VIENNA, Nov 4 (Hina) - The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, said in Vienna on Tuesday that war crimes indictees were perceived as heroes in their countries and not as
indictees because of strong nationalism.
VIENNA, Nov 4 (Hina) - The Chief Prosecutor of the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Carla Del Ponte, said
in Vienna on Tuesday that war crimes indictees were perceived as
heroes in their countries and not as indictees because of strong
nationalism. #L#
Nationalism is very developed in the former Yugoslavia -- in
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia-Montenegro and Kosovo, said
Del Ponte addressing the members of the OSCE Permanent Council. In
most parts of those countries war crimes indictees are respected as
heroes and not indictees, she added.
She said the tribunal planned to launch another 13 investigations
after which all investigations will be in the jurisdiction of
domestic courts. She said the investigations would focus only high
ranking officials from the war period.
New indictments refer to all peoples in the region and there will be
no surprises for the authorities of those countries, Del Ponte
added.
According to her, delaying to arrest of Ratko Mladic, Radovan
Karadzic, and Ante Gotovina was representing a threat to the ICTY's
exit strategy. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1503, the
tribunal should close down in 2010.
The reason why Mladic and Karadzic have not yet been arrested is
still a mystery, Del Ponte said and added that the two were
protected by a wide network of guards, from state institutions,
army and police to secret services.
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