"Let today's detention serve as a warning. There will be no hiding place for anyone accused by the Tribunal of these horrific crimes. Let me be crystal clear to those with guilty consciences, you have only two choices : turn yourself in with dignity or justice will be brought to you."
This quote was part of an excerpt given by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on April 1st 2002 after the capture of Serbian captain Momir Nikolic. Nikolic was accused of planning the systematic murder of thousands of Muslim men in an attempt to ethnically cleanse Serbia. Nikolic is one of many Serbian leaders to be brought to justice, however there are still countless perpetrators from this genocide that have no been prosecuted. These are the people who are inderectly responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. These are the people who manipulate their followers so that their plans are carried out with precision. This primary source helps us understand the urge of the international community to hunt down the perpetrators from the bosnian genocide and bring them to justice. Many Serbian war criminals continue to hide, but as the ecretary general said "turn yourself in with dignity or justice will be brought to you." After being prosecuted and sentenced to 20 years in prison Nikolic had this to say: "I decided to come before this Tribunal and admit that a crime happened in Srebrenica in which I myself participated and for which I expect adequate punishment. I sincerely wish before this Chamber and before the public, especially the Bosniak public, to express my deep and sincere remorse and regret because of the crime that occurred and to apologise to the victims, their families, and the Bosniak people for my participation in this crime.” This plead of forgiveness reflects the repeating cause of genocide; the willingness of the perpetrators to act.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_19845.htm?selectedlocale=en
http://www.icty.org/sid/218
