Date: August 11, 1994
Author: Valentina Krčmar, Director, Mothers for Peace – Bedem Ljubavi (Toronto Chapter)
Addressed to: The Honourable David Collenette, Minister of Defence, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario
View the Original Letter: krcmar book 2_Part147_Part2.pdf
About This Letter
On August 11, 1994, Valentina Krčmar, writing on behalf of Mothers for Peace (Bedem Ljubavi), sent another formal complaint to Canada’s Minister of Defence, David Collenette, after learning of yet another troubling incident involving Canadian peacekeepers stationed in Croatia.
The letter is concise but pointed, revealing Krčmar’s growing frustration with repeated reports of poor training, ignorance, and cultural insensitivity within UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) missions.
Krčmar describes an incident in which Canadian peacekeepers refused to remove a centuries-old Catholic altar from a church destroyed by Serbian forces, despite the Croatian government’s request that it be safeguarded. The peacekeepers reportedly justified their refusal by claiming they could not distinguish between a Catholic and a Serbian Orthodox church — a statement that Krčmar calls unacceptable and emblematic of deeper systemic failures.
“The Canadian Peacekeepers refused the Croatian government’s request to remove an ancient altar from a Catholic Church destroyed by Serbian activity for safekeeping. The basis for the refusal apparently is the fact that the Peacekeepers cannot distinguish between a Catholic and a Serbian Orthodox Church.”
Krčmar suggests that even if the peacekeepers lacked direct knowledge, they should have sought confirmation from trusted, independent sources before making a decision that could result in the loss of an irreplaceable cultural artifact.
“Even if the Peacekeepers did not have adequate knowledge to address this simple task, we suggest that they could have involved trusted independent sources to confirm that this indeed is a Catholic Church.”
She stresses that much of Croatia’s cultural heritage — including UNESCO-protected monuments — had already been destroyed, and she fears that Canadian inaction may contribute to further loss:
“With so much of the cultural objects in Croatia destroyed, many of which were UNESCO protected, we do not want our Canadians to bear the responsibility for yet another loss.”
The letter closes with a renewed request for a meeting with Minister Collenette, noting that this was not the first time Mothers for Peace had raised concerns about the behaviour and preparedness of Canadian peacekeepers.
“Cumulatively all these incidents, about which we have written to you few times before, produce a very biased picture, and as we have previously requested a meeting with you, we sincerely hope that you will find some time to see us.”
Through this letter, Krčmar once again demonstrates her steadfast insistence on moral responsibility and institutional accountability. Her advocacy is rooted in both patriotism and grief — a determination to ensure that Canada’s role in international peacekeeping upholds the very values it claims to represent.
