Dubravka Ugresic

Overview

Dubravka Ugrešić born Kutina, Croatia, Yugoslavia March 27, 1949. Croatian writer. Opposed Balkan War and militant nationalism, 1991; exiled 1993; opposed NATO bombing.

Quotations

"For all those years I couldn’t find an answer to some simple questions—how it’s possible that people could allow themselves to be so manipulated as to go killing people with whom they lived side by side, and destroying everything they had built together." (Svetlana Boym interview, Bomb Magazine, summer 2002)

"Nationalism is like a pesticide: its poison lasts longer than one season and it penetrates everywhere—into literature, culture. . . nationalism, be it right or left, is in my view is only a euphemism for fascism." (Michael Zelenko interview, The Rumpus, January 2010; photo werliestwo.ch)

Anita Usacka

Overview

Anita Ušacka born Riga, Latvia April 26, 1952. Professor of humanitarian law. Executive Director of UNICEF Latvia, 1994-96. First judge of Latvian constitutional court, 1996-2004. Judge of International Criminal Court, Appeals Division, 2003; President of Appeals Division, 2011-12. Presided over Congo Vice-President Bemba's appeal, 2010.

Quotations

From ruling on president of Ivory Coast: “[T]here can be no doubt that the charges that the prosecutor has brought against Mr. Gbagbo and for which the warrant of arrest against him was issued—crimes against humanity of murder, rape and other forms of sexual violence, as well as other inhumane acts and persecution—are serious and may lead to a lengthy sentence in case of conviction.” (Oct. 21, 2012, iAfrica; photo ICC)