The Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) will today pronounce the first instance verdict to Radovan Karadžić for 11 counts in the indictment. However, the first president of the Serb Democrat Party (SDS), the former president of Republika Srpska and the supreme commander of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) is not charged with the mass grave Tomašica near Prijedor, whichcan reflect on the final outcome of the verdict in the case of charges for genocide in Prijedor.
Families of victims of the war in BiH can be quite dissatisfied with the indictment in the case against Radovan Karadžić. One of the most significant omissions is the failure of including one of the largest mass graves in BiH, Tomašica near Prijedor, in the indictment.
“Dissatisfaction can primarily be expressed due to the fact that the largest mass grave at this territory, Tomašica, is not included in the case against Karadžić. Tomašica could have been the crucial evidence in the count of indictment regarding the genocide in Prijedor. However, despite of that, there is enough evidence that the genocide has been committed. Only a verdict for genocide can satisfy victims and their families to some extent,” believes the historian from Kozarac, Jasmin Medić.
While the pronouncement of the verdict is expected with anticipation, the public is skeptical about whether Karadžić will be sentenced for all counts in the indictment. This doubt especially refers to the charges of genocide in Prijedor, Sanski Most, Ključ, Bratunac, Zvornik, Višegrad and Foča.
Medić believes that the final verdict for Karadžić will not significantly influence the social relations in BiH because ones will deny it and the other ones will call upon it.
“Whatever the verdict is, it will not have any significant impact on social relations in BiH. One will not acknowledge it, the others will call upon it, but it is hard to expect that the verdict will have some more significant effect in the future. It will not change nor improve the position of returnees to the RS who are also victims of Karadžić’s policy. Such policy has its continuity and it is present to this day, although through some other means,” Medić said.
(Source: klix.ba)
