Thousands of people assembled in Serbia on Sunday to pay their final respects to Ratko Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb military leader convicted of war crimes and genocide. The event took place in Belgrade, where Mladic was laid to rest following his death.
Mladic was found guilty by international tribunals of committing genocide against Bosniak Muslims during the brutal conflicts of the 1990s. Despite these convictions and the historical record of atrocities committed during the Bosnian war, he continues to be celebrated as a national hero by a significant portion of the Serbian population.
Al Jazeera’s Natasa Kovacev reported from the capital, highlighting the stark contrast between Mladic’s legal status as a convicted war criminal and his symbolic significance to many Serbs who view him as a defender of their ethnic group.
The large turnout at the funeral underscores the enduring divisions and complex legacy surrounding the Yugoslav wars, which resulted in widespread violence and ethnic cleansing across the region three decades ago.
I was genuinely surprised by the turnout size. Does this mean the atrocities are being erased from public memory entirely?
The disconnect between international law and local sentiment is staggering. History will judge this divided legacy harshly.