Just before the daybreak of June 29, former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic was formally handed over by the government of
his country to the UN Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(IVTY) in The Hague, where he will be tried.
The whole world was stunned by the news: a powerful leader, who
waged hard struggle for more than three months to prevent the
country's division, was arrested by his country; a powerful leader,
who fought for his country as the head of the country was deserted
by his country. Vojislav Kostonica, the current president of
Yugoslavia was not informed of the Serbian government’s decision on
Milosevic’s handover to the UN crime tribunal.
The handover created civil unrest in the country -- the premier and
six ministers resigned; thousands rallied in front of the federal
Parliament to protest Milosevic's extradition to the U.N. war
crimes tribunal.
Milosevic is the first head of state to face international criminal
trial in The Hague. Meanwhile, others in similar situations --
accused of political crimes -- remain free from international
trial.
In
1992, the racial reconciliation policy under former South African
President Nelson Mandela that brought about a peaceful transition
in South Africa also saved from international trial white racists
who violated human rights under apartheid.
In
1998-2000, Khmer Rouge leaders of Cambodia surrendered to Phnom
Penh. Western countries and the United Nations sought to bring the
perpetrators to justice before an international tribunal, but the
prime minister Hun Sen, wishing to foster national reconciliation,
insisted on relying on the Cambodian court system.
In
1999, Augusto Pinochet, the Chilean leader who was accused of
kidnapping and murder in his overthrow of the democratically
elected government, was detained in England in his hospital room
while Spain requested his extradition. But Chile protested the
detention, recalling its ambassador from Madrid. In the end,
Pinochet went home.
In
2001, Albert Fujimori, the former president of Peru of Japanese
ancestry, was charged with illegal arms trafficking, abandoning
office and dereliction of duty. Peru requested his extradition from
Japan where he was in self-exile in Tokyo. But Japan government
denied the request.
Milosevic is not so lucky. For money and pressure from Western
countries, he was deserted by the country he led and fought for. He
is experiencing the tragedy of "international justice."
Kofi Annan, the secretary-general of the United Nations, stated
that handing over of Milosevic to The Hague was a "victory" of
"international justice".”
Is
it a victory of "justice" or a victory of "politics and money"?
Milosevic was accused of responsibility for the Kosovo war during
1996-1999. However, is Milosevic the only one who should be held
responsible for the Kosovo war? What about NATO air bombardment
which resulted in thousands of casualties? What about the ongoing
massacre by the Kosovar Albanian army? Will those dead rest in
peace after Milosevic's trial?
Before the Kosovo war, Milosevic was not resented by the West. His
protest against the West's decision on Kosovo offended the West.
Under the pressure from Western countries, Milosevic was arrested;
under the pressure from the West, he was extradited. Therefore, it
is in the name of "politics" that the UN Criminal Tribunal tries
Milosevic, not "justice.”
The Serbian government handed Milosevic over to The Hague hurriedly
before daybreak on June 29 to curry favor with the West and US$1
billion in aid. Undoubtedly, Milosevic's trial is about money.
The powerful leader did do wrong to democracy in his country during
his rule. Nevertheless, he fought to defend his country. Why did
the country desert him? Why didn’t the government protect him? Will
US$1 billion and Milosevic's trial remedy Yugoslavia’s loss in the
Kosovo War?
(Professor Zhu Feng’s article was published in Chinese on the
website of worldreport.com.cn on July 1 and translated by the
CIIC.)