WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL (PART 2) [Main Title]

UNTV investigates what progress is being made in the prosecution of war crimes by the international tribunal at the Hague and by courts in Croatia and Serbia.

Shots of the chamber in the Hague as the court rises. Since the ICTY began only one preliminary hearing has been held and no one has yet been brought to trial. Interview with Richard Goldstone, Prosecutor at the ICTY. He says that they have a problem of credibility because of the delays over the last few months. He stresses, though, that they want to do the best job that they can. Although there have been no serious obstacles to progress, he does cite several reasons for the Tribunals slow start. He says that they have not had the open access to information that they were promised by the different sides and each case involves many witnesses and so it takes time to build up a case against individuals. Shots of Richard Goldstone in court. He is presenting the charges against Dusan "Dule" Tadić, the first person due to stand trial in the court. Allegations against him state that he was directly involved in the removal of the majority of the Muslim community from Prijedor and the murder of three prisoners at the detention camp near Prijedor. He also forced another man to bite off their testicles. The date on which it is alleged that this took place is the 17th of June 1992. Shot from car of the detention centre as UNTV arrive. Shots of prisoner as they file past the camera. One prisoner eats soup. An armed guard watches on. Interview with a man who describes being forced to bite of the testicles of five men. He describes the screams of the men that could not be silenced. Interview with another man involved who says that 'Jasko was already dead but Eno and Emir were still screaming'. A short home video clip shows two of the victims. The first man is asked who ordered him to bite of the testicles and he says 'it was Dule Tadić. The second man says 'I would recognise him'. Still shot of Tadić. He is now under arrest in Germany. Shot of the Hague and Goldstone describing Tadić's offenses as 'most serious'. Goldstone explains that they are waiting for Tadić to be transferred from the German prison to the Hague. He stresses that it is better that time is taken over the cases. He says that it would be worse if they were rushed or incomplete. Shot of a piece of paper which indicts Dragan Nikolic. He is believed to be in Serb-held territories but the authorities there are not cooperating with the international court. Richard Goldstone says that he is surprised that the authorities would not want to distant themselves from Nikolic if he is guilty or, if he is innocent, prove the falsity of the allegations. Shot shows pages of the indictment. Charges include the murder of eight detainees of Sušica camp, near in the municipality of Vlasenica in Bosnia. Richard Goldstone stresses that these are serious charges. Shot of a policeman in the chamber of the Hague and Richard Goldstone. Despite appearances, the Hague has few powers of enforcement and does not want to hold trials in absentia. It relies on cooperation from other authorities. Shot of empty Danish court. Still shot of prisoners and Šarić. Refic Šarić, a Bosnian Muslim was convicted of beating fellow prisoners in Dretelj, a camp for prisoners of war, in Croatian-held territory in the summer of 1993. He will spend seven years in a Danish prison. Richard Goldstone says that it is important that national courts are used for common law and municipal offences. The job of the ICTY is distinct, in that it deals with breaches of international law that safeguard human rights. Exterior shot of the Croatian High Court in Zagreb. 131 cases have already been tried here. Milan Vukovic, President of the War Crimes Commission in Croatia, says that international investigators have come from the Tribunal and in reviewing the cases have been impressed by the way the Croatian courts has handed them. In Serbia, Dusko Vucković is the first to be tried for war crimes. He is accused of murdering several people at the Čalopek "Cultural Centre" and of rape. His trial is being held at Šabac. Footage of Vucković in handcuffs and in the dock at his trial. Since this was filmed, the trial has been suspended because the presiding judge is ill. Shots of electricians at work in the Hague. The building is not yet finished. Richard Goldstone says that despite appearances they have a strong sense of urgency in bringing people to trial. Closing shot of Goldstone in court and an exterior shot of the Hague.

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