Bosnian Serb Leader Dodik Condemns Hague’s Verdict to Free Muslim Commander

Text of report by Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA

Banja Luka, 3 July: Serb Republic Prime Minister Milorad Dodik has said that the Hague tribunal’s verdict to acquit Naser Oric was scandalous and shameful attitude toward Serb victims, viciously and brutally killed by Oric and his troops in the UN protection area.

“This is a mockery to the justice and the law and [symbolic] repetition of the killing of Serb civilians in Srebrenica, setting on fire of Serbs villages and their destruction for the second time,” Dodik told Srna.

With this verdict the Hague tribunal rewarded Naser Oric for his atrocities and stimulated all those like Oric to repeat the atrocities which, as could be seen, would stay unpunished, Dodik said.

“To make the shame and cynicism even bigger, the Hague tribunal rewarded Oric exactly in July, the month when both Serbs and Bosniaks will commemorate the sufferings of their dearest. The only difference is that no one was punished for the terrible atrocities against the Serbs from that region, neither by the Hague tribunal nor domestic courts,” The Serb Republic prime minister said.

Dodik added that the verdict will make the process of reconciliation even more difficult and permanently cements divisions in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

The Hague tribunal’s appellation chambers acquitted the commander of the Muslim forces in Srebrenica Naser Oric from responsibility for the war crimes during the war in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Originally published by SRNA news agency, Bijeljina, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 1618 3 Jul 08.

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