- Taking into account the scale, scope and characteristics of the planned, seriously prepared, systematic, organized and committed crimes in the five municipalities for which he was acquitted of genocide by the first-instance verdict, it is expected that, in addition to responsibility for the genocide in Srebrenica, he will also be found guilty of genocide in the municipalities of Prijedor, Sanski Most, Foča, Kotor Varoš and Vlasenica, which, in the end, would mean a complete victory of law and justice - told Preporod.info doc. Ph.D. Ermin Kuka, senior research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law, speaking about the final verdict against Ratko Mladić.
He assesses that the final verdict on the criminal Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the so-called of the General Staff of the Army of Republika Srpska before the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts (IMCS) in The Hague, scheduled for June 8, 2021, represents a special event, both for the surviving victims of crimes, and for the science and practice of international law.
- The final verdict will certainly have an impact on the correct understanding of the definition of genocide and the proof of intent for genocide (mens rea), but also on future relations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. This is a person who represents the personification of evil, crimes, including the crime of genocide committed against Bosniaks on the territory of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the armed aggression of 1992-1995. years. After years of hiding, Ratko Mladić was arrested in 2011 in the village of Lazarevo near Zrenjanin. In the first-instance verdict from 2017, he was sentenced to life imprisonment on the following charges: genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of the non-Serb population, terrorizing the citizens of Sarajevo and taking members of UNPROFOR international peacekeeping forces hostage. In August 2020, Appeals were filed against the first-instance verdict. The criminal's defense is asking for an acquittal, while the Prosecution is asking for Ratko Mladić, in addition to Srebrenica, to be found guilty of genocide in five other municipalities: Prijedor, Sanski Most, Foča, Kotor Varoš and Vlasenica - explained Dr. Hook.
He reminded that Ratko Mladić was one of the inspirers and the main implementer of the project that resulted in the commission of the most serious and monstrous crimes, primarily against Bosniaks, including the crime of genocide in all occupied towns and cities under siege.
- Ratko Mladić is a person who directly ordered and executed the genocide against Bosniaks. The goal of the Great Serbian genocidal project, ideology and policy was to permanently remove Bosniaks and Croats from the territory of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which the Bosnian Serbs considered to be their exclusive right. In this connection, I remind you that on the so-called To the Assembly of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, at its 16th session in Banja Luka on May 12, 1992, when the Decision on the strategic goals of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina was passed (we are talking about six "strategic goals" of a fascist character), Ratko Mladić identified the real intentions, that is, he correctly described what it would mean to implement the six "strategic goals" on the ground, labeling it as genocide: "People and nations are not chickens or keys in the pocket, so we will move them here and there... We cannot wage war on every front or against people. I would suggest here that we adopt such a mindset that we will not go to war, and if we are attacked, we will defend ourselves. And we will not go to war against Muslims as a people, nor against Croats as of the people, but against those who led that people and incited them against us. Therefore, we cannot clean up nor can we have a sieve to sift only so that the Serbs remain or the Serbs fail and the others leave. Well, that's it, that won't work, I don't know as Mr. End will isnik and Mr. Karadžić to explain to the world. It is a genocide of people," stated Dr. Kuka.
He also pointed out that in the Order for further combat operations in operation "Zvijezda 94", number 01-198/94, dated April 11, 1994, the commander of TG Višegrad, colonel Dragiša Masal, the commanders of subordinate brigades (1, 2, 4 and 5 Plpbr, TG "VGD - KM"), among other things, orders: "7. I also convey to you the message of the commander of the GSS VRS, General Mladić, who was in our zone of operations on April 10, 1994: "Push energetically forward, do not look back at what is happening around us. The Turks must disappear from these areas.' humanity and international law - said our interlocutor.
Finally, he emphasized that it is to be expected that the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Courts (IMCR) in The Hague will be guided solely by facts and evidence.
- It is to be expected that, on the basis of that, they will pass a final verdict, in which Ratko Mladić will be sentenced to life in prison. Also, taking into account the scale, scope and characteristics of the planned, seriously prepared, systematic, organized and committed crimes in the five municipalities for which he was acquitted of genocide by the first-instance verdict, it is expected that, in addition to being responsible for the genocide in Srebrenica, he will be found guilty and for genocide in the municipalities: Prijedor, Sanski Most, Foča, Kotor Varoš and Vlasenica. Ultimately, this would mean the complete victory of law and justice. Likewise, it would send a clear message to all those who in today's time increasingly, more energetically and openly deny crimes, glorify and celebrate criminals, that justice, although slow, is still attainable - concluded Assoc. Ph.D. Emin Kuka, senior research associate at the Institute for Research on Crimes against Humanity and International Law.
(Rabija Arifović/Preporod.info)