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Re: Kosovo and DU by Mine Aysen Doyran 17 January 2001 17:46 UTC |
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I agree with Alan here. As usual, Michael Puglisie comes up with conspiracy theories of the kind the United States government and NATO subscribe. For what had really happened in Yugoslavia & NATO directed war against Yugoslavian people, I recommend the list members to have a look at Jared Israel's Boston based magazine _Emperor's Clothes_. There are objective articles there by Michael Chouvodovsky (?) and other progressives who concern themselves with US imperialism in Yugo, rather than with NATO based stories. Mine Alan Spector wrote: > But do you agree that Clinton-Gore should be brought up on War Crimes > charges for what they have done to the Iraqi people? > > =================================== > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael Pugliese" <debsian@pacbell.net> > To: <wsn@csf.colorado.edu> > Sent: Monday, January 15, 2001 11:23 AM > Subject: Re: Kosovo and DU > > > For Alan and others...IWPR does great work. Check out the Chechnya and > > Balkans Update lists there too. Now that B. Plavsic is on trial, I > suspexct > > that the former Bosnian Serb leadership around madman Karazdic is next. > And > > if y'all are gonna beat this dead horse about how many Kosovatrs were > killed > > how come no one on the hard left brings up the 200,000 killed (mostly > > Bosnian Muslims and Croats by the Serb neo-fascists with a Red-Brown > tinge > > ala Milosevic et. al.) during the Bosnian cinflict from the early 90's. > That > > is the foreground of the later slaughter by Milosevic et. al. > > Michael Pugliese, just another > > petty-boorrrjjjwwaaah liberal intelectual (with a just above minimum wage > > job so I'm not sure about my P.B. class location, heh...) > > > > > > TRIBUNAL UPDATE 202 > > > > Last Week in The Hague (December 4-9, 2000) > > > > GENERAL KRSTIC TRIAL - Defence witness claims Mladic's intervention > spared > > Srebrenica an even worse fate > > > > KORDIC & CERKEZ TRIAL - Final witnesses called to the stand as trial draws > > to a close > > > > TUTA AND STELA CASE - Defendant pleads not guilty to amended charges > > > > CROATIAN PAPERS RISK CONTEMPT CHARGES - Croatian newspapers warned > against > > publishing protected witness statements > > > > Tribunal Update is written by IWPR senior editor Mirko Klarin, a leading > > Hague court correspondent, and Vjera Bogati. > > > > ****************** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: www.iwpr.net ********** > > > > GENERAL KRSTIC TRIAL - Defence witness claims Mladic's intervention > spared > > Srebrenica an even worse fate > > > > The bloodshed in Srebrenica would have been "much worse" but for the > > intervention of General Ratko Mladic, a defence witness in the Krstic > trial > > claimed last week. > > > > Yugoslav army general Radovan Radinovic, appearing as a military expert > for > > the defence, said the former Bosnian Serb army, VRS, commander altered an > > order from the entity's president Radovan Karadzic demanding the > > 'elimination' of the United Nations protected area. > > > > General Radislav Krstic, former commander of the VRS Drina Corps, is > charged > > with genocide for his alleged role in the Srebrenica massacres, which > > claimed the lives of at least 7,500 Bosnian Muslim men and boys. Krstic's > > defence team claim Mladic had taken over control of the Srebrenica > operation > > from the defendant before the killings started. > > > > Radinovic faced a difficult task disputing the analysis of prosecution > > military experts, United States military intelligence analyst Richard > Butler > > and British Major General Richard Dannett (see Tribunal Updates Nos. 182, > > 185 and 186). > > > > The witness served as a senior officer in the former Yugoslav People's > Army > > and its successor, the Yugoslav army. He taught at military colleges and, > > during the Bosnian war, served as an advisor to ex federal president > Dobrica > > Cosic, a vocal advocate of Serbian nationalism. > > > > Radinovic began by challenging Butler and Dannett's claim that the > > Srebrenica operation - code named Krivaja 95 - was well-planned, complex > and > > precisely executed. He also disputed the presence of an effective chain of > > command, with Krstic at its head. > > > > The witness said Krivaja 95 was "not a big military operation". He > described > > the battle as "small in scope and of low intensity". Progress was slow, > > "with small losses on both sides and a very small degree of destruction." > > > > The aims, according to Radinovic, were to "prevent subversive terrorist > > incursions by members of the 28th Division [of the Bosnia-Herzegovina > Army], > > which violated the protected zone", to sever links between the Muslim > > enclaves of Srebrenica and Zepa, and to reduce the size of the enclave. > > > > These goals were achieved on July 9, 1995, Radinovic said, when units from > > the Drina Corps took up their planned positions on high ground around > > Srebrenica. > > > > Then "a crazy plan to capture Srebrenica crossed someone's mind," the > > witness said. > > > > Radinovic said the decision to press on into Srebrenica was made by > > Karadzic, who as president of Bosnian Serbs was also supreme commander of > > the armed forces. Radinovic's conclusion was based on an order sent to the > > Drina Corps forward command post on July 9, 1995, which read "the > President > > of the Republic approves the continuation of the attack and the entry of > the > > VRS into Srebrenica." > > > > Radinovic veers off at this point from the defence's basic argument that > > Mladic had ordered the capture of Srebrenica and had taken over command of > > the operation from Krstic. > > > > But the witness did attribute responsibility for the crimes to the > > politicians and the police, who were under the control of the Bosnian Serb > > government. > > > > Due to the "balance of forces" between the VRS and the BiH Army's 28th > > Division, no soldier had considered capturing Srebrenica, Radinovic said. > He > > claimed BiH troops outnumbered the Bosnian Serb forces by almost 3 to 1. > > > > "Military doctrine," Radinovic said, dictated "attackers must > significantly > > outnumber defenders" in order to capture a town. > > > > That Srebrenica did fall, on July 11, 1995, was due more to the failings > of > > the 28th Division and the BiH Army's supreme command. The international > > community was also partly responsible, he said. > > > > The 28th Division failed to defend the town effectively even though it had > > sufficient manpower and arms to hold out "long enough for the > international > > community to get involved," Radinovic said. > > > > A decisive defence of the town would have forced the UN mechanism to act, > > Radinovic argued. He said the international community's decision not to > take > > any action was "irresponsible". > > > > Radinovic said blame rested not only with the Dutch UN Protection Force > > Battalion in Srebrenica, but also with the then High Representative Carl > > Bildt, UN Representative Yasushi Akashi and the commander of UN forces in > > Bosnia, British General Rupert Smith. > > > > Had these officials come to Srebrenica on July 11 and 12, 1995, the > > 'consequences' of the town's capture could have been avoided, Radinovic > > said. > > > > Radinovic did not deny the mass execution of prisoners of war, but said > most > > of the casualties were the result of heavy fighting between Drina corps > > units and troops of the 28th BiH Army division, which were trying to break > > through to Tuzla. > > > > "The intensity of the fighting was so great," Radinovic said, "it is > > realistic to express the losses in the thousands, rather than hundreds." > > > > He criticised VRS headquarters for failing to "register properly" where > BiH > > Army soldiers were buried. Radinovic said those BiH officers responsible > for > > the decision to try and break through VRS lines must have realised what > the > > likely consequences would be and that they had in effect "sacrificed the > > 28th Division." > > > > That the bulk of the Drina Corps was involved in an operation near Zepa > was > > "lucky", Radinovic said, otherwise the losses experienced by those trying > to > > get to Tuzla "would have been even graver." > > > > Radinovic faced three and half days of cross-examination by prosecutors > last > > week. British Major Andrew Caley led the prosecution's questioning. > > > > Caley immediately homed in on the directive from Karadzic, issued in June > > 1995. Radinovic described the directive as a "list of desirable aims" and > > not as a binding order governing military operations. > > > > In the directive, Karadzic called for "daily planned and thought out > combat > > operations" to create "conditions and total insecurity, intolerability and > > make impossible the further survival of life of the inhabitants in > > Srebrenica and Zepa." > > > > Under pressure from the judges, Radinovic was forced to agree with the > > prosecutor this was a directive "to eliminate the Srebrenica enclave." > > > > But Radinovic insisted Mladic, in his order (directive 7.1), had changed > the > > Karadzic directive, deliberately replacing the phrase "elimination of > > Srebrenica" with "active military actions around the enclave" because he > > understood all too well what Karadzic's order could lead to. > > > > "It was good that he did," said Radinovic, "because the consequences would > > have been much worse." > > > > > > KORDIC & CERKEZ TRIAL - Final witnesses called to the stand as trial draws > > to a close > > > > The trial of Dario Kordic and Mario Cerkez, accused of crimes against > > Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) civilians in central Bosnia, is finally drawing > to > > a close. > > > > Final witnesses in the 19-month long case were called last week and > closing > > arguments from the prosecution and defence counsels are scheduled for > > December 14 and 15. > > > > The final prosecution witness was Halid Genjac, a member of the > > Bosnia-Herzegovina tripartite presidency. During the Bosnian war, Genjac > was > > president of the Bosniak Muslim Party of Democratic Action, SDA, in > Travnik. > > > > "From the beginning, the HDZ [Croatian Democratic Union] obstructed > > municipal political life," Genjac said. "That ended in complete blockade." > > > > In 1992, he said, "a kind of ultimatum" was issued demanding Bosniaks join > > the Croatian Defence Force, or HVO. "We stressed recognition of the HVO > > government would be unconstitutional. The government in Travnik could not > be > > named after only one people." > > > > According to Genjac, the only legal institutions in the town were the > > municipal presidency and the executive board. > > > > Kordic, as former vice-president of the so-called Croatian Community of > > Herceg-Bosna and of the HDZ in Bosnia-Herzegovina, is charged with making > > the most important political decisions in central Bosnia. > > > > The defence claim Kordic exercised no political power. Genjac, however, > said > > the local Croatian leadership in Travnik "asked or quoted Kordic." > > > > Last week, the judges also accepted as evidence several documents gleaned > > from Croatian archives. > > > > Of the large volume of material submitted by the prosecution, only 16 > > documents were accepted by the judges as meeting their strict criteria for > > the admission of new evidence at such a late stage in proceedings. > > > > The documents - HVO reports, orders and the logbook of the HVO central > > Bosnia command - were deemed "sufficiently significant" for their adoption > > at such a late stage in the trial. > > > > At this stage, it is difficult to assess the new evidence presented > because > > not all the exhibits were read out in public and some of the prosecution's > > witnesses did not testify in open court. > > > > The new evidence includes allegations concerning Kordic's participation at > a > > meeting of central Bosnia political and military leaders in Vitez on April > > 15, 1993 - the eve of the Lasva valley HVO offensive. > > > > It is alleged those at the meeting laid down plans for the attacks against > > Bosniaks the following day. > > > > Kordic's defence team called three witnesses, HVO political and military > > officials, to testify that the accused was not present at the meeting and > > that they also knew nothing of it. > > > > Cerkez's lawyers focused on evidence implicating the accused in organising > > the attack on Ahmici on April 16, 1993, which left over 100 Bosniak > > civilians dead. > > > > The defence argued that reports sent by Cerkez, then commander of the HVO > > Vitez brigade, to his superiors about the "advances of the HVO forces on > > Ahmici" did not imply the defendant knew of or had responsibility for the > > massacre in the village. > > > > > > TUTA AND STELA CASE - Defendant pleads not guilty to amended charges > > > > Mladen "Tuta" Naletilic and Vinko "Stela" Martinovic pleaded not guilty > last > > week to amended charges concerning their alleged abuse of prisoners. > > > > The two men were accused of forcing prisoners to carry out dangerous > > military tasks such as transporting ammunition across front lines and > > drawing enemy fire. > > > > The charges constitute violations of the laws or customs of war and - > > following an amendment to the indictment relating to "dangerous and > > humiliating labour" - grave breaches of the Geneva Convention. > > > > Naletilic, former commander of the Convicts' Battalion, and Martinovic, > > former commander of the battalion's anti-terrorist unit, are accused of > > persecuting Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) in and around Mostar in 1993 and > > early 1994. > > > > The prosecution claims the defendants were responsible for attacks on > > civilians, illegal detention of civilians and of inhuman treatment of > > prisoners under their control. They are also charged with murder, the > forced > > expulsion of people and theft. > > > > Martinovic and Naletilic pleaded not guilty to all the original charges > > during their initial hearings shortly after their arrival at The Hague. > > Croatia extradited Martinovic in August 1999 and Naletilic in March 2000. > > > > Trial preparations are still underway. Pre-trial judge Patricia Wald has > > asked the prosecution to reduce the number of witnesses it plans to call > to > > between 50 and 60 and for the prosecution and defence to aim to present > > their respective cases within ten weeks. > > > > One unresolved pre-hearing issue is the prosecution's intention to include > > as material evidence affidavits from witnesses scheduled to be interviewed > > by representatives from the prosecutor's office. > > > > Martinovic is demanding to be present when the witnesses give their > > statements, because he argues this would contribute to their accuracy and > > reliability. > > > > The start date for the trial has yet to be set. "What we can say now is > that > > this chamber will tell both sides some time in March when this trial will > > begin," presiding judge Almiro Rodrigues said. > > > > The three trial judges have said on several occasions the cases could be > > heard by a different trial chamber due to their already pressing workload > > with the Srebrenica and Omarska hearings. Given the recent announcement of > > 27 additional temporary judges for the tribunal, a change of chamber looks > > even more likely. > > > > > > CROATIAN PAPERS RISK CONTEMPT CHARGES - Croatian newspapers warned against > > publishing protected witness statements > > > > Two Croatian newspapers, the weekly Globus and the daily paper Slobodna > > Dalmacija, could face contempt of court charges following their > publication > > of statements by Croatian President Stipe Mesic during a closed tribunal > > hearing in 1998. > > > > The statements were given by Mesic in April 1998 during the trial of > former > > Bosnian Croat commander Tihomir Blaskic. Mesic was given protected status > > and allowed to give evidence in a closed session. > > > > On December 1, the tribunal judges which originally heard the Blaskic > case, > > issued an order requesting the Croatian papers stop publishing statements > by > > protected witnesses. The order warned, "any publication of these > statements > > and testimonies shall expose its authors and those responsible to be found > > in contempt of the tribunal." > > > > The court also asked the Croatian authorities to take steps to halt > further > > publication of the statements. > > > > But on December 6, Slobodna Dalmacija published another transcript from a > > closed court session involving the Croatian president. In his introduction > > to the story, the newspaper's editor- in-chief, Josip Jovic, said he had > > disregarded the Tribunal's order because "there is an understandable > public > > interest in The Hague testimony of the current head of state." > > > > "The institution of keeping secrets does not apply to newspapers," Jovic > > added. > > > > The tribunal has yet to react to the Slobodna Dalmacija article. > > > > Tribunal spokesman Jim Landale said publication of protected material was > > "foolish and irresponsible". He reiterated the publication of such > material > > could constitute contempt of court. "It is up to the trial chamber to take > > what measures it thinks necessary," Landale said, adding this could > include > > summoning a person to The Hague to respond to contempt of court charges. > > > > On December 7, the Croatian government said it had no information on how > the > > newspapers got hold of Mesic's testimony. It said the government did not > > have cited minutes of Mesic's court appearance and did not know who the > > sources of such disclosures could be. > > > > Immediately after Mesic appeared at The Hague, material relating to his > > testimony leaked to the Croatian press. The reappearance of stories two > > years on, and well into Mesic's presidency, suggests the revelations have > > more to do with Croatian domestic politics than anything else. > > > > Criticism in Croatia that the Tribunal court order amounted to > "censorship" > > and "interference with the freedom of the media" met short shrift from > > prosecutor's office spokeswoman Florence Hartmann. > > > > "Publishing information given to the Tribunal through testimonies is not a > > problem - their content will be known to the public through the court > > sentences in any case," Hartmann said. "But the problem is when a witness > > who gave them is identified because that will affect the readiness of > other > > witnesses to make a statement before the Tribunal." > > > > "The publication of protected witnesses' names only makes it harder for > > prosecutors to collect information on crimes, and hence in establishing > the > > truth and administering justice." > > > > ****************** VISIT IWPR ON-LINE: www.iwpr.net********* > > > > These weekly reports, produced since 1995, detail events and issues at the > > International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The > > Hague, providing an independent and comprehensive account of the war > crimes > > process. > > > > Copyright (c) 2000 The Institute for War & Peace Reporting. > > > > Tribunal Update is produced under IWPR's Tribunal Monitoring Project. The > > project seeks to contribute to regional and international understanding of > > the war-crimes prosecution process. > > > > IWPR gratefully acknowledges the Swedish International Development Agency > > and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office for support for this project, > as > > w ell as general support from the Ford Foundation. > > > > Articles are available, with permission, for free republication within the > > region. > > > > The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) is a London-based > independent > > non-profit organisation supporting regional media and democratic change. > > > > Lancaster House, 33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH, United Kingdom > > Tel: (44 171) 713 7130 Fax: (44 171) 713 7140 E-mail info@iwpr.net > > > > For further information on this project and other reporting services and > > media programmes, as well as details for subscribing and unsubscribing, > > visit IWPR's Website: <www.iwpr.net>. > > > > Editor-in-Chief: Anthony Borden. Managing Editor: Yigal Chazan. Associate > > Editor: Gordana Igric. Assistant Editors: Alan Davis and Heather Milner. > > Editorial Assistant: Mirna Jancic. Kosovo Project Manager: Llazar Semini. > > Translation: Alban Mitrushi and others. > > > > The opinions expressed in "Tribunal Update" are those of the authors and > do > > not necessarily represent those of the publication or of IWPR.` > > > > IWPR'S TRIBUNAL UPDATE, NO. 202 > > > > > > > > {#} ----------------------------------------------------+[ > trienglish ]+--- > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Alan Spector <spectors@netnitco.net> > > To: WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK <wsn@csf.colorado.edu> > > Date: Monday, January 15, 2001 9:05 AM > > Subject: Re: Kosovo and DU > > > > > > >Immediately just before the NATO bombing on Yugoslavia began, the reports > > >were that 2,000 Kosovar Albanians had been murdered over the past two > years > > >and that as many as 50,000, perhaps even 100,000 were about to be > murdered. > > >After the bombing, there was a massive forced displacement of Kosovar > > >Albanians, including the murders of an unknown number. Despite the best > > >efforts of U.S. technology, including FBI forensic experts, satellite > > >photos, etc, current estimates of bodies found range between 600 and > 2,000, > > >and some of them might be Serbian victims. Somewhere between 500 and > 1500 > > >Yugoslavians were killed as a direct result of the NATO bombing, and it > is > > >difficult to estimate how many more deaths will result from the > > consequences > > >of bombing roads and bridges, which doubtless has caused more deaths as > > >people in critical situations may be unable to get quick medical care. > > > > > >About the two years prior to the bombing and the initial US/NATO > rationale > > >of two thousand murders -- Kosovo has about 2 million people. Two > thousand > > >constitutes a murder rate of one/thousand, over two years. Gary, Indiana > > >which adjoins my city of Hammond, has about 100,000 people and > > approximately > > >one hundred murders per year, or about one/thousand over one year. Gary > has > > >twice the murder rate that Kosovo had. > > > > > >But that was enough of an excuse for US/NATO which was carrying on the > > older > > >imperial British strategy of destabilizing regions to keep them weak and > > >vulnerable, without actually having to physically occupy them. > > > > > >It is true that some Serb military forces did commit war crimes. No doubt > > >there were individual soldiers, even perhaps some high ranking military > > >officers who approved the execution of civilians. But nothing like the > > >ridiculous lies we were fed about 25,000 or 50,000. And if "depleted > > >uranium" does cause cancer among civilians, if various other actions such > > as > > >bombing chemical plants caused civilian deaths, then the charge of "war > > >crimes" must be applied to the US/NATO effort. And all this pales in > > >comparison to the massive civilian deaths caused by the US led embargo > > >against the Iraqi people, and of course the Vietnam War. And how come > > people > > >are developing amnesia about the massive civilian deaths the U.S. > military > > >caused in Vietnam, as well as destabilizing the rest of Southeast Asia > and > > >laying the basis for many more outside Vietnam? Why are people who > condemn > > >imperialism considered "fringe" or "hysterical"? Because the mainstream > > >liberal intellectuals serve their masters by lying outright in propaganda > > >service to these mass murderers. And no, that's not exaggeration. > > > > > >Alan Spector > > > > > > > > >Alan Spector > > > > > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: <franka@fiu.edu> > > >To: <wwagar@binghamton.edu> > > >Cc: <wsn@csf.colorado.edu> > > >Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2001 7:23 PM > > >Subject: Re: Kosovo and DU > > > > > > > > >> everything warren says is right - except the second sentence. > > >> there is no evidence of any such campaign, and the NATO/Brit "defense' > > >> minister-now NATO head's, claim of 10,000 then 100,000 Albian massacred > > at > > >> Serb hands has turned out by Nato and other forenscic teams to have > been > > >> less than 2,000 - far too many but far fewer than necessary to whip > up > > >> popular support for the NATO mission = to expand eastward, and of the > > >> 2,000 many were Albanian combatants and others probably were also > > >> Serbs. And as to the alleged Serb plan that Warren refers to, > > >> 1. the Germans invented an alleged such plan, which was then shown to > be > > a > > >> hoax, even in leaked German foreing ministry reports and [all another > > >> Tonkin Gulf and incubator babies in Kuwait] > > >> 2. many Albanians fled into Serbia - from NATO! > > >> > > >> to beOn Sun, 14 Jan 2001 wwagar@binghamton.edu wrote: > > >> > > >> > Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 19:37:08 -0500 (EST) > > >> > From: wwagar@binghamton.edu > > >> > To: wsn@csf.colorado.edu > > >> > Subject: Kosovo and DU > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > The well-deserved flap about DU should not obscure the fundamental > > >> > evil involved in the U.S./NATO rampage against Serbia. I do not > doubt > > >> > that Serbia had in mind a campaign that would drive many ethnic > > >Albanians > > >> > over the border, with ethnic Albanian casualties in the process pour > > >> > encourager les autres. The U.S. once engaged in "Indian wars" to > > effect > > >> > the same result. Be that as it may. > > >> > > > >> > The real point is that the United States and its "allies" > > >> > intervened in the affairs of a Balkan republic in the hope of > teaching > > a > > >> > lesson, to wit: do not adjust your television sets, we are in > control, > > >> > and we will bomb into submission anybody who resists us. If it helps > > us > > >> > to demolish your tanks by resorting to nuclear weapons, so be it. We > > >are > > >> > above the law, if law there be, and we will use our technology to > slice > > >> > you to ribbons. Should any civilians on the ground die in the > process, > > >so > > >> > much the worse for them! We're not trying to save them, anyway, > we're > > >> > trying to assert our hegemony. Should any of our precious > peacekeepers > > >> > die in the process, well, we never promised them a rose garden. > > >Besides, > > >> > they're not us! They're expendable, right? > > >> > > > >> > Of course the ultimate jest is the "D" in "DU." The uranium is > > >> > depleted for any serious use in weapons or energy production, but if > it > > >> > remains radioactive for several millennia, hey, that's life! Or > > >> > half-life. Or death. ... > > >> > > > >> > Yours in disgust, > > >> > > > >> > Warren > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > >> > > >> ANDRE GUNDER FRANK > > >> > > >> 1601 SW 83rd Avenue, Miami, FL. 33155 USA > > >> Tel: 1-305-266 0311 Fax: 1-305 266 0799 > > >> E-Mail : franka@fiu.edu > > >> Web/Home Page: http://csf.colorado.edu/archive/agfrank > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > -- Mine Aysen Doyran Ph.D Student Department of Political Science SUNY at Albany Nelson A. Rockefeller College 135 Western Ave.; Milne 102 Albany, NY 12222 Shop online without a credit card http://www.rocketcash.com RocketCash, a NetZero subsidiary
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