Yugoslav Army Chief Created "environment of impunity"

By Sarah Benczik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - The trial for Momčilo Perišić, former Chief of General Staff of the Yugoslav army under Slobodan Milošević, began today at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

Perišić is the most senior officer of the Yugoslav Army to go before the ICTY for crimes committed during the conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. He has been charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes including murder, inhumane acts and attacks on civilians. 

ICTY prosecutor Mark Harmon stated in opening statements today that Perišić had been one of Milošević's "principal collaborators" in seeking to create a "Greater Serbia," which included carving out an ethnically pure Serbian state that included large parts of Bosnia and Croatia.

The Indictment alleges that Perišić provided significant personnel, material and logistical assistance to the Bosnian and Croatian Serb armies.  He is also charged with planning and executing the military campaign targeting civilians in Sarajevo, with aiding and abetting the crimes of extermination, murder and persecutions in the Srebrenica massacre, and bearing criminal responsibility for the shelling of civilian areas of Zagreb.  He has also been charged with failing to prevent or address crimes committed by subordinates as a commanding officer, including going to great lengths to protect Ratko Mladić, currently still at large, from accountability before the ICTY.

According to BBC, Harmon today in court stated, "[Perišić] consistently failed in his duty to investigate and punish crimes committed by his officers... of which he was fully aware... He created an environment of impunity, wherein his subordinates were encouraged and did persist to commit crimes, knowing there would be no consequences."

For more information, please see:

BBC - Ex-Yugoslav army chief on trial - 2 October 2008

International Herald Tribune - War crimes trial begins for former commander of Yugoslav Army - 2 October 2008

UN News Centre - Momčilo Perišić Trial to Begin Today - 2 October 2008