Sheri Fink - War Hospital

Anesthesia records found in Srebrenica Hospital were used to confirm dates that MSF surgeons and anesthesiologists were in Srebrenica.

Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 53/35 (1998), “UN Srebrenica Report,” Sections 29–32 (Vance-Owen Peace Plan), 111 (interpretation of the criteria for NATO air power)

The film Death of Yugoslavia, showing Karadžić signing the Vance-Owen peace plan.

PAGE 201 Eric’s storm cloud of anger needs a release. Eric Dachy fax message to Alain Devaux, April 20, 1993.

PAGE 201 As for the “demilitarization of Srebrenica”… The ceasefire agreement, signed by the two Bosnian generals and witnessed by General Wahlgren on April 18, 1993, includes the clause: “…All weapons, ammunition, mines, explosives and combat supplies (except medicines) inside Srebrenica will be submitted/handed over to UNPROFOR under the supervision of three officers from each side with control carried out by UNPROFOR. No armed person or units except UNPROFOR will remain within the city once the demilitarization process is complete….”

PAGE 202 The next week, ceasefire violations send more wounded into the hospital… Reported in the Ottawa Citizen, April 29, 1993 (“War in the Balkans; 56 Canadians make it into Srebrenica; Bosnian Serbs insist town has not yet been completely disarmed,” AP/Reuters).

PAGE 202 The fact that five Serbian soldiers were able to defy… U.N. Document S/25700, “UN Security Council Mission Report to Srebrenica,” April 30, 1993.

PAGE 204 The leader of the Canadian House… “Canadians not ordered to defend Muslim town; Tory minister sees no immediate threat to 150 troops in Srebrenica,” Terrance Wills, (Montreal) Gazette, April 24, 1993.

PAGE 205 “While this option cannot, in itself, completely guarantee the defence of the safe areas… ” UN Document S/25939, Secretary-General’s Report to the UN Security Council, which was adopted.

PAGE 208 In June, a reporter catches up with Eric… “Aid workers also find themselves on front lines,” Elizabeth Sullivan, Plain Dealer , June 13, 1993.

Dr. Ejub Alić, Dr. Neak Duong, Dr. Martin De Smet, Graziella Godain, Dr. Mehdin Hadžiselimović (“Mad Max”), Dr. Avdo Hasanović, Damir Ibrahimovic, Dr. Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, Judith Kumin, Isabel Ollieuz, Fahreta Omić, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, Naim Salkić, Nijaz Salkić, Rahima Tursunović-Ibrahimović, Hans Ulens

Celebije, Putopis; Malcolm, Bosnia, pp. 121–2 (about the “Dragon of Bosnia”); Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, p. 243–245.

The original Srebrenica Hospital anesthesia record forms for this period (found in the hospital in 1999) show the date and time of operations, patient information, and a list of physicians involved in each surgery. These were used to confirm the nature of Ilijaz’s surgical experiences. Srebrenica’s delivery record notebook was used to confirm details of deliveries. Srebrenica’s obstetrics nursing notebook from this period was used to confirm details of the premature baby’s birth and care.

MSF unpublished internal documents: Letter from Hans Ulens to Col. Angstrom December 19, 1993, about generator and fuel needs. Debriefing report of Jean-Paul Taziaux (surgeon) and Eric Coppie from June 6, 1993, stating that Dr. Mehdin Hadžiselimović wishes to return to Tuzla. Report of activities of MSF Srebrenica team July 12–August 12 by Martin De Smet crediting Mehdin with reorganizing the hospital. Letter asking that Mehdin be allowed to leave Srebrenica written August 3, 1993, by Dr. Genevieve Begkoyian (Eric’s replacement) and sent to Rick Garlock of UNHCR Belgrade with an attached letter written August 2, 1993, and signed by Dr. Martin De Smet (medical coordinator of MSF Srebrenica), Ruth Huber (ICRC Delegate Srebrenica), and Jose Luis Loera (UNHCR field officer Srebrenica). Mission reports of Dr. Sergei Zotikov, dated December 14 and 24, 1993, detail the surgical activity in Srebrenica throughout the summer and fall of 1993. MSF reports dated January 10 and 25, 1994, discuss Ilijaz’s growing abilities and stress the continued need for an MSF expatriate surgeon. Report of Paul Lavollee contains a note about problems with obstetrical care in the enclave in December 1993–January 1994. Report by Dr. Simon Moore, January 1994, details the medical work being performed in Srebrenica’s hospital and clinics and mentions the psychiatric problems in the enclave. MSF report on August 1, 1993, states that no salt has been delivered since May. Problems with Medevacs are discussed in: MSF Srebrenica situation report #7 (dated January 8, 1994), Srebrenica monthly report October 1994, letter from MSF Belgrade to MSF Srebrenica team June 26, 1995, and the UNHCR Srebrenica weekly situation report January 4, 1994. There were no Medevacs from October 1993 to July 1994, when approximately 19 people were evacuated. MSF Srebrenica April and June 1994 monthly reports and May 1994 population study as well as the Dutchbat surgical activity report of June 1994 discuss abortions, botched abortions, and birth control. A July 9, 1995, situation report discusses the need for IUDs and reports five “criminal abortions” for the week at a cost of 100 Deutschemarks each. End of mission report of Neak Duong covers period of January 26 to July 9, 1994.

UNPROFOR Civil Affairs, Sector NE, report on a trip to Srebrenica September 21–24, 1994, relates the work of the Joint Demilitarization Commission and failure to set exact boundaries for the Srebrenica safe area, and also discusses the ‘mafia’ situation and tensions between original Srebrenica inhabitants and displaced villagers.

Web sites consulted about the linden tree: (accessed 5/10/02): www.magdalin.com/herbal/plants-page, butler.edu/herbarium/linden.htm (Butler University Friesner Herbarium web site), and enature.com.

Videotape footage of the operation on July 6, 1994 (given as a going-away gift to Dr. Neak Duong).

PAGE 213 A raucous outdoor party is held… “Mad Max” (Dr. Mehdin HadŽiselimović) asserts that he was coerced into going to Srebrenica by the Bosnian army under pressure from the United Nations and ICRC. According to a letter supporting his departure signed by representatives of MSF, UNHCR, and ICRC in Srebrenica on August 2, 1993, he was brought from Tuzla to Srebrenica by helicopter because of the urgent need for a surgeon and was promised that everything would be done to effect his evacuation whenever he expressed his desire to return to his family, with the hopes that he’d be replaced by one or more other Bosnian doctors. At this point, he had been asking to leave for over a month and had a five-months-pregnant wife and three-year-old son at home.

PAGE 220 “Thus,” the report says… Sudetic, Blood and Vengeance, p. 243, quoting from Bosnian government’s copy of a Yugoslav army document written March 3, 1992, by General Kukanjac, “Odbrambene snage,” SFRJ, pov. Br. 546.

PAGE 222 Since then, Ilijaz has found himself… Ironically, Ilijaz was the only one of Srebrenica’s doctors to oppose abortions and refuse to perform them—on account of personal (rather than religious) beliefs about the sanctity of life.

PAGE 222 The women bring him offerings of cigarettes, coffee, and plum brandy. Payment for abortions was the norm before the war, and during the war, other Srebrenica doctors besides Avdo Hasanović accepted money and gifts in exchange for performing them and also for circumcising babies.