Hundreds of sick war veterans waiting: Only three have been compensated

The Danish Defence has sent 368 Danish soldiers-the vets ' cases to the united nations with a view to the payment of compensation, as veterans have the right t

Ann McDonald
Ann McDonald
15 January 2020 Wednesday 13:00
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Hundreds of sick war veterans waiting: Only three have been compensated

The Danish Defence has sent 368 Danish soldiers-the vets ' cases to the united nations with a view to the payment of compensation, as veterans have the right to.

As Ekstra Bladet wrote in december, it has since 2016 have been possible for war veterans to apply for compensation in the UN system, if they have been ill during or after (particularly in relation to PTSD, ed.) deployment with a UN mission.

But in the almost four years, only five cases have been dealt with and settled, says the Defence Personalestyrelse (FPS). Of the five cases, three ended with tilkendelser of compensation, while two previously UN-issued have been denied.

- the defense department has ongoing dialogue with the united nations regarding the compensation and the treatment of transmitted to cases, explains the department of defense Personalestyrelses press and communications manager in an email to Ekstra Bladet.

See also: Soldiers-veterans of the 'forgotten': Waiting for years for compensation

Facts about the united nations-erstatningerne:

Veterans who have been injured during a UN mission, can apply for compensation.

- the application deadline is four months after the damage arose. The united nations can dispense with this - particularly at the psychological damage.

- It is the UN that decides the cases for compensation.

- the UN-the compensation shall be determined on the basis of méngrad.

- A méngrad of 100 percent represents 70,000 dollars.

- Since the 2015 has the department of defense Work - and Erstatningskontor (FAEK) provided support to the drafting of the vets ' applications.

Source: Defence Personalestyrelse.

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Ekstra Bladet has been in touch with 15 previously deployed soldiers, as all have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of their participation in the war - the vast majority in the wars in Ex-yugoslavia and in the Balkans in the 1990s.

the Common for the 15 veterans, is - in addition to that, they are traumatized - they have been waiting for answers on their compensation application for years and feel forgotten by the Defense and the UN.

- I was posted in Sarajevo in 1995, and later a tour in Albania and Kosovo. I have been waiting for answers to UN compensation since 2016, but can never get an answer when I call, explains the ex-soldier Henry.

- I are also waiting for a decision on the UN-compensated, and I have been told that they have 'time' to look at my case in november 2020, says Allan, who also previously released with severe PTSD.

One of the veterans, who in december 2019, told his story to the Extra Blade, Carsten Happiness.

'Luck' (his soldiers-name, red.) suffering from severe PTSD, is declared incapacitated for work, have a méngrad of 25 percent and a erhvervsevnetab of 95%.

The worst thing about to go and wait on the response from the Defense and the UN is the uncertainty. - The play is amazingly bad, along with PTSD, says Carsten Lykke Hansen. Photo: Jan Summer.

'Happiness' has now been waiting four years to hear news regarding its action for damages in the united nations.

- I do not feel that there is a skid. My case is just waiting. They say in FPS (Defence Personalestyrelse, ed.), that they are awaiting response from the UN, but in my opinion it does not seem as if they ever move anything. It's not exactly good for my PTSD.

- It is not about the money. For they're not going to make me rich. It's all about, that I am entitled to compensation, and I believe that I have earned them. It is the last sentence, which I would very much like to have set.

- the united nations must recognize the things that I - or we - drags around on, after having been issued for them, says Carsten Happiness.

Close to Carsten waiting for compensation: Paralyzed by PTSD from the war


In the Defence Personalestyrelse, which is responsible for the Danish part of the treatment of erstatningssagerne, it is in the united nations system, to the large latency occurs:

- the Issue of compensation has been difficult to handle for the united nations system, particularly in relation to deal with the payment of compensation from the missions, as the funding is completed. This means that both the process and the case during the clarification of the UN, which is the reason for the long processing time , is written in an email from FPS

- With so few cases it makes no sense to say something about the processing time, since the majority of the cases are decided, the corresponding press and kommunikationschefen in FPS Extra Magazine's questions about whether the case processing time in several years is satisfactory.

See also: Soldaterformand resigns

the Danish UN missions right now:

Mali:

Denmark's contribution to MINUSMA consists pt. a staff officers. The aim of the mission is to stabilise the situation in the inhabited areas, implement transitionskøreplanen, support electoral processes and to ensure the protection of civilians.

Middle east:

Denmark has continuously been engaged in the mission from the start (resolution, 1948). Today, Denmark has 11 employees, which is to monitor peace agreements between Israel and its neighbouring countries – primarily Lebanon and Syria.

South:

Denmark has continuously been engaged in the mission from the start (resolution from 2011). Today, Denmark has 13 staff located in Juba, where they support the work to protect the civilian population.

North and south Korea:

the Purpose of the UNCMAC is to monitor the ceasefire agreement between north Korea and south Korea. Since 2009, there have been danes in the mission, where two Danish officers in carrying out tasks, respectively missionshovedkvarteret in Seoul and around the demilitarized zone between north Korea and south Korea. UNCMAC is not a decidedly UN peacekeeping mission as it is a amerikanskledet mission with a mandate from the UN.

Source: the state department's list of ongoing UN missions with the Danish military participation pr. February 2018.

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Updated: 15.01.2020 13:00