It is widely believed that dealing with inter-group conflicts of the past is critical to building tolerant societies in countries that have been torn by violent struggle. Such struggle has often involved gross violations of human rights. Thus, the challenge of dealing with the past has often been articulated through the powerful moral institution that for "closure" to occur the perpetrators of such violations must be punished. For most international lawyers, and most of the western community, the criminal trials in the Hague exemplify the appropriate response. The practical difficulties of the apprehension of the perpetrators, proof of offences, identification of witnesses and victims, and their protection are widely acknowledged, even by supporters of this kind of process. Yes, it is thought that war crimes tribunals "work much better than anything else statesmen have come up with at the end of a war.