World

Karadzic violent rally attracts fewer than expected

by Amy Judd | July 29, 2008 at 10:12 am

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UPDATE: 9:33PM EST

The rally apparently attracted far fewer numbers that expected, despite the violence that occurred.

The turnout prompted hopes that the political tide in Serbia had turned in favour of the government's pro-European Union policies.

Mr Karadzic, the leader of the Bosnian Serbs in the 1992-95 war, was still in -custody yesterday pending his transfer to the United Nations war crime tribunal in The Hague where he faces trial for his role in the -Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo.

Police officials put the turnout at yesterday's pro-Karadzic demonstration at just 11,000, well short of the tens of thousands that organisers had promised. The police had also prepared for greater numbers and the possibility of violence.

The speakers at the rally, in Belgrade's central Republic Square, seemed to dwell more on the fate of Kosovo - the largely ethnic Albanian province that declared -independence from Serbia in February - than on Mr Karadzic whose arrest was announced last week following more than a decade in the hiding.

Update | - The rally has turned violent, according to the Associated Press.

Dozens of extremists are clashing with police on the sidelines of a rally in support of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.

Police are firing tear gas and rubber bullets at the stone-hurling protesters. The protesters are smashing shop windows.

Previously | - Belgrade is the home to thousands of Karadzic supporters today, as Serbian nationalists have gathered in central Belgrade to protest Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic being sent to the war crimes tribunal.

Serbia's Radical Party hopes for a big turnout, and police estimated that some 15,000 people took to the streets.

Large numbers of riot police have been deployed and Serbia's president has warned protesters against any violence.

Mr Karadzic is expected to be sent soon to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague, following his arrest a week ago.

Earlier, EU ambassadors put off a decision on establishing closer ties with Serbia until the extradition.

The Serbian Radical Party is organizing the mass demonstration, including protestors from all over the country.
To them, Karadzic is still considered a 'hero'.

Radical Party leader Aleksandar Vucic said Tuesday's protest was "against the treacherous and dictatorial regime" of Serbian President Boris Tadic.

Radovan Karadzic faces 11 charges of genocide and crimes against humanity, and was arrested in Belgrade last week after living for almost 13 years as a fugitive.

EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels on Tuesday stopped short of offering Serbia any immediate prospect of joining the EU following the arrest.

Instead they decided to defer a decision on unfreezing trade benefits until they saw Mr Karadzic transferred to The Hague.

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Yuliya Talmazan

at 11:18 on July 29th, 2008

While I condemn the crimes allegedly committed by Karadzic and consider the Srebrenica killings a despicable act of genocide, it seems strange that the International Criminal Court (and the rest of the world) completely ignores accusations laid by Carla Del Ponte, the former ICC prosecutor, against Kosovo Albanians who were smuggling human organs of kidnapped Serbs. The reports published by the United Nations Interium Adminstration Mission in Kosovo and Human Rights Watch confirm Del Ponte's allegations. Yet, hardly anyone in the Western world ever talks about it.