Kostunica protecting Mladic, says Chief Prosecutor

B92 ^ | 02/09/02 | B92

[Oplenac]

15:31 Rome, Saturday -- Hague Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte yesterday accused Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica of protecting former Bosnian Serb Military Chief Ratko Mladic, indicted on charges of genocide.

"The case against Mladic is self-evident. We know where he is, in Belgrade, we know his address and we have proof that he is there," Del Ponte told Italian news agency ANSA.

The prosecutor alleged that Kostunica had ordered him (Mladic)not to be arrested due to fear of offending the army and had even given him an eighty man guard.

"It is a totally intolerable situation. Kostunica agreed that there must be a cooperation law established between Belgrade and the tribunal, but this is just a pretext; the bill that I saw makes further cooperation even more difficult," Del Ponte added.

[Oplenac]

The case against Mladic is self-evident.

This statement by Del Ponte, if accurate, is not only disgraceful, but also blatantly reveals her vengeful bias. As anyone knows, that which is self-evident, requires no proof. Who could survive that type of justice? Is this the panic attack before the Big Trial?

[Ichabod Walrus]

Stipe Mesic, like the late Fuhrer Dr. Franjo Tudjman, is protecting some estimated 60,000 Croatian citizens who fought in Bosnia as part of an invasion force but it's never been a matter of concern for Carla Del Ponte. I wonder why?

[kosta50]

I find it strange that she would attack VK when he really has no say in any deicison to arrest or extradite anyone, as was evident from the kidnapping and shipping of Slobodan Miloshevich to the Hague. The person she should be faulting is Zoran Djindjich, Serbia's new world order prime minister. Del Ponte simply dislikes VK from the getgo, when he correctly insisted that Slobo and others be tried in Serbia, and essentially told her that ICTY, correctly again, is not a legitimate court. That fact that the "guilt" of Miloshevich is already "self-evident" shows that ICTY is nothing short of an Inquisition-like processing plant.

[crazykatz]

That is why her name is really...carla dela POINTLESS...hmmmm, clueless might be more apropriate.

[Oplenac]

To use Del Ponte's words in answering your question: The case against ICTY is self-evident. ICTY must only direct its great beacon of justice upon lesser ones and those adequately demonized, who may be safely "handled" because they sink from their own iniquity--their darkness being so great no adverse reflection exposes the crimes of the just, humanitarian warriors. Croatia, as you note, receives special dispensations, such as "handling" the Mirko Norac case. For that, Del Ponte remains quiet, her rancor reserved for Kostunica--and through him, the Serbs.

[Oplenac]

Kostunica must endure Del Ponte's allegations. Her lament regarding the cooperation law being formulated between Yugoslavia and ICTY, reveals her contmept for sovereignty, and concern for ICTY credibility.

[Oplenac]

Yes, why didn't Del Ponte go to Djindjic again, if what he allowed was legal for Milosevic? Because it was not legal under Yugoslav law, and because ICTY can exert more pressure through Kostunica, she rails at him. Why should Kostunica have to bear the weight of the unacknowledged shame Del Ponte carries in her person?

[Oplenac]

Thank You for this article. ICTY, no doubt, is worse than I have imagined. How much so, maybe the case of Milosevic will reveal.