UN suspends Mladic war crimes trial

The Yugoslav war crimes court has adjourned indefinitely the trial of Ratko Mladic over what it calls errors in the disclosure of evidence. The trial was supposed to start later in the month, and now may not happen at all. 

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS ( Catholic Online) - The trial came to a halt as judges said the prosecution failed to share millions of pages worth of evidence with the prosecution. Persecutors allege that Mladic is responsible for the round up and murder of 8,000 Muslim boys and men.

Mladic acted on an order which instructed him to, "create an unbearable situation of total insecurity with no hope of further survival or life for the inhabitants of Srebrenica". Then while his troops carried out the orders, Mladic took time away from the atrocities to have talks with NATO commanders and even attend a wedding. 

Ratko Mladic is accused of war crimes stemming from the 1990's conflict that consumed the former Yugoslavia. However, the former general is unlikely to answer for his crimes, although he will almost certainly die in jail. 

Mladic is 70 years old and in poor health. He has already suffered three strokes and has reportedly been treated for cancer. Before him, the former Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic was put on trial but died in jail before he could be convicted. 

Of greater importance, perhaps, is the magnitude of the error of the UN court. The War Crimes court is expected to be the final arbiter of justice for individuals who commit acts of genocide and other crimes against humanity during the course of war.  

The error itself involves some 2-8 million pages of case files and witness statements that went undisclosed to the defense. The defense says it complained multiple times that the documents were never handed over and that their concealment could affect the fairness of the trial. 

The surviving families of the victims want justice and have regularly wept during the course of the trial. The recent development can bring no comfort. 

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