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Science Friday > Archives > 1999 > July > July 9, 1999:

Hour One: Science in the Kosovo Aftermath

Now that the bombing of Kosovo has ended, peacekeeping forces from NATO and the United Nations have made their way into the ravaged province. But in addition to the troops sent to keep order, scientists have been sent to Kosovo as well. These scientists, including some of the world's top forensic experts, are on a mission to collect evidence of alleged war crimes committed by Serbian forces against the Kosovar Albanians. Anthropologists are examining human remains, attempting to identify the victims and the means of their deaths. Experts in genetics are aiding in identification efforts. The scene is being watched over by reconnaissance satellites. And specialists in statistics and data analysis are trying to pull all the findings together to paint a comprehensive picture of who did what to whom, and why.

Fresh graves near Pusto Selo, Kosovo. (U.S. State Dept. ) click for larger view)

On this hour, we'll look at where science fits in to the International War Crimes Tribunal's efforts to investigate alleged atrocities, and how forensic analysis, genetics and statistics are helping to unearth the truth behind the killings.

Listen to this program in RealAudio!

Guests:

Patrick Ball
Deputy Director
AAAS Science and Human Rights Program
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Washington D.C.

William Rodriguez
Distinguished Scientist and Chief Deputy Medical Examiner for Special Investigations
Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
Rockville, Maryland

Harold Hough
Freelance Journalist specialising in aerial imaging
Tuscon, Arizona

Books/Articles Discussed:

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Related Links:
Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
AAAS Science and Human Rights Program
National Imaging and Mapping Agency
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
State Department Briefing: 05/99: Erasing History: Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo
Zeno's Forensic Page
Forensic Entomology Pages: Fighting crime with insects

 

 

This segment produced by:
Tom Clarke
Web producer:
Charles Bergquist