6 Jun 2011

UN / WAR CRIMES TRIBUNALS

Chief prosecutor of the ICTY Serge Brammetz said today that while the Ratko Mladic arrest was an “excellent” result, the fact remains that he was at large for 16 years, raising “troubling questions about how it was possible for this individual to elude the substantial resources of a state system for so many years.” UNTV

Posted at: June 6, 2011 2:21 pm

Duration: 02:46

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / WAR CRIMES TRIBUNALS
TRT: 2.46
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 6 JUNE 2011, NEW YORK CITY

SHOTLIST:

RECENT 2011, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters

6 JUNE 2011, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Judge Patrick Robinson, President, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY):
"I must tell you frankly that the staffing problem is so bad that it can now be described as chronic, systemic and endemic. We are in a staffing crisis. C-r-i-s-i-s. The stark reality is that because the tribunal is closing down staff members are leaving. In a five week period in April and May 8 members of the Chamber staff alone tendered their resignations and in the space of three days three staff tendered their resignations."
5. Cutaway, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Judge Khalida Rachid Khan, President, International Criminal Court for Rwanda (ICTR):
"We appreciate that this distinguished Council continues to note in its resolutions the importance that tribunals are adequately staffed and calls upon the Secretariat to work with the registrars of the Tribunals to find practical solution to address this issue."
7. Cutaway, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Serge Brammertz, ICTY Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY):
"While Ratko Mladic's arrest is an excellent result, the fact remains that he was at large for 16 years. This raises troubling questions about how it was possible for this individual to elude the substantial resources of a state for so many years. We welcome the Serbian Government's statement that will investigate and prosecute the networks that supported Ratko Maldic during his time in hiding." 
9. Cutaway, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Serge Brammertz, ICTY Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY):
"We also ask the Serbian Government to continue the operational improvements that led to Ratko Mladic's arrest. The recommendations set out in my report for strengthening Serbia's fugitive tracking efforts remain valid. We want the remaining ICTY fugitive, Goran Hadžiè, apprehended without further delay."
11. Cutaway, delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Hassan Bubacar Jallow, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court for Rwanda (ICTR):
"The strategy of referral of cases to national jurisdictions remains crucial for a timely completion of the ICTR mandate, the reduction of the scope and workload of the Residual Mechanism and the avoidance of impunity gaps by encouraging extradition by other countries to Rwanda."
13. Wide shot, Security Council meeting

STORYLINE:

The Presidents and Prosecutors of the Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR) updated council members today at the United Nations on the  those institutions.

The President of the Former Yugoslavia's Tribunal, Judge Patrick Robinson described the unprecedented challenges faced by the Tribunal during the past six months and also the achievements made in the implementation of its completion strategy.

In particular, Judge Robinson highlighted the recent arrest of Ratko Mladic and outlined the issue of staff attrition as one of the areas in which the Tribunal needs the support of the Security Council.

He described the staffing problem as "chronic, systemic and endemic" and urged Member States to support meaningful steps to address this issue.

"The stark reality is that because the tribunal is closing down, staff members are leaving. In a five week period in April and May 8 members of the Chamber staff alone tendered their resignations and in the space of three days three staff tendered their resignations", he told council members.

The ICTY's Prosecutor Serge Brammertz told the Council that while the Ratko Mladic arrest was an "excellent" result, the fact remains that he was at large for 16 years, raising "troubling questions about how it was possible for this individual to elude the substantial resources of a state system for so many years."

He said the arrest was significant on many levels. He thanked the Serbian authorities for making the arrest, and acknowledged the role played by the National Security Council, the Action Team established to track the fugitives and the operatives from the security services.

The Prosecutor also welcomed the Serbian Government's statement that it would investigate and prosecute the networks that supported Ratko Mladiæ during his time in hiding. He asked the Serbian Government to follow through on these undertakings as a matter of priority.

The Prosecutor also asked the Serbian Government to follow the recommendations on fugitive tracking efforts set out in his written report and continue the operational improvements that led to Ratko Mladiæ's arrest. "We want the remaining ICTY fugitive, Goran Hadžiè, apprehended without further delay," he said.