A "small act of justice"” “

Some 278,000 people were killed (or disappeared) in Bosnia-Herzegovina from the outbreak of the war to 1st January 1995: that’s an average of 204 people per day. Over one million people, 28.4% of the population, were expelled from the country in various ways. Now Slobodan Milosevic is in the dock at the UNO Tribunal in The Hague. He faces 40 charges of war crimes, 21 for crimes against humanity and two for genocide. Crimes committed in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo between 1991 and 1999. We spoke on the telephone with Cardinal Vinko Puljic , archbishop of Sarajevo. During the war, not only were non-Serbs systematically persecuted or expelled, but all their religious symbols were destroyed: churches, chapels, crosses, mosques, cemeteries. The Catholic Church suffered a great deal. Many churches were razed to the ground or mined; priests and religious were killed or tortured. How is Sarajevo reacting to the trial of Milosevic? “With a feel of satisfaction due to the evil committed during the war. But there are many who think that not only Milosevic is responsible for what happened. Many are convinced that other leaders of the international community also have their share of responsibility”. What effect does it have on you to see Milosevic in the dock? “Milosevic does not seem to have had any change of heart. It’s just the same old Milosevic we knew before and during the war. It’s the Milosevic who follows his own path, speaks as he chooses and ignores all responsibility. But this trial is very important because no rule of law can exist without punishment. When human rights and democratic freedoms are proclaimed, it’s essential that sanctions be provided against their violation. The Tribunal in The Hague of course has shortcomings, but it still represents a process that helps the international community to grow in true justice. As the Pope says, it’s impossible to build peace without justice”. Doesn’t the Pope also say that there can be no peace without pardon? “Pardon and justice go hand in hand. Pardon is the way of reconciling human beings to each other, but human societies have a need for justice. Of course, courts of law must always respect man, in his dignity”. Does seeing Milosevic in the dock help Sarajevo to reconcile itself to its history? “Yes, it’s certainly a step in the right direction, but today so many are worried about their survival. In Sarajevo people are worried about their jobs, their future; they’re still involved in the reconstruction of their homes. The trial of Milosevic is only one step”. What do people expect now? “First, they expect all those primarily responsible for the atrocities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to be brought to trial and that this happens in every country. Second: without work, without schools, without infrastructures, it’s impossible to create hope for the future. Hope assuredly comes from faith and trust in the goodness of God. But so many have no faith and ask for reasons why they should hope. We must give them an answer”. What’s the message from Sarajevo? “No trial will ever be able to bring the victims back to life. The trial of Milosevic is thus a small gesture that sanctions a small act of justice. It’s not possible to pay for a life lost, indeed for thousands of lives lost. And that’s why the international community must strive to create the foundations for a system of justice starting out from the relation between man and man, between people and people, between nation and nation. Even though – I repeat – it’s impossible for this trial to compensate for the thousands who died. We need to have the strength, accept the tragedy, and kindle a new beacon of light for the future. It’s impossible to live looking back at the past. We need to accept the situation. Sarajevo must now look ahead”. M.C.B.