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War Hospital

Page 44

by Sheri Fink


  Bosnia Country Handbook, p. 16–1 (anti-aircraft gun specifications); Mosby’s GenRx (entry for Ketamine Hydrochloride); Miller, Anesthesia, pp. 240–245; Naythons, The Face of Mercy, pp. 39–69; Orić, Srebrenica, p. 167; Mašić, Srebrenica, p. 65; Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, p. 154, 157–161.

  Documents

  Unpublished World Health Organization documents: “Clinical Uses of Ketamine and Contraindications to Its Use,” and “The Use of Ketamine in Hospital Anaesthesia,” by Dr. Simon Mardel; the latter essay is contained in “Final Report of Dr. Simon Mardel W.H.O. Sarajevo, 1/28–6/1, 1993.”

  CHAPTER 13: HOLIDAYS IN HELL

  Interviews

  Sabera Alić, Dr. Ejub Alić, Dr. Eric Dachy, Elvira Duraković, Muhamed Duraković, Samira Duraković, Hadžo Gadžo, Mensur Gadžo, Dr. Avdo Hasanović, Samira Hodžic, Dr. Vesna Ivančić, Dr. Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, Hakija Meholjić, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Radomir Pavlović, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Ibrahim Purković, Naim Salkić, Emira Selimović, Rahima Tursunović-Ibrahimović, Philipp von Recklinghausen

  Published Literature

  Duizings, History, Memory and Politics in Eastern Bosnia, Chapter 1 (section on Kravica); Holbrooke, To End a War, p. 51; New York Times, February 11, 1993; Ivanišević, Hronika (pp. 55–56, 88–89, 160, 172–173, 323–329 Kravica; pp. 56–57; 161 Skelani); Malcolm, Bosnia, pp. 247–250 (Vance-Owen plan); Masić, Srebrenica (pp. 72, 112–113 Kravica; pp. 72–73 death of Nijaz Džanić; 114–115 Skelani); Orić, Srebrenica (p. 219 death of Sulejman Pilav; p. 164 death of Nijaz Džanić; p. 169 Kravica); Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance (pp. 161–164 Kravica offensive; pp. 171–172 Skelani offensive and killing of Serbs in Srebrenica).

  Documents

  UN document S/1991/548 (Serb casualties in vicinity of Srebrenica); copy of a Bosnian Army Second Corps document listing all wartime medical workers and information on doctors killed (title, date unknown). Data on U.S. healthcare workforce statistics for the early 1990s is from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions. Data on Bosnia healthcare workforce statistics is from the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

  Notes

  PAGE 109 With Kravica… This figure, 350 miles, is based on information in Naser Orić, Srebrenica, map section, p. 253, and is quoted in other sources, for example, Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, and Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 53/35 (1998), “Srebrenica Report.”

  PAGE 114 Kicking machine gun casings out of the way… According to the photographer, Philipp von Recklinghausen, Orić took the injuries as a sign and abandoned the idea of poisoning the Drina River.

  CHAPTER 14: THE ROAD TO SREBRENICA

  Interviews

  Muriel Cornelis, Dr. Eric Dachy, Senator Georges Dallemagne (Belgium), Rex Dudley, Larry Hollingworth, Dr. Simon Mardel, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Hans Ulens, Martin Zogg

  Published Literature

  Agence France-Presse, March 10, 1993 (“Le général Morillon à Mali Zvornik mercredi et à Srebrenica jeudi,” by David Daure); BBC, March 11, 1993; CNN, March 20, 1993; Daily Telegraph, March 8, 1993 (“Rescue hope for refugees fades in the chaos of war Aid officials suspect UN commander fell for Serbian cover-up of butchery in Cerska,” by Patrick Bishop), March 12, 1993 (“British patrol held hostage in Bosnia,” by Robert Fox), March 16, 1993 (“The general who refused to go away: Has General Morillon, the UN commander in Bosnia, experienced a dramatic conversion?” By Robert Fox and Michael Montgomery); de Barros-Duchêne, Srebrenica, pp. 77–81; Hollingworth, Merry Christmas Mr. Larry, p. 184; Honig and Both, Srebrenica; Morillon, Croire et Oser, pp. 161, 165, 167–169; Los Angeles Times, March 10, 1993 (“Serbs block evacuation of wounded civilians,” by Carol J. Williams); New York Times, January 12, 1993 (“U.N. to ask NATO to airdrop supplies,” by John F. Burns), January 13, 1993 (“U.S. Finds Serbs Skimming 23% of Bosnian Aid,” by Michael R. Gordon), February 13, 1993 (“Bosnians tell U.N. they’ll refuse relief aid shipments to Sarajevo,” by John F. Burns), February 14, 1993 (“UN halts flights to Bosnia capital in dispute over aid,” by John F. Burns), February 19, 1993 (“Halt in aid leaves Bosnians stunned, and hungry,” by John F. Burns), February 23, 1993 (“U.N. General warns against an airdrop for Bosnia,” by John F. Burns), March 1, 1993 (“U.S. planes start dropping relief supplies to Bosnians,” by Stephen Kinzer), March 4, 1993 (“UN Report sees massacre by Serbs,” by Paul Lewis), March 7, 1993 (“UN General visits besieged Bosnians,” by Chuck Sudetic), March 17, 1993 (“U.N. General to stay in Bosnian town,” by John F. Burns), Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, pp. 178–181.

  Documents

  UN document S/25353 March 3, 1993 has details of the emergency session of the Security Council. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, Case IT-98-33, indictment October 27, 1999, “The Prosecutor of the Tribunal against Vinko Pandurević.” Unpublished reports from UNPROFOR and U.N. military observers; Unpublished communique from UNHCR Tuzla to other UNHCR offices February 19, 1993; UNHCR Update March 18, 1993; Climatological data for western Serbia during dates of Eric Dachy’s trip to Srebrenica (data kindly provided by the Federal Hydrometeorological Institute of Yugoslavia, Belgrade); Eric Dachy’s unpublished chronicle.

  Other Materials

  Photographs of main characters and areas featured at this time taken by Simon Mardel and Muriel Cornelis. Web site: www.sunrisesunset.com/calendar for daylight, sunset and moon information.

  Notes

  PAGE 119 The winter passes. “UN Report sees massacre by Serbs,” Paul Lewis, New York Times, March 4, 1993.

  PAGE 131 Of course the United Nations… “U.N. General warns against an airdrop for Bosnia,” John F. Burns, New York Times, February 23, 1993, p. A8.

  CHAPTER 15: THE VELVET GLOVE

  Interviews

  Tony Birtley, Muriel Cornelis, Dr. Eric Dachy, Senator Georges Dallemagne, Rex Dudley, Larry Hollingworth, Dr. Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, Dr. Simon Mardel, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Philipp von Recklinghausen, Dr. Thierry Pontus

  Published Literature

  De Barros-Duchêne, Srebrenica, pp. 81–86; Hollingworth, Merry Christmas Mr. Larry, pp. 184–197; Morillon, Croire et Oser, pp. 175, Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, pp. 182–185.

  Documents

  Eric Dachy’s unpublished chronicle. Unpublished U.N. Protection Force document describing the retrieval of the medical supplies.

  Other Materials

  Raw video footage of Morillon’s announcements and Srebrenica and surroundings taken by ABC journalist Tony Birtley. Other footage included in the videorecording, Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation. Photographs of main characters and areas featured at this time taken by Simon Mardel and Muriel Cornelis.

  Notes

  PAGE 143 Is the general sincere? These are some of the thoughts that Eric Dachy recorded in an unpublished chronicle of his experiences and that he shared in interviews with the author.

  CHAPTER 16: “THE TIME FOR TALKING IS NOW FINISHED”

  Interviews

  Tony Birtley, Daniela Cerović, Muriel Cornelis, Dr. Eric Dachy, Senator Georges Dallemagne, Rex Dudley, Larry Hollingworth, Laurens Jolles, Dr. Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, Judith Kumin, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Philipp von Recklinghausen, Dr. Thierry Pontus, Hans Ulens

  Published Literature

  Hollingworth, Merry Christmas Mr. Larry, pp. 211–215; The New York Times, March 19, 1993 (“UN moving to toughen Yugoslav flight ban,” by Paul Lewis), March 22, 1993 (“UN Aide Seeks Deal on Stranded Serbs,” by John F. Burns), March 25, 1993 (“Shelling grounds Bosnia evacuation,” by John F. Burns); Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, p. 175.

  Documents

  U.N. Military Observer report (undated); unpublished cable from Annan to Wahlgren, March 23, 1993; U.N. Documents: S/24900add.27 “Note verbale dated 16 March 1993 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council.” S/25426 March 17, 1993, “Note by the President of the Security Co
uncil” condemns the flight ban violations, demands that they cease and that the Bosnian Serbs provide “an immediate explanation.” It also requests an investigation of the use of Yugoslav territory to launch attacks on Bosnia and includes the quote, “the above flights are the first violations of Security Council resolution 781 (1992) observed by UNPROFOR which involved combat activity.” S/25444 “Letter dated 16 March 1993 from the Secretary General addressed to the President of the Security Council,” includes details of the banned flights. UNSC Resolution 781 (August 1992), the text of the flight ban resolution. S/25440 March 31, 1993 contains the text of the draft resolution to authorize military action against those violating the flight ban.

  Cable from the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb to the U.S. Secretary of State, January 11, 1993, entitled “CGY001—Zagreb Update Jan 11, 1993,” cites reports of Serb air attack on Srebrenica.

  Personal diary of Thierry Pontus recording impressions of Srebrenica, such as number and types of patients and his activities there.

  Situation report by Simon Mardel, WHO, March 17, 1993.

  UNHCR internal communication March 24, 1993, from Albert Alain Peters, director UNHCR liaison office New York, to Kofi Annan with details of the aborted helicopter evacuation.

  Transcript of radio communication with UNHCR Srebrenica March 24, 1993.

  Other Materials

  The events of the aborted evacuation are based partly on a video recording of the evacuation, shelling of the airfield and the scene inside Srebrenica Hospital on March 24, 1993, made by ABC journalist Tony Birtley, and partly on photographs taken by Philipp von Recklinghausen.

  Notes

  PAGES 147–148 “In brief… ” U.N. document S/25457, “Letter dated 22 March 1993 from the Secretary General addressed to the President of the Security Council.” March 22, 1993.

  PAGES 148–149 The day after Eric returns to Belgrade… Letter to Mrs. Joanne Edwards, senior project officer of the Soros Humanitarian Fund, office of the charge de mission for Bosnia-Herzegovina, sent to her attention at UNHCR Zagreb. From Dr. Alain Devaux (program responsable) and Anne Simon (task force ex-Yu) on behalf of MSF task force ex-Yugoslavia faxed from MSF office in Brussels, Belgium. March 15, 1993. “Soros-funding budget revision,” MSF reference TFY 170. Original in English. Activities had not yet acquired funding, but MSF received $1 million on December 18, 1992, as part of a larger Soros grant to UNHCR.

  PAGE 149 However, Eric finds the attitude… Internal UNHCR report entitled “Urgent Negotiation Items and Strategy—Suggestions” sent by UNHCR Belgrade head Judith Kumin to UNHCR Zagreb and Geneva and copied to the other UNHCRs in Bosnia. She says that Larry Hollingworth is reporting that Srebrenica is under heavy attack with multiple rockets, some landing near him at PTT. She writes: “Strongest possible pressure needs to be placed on the Bosnian Serbs for unconditional and regular access to Srebrenica. However, with latest attack on Srebrenica, this seems overtaken by events.” And later: “Given the latest development in Srebrenica, we strongly believe that it is too late to prevent Srebrenica from falling. We feel that we should now take our fall back position, i.e., to negotiate for the safe passage of civilian population from Srebrenica towards west to Tuzla. This would include negotiations with both Bosnian government and Serbian sides. All available resources, including UNPROFOR, ICRC and others, should be mobilized to guarantee the safe passage.”

  PAGE 153 The next day… Annan later became U.N. Secretary-General.

  PAGE 157 “John.” The name of the guard has been changed to protect his privacy.

  PAGE 159 Fear engulfs Srebrenica. The injured in fact arrive safely in Bosnian government-held territory and are transferred to a hospital in Tuzla.

  PAGE 160 The next day, General Morillon and the UNHCR Belgrade team… This meeting is described in an internal cable to Kofi Annan from General Wahlgren on March 25, 1993. Wahlgren was not at the meeting.

  CHAPTER 17: INTERLUDE

  Interviews

  Tony Birtley, Muriel Cornelis, Dr. Eric Dachy, Dr. Martin De Smet, Laurens Jolles, Hakija Meholjić, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Thierry Pontus, Philipp von Recklinghausen, Hans Ulens, Dr. Piet Willems

  Published Literature

  The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, January 22, 1993 (“Serbs bomb Bosnian city despite pact,” news services); The Herald (Glasgow), January 22, 1993 (“Muslims claim advances in Bosnian battles,” by Joel Brand); The Independent, April 8, 1993 (“Morillon takes road back to besieged town,” by Marcus Tanner); The New York Times, March 30, 1993 (“Thousands jam U.N. trucks to flee Bosnian town,” by Chuck Sudetic), April 1, 1993 (article by Chuck Sudetic), April 16, 1993 (“Bosnia yielding town to Serbs, U.N. Aides Say,” by John F. Burns); The Times (London), March 30, 1993 (“UN rescues 2,000 refugees from Srebrenica,” by Joel Brand).

  Documents

  Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 53/35 (1998), “UN Srebrenica Report,” (hereafter referred to as “UN Srebrenica Report”), Section 40 describes overcrowding and death on UN convoys. Unpublished internal UNHCR report by Laurens Jolles, “Confidential report on fifth convoy to Srebrenica and evacuation to Tuzla 28–29 March, 1993.” The discussion over the adoption of Resolution 816 is detailed in United Nations Security Council document S/PV.3191, “Provisional Verbatim Record of the Three Thousand One Hundred and Ninety-First Meeting,” March 31, 1993. Diary of Philipp von Recklinghausen with details of April 3, 1993, incidents. Transcript of MSF interview with Dr. Martin De Smet in late 1995 conducted by Laurens de Barros-Duchêne. Unpublished internal UNHCR situation report by Louis Gentile April 13, 1993, describing the calm in Srebrenica between April 6–11.

  Other Materials

  Videotaped footage of events of April 3, 1993, by Tony Birtley. Photographs of Srebrenica taken by Philipp von Recklinghausen and MSF staff members.

  Notes

  PAGE 161 “Srebrenica is safe… ” The New York Times, “Food convoy arrives in Bosnian town,” by John F. Burns. March 29, 1993.

  PAGE 163 “As time is running out… ” Ogata’s letter is included in U.N. document S/25519 “Letter dated 2 April, 1993 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council,” April 3, 1993.

  PAGE 163 The Security Council responds… U.N. document S/25520 “Note by the President of the Security Council,” April 3, 1993.

  PAGE 164 “We don’t even transport livestock that way… ” Statement made by Hazim šadić on March 29, 1993 quoted in the New York Times, “Thousands Jam U.N. Trucks to Flee Bosnian Town,” by Chuck Sudetic, March 30, 1993.

  PAGE 165 The UNHCR special representative for the former Yugoslavia… “U.N. plans to evacuate 20,000 trapped Muslims,” John F. Burns, New York Times, April 6, 1993.

  CHAPTER 18: THE HOTTEST PART OF HELL

  Interviews

  Dr. Ejub Alić, Dr. Sabit Begić, Muriel Cornelis, Dr. Eric Dachy, Dr. Fatima Dautbašić, Muhamed Duraković, Dr. Avdo Hasanović, Larry Hollingworth, Dr. Simon Mardel, Hakija Meholjić, Dr. Nedret Mujkanović, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Nijaz Salkić, Dr. Martin De Smet, Hans Ulens, Dr. Piet Willems

  Published Literature

  de Barros-Duchêne, Srebrenica, pp. 90–92; Holbrooke, To End a War, p. 56; Honig and Both, Srebrenica, p. 96; Mašić, Srebrenica, p. 63; The Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1993 (“U.N. officials outraged over Serb shelling of civilians; Balkans: Death toll in Srebrenica nears 60. Convoys evacuate almost 1,000 refugees,” By Carol J. Williams); The New York Times, April 14, 1993 (“Ending restraint, UN aides denounce Serbs for shellings,” by John F. Burns); Orić, Srebrenica, p. 193; Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, pp. 202–207; The Times, April 16, 1993 (“Muslims stop evacuation until soldiers get help,” by Tim Judah and Dessa Trevisan).

  Documents

  Bosnian Army Second Corps document listing all wartime medical workers and information on doctors killed (title, date unknown) includes information on Dr. Hamdija Halilović’s death. Diary of a displaced person from Konjević Polje (requests anonymit
y). MSF unpublished documents: Radio reports made by MSF staff member Hans Ulens on April 12, 1993, transcribed by Muriel Cornelis. Unpublished final mission report of Dr. Norbert Scholtzen (MSF anesthesiologist) including a detailed listing of the injuries suffered by patients undergoing surgery after the April 12, 1993, attack. Transcript of MSF interview with Dr. Martin De Smet in late 1995 conducted by Laurens de Barros-Duchêne. Unpublished notes of the MSF Yugoslavia Task Force April 16, 1993. U.N. Srebrenica report Section 40 (describes UN convoys).

  Other Materials

  Photographs taken by MSF staff members in aftermath of April 12, 1993, shelling attack.

  Notes

  PAGE 168 “I will never be able to convey the sheer horror… ”Unpublished internal UNHCR situation report by Louis Gentile, April 14, 1993.

  PAGE 171 I then thought about my Serb friends… Hollingworth, Merry Christmas Mr. Larry, pp. 215–216.

  PAGE 172 Fierce condemnation rings from many corners. “U.N. officials outraged over Serb shelling of civilians; Balkans: Death toll in Srebrenica nears 60. Convoys evacuate almost 1,000 refugees,” Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1993.

  PAGE 174 In the United States… “‘The CNN effect’: TV playing extraordinary role in setting national agenda,” Matthew C. Vita, Cox News Service, Houston Chronicle, May 7, 1993. The article cites data of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, also comparing Bosnia coverage with that of the Clinton economic policy, Middle East, crisis in Russia, Waco (Waco crisis lasted from February 28–April 19), and the U.S. bombing in Iraq. Includes U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali’s criticism that the media are being selective, ignoring such places as Afghanistan.

 

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