Slobodan Milosevic found dead
Slobodan Milosevic, the former Yugoslav president who was on trial at The Hague for alleged war crimes, was found dead in his cell today, the U.N. war crimes tribunal said. Authorities have launched an investigation into his death. His lawyer wants an autopsy elsewhere as Mr Milosevic feared he was being poisoned.
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic began his career as a party official in communist Yugoslavia. He rose to power in 1987 and the wars that followed cost at least 100,000 lives. Since 2001, Milosevic has been in court at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague. His trial was nearing its end. His death means that he has escaped judgement.
Now there will never be a judgement from outside the region, which former Yugoslavs might one day be able to look to as impartial This single fact is a tragedy. It means that, for some, Milosevic will remain a virtual saint, who set out to save the Serbs from their enemies - while for others he will remain a force for evil who destroyed Yugoslavia and set out to commit genocide. His death means that now there will never be a judgement from outside the region, which former Yugoslavs might one day be able to look to as impartial.
In the region though, and in the short term, the passing of Slobodan Milosevic will make little difference.
posted by zoe @ 3:22 PM
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