Today the Dutch Srebrenica-veterans got a medal for being in that town during the ethnic cleansing and the aftermath of it. The German Society for Threatened Peoples protested against the medals and against the Dutch role.
They wrote an open letter, of course Holland has to do with the massacre. We have a certain responsibility towards the people of Srebrenica. But we are victim too. If you want to blame, blame NATO.
I think I got something to say on this matter.
The reason for this insignia (or small medal) is that the men of Dutchbat III are not to blame for the worst operation in UN-history (what do we do in Sudan...nobody acts there and there is no support for mr. Pronk (he's also Dutch), has he any support of you?)
Dutchbat III was prejudiced and the soldiers were given a cold shoulder. There has been a Parliamentary inquiry what happened and the Dutch role in it.
Conclusion NATO is to blame, not the Dutch battalion.
Of course wir haben es gewusst, But that is what you should say.
The difference is that the Dutch got clean hands and a good conscience.
I do understand you're still upset what happened in Srebrenica. Do understand it were not the Dutch but the Serbs who ordered and murdered. The light armoured Dutch couldn't do much to stop it. The planes to scare the Serbs didn't come. Why? Because France was against it. It were politics and tactics of NATO.
It was a conflict between the Serbs and Muslims. The Dutch stood between them and couldn't do anything. The world was against any action. So don't blame the Dutch. Instead, blame yourself that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic are still not in The Hague. It's a pity that Milosjevic is dead, he deserved worse.
