An update to "Beat Swords into Plowshares"-essay

Defiant Serb General Ejected from Hague Courtroom

General Mladic, accused of war crimes during Bosnian war, now accuses the Hague court of denying him the right to choose own attorney; "Innocent until proven guilty"-principle tossed out of court along with Serb general

Also see.. Humane Sides of Accused War Criminals (click here, June 4)

Sometimes Truth Hurts, But It Always Sets You Free (click here, June 6)

HAIKU, Maui, July 4 - A defiant Serb General Ratko Mladic, charged with war crimes in Bosnia, railed against the presiding judge today in his second public appearance at the Hague War Crimes Tribunal, accusing the court of not allowing him to choose his own lawyers. 

"You are trying to impose impossible conditions on me – a lawyer I do not want," he told the presiding judge Alphons Orie.  “You want to impose my defense. What kind of a court are you?”

Mladic repeatedly interrupted the judge and challenged the court's authority. When Orie asked Mladic whether he was ready to hear the charges, Mladic responded: "You can do whatever you want."

However, as Orie began speaking, Mladic said: "No, no, no! Don't read it to me, not another word," and pulled off his earphones, slumping back in his seat with a frown.

After Orie warned him to be quiet or he would be removed, Mladic said: "Remove me."

The judge obliged. No further hearings are scheduled in this case at the moment.  That's the gist of today's news.  You can see for yourself what happened today in the Hague yourself from this short news video clip:

Ratko Mladic is removed from court (July 4, 2011)

Here we go again: Accused, tried and convicted by establishment media

Most U.S. media continue to parrot the "party line," ignore unfairness of Hague "Star Chamber

"Innocent until proven guilty"-principle tossed out of court along with Serb general

You saw the video clip.  So you know what actually happened in court today.  An accused felt he was not getting a fair trial.  So he lashed out at the judge who tossed him out.  Here's now an editorial comment...

Most of the reports this writer saw in the establishment American media focused on the fact that Mladic was tossed out of court, before proceeding to spout out the old accusations against him (see Los Angeles Times, Voice of America...).  Most went on to quote family members of some of his alleged victims.  It was only in the British media that one could learn about the reasons for the Serb general's belligerent behavior. 

Not that the British media have not toed the party line as well during the Balkans wars. It's just that being a little bit farther away from the command center of the New World Order, they are nor as tightly controlled as their American counterparts.  Look for the Britons also to start parroting the old (unproven) accusations as time goes on.

Meanwhile, the New World Order edition of the Star Chamber is quickly showing its real ugly face.  What kind of a court is it indeed when an accused cannot choose his own defense?  And finally, whatever happened with that age-old legal principle - "innocent until proven guilty?"

Guess it was also tossed out of the court along with the Serb general.

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P.S. On June 15, I wrote to Gen Mladic offering to come to the Hague and meet with him and to help him get a fair trial.  I also wrote to the Court at the Hague on June 1 offering to do the same - Click here to read the letter.  As of this writing, I have not received a reply to either letter.

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Bob Djurdjevic is a former war correspondent from Bosnia and Serbia.  He is also a thrice-ordained Inca-trained shaman, writer, musician and consultant based in Maui, Hawaii.  You can find more of his stories at www.altzar.org (arts & spirituality), www.truthinmedia.org  (geopolitical) and www.djurdjevic.com (business).

Also check out...  Beat Swords into Plowshares at the Hague (June 2), Humane Sides of Accused War Criminals, Sometimes Truth Hurts, But It Always Sets You Free (June 6), Milosevic: Who Says There's No Death Penalty at the Hague?  (Mar 2006); "Put the UN Justice on Trial" - TiM Bulletin (8/17/98);  Rise and Fall of General Perisic: From Hero to Snitch  (Mar 2005); The End Game Is Near: Kosovo, Montenegro Next Serb Dominos to Fall? (May 1996); "The Woman Who Broke Gen. Mladic's Heart" (Mar 1996);  Bosnia: What’s the Full Truth? (Letter to Wall Street Journal, Feb 1996); Bosnia War Diary (July 1994); All in a Day's Work (Karadzic) (July 1995); Wartime Diary Notes about Karadzic, Krajisnik (May 1994); "Collateral Damage" Hits Home (9/11/11)