RN Documentary: Keeping the Peace
From: Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Series: RN Documentaries
Length: 29:30
In January 2002, soon after the fall of the Taliban, the Dutch army sent a contingent of peacekeepers to Afghanistan. Many of these young men were straight from villages in Holland and had no experience to prepare them for Afghanistan, a country with a very different culture, where their own contemporaries had known nothing but war all their lives.
Award-winning photographer Martin Roemers was sent on assignment to shoot a collection of photos of the life and work of the ISAF troops. Marijke Jongbloed, a renowned Dutch documentary filmmaker, and her camera crew tailed a platoon of young men for a few months. Her film 'Smile and Wave' is an impressive and honest account of the realities of life of these young peacekeepers in Afghanistan.
This is the story of these soldiers and the ones who went to witness their work.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
In January 2002, soon after the fall of the Taliban, the Dutch army sent a contingent of peacekeepers to Afghanistan. Many of these young men were straight from villages in Holland and had no experience to prepare them for Afghanistan, a country with a very different culture, where their own contemporaries had known nothing but war all their lives. Award-winning photographer Martin Roemers was sent on assignment to shoot a collection of photos of the life and work of the ISAF troops. Marijke Jongbloed, a renowned Dutch documentary filmmaker, and her camera crew tailed a platoon of young men for a few months. Her film 'Smile and Wave' is an impressive and honest account of the realities of life of these young peacekeepers in Afghanistan. This is the story of these soldiers and the ones who went to witness their work.
Transcript
Sarge teaser ’16
Its always an adventure.. back yard
In January 2002, the Dutch army sent a contingent of peacekeepers into Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force.
This is a story of these peacekeepers and the ones who went to witness their work.
Photo – id ‘18
My name is Martin.. 2002
Sarge id ‘13
I’m sergeant.. 2001
Doc – id ‘12
My name is.. ..for civilians
m- id ‘34
My name is Marijke Jongbloed.. only seen war
Maj intro 1’10
I’m Major Jan Swillens….. actions against our troops
SFX DRILL
Sarge - intro ‘39
Every 24 hrs we did… to protect them
Dutch peacekeepers, wherever they go will always carry the weight of their history. And that means Srebrenica. In 1995. a United Nations contingent of Dutch Blue Helmets were sent to the enclave of Srebrenica and told to remain strictly neutral. In reality this...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
Authentic Arabia. Tr 18 “Aiki” Comp: Trad . Perf The Annigma Ensemble, Sonoton Authentic Records SOS 026, 2’20
Related Website
Dmae Roberts
Posted on September 19, 2004 at 10:18 AM | Permalink
Review of RN Documentary: Keeping the Peace
What does it mean to be a peacekeeper? This doc takes on the difficult realities of the role of peacekeepers from the perspective of the Dutch army's presence in Afghanistan in 2002. This is a top-notch doc that gives a wide slice of life look with ample reflection on the realities while questioning the effectiveness of Keeping the Peace. What's refreshing is to hear the concern and sincere mission from the soldiers in re-building the country. Especially now in the time of conflict and violence in Iraq, this doc brings a much-needed prompt for debate and conscienceness raising regarding America's role as a peacekeeper. This half-hour doc would run as an excellent special especially with another Radio Netherlands piece. There are so many to choose from it would only take a quick scan of the titles to put together a great one-hour special.