Writ of summons - Van Diepen Van der Kroef

there even any attempt made of a defence against the attacks of the VRS, let alone that adefence with all possible means took place.150. Moreover, the order of 11 July 1995 from Sarajevo was to:‘provide medical assistance and assist local medical authorities.’Despite this, Dutchbat did not appear to be prepared to provide injured refugees withadequate medical assistance. On the basis of a memorandum of 10 July 1995 of the mostsenior medical officer of Dutchbat III, priority was given to the preservation of the socalled‘iron rations’ for the benefit of possible Dutchbat casualties. The provision ofhumanitarian relief to the civilian population was to be kept to the absolute minimumand that meant that only restrictive and selective use could be made of the existingsupplies. The lowest point was reached in this connection with the order of DutchbatCommander Karremans that no operations were to be carried out on refugees. Theoperating theatres had to stand ready for possible Dutch casualties and the operationmateriel needed for such operations was not to be opened (see pages 32 and 54respectively of the NIOD Report, Dutchbat III en de bevolking: medischeaangelegenheden, (Dutchbat III and the civilian population: medical matters), D.C.L.Schoonoord).151. A distressing example that can be cited in this connection is the fact that the localsurgeon in Srebrenica, Pilav, faxed Dutchbat on 11 July 1995 to request assistance. Atthat moment the Dutchbat sick bay had only two patients, namely, a UNMO (who hadundergone a minor medical intervention on 1 July 1995 but who had remained on thecompound; see page 2699 of the NIOD Report and page 334 of the Summary of theNIOD Report) and a sergeant with a back complaint. In the meantime 25 seriouslyinjured persons had arrived at surgeon Pilav’s hospital, all of whom required surgerymostly for serious injuries, including severed arms. Surgeon Pilav had the capacity in hishospital to treat only five or six casualties. Moreover, Pilav lacked a whole range ofmedicines and equipment (see page 43 of the NIOD Report, Dutchbat III and the civilian© Van Diepen Van der Kroef Advocaten 2007www.vandiepen.com72