Aid Memoir Aid Larry Hollingworth Larry
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Larry Hollingworth, current visiting professor of AID MEMOIR Humanitarian Studies at Fordham University in New York City, served as head of the UNHCR’s efforts in Bosnia throughout the lengthy conflict that plagued the former Yugoslavia in the early to mid 90’s. Aid Memoir follows Larry and his UN colleagues throughout multiple efforts to provide much needed relief for besieged, isolated, and desperate communities riddled by senseless killing and aggression. The characters encountered throughout are at times thrilling, at times frightening. Larry spares no details, however troubling, and therefore shines a telling light on the reality of the situation that most will remember to have watched on their television screens. Front cover. During the Siege of Sarajevo, between 1992 and 1995, the city was repeatedly hit by mortar strikes. The craters left behind by these explosions were filled with red resin LARRY HOLLINGWORTH to commemorate the casualties of the attacks. These war memorials were given the name Sarajevo Roses, after people noted that the patterns reminded them of flowers. Today, they serve as a reminder of the bloodshed and loss of AID MEMOIR that conflict. The Sarajevo Rose on the cover HOLLINGWORTH LARRY of this book is one of the city’s most emblematic war memorials found outside the entrance of the Tunnel of Hope under the Sarajevo Airport. The Refuge Press is an independent imprint founded in 2020, with an emphasis on humanitarian and social justice issues. It publishes at least four books, and an equal number of art catalogues, per year. Our books focus on humanitarian solutions as well as personal and professional reflections on global crises. AID MEMOIR AID MEMOIR Larry Hollingworth Refuge Press, New York, 2021 Copyright ©2021 by Larry Hollingworth All rights reserved. Published in the United States by The Refuge Press Originally published in 1994 by Heinemann www.refugepress.com The Refuge Press shares the registered trademark of The Center for International Humanitarian Cooperation, of which it is a part. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publishers. ISBN#13: 978-0-8232-9703-0 (Hard Cover) ISBN#13: 978-0-8232-9702-3 (Paperback) ISBN#13: 978-0-8232-9704-7 (ePub) ISBN#13: 978-0-8232-9705-4 (WebPDF) Cover and book design: Mauro Sarri Printed in the United States of America. To Josie, Sarah Jo and Matthew, to the British Army, to UNHCR, and to the people of Bosnia—Serb, Croat and Muslim—for giving me the opportunities which have shaped me and made me what I am. 7 Acknowledgements Roger Courtiour. For the idea of the book. Mark Lucas. For the translation of idea to action. Tom Weldon. For the translation of action to book. Ron Redmond. For constant support. Sylvana Foa. Without whom, no publicity. Glynne Evans. For wisdom, support, and advice. Dr. Gary McGrath and New England College. For a “safe haven.” Tony Beard. For help and advice. Tina West. For technical support. Vesna Stancic. For Bosnian translation and interpretation. RAF Lyneham especially the Herc crews. Colonel Peter Williams and 1 Bn Coldstream Guards. This book will not explain Bosnia but it may explain what it was like to work in Bosnia with Bosnians. I hope that it will make you laugh; I lament that it may make you cry. I will be proud if it makes you proud, and I am right if it makes you ashamed. The journalists who have covered the war are writing books about the politics and the politicians, soon the historians will write and put the war into context with the previous history of the country and the region. The aim of this book is not to encroach on their territory. This is an account of two years in war-torn Bosnia working as an aid worker. It is a ramble through my mind and my memories. It is how I saw it and as I remember it. Dates may be wrong, names may be wrong, but the events are right. 8 Could it be that there is not room for all men to live in this wonderful world, under this fathomless starry sky? Is it really possible that in the midst of such natural splendour, feelings of hatred and vengeance, or the passion to destroy one’s fellows could reside in the hearts of man? – Leo Tolstoy, The Raid. 9 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 8 List of Abbreviations 12 Foreword: Jamie McGoldrick 13 One: The Call 17 Two: Sarchapt 33 Three: Gorazde 53 Four: Rogatica 81 Five: An Indispensable Resource 91 Six: Sniper Fire, “Friendly” Fire 123 Seven: Rajlovac 131 Eight: Students and Their Kit 139 Nine: Spoils of War, Casualties of Peace 153 Ten: Zepa, the Long Way Round 175 Eleven: Interview with a General 209 Twelve: Thoroughly Decent People, Indecent Times 217 Thirteen: Simon Says 243 Fourteen: Srebrenica 259 Fifteen: Of Papers and Prime Ministers 297 Sixteen: Banja Luka and Its Characters 309 Seventeen: Banja Luka 335 Eighteen: Tesanj and Maglaj, A Delayed Entry 355 Nineteen: Zenica 399 Twenty: Well Done, Hard Luck 409 Twenty One: The Darkest of Dark Days 437 Twenty Two: Close Call 455 Twenty Three: Return 465 Twenty Four: Homeward Bound 471 Epilogue 472 Afterword 473 Author Biography 481 List of Abbreviations APC Armoured Personnel Carrier BH Command UNPROFOR Headquarters in Bosnia-Herzegovina BiH Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina COR Commission for Refugees ECMM Monitors under the auspices of the European Commission. Multi-national teams who wore white uniforms and were unarmed. HDZ Croatian Democratic Union; Bosnian Croat Ruling Party HVO Croat Defence Council; Bosnian Croat Army PTT Post and Telecommunications Office. The UNPROFOR Headquarters in Sarajevo and in Srebrenica RQMS Regimental Queartermaster Seargent SDA Party for Democratic Action; Bosnian Muslim Ruling Party SDS Serb Democratic Party; Serb Ruling Party UN United Nations UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNPROFOR United Nations Protection Force WHO World Health Organisation WFP World Food Programme 12 Foreword By Jamie McGoldrick The release of a second edition of this book is extremely timely. We are given a personal insight into the shaping of the international re- sponse and assistance culture when modern humanitarianism was in its infancy. This insight underscores the increasing threats and im- pediments to humanitarian action today, both ideological and over- whelmingly political. These are seen in shrinking operating space, given counter terrorism legislation that effectively criminalises hu- manitarian action, and insufficient funding, based more than ever on a geo-political calculus. In this revised version, Larry’s trademark dictum shines through brightly as “to thine own self be true.” He lays bare the trials and trib- ulations during the early years of the Balkans conflict in this personal account of perseverance, humility, and genuine human empathy in one of contemporary history’s darkest times. Larry shepherds the reader through the humanitarian nightmare that had befallen the people of the Balkans in the early 1990s through a hands-on account, which grows darker with each chapter. He writes that he “felt close to the refugees but not close enough to really understand.” But what he lacked in understanding he made up for in guile, bravery, and resilience as he battled a conveyor belt of incidents and challenges that tested his resolve as a front-line human- itarian worker. This is an emotional journey without maps, peppered with belliger- ent and uncaring people in power, and others showing extraordinary kindness as they tried to help thousands of civilians caught up in the horror and chaos of the conflict. The wars in the Balkans, Rwanda, and Somalia in the 1990s, changed forever the role of future international humanitarian response. As such, the earlier missionary zeal has now been replaced by a more pragmat- ic and business-like approach. This book takes us back and captures a period of humanitarian response and helps chart a necessary course 13 AID MEMOIR through the dominant forces of all things politics ruling our work. The role and interference by States started in earnest during this pe- riod. Politicization of aid and exploitation of humanitarian agencies often lead to unprincipled and unprofessional behaviour and height- ened the need for reform. Humanitarian principles were stretched with the blurring of lines at the field level. Increasingly, since those early days, it has become the norm for military actors to operate alongside humanitarians, private contractors, political actors, and member states working in the deep field. Sadly, as a result, conflict resolution and mediation are interwoven in the work of humanitarian response. The substance of humanitarian work increasingly replaces political discourse resulting in inaction or humanitarian action being based solely on political or military imperatives. As humanitarians, this book should be a reminder to our own con- science. The book reconfirms the criticality of humanitarian prin- ciples in action and being close to the people in need. Larry has taken the hard lessons and loss of innocence from his time in the Balkans and set out to improve the humanitarian system. The growth and progress at the International Institute of Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University, and the thousands of graduates and trained humanitarians who have passed through its doors, are a testament to Larry’s mission. I count myself very fortunate to have worked with him at close quar- ters and personally benefited from his sage advice and front-line experiences. 14 One The Call I returned to the UK from my tour with Somali refugees, minus my Parker pen which I had had for more than ten years, my UN blue anorak which I had had for five years, and twenty kilos in weight.