Bosnian Serbs to Probe Muslim Massacre

Associated Press ^ | Dec 26, 2003 | IRENA GAJIC

[optimistically_conservative]

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina - The Bosnian Serb republic, facing international pressure to admit atrocities committed during the 1990s, has appointed a commission to investigate Europe's worst massacre since World War II

The government of Bosnia's Serb-run republic said Friday it has appointed a seven-member team to review the massacre of up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica, a Muslim enclave in eastern Bosnia overrun by Serbs in 1995

"The commission's main task is to establish the complete truth about the events in and around Srebrenica ... in order to achieve permanent peace and trust in Bosnia," the government said in a statement.

The move comes as Bosnian Serbs come under foreign pressure to admit that their forces committed the Srebrenica atrocities, to name the perpetrators and to locate where the victims' remains were buried. Forensics experts have found about 5,000 victims in mass graves, but the fate of thousands of others is still unknown.

Paddy Ashdown, the British diplomat who now oversees the peace process in Bosnia, gave Bosnian Serb authorities in October a six-month deadline to reveal the truth about what happened at Srebrenica, threatening them with "the gravest legal consequences" should they not comply.

Under the peace accord that ended the 1992-1995 war, Ashdown has the power to impose laws and fire local officials as high as presidents who fail to comply with the peace process.

The same agreement also divided postwar Bosnia into two mini-states, a Serb republic and a Muslim-Croat federation.

Last year, the Human Rights Chamber — the country's highest court for human rights — ordered Bosnian Serbs authorities to pay about $2.5 million to a foundation for relatives of the Srebrenica victims and to submit a report that would answer families' questions about the massacre.

Authorities drew up an interim report in March that minimized the number of victims and suggested that the victims were soldiers who died in battles. The report was rejected by the court and denounced as a disgrace by international officials.

A second report, submitted in September, acknowledged that the massacre occurred, but offered no answers about the identity of the perpetrators or the victims' whereabouts.

Ashdown then ordered a new commission be formed — made up of experts who would come up with an acceptable report within six months.

The latest commission includes Bosnian Serb judges and lawyers, a representative of the victims' families and an international expert.

Included in the group are Gordon Bacon, the head of the International Commission for Missing Persons and Smail Cekic, a Bosnian Muslim professor who heads the Institute for Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law.

[Burkeman1]

They must have a complete list of names of those that were killed at Srebrenica by now if not a memorial with their names engraved upon it? How can I donate to relatives of the victims? Is their a list of those who lost their loved ones?

[steplock]

They are speaking of the murders that the MUSLIMS commited, aren't they????

How about the murders that were committed by Clark under orders of clinton? When do we get to try them?

[nonliberal]

I read somewhere that these men and boys that were "massacred" were all of military age. That is why they can find NOTHING to hang on Milosevic.

[Burkeman1]

This is about the Serbs of Bosnia investigating their "atrocities" against the Muslems.

How about the murders that were committed by Clark under orders of clinton? When do we get to try them?

Good Question? The answer is never. We don't have to answer to anyone. Besides- we usually kill from 15'000 feet and that is termed a "mistake."

The biggest kid on the block sets the rules- he doesn't obey them.

[Burkeman1]

ping*

[Torie]

Authorities drew up an interim report in March that minimized the number of victims and suggested that the victims were soldiers who died in battles. The report was rejected by the court and denounced as a disgrace by international officials.

I'm shocked that there is dissembling in this house. How long will it be I wonder before the rump entity owns up to its killing fields, and rounds up its mass killers, and ships them to The Hague?

[optimistically_conservative]

LOL, as you well know there is a long history on this forum covering this topic.

[Torie]

That is why they can find NOTHING to hang on Milosevic.

Rounding up men of military age, and hauling them off to a killing field, and slaughtering them, is a war crime. Milosevic has his own legal problems, which would fill a thick volume of an encyclopedia. He will be in jail until he assumes room temperature.

[Burkeman1]

Great- I hope you keep us up to date with the suit of the 8000 victims and their lawyer.

[Burkeman1]

That lawyer must have the list of names by now? Right? I mean we knew the dead to within 100 of 9/11 within two months. Where is the list of names at Srebrenica?

[1rudeboy]

There is no "of military age" exception to the commission of a war crime.

[Destro]

What kind of truth finding commission is required when the international socialists who run Bosnia already know the truth? What if this independent commission comes back and says Srebrenica was a hoax?

[Burkeman1]

Searched high and low. Not even 100 names are provided. No memorial which lists any names (though Clinton did attend one such memorial dedication) after his presidency of course. Again- no names listed at that dedication either. It seems we knew more about nameless and faceless Jews and Gyspies truly esterminated by the Nazis even 2 years after WWII than we know about these "victims" of Srebrenica?

[Torie]

Well, then we will have a redux of the first commission:

"Authorities drew up an interim report in March that minimized the number of victims and suggested that the victims were soldiers who died in battles. The report was rejected by the court and denounced as a disgrace by international officials."

You see, some of the perps have aleady confessed, and the forensic evidence is devastating. So the "hoax" thingie is just the last final whimper of the ineffectual totally discredited enablers. The main issue know is just making sure all the perps are named, and rounded up, and sent away from Bosnia/Serbia forever to rot in hell in The Hague penidng their miserable final exit to hell.

[optimistically_conservative]

It's pretty clear that this "fact finding" commission has already been given a clear warning about the proper finding of fact.

As far as a list of names. There are three. One contains the list of 200+ names that have been forensically identified from remains pulled together from around the area of Srebrenica. The Red Cross lists 7,079 dead and missing at Srebrenica, named by relatives in interviews. Very controversial list. Some 3,000 bodies that have been found have been associated with Srebrenica, but only the 200+ have been identified.

Hope that helps.

[thoughtomator]

Why don't the Muslims ever have to do this???

[Destro]

The perps confessed and then in open court confessed they lied about their confession. Not a bad job of cross examinationby Slobo.

[thatdewd]

...and the forensic evidence is devastating...

Please share some sources. All the forensic evidence I've seen touted was a joke that disproved the case far more than it helped it. BTW, the so called "confessions" are hardly that, considering the circumstances of the plea bargains from which they are gleaned, and as also evidenced by "confessors" admitting the confessions were lies that they agreed to in order to get a deal. But if you do have links to "devastating" forensic evidence, I would indeed like to see it.

[optimistically_conservative]

Here is the list that international court and legal representative will be using.