All In One Peace

BBC Serbs jailed for Vukovar massacre

With all of the press of Ante Gotovina being caught in Spain and sent to the Hague, it seems that the Balkans are in the news a lot. This seemed just like another report- one I didn’t particularly even want to read per se. But I did anyway, as I usually try to at least skim info about the Balkans.

But 14 people were convicted today of the Ovcara massacre which happened right outside Vukovar, Croatia. I went to that farm. I went to that farm with my friend Sarah and her local friend- a mother…
Ovcara Memorial

I will never forget her face, as she gingerly lit one of the catholic votive candles flickering out in the wind at the memorial in the middle of this big empty field. The thought of her always makes me shiver- and remember the emptiness and longing that goes hand in hand with the aftermath. I’m glad I read the article and remembered.

I was looking on BBC and they caught in Argentina a Bosnian Serb war criminal. This is an interesting case, as he has already been tried in absence and found guilty on Serbian grounds- and he’s also wanted at the Hague. Take a look. War criminal caught!

Do note, that Argentina has a fair amount of people from the Balkans. A whole flock of Croats, and other Balkans peoples, fled after WWII, as the Croatian Ustahe movement alligned with the Nazi’s in WWII, and committed horrible atrocities. Many of these people were also in the Catholic church- and some priests and war criminals were smuggled to Argentina, and other countries, by the Roman Catholic church, using monies taken from people during the war.

Not to be out-done by the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox church is supposedly not far behind in harboring fugitives. Karadzic, who is one of the most wanted men in the world for the shelling of Sarajevo and involvement with Srebrenica, has been rumored to be in hiding with help of both the church and politicians.
No wonder why religion is such a touchy subject in the Balkans…