The Jahorina papers

Introduction

Another face of some European Union instances..



Sarajevo, 22 Nov 2002 is a date Paul Damm will never forget. On that day he has been forced to start a one-sided fight against suffered injustice caused by some vile individuals. Those powerful enemies were well protected by an institution which probably will never admit the failures made by its high ranking officials.
That dark day, he became a victim of a lousy conspiracy while he was working for the European Union Police Mission's planning team. He did not suffer physical damage but the 'act of cowardice attack' against him resulted nevertheless in the destruction of a perfect career and life. Without bothering about his good reputation, just to satisfy proper conviction of guilt or for own profits, without having any proof, those mentioned narrow minded characters set up a "conspiracy theory". Paul Damm's social behavior appeared to fit with the stereotype picture of a criminal, so he had to be guilty and he had to be released of his functions. It's more likely that the reasons were related to his function and not to his presumed bad attitude!
It happened six month's after they had persuaded him to leave the European Union Monitoring Mission and to work for the EU Police Mission where he should resolve their huge IT problems. In a few months, the EUPM would take over from IPTF and it had to be fully operational, but nothing was done yet and they were behind the time schedule. Once Damm had finished the administrative procedure and ordered the equipment, his presence was not indispensable any more. They had understood the importance of his function and now they wanted recover it.
First they accused him of criminal behavior, involvement in human traffic, but an ignorant Legal Adviser, Janus Panaaien, who did not realize yet that he just acted as their "puppet on a string" , probably told them that the presumptions could not be proved and may lead to a public affair in the courtroom. They reluctantly changed those accusations, replacing them by a more general term : ‘misconduct' whatever that could be. This magic word appeared in Damm's contract and was considered as a possible reason for immediate dismissal.
On the 22nd November, a French puppet being also the Commissioner's deputy, forced Damm to sign his dismissal without any preliminary investigation. The EUPM administration did not allow him to defend himself. Neither the Commissioner nor the deputy Head Of Mission accepted to give him a hearing. Nobody wanted to listen to his arguments or explanation.
On the next day, he claimed his innocence in a letter he sent to the Head Of Mission. With a lot of arrogance the latter only confirmed his previous decision, referring to some obscure reported rumors. The Commissioner mentioned incriminating reports, but that so called evidence always remained invisible and has never been revealed. Who could have believed that a man known as a good police officer would destroy one of his employees without any inquiry. Whether he was not that good or he belonged to the conspirators and the presumed criminal case was nothing else but a political decision,
Colleagues and friends advised Damm to stay quiet, because "nothing would ever change", they said. Those hypocrites were just afraid that he could reveal their own private activities which would certainly have endangered their careers.
Paul Damm left the mission ten days later, but he started immediately his own investigation campaign, assisted by international and local friends. The accusers were not invisible and they were not angels as well.
On the other hand, Damm knew he was clean and innocent, however he couldn't guess that the worse still had to come...
Paul Damm accused the Police Mission for abuse of power and conspiracy. He sent an official complaint to the European Union Ombudsman who investigated the case more deeply. In the beginning, everything was done to convince him that he could not get satisfaction. Until the ombudsman was replaced. The new one reopened the file and promised to study the case more deeply. Maybe because Damm published his case openly on the INTERNET, revealing names and facts.
After more than two years, Paul Damm has been officially rehabilitated and the police mission has been ordered to pay Damm's indemnities.
This real story surpasses the phantasm of many novelists. To be wrongly accused is hard to live with but it is even worse to discover that in the third millennium, you are still living in a society where individuals may be harassed whether by chiefs or colleagues.
A few members of the police missions planning team, for personal or political reasons, have secretly organized a Machiavellian machination. They were from the British nationality, exercising different functions. The first was a frustrated woman from Internal affairs, who probably saw the opportunity to get publicity with this case. Perfect start in a new job. Another bi-sexual woman, former major in the Army, was working in the human resources, dealing with local employees. She just wanted revenge. The political advisor had the same motive and he was seconded by a reserve colonel belonging to MI 5, according to many rumors. While those conspirators stayed in the background, the French deputy signed the dismissal. Lieutenant-colonel in the French gendarmerie since 1993 he got in command of the Mitrovica UNMIK police. However, after the February 2000 riots in Mitrovica, Bernhard Kouchner replaced him and he moved out to the headquarters in Pristina. Amazingly, the EUPM commissioner was at that time UNMIK Police Commissioner in Kosovo and his superior. Those events reveal commanding weaknesses and the French commander confirmed that once again in Paul Damm's case. He forgot that police officers are not judges but researchers of facts! They collect evidence before incriminating a suspect. The EUPM-deputy condemned Damm without facts and that's a transgression of the law, misuse of authority.
But this is not only Paul Damm's story, but also an account about the destiny of local people, documented with revelations about human traffic, including so called efforts of high ranking EU police officers fighting the local criminality but who are visitors of the nightclubs they're supposed to close. It's also the fate of a duped young woman, Mina Mosanu, who left her family in order to work in a rich European country but who very quickly found out that miracles don't exist! Not only she became the victim of a well organized human traffic but she met also misleading international human aid workers and institutions, who used the human traffic and the heartbreaking witness reports for own purposes: their existence in the country. I've got proof that many victims, after they gave their testimony, found out that those helpful investigators could nothing do to help them escaping the disgraceful environment! In most cases, they were sent back to forced prostitution, without any protection! Some were beaten up or disappeared. But who cares about the destiny of those young girls, those willy-nilly prostitutes? They are numbers or first names in reports and statistics, proving the necessity of human aid and funds.
Paul Damm and Mina Mosanu found out that the presence of International Humanitarian Organizations has less to do with humanity and compassion. Many of them are more sensible of the salary than the misery they should fight. It rarely happens that poor war victims get support they need to rebuild their life. Most Aid is related to political objectives and the visibility through the media. Although, Damm's and Mosanu's experiences are the foundation of this novel, I developed the conspiracy theory in order to give my opinion about some mysteries.
What do you think about the close relationship of British Officials with Bosnian Serbs politicians ? What do you think about the relationship of British officials with Pale officials? Why can the International community not find Karadzic? Why had Paul Damm to be dismissed? What would you say about some strange killings of local police officers who collaborated with the EU? All those questions will be part of this political thriller, based on a true story but nevertheless a fiction. Or Not?

Petar Molic