SANCTIONS DEBATE

This letter was published in response to a debate regarding the wisdom of dropping sanctions on Iraq. I thought that the double standards in regard to dropping sanctions on Serbia without conditions, as compared to the threats Croatia received, to be of relevance.

 

Liberal Democrat News No. 649

16 February 2001

 

Dear Editor

I read the current debate over sanctions on Iraq with interest. The case of Serbia illustrates how misjudged the dropping of sanctions can be.

The dropping of sanctions on Serbia has resulted in the war crimes investigation process being completely compromised.

Sanctions were threatened against Croatia for slowness in complying with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY); for Serbia they have been lifted without any conditions.

The ICTY is financially backed by the same powers that are operating double standards for compliance with the Tribunal and financially aiding President Kostunica, who supports the war criminal Radovan Karazdic.

How then can a Croat charged by the ICTY with crimes against Serbs get a fair trial?

The ICTY has been raising eyebrows by its blatant refusal to investigate the majority of war crimes committed in Croatia - by the invading Serbs, preferring to investigate all Croat crimes. The crimes against Serbs in Croatia do not even amount to the horrors of Vukovar, let alone the up to 20,000 Croats slaughtered.

It will surprise many to know that the ICTY sets its own priorities. It does not have to prioritise according to the worst massacres - and in Croatia, it does not.

The ICTY's priorities in Croatia are clearly politically motivated to appease Serbia.

The dropping of sanctions on Serbia has simply accelerated the ICTY's appeasement process - following the lead of the international community. It also demonstrates how the International Criminal Court will work; only realpolitik considerations will determine its investigations.

 

Yours sincerely

Brian Gallagher