UNMIK ORC - Kosovo Returns Activities Newsletter No. 40
Week 17 - 23 April 2004
As of 22 April, the number of overall displaced in the region amounts to 154 K-Serbs and 22 Roma, while 100 K-Serbs and (approx.) 36 Roma returned.
Gjilan/Gnjilane Town : In total, 111 K-Serb residents remain displaced. 67 remain displaced in Shillovë/Silivo, with 46 in the collective accommodation at the school and 21 with host families. 44 are displaced outlying villages, Korestishtë/Korestiste (12), Kufcë e Epërme/Gornje Kusce (13), Stanishor/Stanisor (5), and Partes/h (14) accommodated with host families. 7 families/13 persons have returned to Town. 22 Roma residents remain displaced in Bujanovac.
Viti/na Town : 34 residents remain displaced in Kllokot/Klokot, Vërbovc/Vrbovac, Grncar/Gërnçar and Mogillë/Mogila villages. 36 families/92 persons have returned to town, including 5 families in displacement within Town.
Ferizaj/Urosevac Town : 7 residents remain displaced at Greek KFOR base Rigos Fereos, as one person has traveled to Greece for medical treatment.
Novobërdë/Brdo : 2 persons remain displaced. There has been no change since the last report.
UNHCR has been facilitating visits by newly displaced to their properties since 18 March 04. DRC has offered logistical support for these visits as of 14 April.
Regional Working Group held 21 April. RR updated on the political and overall situation in the municipalities and advised that all K-Serb schools were now operational even though there are still some disagreements regarding escorts. RR requested that KFOR conduct security assessments for Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ferizaj/Urosevac and Viti/na Towns in support of return of newly displaced. KFOR confirmed the assessments are being worked on and gave a general overview of the current security situation in the region, noting that the situation appears to be stabilizing. RRU noted that MWGs would restart from 1 May adding that this month would see reassessments of projects currently in the pipeline but that focus will remain on the newly displaced. Regarding current projects, reassessments will focus on the IDP demand and the security situation to ensure the IDPs are provided with accurate information in order to make an informed and voluntary choice.
UNHCR distributed figures for the newly displaced in Gjilan/Gnjilane Region and stated that the attitude towards minorities in Gjilan/Gnjilane Town was still of concern.
LCOs reported on the current situation in their respective municipalities with all emphasizing that I-IDPs from 1999 should not be excluded or forgotten.
UMCOR thanked UNHCR for their part in the Hope and Aid distribution in Gjilan/Gnjilane, Mitrovica/ë and Pec/Pejë, to the most vulnerable families of all ethnicities.
Deputy Director ORC updated on the suggestions and recommendations that have been forwarded to PISG.
• Ferizaj/Urosevac
The Open Society Foundation NGO KCSF has offered 17 RAE students scholarships. 16 secondary students, including 14 Ashkali and 2 Roma, will receive €420. An Ashkali student at Pristina University will receive €1,000.
• Novobërdë/Novo Brdo
Inter-ministerial Coordinator for Returns attended a meeting on 19 April of the K-Serb "Coalition for Novo Brdo/Novobërdë". Participants discussed Municipal issues, including the decision to resume Policy and Finance Committee as well as Municipal Assembly meetings, and requested they be informed of progress made in investigations into the incidents that occurred on 17-20 March in Novobërdë/Brdo.
Officials from the Advisory Office on Communities in the Office of the Prime Minister visited on 23 April 04 to discuss relations between communities. MAP expressed concern that the trust built after tremendous effort over the last 5 years has been eroded after the 17- 20 March incidents. He informed that K-Serb employees have stopped traveling to the central ministries. It was also reiterated how invitations and documents continue to be received from the Ministries only in Albanian.
The MISI Municipal Steering Committee met and reviewed the MISI Municipal Work Plan . Departments of Reconstruction and Urbanism will present the Work Plan at the MWG to get input from members. The Committee presented the priority projects, which are reconstruction of secondary roads and sports playground, after consultations with residents. UNMIK suggested that the Secondary School project, for which has formal approval from MEST, be reviewed by the Municipal Assembly and residents at a public meeting, to which MAP, Mercy Corps and Steering Committee agreed.
The humanitarian bus service resumed on 16 April 04 after over 5 weeks pause. 2 buses arranged by OCA traveled to Gracanica and back.
• Kamenicë/a
K-Serb Assembly delegates resumed participation in the Municipal Assembly on 19 April 04, as well as the Policy & Finance Committee, after one month of non-participation. However, minorities are still not participating in non-mandatory committees due to disagreement over the ethnic balance of members.
UNMIK participated in the "Earth Day" cleaning campaign. The campaign was successful and almost all municipal civil servants including minorities participated together with school students and local NGOs.
The Policy & Finance Committee met, without K-Serb representation. K-Albanian Vice President and Chairman of the committee for revision of the municipal statute provided information on the new Municipal Statute, which will be sent for adoption by the Municipal Assembly session, scheduled for 29 April.
• Viti/na
Numerous meetings have been held regarding the primary schools in Mogille/Mogila and Bince/Binac , in an effort to return students to integrated shifts. The Board of Directors discussed on 19 April the K-Serb parents' request to have separate shifts. The Board also discussed the Mogillë/Mogila K-Albanian School Director's request to purchase desks and chairs to accommodate K-Albanian students in one, separate shift. CEO and BoD did not approve the proposal, stating it facilitates separation rather than integration. Meanwhile, K-Serbs parents have not allowed children to attend classes because of security concerns. K-Serb parents and School Director from Mogillë/Mogila met with the MAP and MR on 20 April to find a solution to the non-attendance. MAP, UNMIK, and KFOR disagreed with their decision to split the pupils into ethnically separate shifts. MAP advised them to continue with the existing, integrated system and emphasized that joint attendance of both ethnicities will provide more security to minority pupils. MR emphasized that there has been no violence against K-Serb pupils in the school compound. Efforts are on going by Municipality, UNMIK and KFOR to dialogue with the parties. Meanwhile, Bince/Binac school did not return to integrated shifts on 19 April as planned. KFOR has continued meetings with K-Serb parents to discuss security concerns.
Municipal Gender Officer in collaboration with UNHCR distributed humanitarian, hygienic and clothing packages to 33 K-Serb families affected by recent riots. The Gender Officer and her distribution team were well received by the beneficiaries.
The SNCA met to finalize electricity debt forgiveness for vulnerable applicants. It was agreed that KEK should immediately issue electricity bills for those applicants who allowed electricity meters to be read. CSW proposed to start issuing certification of debt forgiveness for October 1999 to September 2002 to those beneficiaries whose bills are completed .
• Strpce/Shtërpcë
The Municipal Assembly session planned for 22 April 04 failed to convene due to lack of quorum. Only the MAP and K-Albanian Additional Vice-President, 1 K-Serb Municipal Assembly member and 3 K-Albanian members attended. The non-attendance of K-Serb members effectively delayed any potential resolution of the current municipal crisis, as certain decisions, mainly related to co-existence with K-Albanians, were expected.