Karadzic’s arrest - A chance for civilisation to prevail

“Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, individually and in concert with others, planned, instigated, ordered or otherwise aided and abetted in the planning, preparation or execution of unlawful attacks against the civilian population and individual civilians with weapons such as mortars, rockets and artillery... They are criminally responsible for the unlawful confinement, murder, rape, sexual assault, torture, beating, robbery and inhumane treatment of civilians.”

SO READS a very short extract from the 1995 UN war crimes tribunal indictment charging Radovan Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, with genocide.

If you have the stomach for it you can see the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia comprehensive and terrifying indictment at un.org/icty/indictment/english/kar-ai000428e.htm.

If you choose to read it you should remind yourself that it is an official document that, by its nature, must be objective. It articulates a challenge from the civilised world based on the available evidence and is designed to put the man described variously as “one of the worst men in the world”, “the Osama bin Laden of Europe”, and “a major, major thug” behind bars.

The 63-year-old psychiatrist is accused of orchestrating the worst acts of brutality Europe has endured since the Nazi campaigns of the second world war. About 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in and around Srebrenica in 1995, while more than 10,000 others died during the Serb siege of Sarajevo. Karadzic will face charges including genocide, murder, inhumane acts, and other crimes.

During 13 years on the run Karadzic, like many a tribal hero-turned-mass killer, relied on official help and popular support to avoid arrest. His capture signals a new atmosphere in Belgrade. This change is partially the result of pressure from Europe — especially the Netherlands, whose peacekeepers were criticised for not preventing the genocide when they might have.

It was made clear to Serbia that European Union membership could not be considered until “full co-operation” with the war crimes tribunal was guaranteed. So, pragmatism informed the Serbian decision to end the 13-year manhunt. Let us hope that the pragmatism was matched by considerable regret. The fact that Karadzic evaded arrest for almost 15 years might suggest otherwise. However, that timeframe also underlines the great internal difficulties Belgrade would have faced in handing over a man who, to a considerable number of his compatriots, remains a national hero.

And though Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic — one of only two men indicted by the tribunal still at large, Goran Hadzic being the other — led the Serbs, the killing was done by ordinary men: fathers, sons and brothers; farmers, teachers and builders. All were driven by the irrational loathing that has dogged humanity since time began: racial hatred.

Let us hope that Karadzic faces justice and that his arrest will give the world’s despots a sleepless night or two. Let us hope that it sustains China’s or Sudan’s Nelson Mandela — for there must be one. Let us hope too that it gives courage to all of those who would oppose tyranny in its many manifestations.