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Seen as an Historic Moment, but
Where Are Mladic and Karadzic?
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — Bosnian Muslims watched live coverage Tuesday of the war crimes trial of one of their former enemies, but many said the war’s worst criminals remained free outside the courtroom. In Sarajevo and Tuzla, residents crowded around TV sets — at home, in cafes, even in hospitals — to get a glimpse of Bosnian Serb Dusan Tadic, a former bar owner alleged to have committed gruesome crimes at Serb detention camps in northwest Bosnia in 1992. Television stations in parts of the country controlled by the Muslim-led government carried hours of the trial.

“The court at The Hague is the right therapy to cure this disease of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” Vice President Ejup Ganic told Associated Press Television. “This is a historic moment.” Like many Bosnian Muslims, Ganic expressed regret that Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his military commander, Gen. Ratko Mladic, were not in the dock. Unfortunately, the main engineers of genocide are not there,” Ganic said. Both Karadzic and Mladic have been indicted twice for genocide and crimes against humanity. Others echoed his sentiments.

“I think that Dusko Tadic is a small fish in this whole story,” said Mirsad Fazlic, 24. “I think the people who are supposed to be there are Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic."

"It is positive that any trial has started, but I will believe the tribunal only when all those who have committed war crimes are punished,” said Gen. Arif Pasalic, commander of the Bosnian army’s 4th Corps.

In Serb-held Bosnia, reactions echoed the arguments of Tadic’s defense lawyer that his client is innocent and the international tribunal is anti-Serb. “He should be released, if there is justice,” said Jadranka Zivic, 45, in the Serb stronghold of Pale, near Sarajevo. “I am left speechless by what the tribunal does.”

“They put the blame on an innocent man,” said Vlajko Perisic, 47. “That’s unfair. ... I don’t recognize that court, they are obviously with the other side.”

“It’s the shame of the world, that court,” said Cedo Vukadin, 55.

The trial was not shown on Bosnian Serb television, but a private Serbian station broadcast the live proceedings. State television in neighboring Croatia, where there are no private stations, did not show the trial.


May 8 · Historian Sets Context for Atrocities in Day 2 of Tadic Trial
May 7 · Defense: Tadic Had No Role in Murder, Torture
May 7 · On Trial's Eve, Tadic Claims Innocence
May 7 · Childhood Friend Says Tadic was Cruel, Artistic
May 7 · Tribunal Judge Heavy on Texas Style
Key Facts about the War Crimes Tribunal
War Crimes Profile: Dusan Tadic
International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia from the United Nations
Coalition for International Justice
Reports concerning human rights abuses in Bosnia published by Intac Access
Major War Criminals/Suspects from CalTech's Bosnia Site
Reports on War Crimes in the Former Yugoslavia from CalTech's Bosnia Site




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