Bosnian TV Reports on Start of Karadzic Trial, Says His Policy Still Alive

Public Bosnian B-H TV One devotes a half of its prime-time evening newscast to Radovan Karadzic’s first appearance before the Hague tribunal.

The TV leads with a factual report on Karadzic’s appearance in court and his decision to defer entering a plea until 29 August, especially highlighting part of Karadzic’s statement on a deal with US special envoy Richard Holbrooke that he would not be handed over to the tribunal if he withdrew from political life in 1996.

“[Reporter] Radovan Karadzic took the opportunity to say for the first time publicly that he had agreed with Richard Holbooke that he would not be handed over to The Hague if he withdrew from political life and that in 1996 he did not appear before the Hague tribunal because his life was in danger:

[Karadzic] My obligation was to withdraw and not to disturb in any way the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, and even to withdraw from literary and every other life”.

This report is followed by an excerpt from an interview that Holbrooke gave to B-H TV One Global news and current affairs programme in April 2008, in which the former US diplomat said:

“[Holbooke in English to Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian translation] Of course Karadzic and his closest associates claim that. They have made it up. Why have they made it up – in the summer of 1996 I came to Sarajevo and then I went to Belgrade and the issue was what do we do with Karadzic before the elections. President Izetbegovic was given two choices: number one – get rid of the SDS [Serbian Democratic Party] under the powers of Dayton; number two – leave the party but get rid of Karadzic. He chose the second option. With that I went to Belgrade. In all-night negotiations with [Slobodan] Milosevic we agreed that Karadzic would give up the presidency of the SDS and the Presidency of the RS [Bosnian Serb Republic]. We never agreed not to go after him for his crimes. He had a problem on his hands. He lost face. He had to give up all of his positions. So he spread the false story, the false rumour that we had made a deal.”

A live linkup with The Hague correspondent follows who speaks about the procedure before the tribunal and Karadzic’s behaviour so far:

“[Reporter] What is interesting is that in his first appearance, Karadzic showed respect towards the judges, i.e. Judge Alphons Orie. He rose both when Judge Orie entered and when he left the court room. That is customary practice at the Hague tribunal, but it is interesting that some Karadzic’s predecessors refused to do so”.

The TV then shows library pictures of Karadzic during the B-H war and Karadzic’s address to the Bosnian parliament on the eve of the war:

“[Karadzic] What you are doing is not good. This is a path to which you want to take Bosnia-Hercegovina. This is the same motorway of hell and suffering that Slovenia and Croatia have taken. Do not think that you will not take Bosnia-Hercegovina to hell and the Muslim people perhaps to annihilation. Because the Muslim people cannot defend themselves if a war breaks out here.”

Karadzic’s statement for SensTV in July 1995 is also broadcast in which he speaks of Srebrenica:

“[Karadzic] You rightly said that Srebrenica is the headline news, but it would have to be headline news as a good example of the superiority of the Serb weapons and the Serb army, but also as an example of Serb noble-mindedness”.

A report on vox-pops in Bosnia follows:

“[Announcer] The Association of Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa enclaves said they were pleased that Karadzic’s trial before the Hague tribunal started. Opinions of citizens are divided, depending on which part of the state they come from”.

“[Unidentified man in Pale] I know that Dr Radovan Karadzic is not guilty.

[Unidentified woman in Srebrenica] The mothers are nevertheless happy to see him in The Hague. There is justice, irrespective of the fact that we know that Belgrade and the Serb Republic are hiding war criminals.

[Unidentified man in Sarajevo] It is not pleasant. I can tell you that this is a man who hated this city and the people who live in it.

[Unidentified woman in Sarajevo] I lost my father and brother, that is painful. I cannot stand the sight of him. These are difficult memories.”

The reporter concludes:

“[Reporter] The consequences of Karadzic’s policy can be felt in every part in Bosnia-Hercegovina today. The divisions are present, very few people have returned to their pre-war homes. Mass graves are still being unearthed and search is still on for people who went missing.”

Originally published by BHTV1, Sarajevo, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 1700 31 Jul 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring European. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.