A very selective tribute…
(BRUSSELS2) An "in memoriam" plaque was inaugurated on 21 October in the courtyard of the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, in tribute to civilians and soldiers killed during European peacekeeping operations, by the High Representative of the EU, Catherine Ashton, and the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.
A limited choice...
We could say "finally". Because until now, people "fallen" during operations or missions of the ESDP or CSDP were left in oblivion. But we can only be surprised to see only 3 names on this plaque: that of the Spaniard Pilar Juare, who died during the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 (read: The death of the European diplomat reported missing in Haiti confirmed), that of the Lithuanian Šenavičius shot dead in Kosovo in September 2013 (Read: Shooting against EULEX in northern Kosovo: one dead) and the Danish Mette Nielsen victim of an attack in a restaurant in Afghanistan in January 2014 (read: 2 dead at EUPOL Afghanistan in a restaurant attack in Kabul).
A few omissions
A questionable deliberate choice. Because EU missions and diplomacy did not start in 2010. And other names deserve to appear on this plaque because they also died in "mission" or "operation". I will cite in particular the Georgian paramedic who jumped on a mine (as part of the EUMM Georgia observation mission), Sergeant Paulin who was shot dead at the very start of the EUFOR RCA operation in 2008, the observers from 'EUMM Fyrom who died on a mine in 2001, without forgetting the "first" deaths of the external operations of the EEC: the Belgian commander Bertrand Borrey, shot dead by soldiers of the Yugoslav federal army in 1992, or the 5 observers of ECMM Yugoslavia died in the crash of their helicopter shot down by Yugoslav forces in 1992.
A questionable and... discriminatory choice
Comment: When we want to pay homage, we cannot make a distinction according to the type of status — civilian or military, engaged, detached or contracted — and according to nationality. It is not worthy and not commensurate with the European Union to make such distinctions which are low politics. Nor can we begin the story of European external engagement in 2010!
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
NB: The list held by B2 is far more extensive, unfortunately! Read : *In Memoriam. Diplomats and soldiers who died on EC / EU missions.
