Constructing an Atrocities Regime: The Politics of War Crimes Tribunals

UmaNarayanan

Abstract

The gruesome character of ethnic and identity-centred conflict elicits terror, anger, and a human need for justice, from the infamous "killing fields" of Cambodia to initiatives of "ethnic cleansing" in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. Hugo Grotius' writings may be linked to the need to humanize combat, but present attempts to enact an atrocity regime are unmatched in contemporary history. Let’s analyse the role political elements norms, power and interests, institutions and legal one’s precedent and process play in the creation of an atrocity regime by combining ideas from international relations theory and international law. In Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, international tribunals have convicted a majority of low-level war criminals; however, they have had much less success in achieving their more expansive goals, such as deterring atrocities and promoting national reconciliation in areas rife with ethnic conflict. This research identifies further institutional changes required to create a more successful regime and emphasizes the significance of integrating this new regime within a broader global conflict management strategy.