Kosovo War Tribunal
Teacher Page
A WebQuest for 9th Grade (Modern World History)
Designed by
Barbara Rudzinski-Skellwies.Diane
Bourque, Louise Uchaczyk
Milforded.org
Adapted from Kosovo War Crimes. Judy Gressel. gresselj@nttc.org
Introduction
| Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Student Pa
In the spring of 1999, NATO
launched an air war against Yugoslavia to stop Serbs from terrorizing
Albanians. The ethnic cleansing of Kosovo expanded and intensified despite
military intervention by the international community. The U.S. State
Department reported on ten broad categories of human rights violations in
Kosovo: forced expulsions, looting, burning, detentions, use of human shields,
summary executions, exhumation of mass graves, systematic and organized rape,
violations of medical neutrality, and a new type of ethnic cleansing, identity
cleansing. At the end of the 20th century, war waged between armed soldiers
dressed up in uniform fighting only against each other, is extremely
rare. The trend now is that 90 percent of war-associated casualties
occur in the civilian population.
In Hague, the UN has assembled
the International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia which is investigating
the genocide in Kosovo. Can the War Crimes Tribunal test the reach of
international law? Will the government be able to bring high officials to justice
even though they are no longer in power? How will the current leaders of
Yugoslavia deal with Slobodan Milosevic?
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This activity is geared to 9th
graders in Modern World
History. Activities are appropriate for all levels.
The learners will need to know
prior to beginning this lesson., a history of the events leading up to the time
period. The video tape, Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation
will be presented as an introduction.
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Social Studies Standards
Addressed
- Understands the
forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the division of Earth's
surface
- Understands
conflict, cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and
institutions
- Understands the
search for community, stability and peace in an interdependent world
- Knows the causes of
boundary conflicts and internal disputes between culture groups
- Understands that
conflict between people or groups may arise from competition over ideas,
resources, power, and/or status.
- Understands that
some informal ways of responding to conflict may reduce tensions and lead
to compromise but may be inflammatory and make agreement more difficult
- Understands the role
of political ideology, religion, and ethnicity in shaping modern
governments.
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1.
Divide the class into 2 or 3 groups of 8. Within the
group, design a panel discussion (15 minutes in length), to be
presented to the class, which answers the following questions:
Should Milosevic be turned over to the War Crimes Tribunal? Will this
process be an effective weapon in curtailing others leaders from directing
genocide and other heinous war crimes?
2. All
discussion panel members should familiarize themselves with basic background
information about the war in Kosovo.
Origins of the Kosovo War sites
Kosovo
Connection: Web Links Teaching Resource
http://asweb.unco.edu/kosovoconnecti/links_page.htm
Kosovo: A Bitter Struggle in a Land of Strife
--Includes recent news, background information, timelines, maps, literature
guide, web
guide, and a Quiz.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/specials/kosovo/
Kosovo Crisis: Who's Who and What's What? A Quiz
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/students/quiz/kosovo.html
3. Each group should assemble a
panel of experts. The teacher will act as moderator, and the students will take
one of the following roles and think about these questions:
- UN High Commissioner for Refugees
- Describe the plight of the
Kosovo refugees during and after the war.
- Is there continuing aid by the international community?
- War Crimes Tribunal Investigator
- What evidence is there of
NATO war crimes?
- What evidence is there of
war crimes by high officials in the former Yugoslavia?
- Does this new era of
humanitarian interventions in foreign wars appears to be the result of a
trend of increased casualties in civilian populations?
-
- War Crimes Tribunal Prosecutor
- Will Milosevic and his
aides be convicted at the Hague tribunal?
- Is conviction possible if
the perpetrators are not apprehended?
- Will the Serbian people
bring their high officials to justice?
-
- Lawyer Specializing in International Law
- How do the laws of the
Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their two protocols of 1977 inject of
modicum of restraint and predictability in war zones?
- What can realistically be
accomplished by international
Office of the NATO Peacekeeping Force (KFOR)
- Will the NATO troops have
to stay forever to prevent ethnic violence and slaughter?
- Is there continued
bloodshed despite the presence of NATO forces?
- Is the existence of Kosovo
Liberation Army against UN and NATO policy.
-
- Physician for Human Rights
- What is the status on
relief shelters, medical supplies and other assistance to refugees?
- How are Albania, Macedonia, and Montenegro dealing with their refugee population?
-
- World Peace Activist
- What is the definition of
war crimes?
- Was NATO guilty of war
crimes during the 78 days of the
-
- US Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights
- What human rights
violations have been documented in Kosovo?
- Is it possible to make two
peoples "reconcile "with each other when one has attempted to
wipe the other off the face of the earth?
- After the Kosovo
intervention, President Clinton said that people everywhere, victims of
mass crimes, would know that "we" will save them. Is he speaking
about the
4. Each participant will research information pertinent to
their role using the following resources:
General Resources:
Conflict
in the Balkans: More Links Than You Can Imagine
http://members.home.net/albeej/pages/Balkans.html
Balkan Conflict Links
http://www.nyu.edu/globalbeat/balkanlinks.html#Kosovo
KOSOVO War: Suggested Background Reading Material
http://www.sentex.net/~xwing/kosovo/#the_end
The War on Yugoslavia: a Personal Odyssey
http://www.intouch.ca/miniato/WaronFRY.htm
Kosovo: War, Health of the State
http://www.intouch.ca/miniato/kosovo.htm
International Law:
International Law Relating to the Kosovo Genocide and Conflict
http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/Kosovo/Kosovo-International_Law.htm
Kosovo: The Bankruptcy of International Law
http://ariga.com/peacewatch/kosovch.htm
Crisis in Kosovo: International Law and Human Rights
http://204.62.227.231/weblec/webbuzz/archive/02/top.htm
Kosovo: International Law
http://www.nyu.edu/globalbeat/balkan/HRW040599.html
Crimes in
Kosovo: Taking Turns in Violence
http://www.bndlg.de/~wplarre/back346.htm
European hearings on U.S. NATO war crimes against
Yugoslavia: Reports from Berlin, Rome, Paris, and Amsterdam
http://www.iacenter.org/warcrime/eurowc99.htm
War Crimes Resources
http://www.nesl.edu/research/warcrim2.htm
Crimes of War: Resources
http://www.crimesofwar.org/resources.html
Yugoslav Forces Guilty of War Crimes in Racak, Kosovo
http://www.hrw.org/hrw/press/1999/jan/yugo-prs.ht
War Crimes Tribunal:
Tribunal Indicts Milosevic for War Crimes
http://kosovafreedom.com/indictment.html
Yugoslavia: War Crimes Tribunal Beginning Work In
Kosovo
http://rferl.org/nca/features/1999/06/F.RU.990615134607.html
United Nations: International Criminal Tribunal for
the Former Yugoslavia
http://www.un.org/icty/
Yugoslavia: War Crimes Tribunal Investigates Kosovo
Crimes
http://rferl.org/nca/features/1999/05/F.RU.990512124442.html
War Crimes Trials - Not a Good Idea
http://www.wcl.american.edu/pub/humright/brief/v1i1/schwar11.htm
5. Each panel member should be
prepared to answer the kinds of questions suggested in #3 above.
6. Each panel member should
prepare notes in outline form (try using Inspiration if you need help) that address possible
questions.
7. The teacher will lead the
discussion. Questions should lead to
a series of 'mini-reports' but rather resemble a real
panel discussion with some give and take from the "experts" Everyone should participate and no one person
should dominate the discussion.
8. Individual outlines and
moderator questions shall be handed in to the teacher after the discussion.
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Evaluation
Rubric for Panel Discussion
Your grade will be made up of
points for individual outlines/discussion questions and individual
presentation, and points for the group presentation. Total is 20 points
possible.
|
Beginning 1 |
Developing 2 |
Accomplished 3 |
Exemplary 4 |
Score |
|
Individual outlines and moderator discussion questions |
Limited awareness of audience and/or purpose Minimal idea development, limited and/or unrelated details Random or weak organization |
Attempts to establish purpose and communicate with the audience Unelaborated ideas unelaborated or repetitious details Lapses in focus and/or coherence |
Depth of idea development support by elaborated, relevant details Logical organization Acceptable effective language Establishes and maintains clear focus |
Depth and complexity of ideas supported by rich, engaging, and or pertinent details Evidence of analysis, reflection and insight. Indicate substantial research Careful and/or suitable organization |
|
|
Individual presentation in panel discussion |
Completely relies upon notes while speaking |
Relies on notes somewhat. Does not attempt to interject comments. Only responds when spoken to. |
Can respond to questions or comments spontaneously. Rarely relies on notes. Good eye contact and body language. |
Knows material so thoroughly that he/she is convincing as an expert. Interjects intelligent, pertinent information that is not read from notes. Ability to ask questions of others. |
|
|
Group Collaboration/ Synthesis of Ideas |
|
Moderator with group collaboration has developed many questions after researching that are unique. |
Moderator with group collaboration is able to develop discussion questions which showcase the breadth and depth of knowledge of the group. |
Moderator has developed a few surprise questions to test his/her group's ability to think on their feet. Clever ways to bring out divergent opinions are evident. Questions asked do not allow for a couple of people to dominate the discussion. |
|
|
Quality of group information from a variety of resources |
All group members agree on everything. All seem to have read the same limited resources. |
An ample variety of resources as evidenced by many different facts and perspectives. |
A wide variety of resources as evidenced by varied interpretations of the facts and divergent perspectives. |
Groups members have so much information to offer that they run overtime. Moderator has to be proactive in calming down participants. Arguments abound. |
|
|
Group dynamics in panel presentation |
The group presentation is completely scripted. The group has not done enough reading to know the material well and must completely rely upon notes while speaking |
Group members rely on notes somewhat. They do not attempt to interject comments. They only responds when spoken to. Presentation seems stiff, not well practiced. |
Group members can respond to questions or comments spontaneously, rarely relying on notes. Good eye contact and body language among the group. |
Knows material so thoroughly that they are convincing as a panel of experts. Most group members interject intelligent, pertinent information that is not read from notes. Highly engaged with each other and have the audience highly engaged in listening. |
|
Variations
For Level 3 & 4 the
following tasks may be substituted.
- Discuss how Milosevic's
decision making was influenced by his wife and advisors. Who else was
responsible for putting Milosevic in a position of power
2. Analyze how Serbian television helped to create the
"Milosevic myth."
3. Explain the quote "offense is the best
defense," and how it relates to events in Yugoslavia prior to the outbreak
of civil war.
4. Compare and contrast the leadership styles of Milosevic
and Kostunica. Discuss their strength and weaknesses as leaders.
5. Analyze the decision by Slovenia and Croatia to
withdraw from the Yugoslav Republic. Discuss possible alternatives.
6. Analyze the causes of the Yugoslav crisis from the
different points of view of those who were involved.
7. The former Yugoslavia is home to different ethnic
groups. The ethnic differences have caused tension, distrust, and bloodshed.
Ask students to establish just how different the groups are. Have each student
choose two of the following ethnic groups: Serbs, Croats, Bosnian Muslims,
Slovenes, Macedonians, and Montenegrins. For each group, students should
research the religion, language, history, and customs and then present their
findings on a chart.
8. Have students create a pie graph with percentages of
the population of Yugoslavia by ethnic group before the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Ask students to comment on ethnic conflict, based on the graph.
9. Direct students to investigate the role of U.N. peacekeepers
in the former Yugoslavia. Ask for volunteers to debate whether other countries
have an obligation to intervene in this region of the world.
·Books:
· Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic
·
The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of
Yugoslavia.Tim Judah. Yale University Press, 1997.
·
Origins of a Catastrophe: Yugoslavia and Its
Destroyers-American's Last Ambassador Tells What Happened and Why. Warren
Zimmerman. Time Books, 1996.
·
·Adam's Cross. Alice Mead
·
·Between Serb and Albanian: A History of Kosovo.
Miranda Vickers
·
·The Road to Kososvo: A Balkan Diary. Greg
Campbell
·
·
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- Will the future of NATO and the UN be determined by the outcome of the War Crimes Tribunals of Bosnia and Kosovo?
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Credits & References
1. Milo image.Kosovo: The
Bankruptcy of International Law. htp://ariga.com/peacewatch/kosovch.htm
2. Woman in wall image. Berserkistan in Bosnia:Odd Anderson,
photographer. http://www.linder.com/berserk/odd4.html
.
Last
Updated February 14, 2001.