Ethnic Conflict of Yugoslavia
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The current ethnic conflict in what was formerly Yugoslavia has roots that extend far back into history. The nationhood of the different ethnic groups in Yugoslavia was always somewhat artificial, brought about by the force of circumstances after World War I more than by a desire on the part of the different groups to be joined together under one banner. The nationalistic feelings in Yugoslavia extend back to the nineteenth century, to the era of nationalism throughout Europe. The ethnic groups in the region have long been divided by cultural differences, religion, and language. Efforts to unify the region failed until after World War I, when the impetus to come together increased for economic and security reasons. Yet, the nation that emerged was always tenuous because the union did not satisfy the needs of all the groups equally. Tensions seethed beneath the surface for the period of independent rule, and they continued under the domination by the Communists, who were able to keep the groups together only by the threat of force and by imposition of all structure and regulation from above. In this atmosphere, ethnic differences produced virulent actions taken by one group against another, leading to what have been defined by the international community as war crimes. The first trial for such crimes is set for next April; the issue is whether the Nuremburg Principles should be applied to this and subsequent trials. The answer is that they should, for these are the o
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templated was perfectly legal according to existing legal codes and customs (Stiles 190).
Many of these objections have been rendered moot since by the fact that treaties have been signed which articulate specific crimes against prisoners of war and noncombatants. The United Nations established the International Law Commission to codify existing rules and principles. The so-called Nuremburg Principles were accepted by the United Nations in 1950, suggesting a legal justification for the actions of the tribunal in the future. The Nuremburg Trials themselves remain the only precedent for this sort of action:
Few war crimes trials have been undertaken outside the World War II contest, and no other war crimes trials have been sponsored by an international tribunal (Stiles 192).
The war in Bosnia has produced massive evidence of acts against civilians that would constitute war crimes, much of it under the heading of "ethnic cleansing," a polite term for genocide. The wear has also brought about international efforts to try those suspected of war crimes, and the UN tribunal investigating such crimes in the Balkans has charged Zeljko Meakic, the Serbian commander of a concentration camp in Bosnia, with genocide. Twenty other Serb
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Approximate Word count = 1301
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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