ABSTRACT
Quasi-state entities (QSEs) became one of the main types of actor in contemporary armed conflict. The war in Yugoslavia and the genocide in Rwanda gave rise to the outrage and condemnation that contributed to the establishment of the first international courts, especially because in these conflicts QSEs and state entities employed a strategy of war crimes, or attempted to change the ethnical make-up of a territory. Legitimacy is a useful concept with which to gauge impact. It is useful, despite the difficulties in establishing its existence, its complexity as a concept, its constantly changing nature and the fact that it differs among various relevant constituencies. First and foremost, this is because in contemporary 'statehood' conflict, the ability to create and maintain legitimacy is a prerequisite for success for both states and QSEs. Reflecting on international criminal justice, critical legitimacy moments caused by international criminal justice and the capacity of QSEs to create and maintain legitimacy, several observations can be made.
