From writer and filmmaker Jasmina Tesanovic (politicalidiot at yahoo.com), who has been traveling in the same mountains where the accused war criminal was just captured may or may not have been arrested. Nobody seems to know exactly what's going on, wildly conflicting reports are circulating.
Jasmina writes from Belgrade:
When Bad Guys become Good Guys
Today the " Good" Guy of the Scorpion Srebrenica trial finally spoke out: I shot the six Muslim men, I am guilty before God and you will decide, from the special court for war crimes, if I am guilty for you too. I obeyed the orders… Others, the "Bad" guys at the same trial, are in denial.
At this hour, B92 and some other media are unofficially reporting that General Ratko Mladic in charge of Srebrenica action is being arrested, but the Serbian official government is in denial. Only a few hours ago, the special adviser of president of president Kostunica said he knew nothing, except that it is imminent.
I just arrived from Divcibare, the mountain place close to Belgrade where Mladic has been reported to be hiding in the past, since it is a famous military base.
Mladic has been seen a little bit everywhere. Until 2002 Mladic was openly "hiding" in Belgrade, he was buying bread at the same bakery as my friend, but since 2002, the rumors, or stronger things, have even killed some supposed eye-witnesses involved in his hiding.
At this moment there are difficult negotiations in Vienna for the future status of Kosovo, torn between 90 percent majority Albanians, demanding autonomy after Milosevic's troops pulled out in '99, and the Serbian central government which is fighting for its sovereignty in that part of a once-united country. A difficult task for the EU leading the negotiations, but an excellent opportunity to demand that all the parties comply with international war tribunal.
Mladic, who until recently was claimed to have big popular support for his non-surrender, seems to have lost all of it these days; from good to bad guys. Yes, we all know he gave the orders.
8 p.m — contradictory news on B92, is he arrested, about to be arrested, or already flown to Hague? Again, as when they were arresting Milosevic back in 2002, we are relying more on tips and foreign press… B92 is broadcasting a football game, they will interrupt if the biggest goal in Serbia is scored…
Previous posts on Boing Boing about Ms. Tesanovic's work: Link
Images: screengrabs from TV in Belgrade today, but they're old footage of Mladic, who hasn't been live on television in ten years. (Thanks, Bruce Sterling!)
