Radovan Kadrazic and International Justice

Yesterday, as I was busy away from the house, it was not until the evening that I heard the news that the war criminal Radovan Kadrazic had been arrested. I will not use the journalistic nicety of saying “alleged war criminal” as simply as the head of state he could have stopped many the atrocities that took place in Bosnia.

While it has taken thirteen years and a change of government in Serbia for this to happen, finally the many thousands of his victims will see justice. While there will be some who will think that this will just open old wounds, the victims need to see that people like Kadrazic are held accountable.

Additionally, states like Serbia and the people of that country, need to know that only through following civilised and just behaviour can any state become full participants in the human family.
This actually should also send a strong message out to all states that behave aggressively either to external people or internally to its own population, that no matter how much time has passed justice will happen.

Now there is a parallel with other events that are happening around the world, and if we can contain people like Radovan Kadrazic and states like his was, eventually they will change. I can see a direct parallel with Iran here. I don't want to see Iran with nuclear weapons, but nor do I want to see America or Israel taking military action against Iran.

The trouble is that because of the thirst for oil in the west and particularly America, we indirectly feed the Iran economy by buying their oil. With Serbia by imposing and keeping strong sanctions in place eventually the Serbian government and more importantly the people realised that only by following and adopting the accepted ways of behaviour will a state, a nation become part of the civilised world.

This has worked before, Libya while it is still not a pleasant régime, they are at least extensively following international rules. If we followed a consistent approach and stopped supporting odious states by the back door, we really could start to build a better, safer and much more just world.