Daily Times

It is not the justice that was hoped for. At best it is a symbolic victory for the relatives of those massacred more than 20 years ago in the Srebrenica genocide. Given that Dutch peacekeepers have been apportioned just 30 percent of the blame for the execution of 300 Bosnian Muslims at the hands of Serb forces. Meaning that they have not been charged with accountability for the rest of the 8,000 men and boys who were slaughtered as they were evacuated from a UN base back in 1995, in what has been described as the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.

Nevertheless, we fully welcome this week’s ruling by The Hague Appeals Court. And we do so because the landmark move underscores how the United Nations is no longer immune from prosecution. About time, too, we say. For too long has the world body stood by impotently, while others have got away with murder.

Quite literally.

First there was Rwanda. Over a period of roughly 100 days up to one million people were butchered in one of the worst episodes of ethnic cleansing that the world has ever seen. Then just one year later came Srebrenica. Since then, we have had Iraq, Darfur (west Sudan), Libya and Syria. The first two of these atrocities took place on the watch of our old friend, Mr Kofi Annan.

Which brings us to the question of collective responsibility at the UN. It’s all very well establishing international tribunals for both Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. It’s all very well pointing to the expanded scope of international criminal courts and how they are leading us from a culture of impunity to one of accountability. It’s all very well coming up with a mandate to arm those who are charged with keeping the peace  — under the R2P (Responsibility to Protect). But unless the buck stops at the top  — it may as well not stop at all.

For us, the UN will only regain lost credibility the day that Mr Annan sits firmly in the dock.  *

Published in Daily Times, June 29th, 2017.