Karadzic shows difficulties of Genocide trials

Genocide is defined under UN convention as the deliberate extermination of part or whole of a people. In this case the burden of proof lies with the prosecution to prove that the Serbians acted in Srebrenica with te intent of committing genocide in the case of the killings of 7000 muslim men and boys in 1995.

If found guilty Karadzic faces life imprisonment for the Sreerenica masscre and the charge of leadinga military campaign with the goal of cleaning the former Yugoslavia of Muslims and Croations. These are the gravest crimes in international humanitarian law.

Karadzic, like President Milosevic before him is boycotting the openning hearing at the Hague in the Netherlands. Claiming that materials for his defense were inadequate. He has refused to appear.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)has so far handed down for one genocide-related conviction so far, jailing Bosnian Serb ex-general Radislav Krstic for 35 years in the Srebrenica incident.

The ICTY has been proceeding against 120 accused, of whom 11 were acquitted, 60 sentenced, 13 referred to national courts, 20 had their indictments withdrawn and 16 died. Leaving twenty-three who are currently on trial and 14 on appeal and two are awaiting trial.

Karadzic was appointed Bosnian Serb president in early 1992. In Bosina Karadzic is still a hero to many Bosina Serbs who sing songs and praise his efforts during the war. He was arrested in Belgrade in July last year after evading international authorities for 13 years.