Keyboard Warriors

Keyboard Warriors

 

I am careful to use the word “stigmatization” because is already too often used by all kind of groups. However, I have seen some bad experience when I left the Army in 1995. I was combat engineer for Support Command, which was the supporting and logistical part of Dutchbat. As many of you know Dutchbat was the taskforce based in the enclave Srebrenica which dramatically felt in July 1995. In my book “United Nothing” which is under construction and will be published in spring 2020 (25 year after the fall of Srebrenica), I wrote also a chapter about the published news and public opinion about Dutchbat after the fall.

 

 

Dutchbat was from the beginning undermanned, investigations and analyses advised around 5000 soldiers, but the Dutch government sent only a 500 strong unit. During the fall around 400 soldiers were still in the enclave. Only 150 were combat soldiers, the rest were medics, drivers, mechanics, engineers etc. Tens of the soldiers were kidnapped or/and taken hostage, the equipment was taken by the different fighting parties, the observation posts were attacked and taken, heavy weapons were not allowed, and despite many requests air support was not given (except a very small action, but too little and too late). However, the Dutch commanders made the very hard decision to create a human chain/shield around the more than 30.000 refugees who escaped to the Dutchbat compound in Potocari from the shelling which heavy mortars and artillery and the shootings by the attacking party. Most of them were women, elderly people, kids and wounded people. The human chain only exists of poorly equipped soldiers, most of them only having 20 bullets (as required by United Nation rules) to defend themselves, and some very weak equipped YPR aluminum armored cars with a lack of ammunition. Inside the human chain and white/red tape tens of the Dutchbat members were fighting for the lives of the elderly, wounded people and due to the stress more than 15 too early newborn babies and tried to feed and hydrate all these people.

The attacking party used heavy artillery, MRLR’s batteries and battle tanks to support the thousands of the heavy and well equipped soldiers and they threaded to kill the Dutch soldiers taken as hostages and shell the 30.000 refugees with heavy artillery when Dutchbat should defend themselves or in case the NATO should sent any additional fighter bombers.

Most of the older boys and the men and defenders of the enclave already decided to escape to the “safe area” of Tuzla. As we all know most of the men, more than 8.000, have been massacred in only a few days outside the reach of Dutchbat.

After the fall Dutchbat was praised by the UN as: “Courageous soldiers” confronted with “overwhelming superior forces”, “bravery with which they had withstood attacks”, “they have acted in an exemplary manner”. Even the US Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Madeleine Albright said “peacekeepers who set a standard for bravery and dedication that will be long remembered”

However, the Dutch press started with a very negative approach and attack and announced articles where Dutchbat members were mentioned “guards of Auschwitz”, “cowards”, “racists” and collaborators. The effects of the dramatic experience during the fall of the enclave combined with the very negative pressure and stigmatization from the “keyboard warriors” from the press led to heavy moral injury of many and suicide of several Dutchbat soldiers.

I left Bosnia in May 1995 and watched the dramatic news of the fall on television. During my tour I have also seen the bad sides of the war and struggled and won my fight with PTSD. However today many of the Dutchbat soldiers are still struggling with PTSD and other war related injuries.  Dutchbat never received any “Mea Culpa” from this “keyboard warriors”. Lots of the soldiers have enveloped themselves in silence to mitigate the stigmatization of Dutchbat soldiers in mainly the Netherlands. I am the last one who will say no errors have been made, but under the vague and weak UN mandate (which includes only the wording “deter” instead of “defend”) and limited weapons and no or less air support this mission was doomed to fail.

Today many of the Dutchbat soldiers have still the feeling that they are stigmatized. Especially compare to the situation in Sarajevo which was killed slowly. 15.000 citizens, including more than 500 children were killed during the siege. The French army, which was the majority of the responsible UN force in the city, were spared the scorn which descended on Dutchbat.