Dutch news in brief, 29 October 2004

Prosecutor appeals against acquittal of marine

The public prosecutor will appeal against the acquittal of Dutch marine Erik O., who was arrested over the death of an Iraqi citizen last December. O. was accused of breaching Dutch military orders when he fired a warning shot to subdue Iraqi looters, despite the fact “there was no life-or-death situation”. But Arnhem Court acquitted O. on 18 October, dismissing the prosecutor’s demand that he be sentenced to six months suspended military detention and a 240-hour work order. Defence Minister Henk Kamp said the appeal was not a positive development for O. and raised concerned about the appeal because the case would hang above the head of the military.

Dutch ‘unprepared’ for doubling in cancer patients

Dutch cancer charity the Queen Wilhelmina Fund has warned that the Netherlands is not prepared for an expected doubling in the number of cancer patients in the next decade. It fears the quality of care will suffer as a result, warning that almost 700,000 people will have been diagnosed with cancer by 2015, compared with the present tally of 360,000, Radio Netherlands reported. The expected increase has been attributed to the aging population.

Mother confesses to role in girl’s death

A 32-year-old Alphen aan den Rijn woman has confessed to involvement in the death of her three-year-old daughter Savanna, the public prosecutor said Thursday. The 27-year-old male partner of the woman has also confessed to physically abusing Savanna. Both suspects had their remand detention extended by 30 days by a court in The Hague. Savanna died of suffocation in her family home, and the suspects were arrested on 20 September when her body was found in their boot of their vehicle in Holten. Both suspects will now undergo psychiatric assessment in the Pieter Baan Centrum. Police have also arrested a third suspect, a man from Nieuwkoop.

Teen mothers left homeless in Amsterdam

Between 160 and 200 pregnant girls and teenage mothers are currently homeless on the streets of Amsterdam, local broadcaster AT5 has reported. The girls are often turned away from the family home and do not have finances of their own. Due to a lack of capacity at Amsterdam homeless shelters, the girls are forced to roam the streets of the capital, news agency Novum reported.

Subject: Dutch news