ICTY PROPOSES THAT WAR CRIMES VICTIMS BE GRANTED COMPENSATION

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Hina) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday received a letter by Claude Jorda, president of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY), saying the Tribunal believed the victims of war crimes in former Yugoslavia should have the right to receive compensation. Jorda said in the letter that U.N. bodies should seriously consider the forms of compensation. ICTY judges, the letter reads, have confirmed conclusions from a report made at the request of the ICTY Chief Prosecutor that the victims of war crimes from the Tribunal's jurisdiction be entitled to seek compensation for their suffering. Although the letter reads that the ICTY has considered some concrete forms of payment of compensation, as well as the issue of participation of victims in court proceedings, it is not clear whether ICTY judges are proposing that they decide about the compensation and who, i.e. which sources, would provide funds for compensation. Given that they propose that U.N. bodies make a decision on the matter, it is possible that decision-making would be within the jurisdiction of The Hague-based tribunal after changes to its statute are made. It has been announced in New York and The Hague that the full text of the ICTY report on compensation for war crimes victims on the territory of former Yugoslavia would be published soon. (hina) rml