Gotovina trial: 13,000 Serb houses burned

I think it's about time that Croatia rebuilt all Serb homes and returned them to their rightful owners...

I don't understand why the Serbians just don't go back and reclaim their land and houses. All in one big co-ordinated effort.

What could Croatia do if over half a million Serbians just returned?

They could do nothing as the world would be watching. Problem solved!

Lets wait and see what the new government does. Even the threat of such action would give the Croats a good kick up the backside.

They have committed severe war crimes (with US backing) and they should never be allowed to get away with it!

Yes it was brutal ethnic cleansing Ratko, my house (actually my parents, I was still young then) was one of those that spontaneously caught fire in '95 whilst we went on a permanent vacation to a foreign country.... thank you USA for respecting the "will of the people".

Kosovo is independent, whilst Krajina doesn't even exist as a word in the Croatian political vocabulary, let alone give us Krajinians some collective rights.

When are we going to get a break?????

Driving thru Krajina now - it's hard to believe this is Europe... unbelievably sad and unjust.

I just pray for the day when the tide will turn - we Krajinians will never forget.

Is this not brutal ethnic clensing? And tadic actually went and aplogized to croatia for what, for this? Shame on you tadic.

A top American lawyer, Greg Kehoe, is a former tribunal prosecutor and he led the legal team in Iraqi’s special tribunal in Baghdad, where he worked for the U.S. government and ran the large office that built criminal cases against Saddam Hussein and his top henchmen.

By defending Gotovina, Kehoe protects US interests and the US involvement in Operation Storm.

Greg Kehoe wears many hats…prosecution team to defense.

Doesn’t matter who writes his paychecks, as long as he gets paid.

Sounds like situational ethics to me.

#6
(Joe, 2 May 2008 17:48)

Everyone
Please suggest for removal!

This person is clueless.

Joe I am sure you forgot to mention that you tour guide was Croat as well. Hear the both sides of story and present your fact before opening your mouth.

What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area. As a tourist I visited Croatia in 1998 and 2001 and crossed Krajina. Seeing those destroyed houses was not a nice spectacle. I hope that in the mean time many of them got rebuilt and the mines of the area got cleared.

Serbs will never return to RSK! Even though I wish they can!

Most of the refugees now live in the USA (Chicago) Australia, Canada, etc. Quality of life is a little better in these formentioned countries. Why would they return to RSK.

Should any of them go back it is a place where they would never get a job since they were not Croatian. Its called discrimination. Serbs that do live there now continually get harrassed.

Amnesia is rampant here--no one remembers the hundred thousand Croatian houses and churches burned/destroyed in 1991-1995 during the illegal creation of the so-called 'RSK.'

Joe says..."What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area."

Who told you this and where is your proof, Joe?
Was it your Croatian tour guide?

Your constant demonizing of the Serbs shows your lack of objectivity. Next, you will say that the Serbs were responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Enough already, Joe!

http://www.sense-agency.com/en/stream.php?sta=3&pid=11229&kat=3

13,000 Homes were NOT burned down after Operation Storm

BEFORE AND AFTER OPERATION STORM

In the cross-examination of Kari Anttila, former UN military observer in Sector South, the defense teams of the Croatian generals charged with crimes committed in the course of Operation Storm and in its aftermath challenge the reliability of the information on to the destruction of houses in the Knin Krajina contained in the final UN report drafted by the witness

The figure of 22,000 totally or partially destroyed houses in Sector South in Krajina quoted in the final report of the UN mission from November 1995 is the grand total covering the four years of conflict in that part of Croatia and not only the events during Operation Storm and its aftermath in the summer of 1995.

Kari Anttila confirmed this today in his cross-examination by the defense teams of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac. Anttila, former UN military observer in Sector South, drafted this final report on the destruction in the Krajina region based on daily reports of military observer patrols, Human Rights Action Team and the UN civilian police. The defense tried to show that the information in these reports was not reliable.

The defense lawyers noted that the reports on specific areas didn’t specify if the damage was caused before Operation Storm or afterwards. The witness confirmed this, adding that some military observer teams failed to register this information in their reports. A statement of Ivan Cermak, the then commander of the Knin Garrison, was quoted in this context. In October 1995, Cermak said that the UN data on the destruction of the houses in Sector South was ‘totally untrue’. As far as he knew, ‘the figure is 2,000 to 3,000 and not 22,000 houses’.

The defense referred to the 1991 census noting that, according to the reports of the military observers, in some villages and hamlets the number of partially or totally destroyed houses was several times higher than the number reported in the 1991 census. The witness wasn’t able to explain this discrepancy, repeating that the information in the final UN report was based on the reports of the UN patrols visiting the zone. He added that the areas of responsibility of UNMO teams didn’t coincide with the municipality borders. The presiding judge expressed his doubt about the comparability of the census data and the information in the UN report urging both sides to try and reach an agreement on this issue.

The defense showed the witness an excerpt from the written statement he had given to the OTP investigators where he says ‘the Croats looted and set Serb houses on fire independent from their military activities’, adding that at times the looting and burning was done both by men in uniform and in civilian clothes. When the witness confirmed this, the defense counsel asked him if it ever happened that the people looting and burning would stop doing what they were doing when they were caught in the act by the UN military observers who confronted them. The witness confirmed that sometimes this had happened. The defense counsel then wanted to know ‘if troops would stop their military operation if the UN military observers team would order them to do so’. The witness agreed that this would not be possible.

The trial of Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac will continue on Tuesday, 13 May 2008.

I can say with certainty my family did NOT burn down their own house in Krajina, as Joe seems to imply here.

One very important detail Joe left out. All those burned out houses are covered in Ustashe graffittii.

Joe, do you seriously think Serbs would burn their own churches and cover them in Nazi propaganda? Then we all left. Just to try to make the Croats look bad? When we all know the Western World doesn’t care at all? To what purpose would this serve?

Joe, we Serbs who have family from Krajina know the truth, spreading your lies here serve no purpose other than to offend everyone.

The sad reality is the Croats finally achieved their Ustashe dream of a Serb-Free Croatia. We knew what was coming, and yes we fought, but we didn’t fight hard enough, and now we’re gone. Its as simple as that.

I would like to point out to B92 readers that some Serbs have returned (my brother in law is one of them) and some homes have been partially rebuilt. There is still a great deal of racism in Croatia though, I’ve had a waiter spit in our drinks because we accidentally asked for hleb instead of whatever word it is that they use for bread. I always get grilled by the border control there because of my last name. I was treated better by Serbian border control back when Milosevic was running around, and yes I carry an American passport.

Joe says..."What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area."

Who told you this and where is your proof, Joe?
Was it your Croatian tour guide?

Your constant demonizing of the Serbs shows your lack of objectivity. Next, you will say that the Serbs were responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Enough already, Joe!

What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area. As a tourist I visited Croatia in 1998 and 2001 and crossed Krajina. Seeing those destroyed houses was not a nice spectacle. I hope that in the mean time many of them got rebuilt and the mines of the area got cleared.

Amnesia is rampant here--no one remembers the hundred thousand Croatian houses and churches burned/destroyed in 1991-1995 during the illegal creation of the so-called 'RSK.'

Joe says..."What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area."

Who told you this and where is your proof, Joe?
Was it your Croatian tour guide?

Your constant demonizing of the Serbs shows your lack of objectivity. Next, you will say that the Serbs were responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Enough already, Joe!

Is this not brutal ethnic clensing? And tadic actually went and aplogized to croatia for what, for this? Shame on you tadic.

I think it's about time that Croatia rebuilt all Serb homes and returned them to their rightful owners...

I don't understand why the Serbians just don't go back and reclaim their land and houses. All in one big co-ordinated effort.

What could Croatia do if over half a million Serbians just returned?

They could do nothing as the world would be watching. Problem solved!

Lets wait and see what the new government does. Even the threat of such action would give the Croats a good kick up the backside.

They have committed severe war crimes (with US backing) and they should never be allowed to get away with it!

Yes it was brutal ethnic cleansing Ratko, my house (actually my parents, I was still young then) was one of those that spontaneously caught fire in '95 whilst we went on a permanent vacation to a foreign country.... thank you USA for respecting the "will of the people".

Kosovo is independent, whilst Krajina doesn't even exist as a word in the Croatian political vocabulary, let alone give us Krajinians some collective rights.

When are we going to get a break?????

Driving thru Krajina now - it's hard to believe this is Europe... unbelievably sad and unjust.

I just pray for the day when the tide will turn - we Krajinians will never forget.

Serbs will never return to RSK! Even though I wish they can!

Most of the refugees now live in the USA (Chicago) Australia, Canada, etc. Quality of life is a little better in these formentioned countries. Why would they return to RSK.

Should any of them go back it is a place where they would never get a job since they were not Croatian. Its called discrimination. Serbs that do live there now continually get harrassed.

Joe I am sure you forgot to mention that you tour guide was Croat as well. Hear the both sides of story and present your fact before opening your mouth.

I can say with certainty my family did NOT burn down their own house in Krajina, as Joe seems to imply here.

One very important detail Joe left out. All those burned out houses are covered in Ustashe graffittii.

Joe, do you seriously think Serbs would burn their own churches and cover them in Nazi propaganda? Then we all left. Just to try to make the Croats look bad? When we all know the Western World doesn’t care at all? To what purpose would this serve?

Joe, we Serbs who have family from Krajina know the truth, spreading your lies here serve no purpose other than to offend everyone.

The sad reality is the Croats finally achieved their Ustashe dream of a Serb-Free Croatia. We knew what was coming, and yes we fought, but we didn’t fight hard enough, and now we’re gone. Its as simple as that.

I would like to point out to B92 readers that some Serbs have returned (my brother in law is one of them) and some homes have been partially rebuilt. There is still a great deal of racism in Croatia though, I’ve had a waiter spit in our drinks because we accidentally asked for hleb instead of whatever word it is that they use for bread. I always get grilled by the border control there because of my last name. I was treated better by Serbian border control back when Milosevic was running around, and yes I carry an American passport.

Joe says..."What this article forgets to mention is the fact that many or most of the houses burned were burned down by their owners the Serbs themselves before fleeing the area."

Who told you this and where is your proof, Joe?
Was it your Croatian tour guide?

Your constant demonizing of the Serbs shows your lack of objectivity. Next, you will say that the Serbs were responsible for the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Enough already, Joe!

A top American lawyer, Greg Kehoe, is a former tribunal prosecutor and he led the legal team in Iraqi’s special tribunal in Baghdad, where he worked for the U.S. government and ran the large office that built criminal cases against Saddam Hussein and his top henchmen.

By defending Gotovina, Kehoe protects US interests and the US involvement in Operation Storm.

Greg Kehoe wears many hats…prosecution team to defense.

Doesn’t matter who writes his paychecks, as long as he gets paid.

Sounds like situational ethics to me.

#6
(Joe, 2 May 2008 17:48)

Everyone
Please suggest for removal!

This person is clueless.

http://www.sense-agency.com/en/stream.php?sta=3&pid=11229&kat=3

13,000 Homes were NOT burned down after Operation Storm

BEFORE AND AFTER OPERATION STORM

In the cross-examination of Kari Anttila, former UN military observer in Sector South, the defense teams of the Croatian generals charged with crimes committed in the course of Operation Storm and in its aftermath challenge the reliability of the information on to the destruction of houses in the Knin Krajina contained in the final UN report drafted by the witness

The figure of 22,000 totally or partially destroyed houses in Sector South in Krajina quoted in the final report of the UN mission from November 1995 is the grand total covering the four years of conflict in that part of Croatia and not only the events during Operation Storm and its aftermath in the summer of 1995.

Kari Anttila confirmed this today in his cross-examination by the defense teams of Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac. Anttila, former UN military observer in Sector South, drafted this final report on the destruction in the Krajina region based on daily reports of military observer patrols, Human Rights Action Team and the UN civilian police. The defense tried to show that the information in these reports was not reliable.

The defense lawyers noted that the reports on specific areas didn’t specify if the damage was caused before Operation Storm or afterwards. The witness confirmed this, adding that some military observer teams failed to register this information in their reports. A statement of Ivan Cermak, the then commander of the Knin Garrison, was quoted in this context. In October 1995, Cermak said that the UN data on the destruction of the houses in Sector South was ‘totally untrue’. As far as he knew, ‘the figure is 2,000 to 3,000 and not 22,000 houses’.

The defense referred to the 1991 census noting that, according to the reports of the military observers, in some villages and hamlets the number of partially or totally destroyed houses was several times higher than the number reported in the 1991 census. The witness wasn’t able to explain this discrepancy, repeating that the information in the final UN report was based on the reports of the UN patrols visiting the zone. He added that the areas of responsibility of UNMO teams didn’t coincide with the municipality borders. The presiding judge expressed his doubt about the comparability of the census data and the information in the UN report urging both sides to try and reach an agreement on this issue.

The defense showed the witness an excerpt from the written statement he had given to the OTP investigators where he says ‘the Croats looted and set Serb houses on fire independent from their military activities’, adding that at times the looting and burning was done both by men in uniform and in civilian clothes. When the witness confirmed this, the defense counsel asked him if it ever happened that the people looting and burning would stop doing what they were doing when they were caught in the act by the UN military observers who confronted them. The witness confirmed that sometimes this had happened. The defense counsel then wanted to know ‘if troops would stop their military operation if the UN military observers team would order them to do so’. The witness agreed that this would not be possible.

The trial of Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac will continue on Tuesday, 13 May 2008.