B92 - News - Comments - Hague: Gotovina trial begins Tuesday

Former Croatian General Ante Gotovina goes on trial at the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague tomorrow.

He is charged with responsibility for the murder and mistreatment of Serbs in Croatia's Krajina region in 1995.

Gotovina, who is accused with two other former generals Ivan Čermak and Mladen Markač and was indicted in 2001, traveled extensively using false identities before his dramatic capture in Spain's Canary Islands in December 2005, Reuters said.

Prosecutors say that during the 1995 Operation Storm to retake Krajina from Serb rebels in the last months of fighting, Gotovina's troops murdered at least 37 ethnic Serbs, torched villages and stabbed and burned civilians.

Gotovina, the overall commander of the offensive, knew of the mistreatment but failed to prevent the crimes or punish the perpetrators, according to the indictment.

All three, who have pleaded not guilty, are charged with participating in a joint criminal enterprise that aimed to permanently remove the Serb population from the Krajina region by force, persecution, and destruction of property.

Gotovina, a 52-year-old former French Foreign Legionnaire, was the last wanted war crimes suspect from Croatia.

His arrest has helped ease Zagreb's path to joining the European Union, which was long skeptical about how hard Zagreb was trying to hunt a man many Croats consider a national hero.

Last week, the United Nation's new war crimes prosecutor called for the arrest of Bosnian Serbs Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić, the two top war crimes suspects from the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

Serge Brammertz, who took over in January from Carla del Ponte, said during his first visit to Bosnia Friday that the UN war crimes tribunal should not close down until all remaining fugitives were brought to justice.

RE: Ante Gotovina

Ante Gotovina was the General of the Croatian army and was ordered with US military support to attack the UN protected zone of Krajina.

The war criminals that should be on trial are Franjo Tudjman, Stipe Mesic and the US government who crossed UN lines . The Canadian UN troops were witness to the attrocities committed to the civilians on the ground.

However, the Hague tribunal is a show trial run by the US, NATO and some EU nations, so the rule of law will not be adhered to.

Ante Gotovina should be released immediately and Stipe Mesic should be put in his place.
(konstantin gregovic, 10 March 2008 15:22)

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Yes, as usual. They all are quick to accuse serbia and blame serbia for everything, but when their own people do it they are looked upon as "heroes." I really do hope with every bit that these people are brought to justice, and that includes ratko and the others. I don't care what anyone says, killing civilians is a war crime, its only a shame that no one brings people like george bush to the stand. God knows his hunt for "weapons of mass destruction" was only a pillage for oil, and how many civilians have died as a result? The numbers are limitless.
(Goran, 10 March 2008 13:22)

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About time too. I will be watching this closely and it will be interesting to see if Gotovina's status as a national hero will change, or strengthen.
(bganon, 10 March 2008 13:00)

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About time too. I will be watching this closely and it will be interesting to see if Gotovina's status as a national hero will change, or strengthen.
(bganon, 10 March 2008 13:00)

Recommend (+17)

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What's this
Yes, as usual. They all are quick to accuse serbia and blame serbia for everything, but when their own people do it they are looked upon as "heroes." I really do hope with every bit that these people are brought to justice, and that includes ratko and the others. I don't care what anyone says, killing civilians is a war crime, its only a shame that no one brings people like george bush to the stand. God knows his hunt for "weapons of mass destruction" was only a pillage for oil, and how many civilians have died as a result? The numbers are limitless.
(Goran, 10 March 2008 13:22)

Recommend (+16)

Poor comment (-2)

What's this
RE: Ante Gotovina

Ante Gotovina was the General of the Croatian army and was ordered with US military support to attack the UN protected zone of Krajina.

The war criminals that should be on trial are Franjo Tudjman, Stipe Mesic and the US government who crossed UN lines . The Canadian UN troops were witness to the attrocities committed to the civilians on the ground.

However, the Hague tribunal is a show trial run by the US, NATO and some EU nations, so the rule of law will not be adhered to.

Ante Gotovina should be released immediately and Stipe Mesic should be put in his place.
(konstantin gregovic, 10 March 2008 15:22)

Recommend (+10)

Poor comment (-6)

What's this

RE: Ante Gotovina

Ante Gotovina was the General of the Croatian army and was ordered with US military support to attack the UN protected zone of Krajina.

The war criminals that should be on trial are Franjo Tudjman, Stipe Mesic and the US government who crossed UN lines . The Canadian UN troops were witness to the attrocities committed to the civilians on the ground.

However, the Hague tribunal is a show trial run by the US, NATO and some EU nations, so the rule of law will not be adhered to.

Ante Gotovina should be released immediately and Stipe Mesic should be put in his place.
(konstantin gregovic, 10 March 2008 15:22)

Recommend (+10)

Poor comment (-6)

What's this
Yes, as usual. They all are quick to accuse serbia and blame serbia for everything, but when their own people do it they are looked upon as "heroes." I really do hope with every bit that these people are brought to justice, and that includes ratko and the others. I don't care what anyone says, killing civilians is a war crime, its only a shame that no one brings people like george bush to the stand. God knows his hunt for "weapons of mass destruction" was only a pillage for oil, and how many civilians have died as a result? The numbers are limitless.
(Goran, 10 March 2008 13:22)

Recommend (+16)

Poor comment (-2)

What's this
About time too. I will be watching this closely and it will be interesting to see if Gotovina's status as a national hero will change, or strengthen.
(bganon, 10 March 2008 13:00)

Recommend (+17)

Poor comment (0)

What's this