Karadzic Genocide Decision Divides Bosnians

Some Bosnian experts believe that the Hague Tribunal’s decision to reinstate a genocide charge against Radovan Karadzic was just, while others claim it was politically motivated.

Experts in Bosnia and Herzegovina were divided over the Hague Tribunal appeals chamber’s decision on Thursday to reinstate charges accusing former Bosnian Serb political leader Karadzic of genocide in seven municipalities in the country in 1992.

While some experts believe that the decision was based on sound evidence regarding Karadzic’s genocidal intent, others claim that the ruling was a ‘gift’ to Bosniaks on the day when commemorations of the 18th anniversary of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide were taking place.

Goran Petronijevic, a member of Karadzic’s defence team, said that the decision was clearly politically motivated.

“The fact that the decision was brought on July 11, which is dedicated to Srebrenica victims, is a symbolic gift or compensation for Bosniaks [for other acquittals of alleged war criminals by the Hague Tribunal],” said Petronijevic.

But lawyer Vasvija Vidovic, who has been part of the defence team for several war crimes suspects at the Tribunal, said that the decision was grounded in facts.

“I have expected this decision, because I know of documents, especially those of the Bosnian Serb leadership from the spring of 1992, which deal with Bosnian Serb strategic goals during the war. The strategic goals were, removing the border from the Drina River [between Bosnia and Serbia]. Such goals could not have been implemented without genocidal intent,” said Vidovic.

Refik Hodzic, from the International Centre for Transitional Justice, said it was very important for Bosnia’s divided society to face the fact that systematic crimes were committed aimed at fully removing entire ethnic groups from certain territories.

“Genocide and its consequences are one of the fundamental reasons why our society is paralysed, why such hatred is present, why we are still at war fought by different means. This decision gives us a glimmer of hope that we will start facing the facts and working for the recovery of society,” said Hodzic.

But he stressed that Bosnians themselves, rather than international courts, must take this step forward.

“We have invested too much hope that the Tribunal would give us truth, justice and catharsis, so let us not make this same mistake. This can help us, but the responsibility for facing up to the consequences of genocide is on us. This decision can only help us a little bit,” he said.

Subin Music, from the association of former prison camp detainees, expressed hopes that Karadzic would be convicted of genocide in Prijedor and the other six municipalities.

“This news comes at a time when representatives of victims’ associations from Prijedor are exposed to harassment and humiliation just because they claim that what happened in Prijedor cannot be qualified differently than genocide. While listening to the verdict today [Thursday], I had the impression he was finally convicted. Justice was on our side today,” said Music.