombres de los pasajeros y miembros de la tripulación de diez nacionalidades diferentes fueron leídos con mucha emoción por sus familias y amigos llegados de Holanda, pero también de Australia, Malasia, Reino Unido, Alemania o Indonesia.
Cada uno con el nombre de una víctima, estos 298 árboles “mantienen viva la memoria de las víctimas”, indicó la fundación. Este “lazo verde (…) une y sirve como oasis de reflexión, consuelo y esperanza”.
El proyecto, financiado con donaciones y concebido por el artista Ronald A. Westerhuis y el arquitecto paisajista Robbert de Koning, fue seleccionado en noviembre de 2015 por el 60% de las familias entre tres propuestas.
– ‘No olvidar’ –
Tres años después, los presuntos autores no han sido aún detenidos, pero las autoridades holandesas anunciaron a principios de julio que serán juzgados en Holanda.
El equipo de investigación conjunto (JIT) concluyó que el aparato fue alcanzado por un misil de tipo BUK fabricado en Rusia y lanzado desde una zona de combate controlada por los rebeldes prorrusos. Un centenar de personas que “han jugado un papel activo en el drama” fueron identificadas por los investigadores.
En Kiev, el presidente ucraniano Petro Poroshenko afirmó este lunes que Rusia deberá “responder” por la destrucción del avión del vuelo MH17.
“Fue un crimen flagrante que podría haberse evitado si no hubiera habido una agresión rusa, equipamiento ruso y misiles rusos dirigidos desde el territorio ruso”, declaró Poroshenko en su cuenta de Facebook.
Pero las autoridades separatistas y Moscú desmienten cualquier responsabilidad y acusan al ejército ucraniano.
El secretario general de Naciones Unidas, Antonio Guterres, llamó este lunes a “todos los Estados a cooperar completamente con los esfuerzos [de investigación] para establecer la responsabilidad” del accidente, según un comunicado.
El monumento es un ojo que mira hacia el cielo. La ceja que bordea el iris, una pared de acero de 16 metros de largo y cuatro metros de alto, representa “el peso de la pérdida”, según el periódico de referencia holandés Trouw. El muro de acero debería, con el paso del tiempo, oxidarse, símbolo de la evolución lenta de la pena.
![Dutch King Willem-Alexander (C) and Queen Maxima (R) attend the unvealing of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QO95S.jpg?resize=640%2C428)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Dutch King Willem-Alexander (2ndR) and Queen Maxima (3rdL) attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0F5.jpg?resize=640%2C403)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Dutch King Willem-Alexander (3rdR) and Queen Maxima (C) attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0F6.jpg?resize=640%2C414)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Relatives attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0F8.jpg?resize=640%2C436)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Dutch King Willem-Alexander (L) and Queen Maxima (C) attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0F9.jpg?resize=640%2C441)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Dutch King Willem-Alexander (C, left) and Queen Maxima (C) attend the unvealing of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0FD.jpg?resize=640%2C406)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Relatives attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0FE.jpg?resize=640%2C428)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT
![Relatives attend the unveiling of the National Monument for the MH17 victims in Vijfhuizen, on July 17, 2017. Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent "the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found". / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT](https://mnwey.awslvpni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/000_QP0G3.jpg?resize=640%2C424)
Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather to unveil a “living memorial” to their loved ones. A total of 298 trees have been planted in the shape of a green ribbon, one for each of the victims who died on board the Malaysia Airlines flight en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The flowers also represent “the sunflower fields in eastern Ukraine where some parts of the plane wreckage were found”. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Remko de Waal / Netherlands OUT