In school, we learned about the atrocities of the Holocaust and World War II. I always found it hard to swallow, which I believe is a fairly normal reaction to such wickedness. But there was, at least, some sort of relief to know that there was some justice served at the end of it all. Although it did not even begin to compare to the loss and suffering so many faced, the convictions following the Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders provided something for the survivors and the affected to hold on to.
On Thursday, justice for the worst European conflict since World War II was finally given. Prosecutors for a United Nations tribunal finally convicted Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader, of genocide and war crimes, as well as crimes against humanity. His conviction was based on his involvement in the Bosnian civil war that occurred from 1992-1995.
The civil war ended with the deaths totaling 100,000; half of them killed in what came to be known as "ethnic cleansing campaign." During the height of the violence, Karadzic played a huge role in organizing and encouraging the "cleansing" of non-Serbs from areas of Bosnia. At this time, Mr. Karadzic was convicted of genocide for the Srebrenica massacre, which aimed to kill “every able-bodied male” in the town and exterminate the Bosnian Muslim population there.
Although he tried to deny his involvement by stating he was not responsible for ordering killings and was not aware that a massacre was taking place, he was finally convicted of the crimes stated previously and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Some critics claim that the sentence should have been set for life, but others are just happy to see him behind bars at last.
