Petrinja, 17 April 2012
Christopher Fry and Klara Dokmanović, the Tribunal’s Outreach representatives in Croatia today delivered a presentation to almost 50 fourth-year students at the Petrinja high school.
After the presentation, one student commented that she was surprised by how little she had known about the Tribunal and said that learning about it had been “a truly worthwhile” experience.
Biology teacher Višnja Kovač Vezmarović, who was also in attendance with students, later remarked: “The presentation was full of specific, concrete and precise data, providing most useful and interesting information for the students.”
During the discussion one student expressed his concern that the Tribunal is not initiating new cases despite there being so many unresolved crimes across the region. Fry and Dokmanović explained that the UN Security Council had decided that the ICTY should not issue any further indictments after 2004, but that one important aspect of the Tribunal’s Completion Strategy and legacy in the former Yugoslavia was the strengthening of the capacity of local judiciaries so that they can continue handling war crimes cases long after the ICTY has closed its doors.
Fry and Dokmanović handed out numerous gift packages to the students and fielded a few additional questions after the session had ended, since some students were keen to continue the discussion in an informal setting.