Gotovina trial under way at Hague Tribunal

The Hague trial of Croatian Generals Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac began today. "This trial stems from the violent elimination of the Krajina Serbs from Croatia and the destruction of their communities in August 1995, and the roles and responsibilities of the generals in that process," prosecutor Alan Tieger said in his opening statement. Gotovina trial under way at Hague Tribunal Tieger stressed that the goal of Operation Storm in August 1995 had not only been to reintegrate Croatian territory, but to remove all Serbs from the territory, and that the three generals were the main people responsible for this "joint criminal undertaking.” “For many Serbs, Storm meant the end of life on this territory where their forefathers had lived,” the prosecutor explained, adding that "the Serb community was a scarred wasteland of destroyed villages and homes.” In the first offensive on August 4, most of the Serbs were running in “panic and fear,” which, he said, had been orchestrated by the Croatian forces. Those who remained, mostly the elderly and infirm, were either killed, tortured or scared away, the prosecutor said. Gotovina, who was the commander of military forces in Split and headed the operation, “planned and ordered artillery operations with the goal of chasing the Serbs away, and his troops were responsible for many of the crimes against civilians,” Tieger said. According to the indictment, Gotovina, Cermak and Markac participated in a united criminal operation with the goal of permanently removing Serbs from the Knin Krajina. The indictment states that the operation was the brainchild of then Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, Defense Minister Gojko Susak and Croatian military Chief-of-Staff Janko Bobetko and his successor Zvonimir Cervenko, and that many others within the Croatian government, military and police participated in the operation. Generals Gotovina (53), Cermak (59) and Markac (53) are accused of nine counts of persecution, forced displacement and deportation, appropriation of public and private property, murder and atrocities against Serb civilians in the Knin Krajina from the beginning of August to the end of September 1995. These acts qualify as crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war. The first witness of the prosecution, under code name 136, will appear before the court on March 13. The prosecution will call a total of 134 witnesses. Gotovina’s defense attorneys Luka Misetic and Gregory Kehoe will give their opening statement tomorrow. Judge Alfons Orie of Holland said that 112 witnesses would give live testimonies, while 22 would give written statements that would also be entered into the proceedings, and which the defense would be able to challenge. Ante Gotovina (FoNet, archive)

Gotovina trial under way at Hague Tribunal

Tieger stressed that the goal of Operation Storm in August 1995 had not only been to reintegrate Croatian territory, but to remove all Serbs from the territory, and that the three generals were the main people responsible for this "joint criminal undertaking.”

“For many Serbs, Storm meant the end of life on this territory where their forefathers had lived,” the prosecutor explained, adding that "the Serb community was a scarred wasteland of destroyed villages and homes.”

In the first offensive on August 4, most of the Serbs were running in “panic and fear,” which, he said, had been orchestrated by the Croatian forces. Those who remained, mostly the elderly and infirm, were either killed, tortured or scared away, the prosecutor said.

Gotovina, who was the commander of military forces in Split and headed the operation, “planned and ordered artillery operations with the goal of chasing the Serbs away, and his troops were responsible for many of the crimes against civilians,” Tieger said.

According to the indictment, Gotovina, Čermak and Markač participated in a united criminal operation with the goal of permanently removing Serbs from the Knin Krajina.

The indictment states that the operation was the brainchild of then Croatian president Franjo Tuđman, Defense Minister Gojko Šušak and Croatian military Chief-of-Staff Janko Bobetko and his successor Zvonimir Červenko, and that many others within the Croatian government, military and police participated in the operation.

Generals Gotovina (53), Čermak (59) and Markač (53) are accused of nine counts of persecution, forced displacement and deportation, appropriation of public and private property, murder and atrocities against Serb civilians in the Knin Krajina from the beginning of August to the end of September 1995.

These acts qualify as crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war.

The first witness of the prosecution, under code name 136, will appear before the court on March 13.

The prosecution will call a total of 134 witnesses.

Gotovina’s defense attorneys Luka Mišetić and Gregory Kehoe will give their opening statement tomorrow.

Judge Alfons Orie of Holland said that 112 witnesses would give live testimonies, while 22 would give written statements that would also be entered into the proceedings, and which the defense would be able to challenge.