Pristina, June 11 (Albania Journal) – War crimes trials and convictions help preserve the historical record and provide justice for victims, but there is little evidence that they prevent future conflicts or help reconcile divided societies, speakers said at an international conference in Pristina.
The conference, titled “Bridges of Memory: Reconciliation and Transitional Justice in Post-Conflict Societies – Diplomacy, Memory and Historical Interpretation,” was organised by the “Freedom Has a Name” Platform and the Kosovo Policy Research and Development Institute (KIPRED).
Former Hague Tribunal prosecutor Geoffrey Nice said prosecutions for past atrocities are important for victims and for documenting the truth, but they do not appear to deter future wars.
“War crimes trials and convictions do not serve the purpose of stopping wars. They are valuable for victims, survivors and the historical record, but there is no evidence that they prevent future conflicts,” Nice said. He added that states must acknowledge their own mistakes and responsibilities if history is to help build a safer future.
Natasa Kandic, founder of the Humanitarian Law Center in Serbia, argued that trials alone are not effective tools for reconciliation or peacebuilding. According to her, the transfer of responsibility for transitional justice from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to domestic courts has produced important evidence and testimony, but governments across the region have failed to place victims’ voices at the centre of their agendas.
Former head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Daan Everts, said uncertainty over Kosovo’s final status was one of the key factors behind ethnic tensions after the conflict. He argued that the lack of a clear political settlement encouraged extreme positions on both sides, with one camp demanding immediate independence and the other resisting any change.
“The ambiguity surrounding Kosovo’s future status created incompatible and increasingly polarised positions,” Everts said. “Uncertainty about borders and the future often fuels extremism.”
Former UK Europe minister Denis MacShane said Kosovo has held numerous democratic elections but continues to struggle with building stable governance and strong institutional accountability.
“Kosovo remains one of Europe’s greatest unfinished challenges when it comes to resolving an open issue on the continent,” MacShane said.
American foreign policy analyst Daniel Serwer said reconciliation cannot be imposed on people who have experienced violence, killings and sexual crimes. Instead of forcing victims to reconcile with perpetrators, societies should focus on building bridges for a better future.
“The goal should not be to demand reconciliation from those who suffered, but to create the conditions for a better future,” Serwer said. “These bridges must be built not only by political leaders, but also by ordinary citizens.”
