Ratko Mladic, Genocide and the Declaration of Human Rights

As the grandaughter of Holocaust survivors, I was overjoyed when I heard of the arrest of Ratko Mladic this past week.  His mass murder of Serbian Muslims was one of the most horrific crimes of the 90s; it is relieving to finally see some justice.   Now Mladic will be tried at the Hague, the home of the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, for crimes against humanity.  Established after WWII, the Court was part of the United Nations attempt to prevent further attempts of mass murder and genocide.  The United Nations also coined the word "genocide" and created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as further attempts to curb such behavior.

Despite their intentions, mass murder still continued; at least now with a name for the horrific crimes that were being committed.  Rwanda, Bosnia and most recently Darfur, stand as proof that despite the creation of laws and world wide awareness, there is no easy way to prevent the ideology of superiority that is the cause of mass murder and genocide.




Curious to learn more as you watch Mladic's trial unfold?  I recommend reading, A Problem From Hell: America in the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power.  Although it's a very detailed read, this book provides the best overview of the century of genocide, beginning with the highly disputed Armenian genocide by the Turks, up until after the Bosnian Wars.  Examining the political and social perspectives, it gives the reader a very distinct and honest view of the most horrific crimes of the past century.  Perhaps it's not the best 'beach read', but it is probably one of the most informative if you have any interest in learning more about this unique, sad, and intricate history.

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