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Srebrenica massacre survivors take legal action against Dutch government Srebrenica massacre survivors take legal action against Dutch government
(36 minutes later)
Survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre opened a civil suit against the Dutch government on Monday, saying Dutch peacekeepers should have protected the victims of Europe's worst massacre since the second world war.Survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre opened a civil suit against the Dutch government on Monday, saying Dutch peacekeepers should have protected the victims of Europe's worst massacre since the second world war.
"They did not prevent the murder of thousands of civilians," the group's lawyer Marco Gerritsen told The Hague court, where the case is finally being heard. "They did not prevent the murder of thousands of civilians," the group's lawyer, Marco Gerritsen, told the district court in The Hague, where the case is finally being heard.
The legal action was first brought in 2007 by victims' group the Mothers of Srebrenica, in connection with the massacre during Bosnia's bloody three-year war in the early 1990s.The legal action was first brought in 2007 by victims' group the Mothers of Srebrenica, in connection with the massacre during Bosnia's bloody three-year war in the early 1990s.
The tiny Muslim enclave of Srebrenica was under UN protection until 11 July 1995, when it was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces under the command of General Ratko Mladic.The tiny Muslim enclave of Srebrenica was under UN protection until 11 July 1995, when it was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces under the command of General Ratko Mladic.
Mladic's troops brushed aside the lightly armed Dutch peacekeepers, called the Dutch battalion or Dutchbat, in the "safe area" where thousands of Muslims from surrounding villages had gathered for protection.Mladic's troops brushed aside the lightly armed Dutch peacekeepers, called the Dutch battalion or Dutchbat, in the "safe area" where thousands of Muslims from surrounding villages had gathered for protection.
In the subsequent days, almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered and their bodies dumped in mass graves in the worst bloodshed on European soil since the second world war. In the subsequent days, almost 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered and their bodies dumped in mass graves. The Dutchbat troops failed to intervene and subsequently withdrew.
The Dutchbat troops failed to intervene and subsequently withdrew.
Gerritsen said: "The protection of civilians is an overriding principle".Gerritsen said: "The protection of civilians is an overriding principle".
Another lawyer, Simon van der Sluijs added: "The Dutchbat's own safety was their priority – in contravention of UN instructions."Another lawyer, Simon van der Sluijs added: "The Dutchbat's own safety was their priority – in contravention of UN instructions."
The Mothers of Srebrenica, which represents some 6,000 widows and victims' relatives, have been seeking justice for several years for the massacre, which the UN's highest International Court of Justice has ruled as genocide. The Mothers of Srebrenica, representing some 6,000 widows and victims' relatives, have been seeking justice for several years for the massacre, which the UN's international court of justice has ruled was genocide.
"The Mothers of Srebrenica want the responsibility of the Dutch to be recognised and then compensation, even though this is less important to them," Semir Guzin, another victim's lawyer, told AFP."The Mothers of Srebrenica want the responsibility of the Dutch to be recognised and then compensation, even though this is less important to them," Semir Guzin, another victim's lawyer, told AFP.
"Of course, this procedure is not going to give us our sons and husbands back, but will bring a bit of justice," said Hatidza Mehmedovic, one of about a dozen representatives of the group at the hearing. "Of course, this procedure is not going to give us our sons and husbands back, but it will bring a bit of justice," said Hatidza Mehmedovic, one of about a dozen representatives of the group at the hearing.
The Dutch state's lawyer argued that the Netherlands had no direct control over the Dutchbat unit during the peacekeeping operation.The Dutch state's lawyer argued that the Netherlands had no direct control over the Dutchbat unit during the peacekeeping operation.
"It is about Dutch soldiers, but Dutch soldiers wearing blue helmets and therefore completely under UN control," Gert-Jan Houtzagers told the court."It is about Dutch soldiers, but Dutch soldiers wearing blue helmets and therefore completely under UN control," Gert-Jan Houtzagers told the court.
"Dutchbat did what it could with a handful of men," he said. "They tried to protect as many refugees as possible." "Dutchbat did what it could with a handful of men," he said. "They tried to protect as many refugees as possible.
"That didn't work, but it's twisting the facts to say they [Dutchbat] led people like lambs to the slaughter," Houtzagers added. "That didn't work, but it's twisting the facts to say they [Dutchbat] led people like lambs to the slaughter."
Dutch courts have previously refused to hear a request by the Mothers of Srebrenica to prosecute the United Nations for the killings, saying the international organisation had immunity. Dutch courts have previously refused to hear a request by the Mothers of Srebrenica to prosecute the UN for the killings, saying the international organisation had immunity.
Last year the Strasbourg-based European court of human rights agreed with that immunity decision.Last year the Strasbourg-based European court of human rights agreed with that immunity decision.
The civil proceedings against the Dutch state being heard on Monday had been put on hold pending the outcome of the case against the UN.The civil proceedings against the Dutch state being heard on Monday had been put on hold pending the outcome of the case against the UN.
In September last year, Dutch courts ruled the state was liable for the deaths of three Bosnian Muslim men who were expelled from the Dutchbat compound into the hands of Bosnian Serb forces.In September last year, Dutch courts ruled the state was liable for the deaths of three Bosnian Muslim men who were expelled from the Dutchbat compound into the hands of Bosnian Serb forces.
The case specifically related to the three men working for the Dutchbat unit, although the Mothers of Srebrenica at the time said it gave them the "green light" to continue with the current case. The case related to three men working for the Dutchbat unit, although the Mothers of Srebrenica said at the time it gave them the green light to continue with the current case.
In 2002 the entire Dutch government quit after a report was released blaming the unit and senior military officials from preventing the killings. In 2002 the entire Dutch government quit after a report was released blaming the unit and senior military officials for not preventing the killings.
Mladic, dubbed the "Butcher of Bosnia", and former Bosnian Serb political chief Radovan Karadzic are currently facing charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity before the Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague. Mladic, dubbed the Butcher of Bosnia, and former Bosnian Serb political chief Radovan Karadzic are facing charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity before the Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague.