The Netherlands will invest billions of euros extra in defense. There will also be new defense locations. In times of war, these locations are potential targets and therefore dangerous for the environment. This makes the search for new locations very difficult.
In the coming years, the Netherlands will invest billions of euros extra in equipment and personnel. But all those people and things have to be housed somewhere.
Former barracks are being reactivated, such as the barracks in Budel where an asylum seekers center is now located. Existing barracks are being expanded, such as the one in Oirschot.
But the Ministry of Defense is also looking for new locations for training grounds and ammunition depots. For a new ammunition depot, the Ministry of Defense has set its sights on a location near Staphorst, according to a list of preferred locations that was presented to the Council of Ministers on Friday.
“Military facilities can turn into legitimate targets for an attack in war situations,” warns Jessica Dorsey, a university lecturer in international law. This is especially dangerous if these defense locations are located in populated areas.
Defense locations sometimes also in densely populated areas
In various places in our country there are already military complexes in densely populated areas, according to an overview from the Ministry of Defense. For example, The Hague, Amersfoort and Breda house important barracks or command posts in the city or surrounding residential areas.
“In the event of an attack on military locations in populated areas, there is a high risk of damage to the surrounding area or civilian casualties,” explains Dorsey. Incidentally, according to her, international law does not explicitly prohibit the construction of military complexes in populated areas.
Using residential areas as a shield is prohibited
According to Marcel Brus, professor of international public law, it is forbidden to deliberately place military objects close to civilian locations with the intention of using civilians as human shields. “In the search for new locations, the Ministry of Defense will therefore have to take into account the risk that these locations could be attacked in wartime.”
An ammunition depot will therefore, for example, be built far from populated areas. This should minimize the chance of damage or civilian casualties in the event that something happens.
Not only military complexes are a potential target in wartime. According to Brus, infrastructure such as roads, railway connections, bridges, energy supplies and communication networks can also be a legitimate target for an attack. By destroying infrastructure, an attacking party can significantly weaken its opponent.
Therefore, according to Brus, a discussion should not only be held about new locations for the Ministry of Defense. According to the professor, when constructing critical infrastructure, consideration must also be given to the risks this entails for the environment in times of war.