It was the most recent war crimes and especially those committed in the larger area of former Yugoslavia like Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina that triggered a new interest among international community to defend humanity against excesses. The tragic war that followed the breakdown of the former Yugoslavia along racial and religious divides and economic interests together with maniacal politicians and military men led to a lot of misery in this part of East Europe. But because all of this was happening in Europe unlike similar situations in parts of Africa and Asia, the world was constantly being kept informed. The world public opinion was being shaped at every news hour that carried live pictures of suffering humanity and the players of the wars in Balkans. Slobodan Milosovic, Radavan Karijic together with some of their military brass were not only being shown in their bases of power but were being interviewed regularly. Repeatedly, they were stressing that they were doing the right thing. Some of these so-called leaders who in reality were enemies of humanity, were also being supported by hypocritical world powers. Examples of this are the repeated support Russia extended to them notwithstanding the outcry of the world public opinion.

But Europe is important to the West and the West has the whole machinery of the United Nations at its service. Direct United States mediation and military intervention in support of peace slowly and gradually improved conditions in the Balkans. The extremist elements that had committed extreme war crimes, genocide, mass terror, rape and tyranny went underground. Serbian Milosovic was still in power and enjoyed support of a group of extremists like himself. But the determination of the national ideals by the nation proved supreme. The people voted a new leader and Milosovic was forced to bow to the will of the nation. But his story did not end there. He was a wanted man. He was wanted by the world public opinion to answer to his role in the crimes that were committed against humanity during the Balkan war.

And finally, his own nation decided to hand him over to the international tribunal for trial. He is still adamantly arrogant, but the wheel of justice has started to turn and it is expected that he will undergo a fair trial by the tribunal for his crimes. His sentence may not help bring to life his victims, but it will certainly serve as a lesson for other Milosovices elsewhere in the world. Henceforward tyrannical rulers and dictators will think twice before taking action in hurting humanity.

However, even today, there are groups of people who have grabbed power in Central South Asian country of Afghanistan and whose routine job it is to terrorize a nation by continuing an already protracted war for further and absolute power for themselves. The war they are carrying out day-in and day-out in Afghanistan happens to be far from the centers of power of the West. This war has continued for so long that many have decided to ignore it. Yet ignoring the war can and has backfired in hurting the interests of powers in the region and in the world. Still this war is looked at as uninteresting. It is something the world does not like, but does not want to do anything about.

The world needs to know that the situation that has arisen in Afghanistan following the illegal invasion of that country by the Soviet Union has caused misery to humanity. Crimes of all categories have been committed against humanity in Afghanistan. These crimes have been committed by the Soviet System Generals, majority of whom are living in Russia without any fear of prosecution for their role in the Afghan misery. These crimes have been committed against humanity by the so-called leaders of Mujahideen who are still living inside and outside the country dreaming of a return to power. These crimes have been and are being committed against humanity by the warring factions who are presently engaged in war in Afghanistan. Mujahideen administrations as well as those who followed them have committed these crimes. Taleban and their opponents have committed these crimes. Afghan and world history has clearly recorded the names of all the players involved in the tragic drama of conspiracy to commit crimes against the Afghan nation that is part of humanity.

The question is why is the world silent when it hears about the tyranny and when it sees the crimes that have been committed and are being committed against Afghans. Is it that life has different values in Europe and the West as compared to Afghanistan? Is it because Kabul and Kandahar, for example, are far from The Hague? Is it that the world with all its miraculous technology cannot hear the cry for help by the innocent people of Afghanistan?

Yet, history stands witness that fallen nations can and do rise up and when they do so, they will take to task all those elements that have inflicted injury to their human institutions. If Taleban began their administration by killing and hanging of those they considered traitors to country and God, they should be aware that one day another administration, the choice of the nation, might hold them responsible for the destruction, terror and tyranny. The so-called Mujahideen leaders who terrorized the nation and did not give it of a peaceful government and a possibility for dressing of its wounds, should remember that one day the same nation will take them to task and hold them responsible for their crimes against the nation. It is possible that one day a one-way ticket to The Hague will be issued in the names of all those tyrants in Afghanistan who arrogantly committed crimes against the Afghan nation. 07/06/01