ICTY impact on reconciliation in Bosnia

What is it about?

This article traces the impact of an international criminal tribunal for reconciliation on the ground. It is a case study of Prijedor town, a small town located in Republika Srpska (Serb entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina). It draws on over 60 interviews and analysis of local newspaper files as well as various international and national organisations reports to demonstrate that the tribunal, contrary to what's often argued in literature, had a tangible impact locally. It succeeded by legitimising the claims for justice by the victims and families, provided them with facts to argue their cases. In other words, it enabled the search for justice. The limited progress of the international tribunal, caused anger and disappointment which further enabled mobilisation and even cooperation across ethnic lines. The end result was a more open debate about the past, interethnic cooperation and increased levels of tolerance.

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Why is it important?

This article exposed some critical links, such as the importance of accountability talk, international pressure, motivating power of disappointment, that are often presented in literature as different elements of reconciliation, but never linked together in a continuous and causally productive causal mechanism. It also demonstrates that, even if the ICTY impact may seem modest compared to the initial expectations, it nevertheless was important for social change. A space where different narratives of the past can be actively discussed and contested allowed the society to slowly move forward and empowered local mobilization as well as cooperation across ethnic lines. This article, therefore, adds to the existing literature on reconciliation, shedding more light on what causal elements are important and how as well as in what sequence, in what way they produce the outcome of reconciliation.