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American Anthropological Association Statement on Peace Negotiations and Prosecution of War Criminals in Territories of Former Yugoslavia

(adopted January 1996)

The American Anthropological Association moves that

The (violent) actions against civilian populations in the territories of former Yugoslavia be condemned in the strongest possible terms;

The ongoing peace negotiations between representatives of Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia be encouraged to continue until agreement ending these hostilities and protecting existing civilian populations is reached;

The peace negotiations and subsequent agreements, when reached, fully allow for the prosecution of war criminals;

The peace negotiations fully support additional investigations of crimes against civilian populations in the territories of former Yugoslavia and indictment and prosecution of those responsible;

Existing international sanctions and economic embargoes remain in force until indicted individuals are bound over to duly authorized international bodies for trial for war crimes;

AAA members be encouraged to communicate their support for the prosecution of war criminals regardless of the outcome of peace negotiations;

The UN, NATO and other representative organizations should be reminded of their responsibility to prevent such violations and that the failure to act to prevent these and other unspecified human rights violations amounts to complicity in them; (and that)

This resolution be directed to the United Nations Security Council and the General Secretary of the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization High Command, and the Foreign Ministries of the so-called “contact group”: the Federal Republic of Germany, Great Britain, the Republic of France, the Russian Republic, and the United States of America.

updated 9/15/00