The death of Milosevic

The international media now has something else to focus on, and this is the mysterious death of another of the world's most hated leaders in a detention cell of the United Nations in the Hague, Netherlands.

Sobodan Milosevic, the former president of Yugoslavia who was facing trial for war crimes in the UN, was found dead in his quarters on Saturday. Although he had been reported to be suffering from high blood pressure and a heart ailment, nobody had expected the ailments were serious enough to cause him to die so soon. He was only 64.

After taking over from anther dictator, Marshall Broz Tito, Milosevic, too, ruled mercilessly, and it is believed that thousands were killed or detained during his term. At the time of his death he had been in detention since he was overthrown in 2000, after which he was charged with 66 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and crimes in indictments covering conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kossovo. Among the massacres attributed to him or to people he supported, was that of 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica.

There are reports that suspicions have risen about the manner of his death. Suicide was one of those considered, and as of the latest reports yesterday, the presence of some chemical had been determined in his body. As to whether he had administered it to himself, or there was an attempt to kill him, is not yet known.

Reports from the wires say there has been little grief expressed over his death, as only his family and most loyal followers continue to believe in his innocence.

The problem facing the U.N. now is how to answer the questions that may be raised over this death in its custody, and over the frustrations of those he had wronged who had longed to see his conviction and sentencing to avenge their loss and to show the world that tyrants do get their just desserts.*