Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 8:08am
Justice Delayed
Column: Roll Down Like Water
The word came late yesterday afternoon here in Toronto — in the middle of the night in the Balkans — one of the masterminds responsible for the genocide at Srebrenica and Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II has been arrested by Serb authorities.
The news was shocking for a few reasons: First, most people had pretty much given up hope that Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, would ever be caught. It was common knowledge that he was hiding out in Montenegro and Bosnia, supported by Serb officials who would alert him any time an arrest seemed imminent. Karadzic and Mladic were patiently waiting out the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia, which is set to expire in 2010. Once the mandate expires, Karadizic's eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocities fade away.
Second, the raid that resulted in Karadzic's arrest was conducted solely by Serb authorities. The international community was informed of the operation only after it was complete. While this was certainly a clear effort on Serbia's part to court favor with the European Union as part of its larger bid for membership, Karadzic's arrest stands as the clearest signal Serbia has offered in the thirteen years since the war in Bosnia ended that it intends to operate with the community of nations, not against it, and that it has the capacity to reign in the more extreme elements operating within its territory.
Finally, news of Karadzic's arrest has shocked those in the region because it appears the "Butcher of the Balkans" was living in plain sight in the new section of Belgrade, practicing alternative medicine and living under a false name. Like one of those horrible news reports where a man stands blinking at the television camera that he had no idea that his quiet, introverted neighbor was a serial killer, residents of Karadzic's Belgrade neighborhood are now grappling with the fact that they have been living with a monster in their midst, and they never knew.
Karadzic's evasion and ultimate capture raise some interesting questions — is justice delayed justice denied? Or can the mothers of Srebrenica wake to some solace today that the man who orchestrated the mass murder of their sons, husbands, and fathers (and rapes of their daughters, mothers, and selves) will soon have to give a public account of his actions? I wonder whether this solace is tempered by knowing the man who conducted the genocide at Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic, woke up free this morning.
And for those who knew Dragan Dabic (Karadzic's assumed identity while in hiding), how can one live so closely to evil — greet him every morning when you pass on the street — and never even know? Does one suspect that something is amiss, or are the bounds of social courtesy so strong that a handshake and passive nod are enough to confirm a person as decent? Does evil give off no smell, no indication of its presence?
At the end of the day, justice — while finally given a fighting chance — has yet to prevail. Karadzic will have his day in court, and will likely be convicted of all charges against him. Should Serbia remain committed to its efforts and quickly arrest and extradite Mladic, real justice may be possible. But thirteen years (almost to the day) after the genocide at Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic remains at large. Karadzic's arrest is phenomenal, but it is not enough. The people of the Balkans deserve to put their long national nightmare behind them. Capture Mladic and let them do so.
Dr. Rebecca Johnson, is a visiting assistant professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University in Washington, DC and is currently pursuing a masters of divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary. Visit her website thatstarfish.com, or send an email to {email becky@thatstarfish.com}becky@thatstarfish.com{/email}. © copyright 2008 by Rebecca Johnson.
The news was shocking for a few reasons: First, most people had pretty much given up hope that Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, would ever be caught. It was common knowledge that he was hiding out in Montenegro and Bosnia, supported by Serb officials who would alert him any time an arrest seemed imminent. Karadzic and Mladic were patiently waiting out the mandate of the International Criminal Tribunal of the Former Yugoslavia, which is set to expire in 2010. Once the mandate expires, Karadizic's eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocities fade away.
Second, the raid that resulted in Karadzic's arrest was conducted solely by Serb authorities. The international community was informed of the operation only after it was complete. While this was certainly a clear effort on Serbia's part to court favor with the European Union as part of its larger bid for membership, Karadzic's arrest stands as the clearest signal Serbia has offered in the thirteen years since the war in Bosnia ended that it intends to operate with the community of nations, not against it, and that it has the capacity to reign in the more extreme elements operating within its territory.
Finally, news of Karadzic's arrest has shocked those in the region because it appears the "Butcher of the Balkans" was living in plain sight in the new section of Belgrade, practicing alternative medicine and living under a false name. Like one of those horrible news reports where a man stands blinking at the television camera that he had no idea that his quiet, introverted neighbor was a serial killer, residents of Karadzic's Belgrade neighborhood are now grappling with the fact that they have been living with a monster in their midst, and they never knew.
Karadzic's evasion and ultimate capture raise some interesting questions — is justice delayed justice denied? Or can the mothers of Srebrenica wake to some solace today that the man who orchestrated the mass murder of their sons, husbands, and fathers (and rapes of their daughters, mothers, and selves) will soon have to give a public account of his actions? I wonder whether this solace is tempered by knowing the man who conducted the genocide at Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic, woke up free this morning.
And for those who knew Dragan Dabic (Karadzic's assumed identity while in hiding), how can one live so closely to evil — greet him every morning when you pass on the street — and never even know? Does one suspect that something is amiss, or are the bounds of social courtesy so strong that a handshake and passive nod are enough to confirm a person as decent? Does evil give off no smell, no indication of its presence?
At the end of the day, justice — while finally given a fighting chance — has yet to prevail. Karadzic will have his day in court, and will likely be convicted of all charges against him. Should Serbia remain committed to its efforts and quickly arrest and extradite Mladic, real justice may be possible. But thirteen years (almost to the day) after the genocide at Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic remains at large. Karadzic's arrest is phenomenal, but it is not enough. The people of the Balkans deserve to put their long national nightmare behind them. Capture Mladic and let them do so.
Dr. Rebecca Johnson, is a visiting assistant professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University in Washington, DC and is currently pursuing a masters of divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary. Visit her website thatstarfish.com, or send an email to {email becky@thatstarfish.com}becky@thatstarfish.com{/email}. © copyright 2008 by Rebecca Johnson.