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Pristina, 11 November 2009 – Kosovo institutions fall short of fulfilling their obligations under the Strategy for the Reintegration of Repatriated Persons, concludes an OSCE report published today.
The report assesses efforts made by the institutions to implement the Strategy, and to create conditions for the reception and sustainable reintegration of repatriated persons into Kosovo’s society.
Since its adoption in October 2007, few concrete steps have been taken to implement the Strategy in Kosovo’s municipalities, and not enough funds have been allocated to extend specific reintegration assistance to repatriated persons, as foreseen by the action plan.
The lack of assistance faced by repatriated persons in the areas of housing, schooling, healthcare, and employment opportunities represent a serious reintegration problem for individuals and families, in particular for the non-Albanian communities.
“We urge central and local authorities to reach out to these vulnerable groups by allocating necessary funding, increasing co-ordination and information-sharing, as recommended by the report,” said Ambassador Werner Almhofer, the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
The report is based on regular monitoring activities of the OSCE in the field of human rights, participation of communities in decision-making processes, and the protection and promotion of their rights.
The report is available here.
Aktuelle Recherche bestätigt: Abgeschobene Roma haben im Kosovo kaum Chancen auf ein menschenwürdiges Leben
Ein heute veröffentlichter Recherchebericht bestätigt: Die geplanten Abschiebungen von Roma in das Kosovo sind unverantwortlich. Abgeschobene haben im Kosovo kaum eine Chance, eine menschenwürdige Existenz zu begründen. Ihnen steht ein Leben am Rande des physischen Existenzminimums bevor. Ihre Menschenrechte auf körperliche Unversehrtheit, auf Zugang zu Gesundheitsversorgung und Bildung bleiben auf der Strecke. Zudem können sie sich keineswegs sicher fühlen, wie gewalttätige Übergriffe im Sommer dieses Jahres belegen. PRO ASYL fordert deshalb die neue Bundesregierung auf, die begonnenen Abschiebungen von Roma und Serben in das Kosovo zu stoppen. Der Sozialwissenschaftler Dr. Stephan Dünnwald besuchte im August 2009 im Auftrag von PRO ASYL abgeschobene Personen im Kosovo und befragte sie zu ihrer Situation nach der Rückkehr. Die meisten lebten in äußerst prekären Verhältnissen. Die Sicherheitslage für Roma (und Angehörige der kleineren Minderheiten der Ashkali und der sogenannten Kosovo-Ägypter) ist weiterhin nicht als stabil einzuschätzen. Vertreter der Roma im Kosovo verwiesen darauf, dass viele Übergriffe gegen die Minderheiten gar nicht zur Anzeige kommen, weil die Opfer weitere Repressalien befürchten oder weil die Kosovo-Polizei solchen Anzeigen nicht nachgeht. Es ist nicht bekannt, dass die Rechtsstaatsunterstützungsmission der EU (EULEX) zur Aufklärung der Roma-feindlichen Attacken dieses Sommers bis heute etwas unternommen hätte. Mit der Frage der Sicherheit vor Bedrohungen und tätlichen Angriffen eng verbunden ist auch die Frage der Existenzsicherung. Die Arbeitsmarktlage im Kosovo ist bereits für die Gesamtbevölkerung sehr schwierig. Roma sind aufgrund der weiterbestehenden massiven Diskriminierung und ihres aus Sicherheitsgründen oft eingeschränkten Bewegungsradius vollends ohne Chance. Dem Lagebericht des Auswärtigen Amtes zum Kosovo attestiert Dünnwald gravierende Lücken. Die Minderheiten der Roma, Ashkali und Ägypter werden weitgehend „übersehen“. Zu ihrer Sicherheitslage finden sich nur Allgemeinplätze. Besonders bedrückend für den Rechercheur war seine Erfahrung, dass unter den im Kosovo und Montenegro Besuchten viele schwere gesundheitliche Probleme hatten, deren Behandlung im Kosovo nicht gesichert ist. Ihre Abschiebung war deshalb unverantwortlich.
adopté par le MG-S-ROM suite à sa 27e réunion à Séville (Espagne)
Le Comité d’experts sur les Roms et les Gens du voyage (MG-S-ROM),
Rappelant son avis sur la Recommandation 1633 (2003) de l’Assemblée parlementaire du 6 avril 2004 sur les retours forcés des Roms originaires de «l’ex-République yougoslave de Macédoine», y compris du Kosovo, en Serbie-Monténégro, en provenance d’Etats membres du Conseil de l’Europe, et son avis sur la Recommandation 1708 (2005) sur l’Assemblée parlementaire sur la situation actuelle au Kosovo, ainsi que la réponse du Coordinateur du Conseil de l’Europe pour les activités concernant les Roms à cette même recommandation de l’APCE, qui datent tous deux de juillet 2005 ;
Gardant à l’esprit la position prise en juin 2006 par le HCR sur les besoins persistants des individus au Kosovo en matière de protection internationale, selon laquelle « les Roms et les Serbes ont besoin de la protection internationale et leur retour au Kosovo ne saurait être que volontaire » ;
Gardant à l’esprit l’appel que le Commissaire aux droits de l’homme du Conseil de l’Europe a fait aux gouvernements en Europe afin d’éviter les retours forcés au Kosovo et d’accorder aux personnes originaires du Kosovo, au minimum, l’autorisation de résider dans le pays jusqu’à ce que les conditions au Kosovo leur permettent d’y retourner en toute sécurité, ainsi que la déclaration du Commissaire suivant sa visite au Kosovo en mars 2009 : « Ces expulsions doivent encore être évitées et, dans la situation actuelle, je ne pense pas qu’il faille exercer de pressions sur les autorités locales pour qu’elles acceptent ces retours forcés » ;
Considérant les accords de réadmission signés entre l’Union européenne et plusieurs gouvernements des Balkans et prenant note également de l’appel lancé en octobre 2007 par le Forum européen des Roms et des Gens du voyage, d’un moratoire d’au moins deux ans sur la mise en œuvre des parties des accords de réadmission concernant le retour ;
Rappelant les conclusions de la Conférence régionale sur les solutions durables pour les réfugiés roms, les personnes déplacées à l’intérieur de leur propre pays et les personnes rapatriées dans les Balkans, organisée par le Conseil de l’Europe, en particulier son Assemblée parlementaire, et les autorités serbes, au Parlement de Serbie (Belgrade) les 29 et 30 octobre 2007, qui disent notamment que « Pour que les solutions soient durables, le retour de tous les réfugiés et personnes déplacées, y compris les Roms réfugiés et déplacés à l’intérieur de leur pays, devrait être volontaire et réalisé dans la sécurité et la dignité, sans crainte de harcèlement, de discrimination, de détentions arbitraires et de menaces physiques et matérielles» ;
Gardant à l’esprit les conclusions des Tables rondes internationales sur les enjeux et les perspectives d’intégration durable des Roms, Ashkali et Egyptiens du Kosovo dans les pays d’accueil et au Kosovo même, organisées à Vienne en octobre 2008 et à Pristina en février 2009 par le Projet sur les relations ethniques (PER) avec le soutien du Bureau pour les institutions démocratiques et les droits de l’homme de l’OSCE, qui énoncent entre autres que « les politiques de retour forcé appliquées par les pays d’accueil sont inefficaces et inapplicables dans la mesure où de nombreux rapatriés de force quittent le pays très vite après leur retour » ;
Considérant le fait que de nombreux Roms du Kosovo ont passé déjà plus de dix ans dans les pays d’accueil où ils ont commencé une nouvelle vie, et que leurs enfants sont scolarisés dans les écoles de ces pays et peuvent avoir perdu tout lien avec la langue de la région d’origine de leurs parents et prenant note des bonnes pratiques de certains Etats membres, tels que l’Allemagne et la Suisse, qui délivrent des titres de séjour dans certaines circonstances au cas par cas et sur la base des lois nationales portant sur l’asile et la migration de chaque pays d’accueil;
Gardant à l’esprit que les rapatriés peuvent être considérés comme des « étrangers » et donc soumis à la discrimination ;
Considérant le fait que certains Roms d’Europe du sud-est ont, de facto, un statut d’apatride pouvant les empêcher de jouir des mêmes droits que les autres citoyens dans leur pays d’origine s’ils n’acquièrent pas la nationalité de cet Etat;
Gardant à l’esprit l’obligation des autorités pertinentes selon la Résolution 1244 du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies de mettre en application les principes du pluralisme et du respect des droits de l’homme et des libertés ainsi que la prééminence du droit et leur responsabilité de promouvoir et faciliter un retour sûr et digne des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées à l’intérieur de leur pays ;
Gardant à l’esprit le document de l’UNMIK sur la “politique de réadmission” daté du 1er janvier 2008 en tant que procédure uniforme pour la mise à exécution des retours forcés vers le Kosovo qui s’appuie sur l’origine du Kosovo et non pas l’ethnicité;
Considérant la DECISION N. 575/2007/CE DU PARLEMENT EUROPEEN ET DU CONSEIL portant création du Fonds européen pour les réfugiés pour la période 2008- 2013 dans le cadre du programme général « Solidarité et gestion des flux migratoires» ;
Rappelant que, dans le cadre du processus de réadmission, tous les programmes d’intégration pertinents devraient être financés;
Tout en reconnaissant qu’il y a eu certaines améliorations au Kosovo et en Europe du sud-est en ce qui concerne les communautés roms, le MG-S-ROM est d’avis que :
- suivant les droits fondamentaux de chaque personne et suivant l’avis concordant, entre autres dans les Etats membres de l’UE, qu’un Kosovo multi-ethnique doit être préservé, les réfugiés et les personnes déplacées à l’intérieur de leur pays, y compris les Roms, originaires de Kosovo doivent avoir la vraie possibilité d’y retourner ;
- étant donné la situation encore fragile au Kosovo, toute demande d’asile des Roms du Kosovo doit être soigneusement examinée au cas par cas par les autorités nationales conformément au droit national et international. Tous les demandeurs d’asile doivent avoir accès à une procédure d’asile équitable et efficace, et notamment au droit de faire appel pour les demandeurs dont la demande d’asile a été rejetée ;
- les Etats membres ne doivent pas créer une situation de déplacement secondaire en envoyant les Roms du Kosovo dans d’autres régions d’Europe du sud-est, surtout compte tenu des ressources limitées actuellement disponibles pour une bonne intégration des nouveaux rapatriés. Les nouveaux retours dans cette région pourraient saper les efforts déployés actuellement par les autorités pour intégrer les populations roms locales et les demandeurs d’asile et réfugiés roms du Kosovo déjà présents sur leur territoire ;
- les gouvernements d’Europe du sud-est devraient accélérer le processus de mise en œuvre des programmes, stratégies et plans d’action visant à mieux intégrer leurs communautés roms, et notamment les réfugiés, rapatriés ou personnes déplacées. Ils devraient allouer des ressources budgétaires à la mise en place de cadres institutionnels et de mécanismes adéquats pour faire face aux problèmes des réfugiés, personnes déplacées et rapatriés roms, ainsi que renforcer les capacités administratives et institutionnelles au niveau national et local ;
- le processus de retour des personnes sur la base des accords de réadmission devrait être mené avec transparence, notamment en informant ces personnes sur les conditions du retour, conformément aux normes internationales en matière de droits de l’homme ;
- les autorités des Etats membres et les organisations participant au retour des Roms au Kosovo devraient prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour veiller à ce que les retours soient menés essentiellement sur base volontaire, sans heurt, progressivement et dans la dignité, en coopération avec les autorités pertinentes selon la Résolution 1244 du Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies.
Source: Conseil de l’Europe: Comité des Ministres : Documents CM : CM(2009)99 8 juin 20091
8 June 2009 – Representative of the Serbian government’s readmission council and coordinator of the team in charge of reintegrating refugees Rade Dabajic presented a report on the government’s efforts for reintegrating returnees and said that since the beginning of this year 96 Serbian citizens have returned.
Representative of the Serbian government’s readmission council and coordinator of the team in charge of reintegrating refugees Rade Dabajic presented a report on the government’s efforts for reintegrating returnees and said that since the beginning of this year 96 Serbian citizens have returned.
Dubajic said that out of 774 applications the repatriation of 96 people was organized by Interior Ministry personnel, adding that the returnees came from Switzerland, Croatia and Denmark and that their return was arranged by the Office for Readmission at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport.
Dubajic said that there are not enough funds for an efficient readmission process, stressing the need for donations by the international community.
The support of countries where returnees are coming back from would be very important for preventing secondary migration, said Dubajic.
He said that one fourth of the returnees are returning through the Office for Readmission at Nikola Tesla airport and also announced the opening of two more offices and several transit centres.
According to the report, the Office made contact with 163 deported persons in the first five months of this year. They were advised to obtain personal documents in order to exercise their rights in Serbia.
According to the Readmission Office’s data last year around 586 people, 149 of who were Roma, were returned to Serbia, mainly from Germany and Switzerland.
The Serbian government adopted a strategy for the reintegration of returnees this February and an action plan for the implementation of the strategy this April.
The readmission agreement is one of the preconditions for inclusion on the Schengen ‘white list’.
Apart from EU countries, Serbia also signed bilateral readmission agreements with Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Switzerland and Canada.
Source: Tanjug
See also: Serbia, Slovenia sign readmission protocol, Beta, 8 June 2009
Accountability – international community
Lack of accountability persisted for past human rights violations by UNMIK personnel against people in Kosovo. In October the EU agreed that US citizens participating in the EULEX mission would not be accountable to the EU for any human rights violations they might commit.
Three generations of a family from Klinavac, in Kosovo’s Klina municipality, in Kraljevo, in central Serbia, 30 July 2008.© UNHCR/L. Taylor
Sixty-two cases remained pending before the Human Rights Advisory Panel (HRAP), introduced in March 2006 to provide remedies for acts and omissions by UNMIK. In June HRAP declared admissible a complaint by the families of Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini, killed by unidentified Romanian UNMIK police officers during a demonstration in February 2007, although the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General challenged its admissibility. The HRAP delivered its first decision in November, finding that UNMIK police had failed to investigate the murder in 2000 of Remzije Canhasi.
In November Muhamed Biçi was awarded £2.4 million compensation by the UK Ministry of Defence, following civil proceedings in 2004 which decided that UK troops had in 1999 deliberately and unjustifiably caused him injury.
In their concluding observations in November on UNMIK’s report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Kosovo, the monitoring committee (CESCR) recommended that UNMIK include the treaty in the international law applicable in Kosovo.
The Kosovo Assembly again failed to appoint an ombudsperson; the mandate of the international ombudsperson expired in 2005.
Unfair trials
In February UNMIK suspended trial proceedings against Albin Kurti, leader of the NGO Vetëvendosje! (Self-Determination), who was indicted for organizing and participating in a demonstration in February 2007. The organization considered that the prosecution appeared to be politicized and proceedings before a panel of international judges demonstrated a lack of independence by the judiciary. Six lawyers had refused to represent Albin Kurti who sought the right to conduct his own defence.
Impunity – war crimes
UNMIK’s remaining international prosecutors and judiciary made slow progress in addressing an estimated backlog of 1,560 war crimes cases. In August UNMIK said that proceedings were open in seven cases, only one of which was not an appeal or a retrial. According to UNMIK, international prosecutors were also reportedly directing investigations in 47 cases. Measures for the protection of witnesses remained of concern.
Marko Simonović was indicted with three others in October for the murder in Pristina of four ethnic Albanians in June 1999.
In November the UN Secretary-General reported that the UNMIK Department of Justice had established guidelines to enable access to criminal files by EULEX prosecutors, who had repeatedly complained that war crimes files were not available.
Impunity remained for the majority of cases of enforced disappearances and abductions. Investigations were opened in six cases reported to UNMIK police by Amnesty International. Some 1,918 people remained unaccounted for, including Albanians, Serbs and members of other minorities. The Office of Missing Persons and Forensics performed 73 exhumations and recovered 53 sets of mortal remains. Some 437 exhumed bodies remained unidentified.
Inter-ethnic violence
Although the intensity and frequency of inter-ethnic violence declined after March, low-level intimidation and harassment of minorities continued. In October shots were fired towards six displaced Kosovo Serbs visiting their homes in Dvoran/e village, Suva Reka/Suharekë municipality; a Kosovo Albanian was later arrested. In November, Ali Kadriu, a displaced ethnic Albanian, was beaten by UNMIK police when he attempted to return to rebuild his house in Suvi Dol/Suhadoll in north Mitrovica/ë; he had previously been threatened by members of the Serbian community. Albanian shops were burned after an attack by ethnic Albanians on 29 December on a mixed ethnicity Kosovo Police Service patrol and the stabbing of a 16-year-old Serb boy on 30 December.
Impunity for past inter-ethnic violence prevailed. In July the OSCE reported that only 400 prosecutions had been brought in 1,400 cases reported to the police after the ethnic violence of March 2004, in which 19 people were killed and more than 900 injured. Trials were delayed when witnesses, including police officers, reportedly failed to attend court or provided conflicting statements; sentences imposed were inconsistent with the gravity of the offences.
In June Florim Ejupi was convicted of the bombing of the Niš Express bus near Podujevo/ë in February 2001, in which 11 Serbs were killed and 22 severely injured. He was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment for murder, attempted murder, terrorism, causing general danger, racial and other discrimination and unlawful possession of explosive material.
No progress was made following the arrest in 2007 of an ethnic Albanian man suspected of involvement in the murder of 14 Serb men in Staro Gračko in July 1999; witness intimidation was reported.
Discrimination
Both Serbs and Albanians continued to suffer discrimination in areas where they were in a minority. The Law on Languages was inconsistently implemented and the 2004 Anti-Discrimination Law was not enforced. The government developed an action plan on measures recommended in 2005 by the Advisory Committee to the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities. Members of non-Serb minority communities were excluded from consultations on the Kosovo Constitution.
Approximately a third of the Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians reportedly lacked civil or habitual resident registration, which prevented them from repossessing their homes. Many children, in particular girls, did not enrol in school or frequently dropped out. Many families were unable to afford health care. Some 700 Roma remained displaced in camps in northern Mitrovica, some in locations where their health was seriously affected by lead contamination.
Refugees and internally displaced people – returns
Serbs and other non-Albanians did not flee Kosovo after the declaration of independence as feared, but few returns took place during the year. Some 445 internally displaced people returned to their homes; of whom 107 were Kosovo Serbs.
By the end of the year several EU member states had indicated that people under temporary protection would soon be forcibly returned to Kosovo. The OSCE reported that resources were not available for the integration of repatriated people: in September, in Klina/Kline municipality, for example, resources were not available to rebuild the house of a Romani couple forcibly returned from Germany.
Many other people were unable to return to their homes due to the backlog of 29,000 cases and 11,000 unimplemented decisions related to property claims originating from the 1999 war.
Violence against women and girls
A new Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings was adopted in July. In November, 98 bars or clubs were considered to be involved in forced prostitution, although traffickers reportedly moved women to private homes and escort services to avoid detection. The KPS reported an increase in internally trafficked persons. Few perpetrators were prosecuted, yet trafficked women continued to be arrested for prostitution.
The CESCR in November noted the high incidence of domestic violence in Kosovo, low prosecution and conviction rates, and the lack of adequate victim assistance and protection.
May 2009
The full report, including information on Serbia, is availabe here.
Referenca
Panda kotar o Aprili 2008 bersh, Romano Them kergya diklaripe (monitoring) e situaciya ano IDP kampya e Mitrovicake, kaske beshibaske manusha isine astarde but bare zeherske nivela ano po trupo kova angya ji ko bipromimo bilachipe ano sastipe e ternengo thay neve biyande chavengo.
Phiravde intezivno diskusiya, organizaciya isine akhardi, kotar o regionalno ofisi e Mashkarthemutne Sastipaske Organizaciyatar (WHO) ano Beograd te kerel participaciya ano sastipasko dikalripaski misiya ani Kosova Misiya lela than kotar o 27 ji ko 31 Januari 2009, kote ani akaya misiya chivenape da o beshipa e mashkarthemutne komuniteteske reprezentencar, Kosovake lokalno thay rashtrake institiuciyencar, thay komuniteteske liderencar.
Vizita ani koya o Romano Them kergya participaciya kotar o duyto dive, organizaciyake dendilo shaipe te kerel lafi e IDP thay manushencar kola irindepe. Ko fundo e misijyako, Romano Them isine ani 3-diveski vizita ani Makedoniya, yeke sebebya te adresirinel e situaciya e nashle manushenge kotar e Kosova. 4 Februareya 2009, Romano Them iringyape ani Kosova, kote araklape e reprezentencar kotar o Mashkarthemutno Komuniteti pali diskusiya e nashle manushenge irinbasko thay repatriyaciya.
Sar so o sanitarno thay ekologiyako aspekti e situaciyako ano kampya ka ovel subyekti ulavde reportesko, kova ka ovel gatisardo kotar o WHO, akava reporti ka koncetrishinelpe ano politikune thay sociuilune puchipa, puchipa e nashle manushengo thay zorea dende irinibaske-deportaciye.
Zeherea dende IDP-nge kampya
But isine hramomo thay isine vakerdo palo puchipe e zeherlipasko ano IDP kampya ani Mitrovica. Palo pashe 10 bersh palo Kosovako konflikti, kampya kola isine kerde de den temporalno-yeke vramake beshipa e manushenge kotar e Romani Mahala, palo lengo zorea dendo paldipe kotar e Kosovake Albancya, panda ando peste isilen 480 ulavde ano purano Ceshmin Lug kampi, thay nevo renovorimo Osterode kamp, kote o nashle mausha isine ande ano 2006 bersh.
Ano Aprili 2008, Romano Them isine daraya penjardo palo akava puqipe, artikaleya kova isine publicirimo kotar Nevo Kosovako Reporti kote phendilo kay o Ratesko Zeheripasko Niveli (Blood Lead Level, BLL) ano chavengo rat ulo duy puti pobuter. Romano Them poshmingya puqipa e Mashkarthemutne Organizaciyencar kola isine qivde ano akava problem sar soy UNMIK, UNICEF, thay WHO panda te bi tena ovel bichaldo rezultati palo neve testya kotar o korkore reprezentya e kampesko, thay kola isine kerde kotar o Instituti e Publikune Sastiapske kotar e Kosovska Mitrovica.
Romano Them upral akava akhargya ji ko Mashkarthemutne Organizaciye te mukhen sa so avela e rezultatencar kotar o testya kola kerdile ano sa akala bersha, yeke gendipaya yeke pobuvle dikhibaske-procena e situaciyako. Kotar o jek puti isine qivdo rodlaripe palo putaribe e vakeribaske proceseske-negociyacenge e manushencar kola jivdinena ano kampi, panglo lenge relokaciya ano sigurimo than.
Romano Themeski participaciya ani WHO sastipasko diklaribaski misiya avela palo jek intenzivno diskusiya e regionalno WHO ofiseya ano Beograd, kote e diskusiya kerdili palo sa kakrakterya kola arakenape palo akava puqipa thay arakhipe yeke soluciyake.
Misiyako Timi isine kerdo kotar o duy reprezentya e WHO regionalno ofisestar kotar o Beograd, eksperti kotar o Centro palo Nasvalipaski Kontrola (CDC) ani Atlanta thay Romano Them.
Ano jekto trin (3) dive e vizitake, pobuter beshipa isine kerdile e reprezentecar kotar o Mashkathemutno Komuniteti thay e Kosovake Institutiyencar ani Prishtina. Ano akala beshipa WHO prezentiringya rezultataya pere evalucijake testengye kola isine kedime kotar o jekto dive kerdipasta e kampyengo. WHO dengya konkluziya -posluno lafi kay o BLL isi poshukar nego so isine angleder, thay odova majbut arakhelape ko dola manusha kola ale kotar o phurane kampya ano nevo Osterode kampi, thay insistirinena kay e situaciya isila mangipe medicinsko evakuciyake. Dr. Mary Jean Brown kotar o US bazirimo CDC dengya ani godi kay detrimentalno efekti e zeheripasko majbut isi ano sastipe e chavengo thay neve biyande chavengo. Oy panda pengya kay e tragediya nane kay o qave merena, e tragediya oy dikhela kay akava zeheripe lela lengo avutnipa thay odova najshukar mothavgya ano lengo IQ.
Panglo sa akaleya WHO rodingya kotar jek drom phiravdipe akale manushengo ko yaver than thay pandipe akale kampengo. Qivdo isine ani godi kay Osterode kampi isine kerdo sar jek temporalno soluciya kote akay asoluciya lugardili 2 bersh.
Romano Them araklape save na nashukar gendipa palo Roma, kerdindoy e Romen ano odova kay akava isi lengo “jivdipasko stili” thay siklipe-tabiyati, keripaya e Romen jevapliye pali sanitarno kriza koya arakhelape ano kampi. Organizaciya insitringya kay qivdipa e IDP-ngo ano jivdipasko darako niveli kontaminaciyake ani koya arakhenape, perela talo pagipa e bazikuine manushikane hakayengo.
Panda isine pendilo kay e situaciya ano kampya mangelape te dikhelpe ano pobuvlo Kosovako konteksti, kote but hari isine kerdilo palo Roma. Sar yek situaciya o Romano Them lepargya, o akanaske kondiciye ano Leposaviqesko kampi, qirutno Yugoslaviyako askeriyako-voysako hangari, kova isine adaptirmo sar yek temporlano beshibasko than e Romenge kola isine paldime kotar o Juzhno Mitrovicaka thay yavera kotora e Kosovake thay sa akava lugyardilo ani vrama 10 bershengi.
Ano dikhipe pali dar mothavdo kotar diferentno reprezentya e Mashakthemutne Komunitetesko kay cidipe akale manusheno kotar akala duj kampya, shay te anel yavere IDP thay nashle manushen kotar o regioni ano akala neve kampya. Romano Them phengya kay mangelape o nashle manushengo problemi te dikhelpe talo regionalno thay Evropako okviri soske but phuvya na kerde integraciya e nashle manushenge. Motavdilo panda sar shay te ovel akceptiriomo zorea dendo iranipa pobuter hilade manushengo, keda nashti te arakhelpe soluciya 480 maushenge ano kampya.
O beshipa e lokalno institutiyencar sar soy Ministeriyumi palo sastipa thay Ministeriyumi palo Irinipa thay Komunitetya, pobuter isine fokusirimo ano praktikuine, sakodive puqipencar kote ano akava qivelape medicinako diklaripe odolenge kola irisalile ani Romani Mahala, thay transferi e dokumentego mashkar duy riga e Mirovicake, vakeripa e reprezentecar kotar e EU thay UNMIK ando peste isinele arakhipe yeke “lunge vramake” soluciyake palo sanitarno emerjenca koya ka anel cidipa e manushengo kotar o kampya ano yek sigurmo beshibasko than. Panda keda e US bazirimi BRO-NGO Mercy Corps poshmingya e implementaciya e 2.4 miliona $ projektesko finaciriomo kotar o USAID, koleya dikhelape te ikalgyon kotar kampya 50 familiye, e EU Komisiya isi panda ano procesi pere inicijalno diklaripaske-procenake. EU Komisiyake reprezentya phende kay e Komisiyake Delegaciya mangla te vazdel jek pobuvlo kuvipa ano akava thay ano akava qivelape relokaciya, shuzharipa e lokaciyako, keripa yeke materijalno -ekonomiyake shemake thay vazdipa jandipaske nivelsekse palo sa akava. On panda phende kay mangelape te kerelepe buti pashe yavere sunyektencar kola qivde ano puqipa, thay ka ovelen beshipa e USAID thay Mercy Corps.
WHO pobuvle mothavgya kay akale misiyako gendo isi panda “te arakhel koy jevapliya”. Romano Them akhargya ko keripa jeke organeske kova ka kerel koordinaciya palo aktivtetya diferetno subjektengo qivde ano akava puqipe. Pendilo panda palo riziko e pobuter phiravipasko pali soluciya e problemeski.
UNMIK-ske reprezentya ande ko lafi kay fakti e rekonstrukciya e Mahalaki ani Mitrovica isi komplicirimi sebebi e faktesko kay disave manusha kola isine jivdinena ani Mahala na isinelen khereske dokumentya, dokuemntya kola isine rodime kotar o Mitrovicake lokalunine institiuciye sar dokazi te ikeren o than ano kova angleder isine jivdinena o Roma. On panda mothavde kay o UNMIK nanele zoralipe te kerel intervenciya ano kotoro kote beshena o Srbya. Yaver problem kova isine vazdimo isi tiknaripe e fondengo kote mothavdilo kay distitbuciya e tudeske problemencar e manushengo kola jivdinena ano kampi mangelape te aqavipe-stopirinelpe.
O puqipe e nashle manushengo kotar e Evropa isine tikneste qivdo, kote u UNMIK-ske reprezentya kerde jando kay nane kondiciye e Romenge irinibaske. Panda majdur so pendilo, ini keda o Albancya kola irinenape ani Kosova bizo familiya thay akomodaciya-beshipasko thanesko isilen but pare te reintigrishinenpe.
Romano Them pengy kay dende bahtake pali koperaciya thay opstrukciya e lokaluine instituciyengo, nane fer kay o bangipe te qivelpe ko Roma. Pendilo kay o Mashkathemutno Komuniteti nashti qivgya piri zor-vola ni ko Srbya ni Ko Albancya, thay mangelape te ovel gatisarimo te del e Romenge diso ano irinipa. Pendilo panda, te isine birealikuno iriniba ani Mahala, thay relokaciya ano Srbyengo kotor, e manushenge kotar o kampya mangelape te delpe sahipe te ovem cidime odotar ani yaver (trito) phuv.
Ano shtarto (4) dive, e misiyako timi vizitiringya e Romani Mahala ani Kosovaki Mitrovica, kote majbut manusha angleder isine ano kampya. Romano Them isinele shaipe te kerel jek tikni investigaciya-istraga e thaneski. Diklile disave finalizirime thay e kvash finalirizime khera, kote disave olendar isine tikne stanya, a disave familiyarno khera. Yek kotar akala blokya isinele Policiyaki stanica ando peste thay kafana.Upralo akava bloke, isine e qavengo kelibasko than. Podur hari, beshena quqe familirano khera, majbut olendar putarde vudarencar thay penjerencar. Ano yek kotar o khera parne boya isine hramamo “UÇK”.
Romano Them kergya lafi yeke numero manushencar kola jivdinena ani Mahala. Majbut on zhalindepe kay na lena nisavi asistenciya, veq odoya koya lena kotar e Juzhno Mitrovica. Pende panda kay but organizaciye kerde vizita e Mahalake, thay nisavo projekti na isine vazdimo. Nisavo ekonomikuno avipa thay bibukyaripe isine mothavdilo sar yek maybaro problem.
O manusha kola beshena ani mahala phende kay o quqe khera pherana e manushenge kola isine angleder jivdienna ani mahala, thay kola nashte ani Evropa. Dendo ekonomiyako dikhipe, on phende kay nane sebebpya e irinibaske. Ini olenge, “iklovipa ani trito phuv” isine najshukar soluciya.
Romano Them araklape yeke qavorenge grupa ano lengo drumo ji ki shkola ano Srbengo kotor e Mitrovicako. Mothavde kay nanelen nisave problemya ani shkola, thay panda phende kay etnikune Albancya qingarena-dena vika upari lende keda nakhavena o mosti ji ko Sever e Mitrovicako.
Ano ruqko, akale (4) divesko, misiyako timo kergya vizita e kampeske ano Leposaviq, muklo askeriyako hangar, kova isine kerdilo te beshen IDP. O hangati isi kalo-zeleno thay biamalikano. Isi rotardirimo-okruzhimo barakencar, disave olendar isilen beshipa, yaverenge akava isi than e butikeripasko. Sar soy normalno akale lokaciyenge, Romano Them arakla kay o kondiciye isine ekstremno tiknarde thay bisastipaske. Familye kotar 10 thay pobut manusha, dayek drom trin generaciye, ulavena yek soba, yeke jameya, avrutne sanitariya-WC. O zidya kerde kotar o kompresimo kasht, thay diklola kalipe kotar e vlaga. O manusha kola beshena ano akava kampi mothavde da kay isi bube sar yek pobuter sebepi yeke bisastipaske jivdipasko.
Kontra odoleske soy pendilo kotar diferetno-savena reprezentya e Mashkarthemutne Komuniteteske, o beshibasko than generealno but shuzo. Sar soy penjardo e Muslimanege famileyenge, o manusha cidena pere kundre ano kuvipasko vudar. O zidya isine shukar dekorishime, kote dokumetirinelape evidetno mangipe yeke normalno kherske standardeske. Than avriyal e sobendar, isine bishuzho. Sa o avrutno than e hangarestar isi quqo than kova ovela mardo-meshimo e sapande yevendeske vakteya. Andral o than hangaresko isine perdo metaleya kotar o kojnardi-oshtro kolekciya, keripaya yel daravdo than qavornege khelibaske. O manusha kola beshena ano akava kampi qivde rodipe palo konteynerya kota ka qivelpe, thay te suzarelpe e jubra. Romano Them dikla sisave avrutne toaletya-WC. Qaqikane o toaletya isine ulavde mashkar sa o manusha kola jivdinena ano kampi, keripaya pahreste ikeripa e shuzhipasko.
Disave kotar o manusha kola jivdinena ano kampi isinelen piro nashukar vakeripa palo hronikune nasvaipe, kote ano akava qivena vileske problemya thay astma. O qavore isinenelen nashukar teni so shay te ovel indikaciya palo pohari havipe thay anemiya. Romano Them araklepe e familiyake jenecar kola astarde nasvalipa e kongenitalno hendikepeya, koleske azhutiripe na isine dendo.
Romano Them araklape yeke korkore djuvlija kaske pashe familyake jene beshena ano yaver kotor e Kosovako, thay kova qivgya rodipa palo keripa e kheresko, shaipeya te pasharelpe pe pashe familyake jenecar. Yek yaver phuri romni mothavgya piro hor bilaqipe soske te jivdinel 10 bersh talo akala kondiciye. Oy mothavgya kay e politika e Nacistengi isine kerdi te ovel yek pobaro shuzaripa thay egzekuciya e Romengi. Akava palo late isine but pohumano, ze so ovela avdive olencar. Yaver Egipqanengi familiya mothavgya kay nanelen than kay te nakhen, soske nane shukar ale ano nisavo kotor e Kosovako.
WHO kergya vizita solduy sastipaske centernge ano solduy riga e dizyake yeke gendoya te ovel sigurmo kay medikuini asistenciya e mansuhenge kotar o kampya na isine qinavdi ano procesi e dokumentengo phiravdipasko. O beshipa ano Severno Mitrovicako sastipasko centro isine avipirimi e delelgaciya kotar o sastipasko Ministeriyumi kotar o Beograd.
Ano posluno dive e vizitako, o timi kergya vizita e IDP kampesko ano Osterode. O beni akale vizitako isine te informirinel e manushen kola jivdinena ano kampi palo rezultatya e analizake ani reakciya e rodipaske kova qivde o manusha kola jivdinena ano kampi, thay kay na isine shukar dendi informaciya kotar o WHO. Soy panda, e informaciya na isine shukar distrubuimi-dendi ji ko nashle manusha kola beshena isine podur e misiyake manushendar thay na mangle te keren lafi e timeya. Ano isto vrama isine, pobuter reprezenetya e mashkarthemutne Organizaciyengo ano kampi.
Hari povon isine dendo diferetno vakeripa soske o IDP na mangle te keren lafi e reprezentecar kotar o WHO. So diklilo akate kay o manusha kola jivdinena ano kampi arakhenape bisugurime thay qivde ano zor kotar o sa riga. Sar sebebi, o IDP isine bangarde palo kanunesko rodlaripa kova isine qivdo kontra e Srbiyake panglo Evropake Konvenciya palo Manushikane Hakaya.[1] Ani isto vrama, isine shukar dendo kay o IDP nane shukar ale ani niyek rig e Ibareske.
Romano Them lela konfirmaciya kay sa akava puqipa-problemi phareste khandela ki politika, thay kay o manusha kola jivdinena ano kampi isine astarde akaleya, thay kay nashti te keren jek potezi a ten a oven kerde bange. Odoleske soske isi akhradilo ji ko “Mashkathemutno Komuniteti” palo anipe e soluciyako palo problemya e Romengo ano kampya.
Vizita isine fundirimi jekhethane pres konferenciya kotar o WHO thay UNDP, kote o direktori e UNDP-sko vakergya palo bangipe e Mashakrthemutne Komunitetesko, thay dengya urgetno akharibe ano qivdipe e fundesko palo pagive e Manushikane Hakayengo thay qavenge hakayengo.
Situaciya e nashle manushengi ani Makedoniya
Savatone ko 31 Januari, Romano Them ponadari lela drumo ji ki Makedoniya. Ano Shuto Orizari araklape e reprezetencar kotar o nashle manushengo komiteti, koleya isile pashe ko-operacija.. Ano jekto duy dive, Romano Them shungya o problemya kolenca arakhenape o nashle manusha panglo olenge bidendo statutesko ani Makedoniya. Isine mothavde neve identificiyake lila. Isi diferetno-savena tipya e dokumentengo/kolori-boya, kola avena kotar savo statusi isile o nashlo manush, sar soy odolenge kaske dendilo azili panglo Zhenevake Konvenciya (28 manushenge pao UNHCR-ski statistika), odolenge kola isilen temporalno statusi panglo humanitrano sebebpeya, thay odola kaski aplikaciya isi batisardi-agorisimi kotar o Makedoniyako Uqo Kriso.
Romano Them shukar lela khan kay prezentaciya akale neve dokumentenge ande bari konfuziya mashakr o nashle manusha. O daya thay dada isine gaylirime fakteya kay lenge qave na isine registririme ano lenge dokumentya. So pobuter prezentiripe neve ID-nge anela yavera promiba sar soy pasharipe sastipaske sistemeske, kote e nashle manushendar rodelape te pokinen sastipasko servisi, kova ji akana na kerde.
Romano Themeske dendile intezivne-pobuter informaciye palo sastipaski situaciya e nashle manushengo thay palo sastipasko sitemi. Panglo akaleya, but nashle manusha cidena kotar o hronikune nasvalipa sar soy reuma, astma, bronchitis. Romano Them majbut isine nashukar gendipa palo fakti e pobare numeresko e nashle manushengo kote akate qivenape ini tikne qave, lenape leyipa antidepresivno medicina, dayek puti ano bare doze, yeke gendoa te keren aqavipa e stresesko thay traumako.
Nashle manusha majbut motavde piro na shukar gendipa kay nane ambulatno vordon manushenge kola isilen urgetno rodipe ji ani bolnica, kola ano akala situaciye mangelape te len taxi kova lokyarela olengo tikno bujeti. Nashle manusha panda mothavde poro nashukar gendipa palo phari-kabasto procedura palo koya on mangelape jekto te keren vizita ji ko Lolo Trush, panda tena dikhen e doktore kote akava igari ji ko lugyaripe ano vikend. Pobuter nashle manusha sar so diklilo cidena kotar o bihayipe. Pobuter manusha kotar o masharutne jivdipaske bersha nashalde pere danda. E terne manushengo isine pendo kay cidena kotar e anemiya. O nashle manusha reportirime kay mashkar olende isi but hari phure manusha. Ekzamplya kotar o TBC isine reportime kotar o nashle manusha.
Skoluipe-edukaciya, isine lepardo sar yek yaver problemi. Pobuter nashle manusha aqavde piri edukaciya palo lengo mukiba e Kosovako, kote ani Mamedoniya sine obligirime-qivde te startuynen piri edukaciya kotar o jekto klasa. Yaver problem isi masharuni skola, koya obligirinela-qivela e nashle manushen te muken o Shuto Orizari, ano kova majbut olendar beshena. O daya thay dada, phende kay isilen dar te muken pere qaven avriyal kotar e Shutka. Pobuter qaya na nakhena ani skola, koya tradicionalizmeya nashti te mothavelpe-penjaripe.
Beshibasko than isine mothavdilo sar problem. O nashle manusha isilen beshipa ano privatno khera. Soy o nashle manusha dende zor te mothaven, kay o manusha kola dena pere khera tali kriya janena palo pharipe kay o nashle mansuha isilen palo arakhipe e kherengo, on vazdena o kiriye ano yek nashukar drumo kote o nashle manusha qivde te prominen piro beshibasko than palo disave maseka. Sar yek znak so mangela te phenel akava promiba, shay te dikelpe beshibasko than e IDP-ngo ano Leposaviq kote maybut dekorime thay ano yek personalno stili ikalipe e fotografijengo thay salvete ano duvari. Kotar sa o familye kola vizitiringyam ano Shuto Orizari, yek familiya isinela kondiciye te kinel peske ularipe-nameshtay, kote yavera familiye jivdinena thay sovena ki phuv-podi.
Nashle manusha reportirime panda palo promimi registarciyaki procedura, kote akaya nevi procedura qivela mangipe e avipasko e manushesko kova dela po kher kiriya e nashle manusha palo registraciya e neve adresake.
Romano Them lela kan kaj anipe akale neve identifikaciyke lilenge (ID) angya ji ki bari konfuziya mashkar o nashle manusha.O daya thay dada na arakle pest shukar panglo fakteya kay lengere chavore na isine registririme ano lenge dokumenya (ID). Soy maybut, manusha kola isinelen plavo-maviya ID karte mangelape isine te pokinen, te mangle te ovelen sastipasko servisi, kote sa akava angya ji ko bileyipa akale ID kartengo.
Maybaro nashukar gendipa e nashle manushengo isi panglo palo lengo avutnipe. Palo lengi informaciya disave familye dakordisale te irinenpe ani Kosova, thay o siguripaski nashukar gendipa ano jek than e shaipeya te kerelpe thay te vazdelpe yek shukar jivdipa e manushencar, isine lepardo sar jey sebebi kova na mukehela irinipa. Ano akava konteksti, isine but puqipa palo iklovipe ani USA e Kosovake Romengo kola isinelen beshipa ani Bosna thay Hercegovina. Yavera familye mangle te ovelen perspektiva pere qavenge, kote piro jivdipe dikehna kay lela fundo.
Ko 5 thay 6 Februari 2009, Romano Them araklape e reprezentencar kotar o mashkathemune organizaciye ani Makedoniya kote akate qivenape EU Komisiyake delegaciya thay WHO. Isine vazdime o problemya kolencar arakhenape o nashle manusha, thay isine rodimo te kerelpe zor ji ki Makedoniyake Instituciye gendipaya te kerelpe buti palo integraciya e nashle manushengo, ani liniya e prepoziciyengo kova dengya o Komesari palo Manushikane hakaya, rayo Thomas Hammarberg.
Ano beshipa e lokalno OSI (Open Society Institute) ofiseya, problemya ano kotor e edukaciyako isine diskutirimo. Romano Them dengya ki godi ko akava beshipa, kay o nashle manusha na isine qivde ani Nacionalno Strategiya e Romane Dekadake.
Romano Them bibahtake nashti araklape e reprezenteya kotar o UNHCR ani Skopya gendoa te diskuyel situacya e nashle manushengo te lel informaciye palo planya yeke lugyarde-shukare soluciyake.
Situaciya e Romengi ani Kosova thay Repatriciyake planya
Romano Them pangya piri vizita vakeripencar ani Prishtina. Isine arakhipe e reprezente kotar o Evropako Konzili koleske isine phiravdo Romano Themsko nashukar gendipa palo qorolo legalno statusi e Romengo ani Kosova, thay fakti kay lengoro avazo aqola majbut bishundo.
Ponadari isine diskutiriomo repatraciyako plani e rashtrencar kola ando peste isilen nashle Kosovake Romen, e reprezentencar kotar UNHCR thay UNMIK. Romano Them lela informaciya kay e Germaniya thay Svajcaria mangena te poshminen vakeripa panglo e skrinisiba bilateralno readmisiyake kontrakeya. Romano Themeske dendile informaciye kay e Daniya thay Sveria ka oven ano procesi akale vakeribasko palo akava kontrakti. Panda so motahavdilo, kay i numero zorea dendo irinibaske ano 2008 besrh isine tikno, kote qivelape 71 manush, kolendar majbut manusha kola kerde kriminali, kote disave olendar kerde tikno qoripa thay isine definismo sar kriminali.
Kotar o vakeripa e UNMIK-oya thay UNHCR-ya lelape khan kay na dendili nisavi asistenciya e manushenge kola zorea isine irinde, thay phuvya dena diferetno asisticiyake paketya odoelnge kola irinenape volonterski-korkore.
Romano Them lela kan kay o problemya startuynena kotar e recepciya e zorea dende irinipasko kote o disave EU phuvya isilen nada kay planirimo vazdipe e transit centroske e manushenge kola rodena azili ani Kosova, shay te den azhutiripe palo problemi kova avela e recepciya zorea dende irinibasko. Romano Them lela informaciya kotar jek zhurnalisti palo yek Ashkaluini familiya koya isine zorea irindi kotar e Germaniya, duy dive sukla avriyal ko drumo, bi tena arakhel beshibasko than ano kolektivuino centro.
Kuvipe ji ko dokumentya, registraciya, edukaciya thay sastipasko azutiripe aqona sar problemya e nashle manushengo.
Romano Themeske isine reportirimi informaciya kotar o nashle manusha panglo siguripaske incidenteya. Akava qivela ando peste nashukar bukya kerde Romane juvlake ani Prishtinaki bolnica, thay qoripe ani farma e hayvanengi. Isine araklo kay ekonomikuine incidentya nane qivde ani lista e masharetnikune incidetya, thay kay o incidetya mangenape te oven reportirime ji ko OSCE te shay te kuven ano UNMIK-sko reporti.
Panglovakeriba
Kosovaki majbari institiuciya (vlada), dela zor te posminel thay shay kuvgya ano vakeripa e phuvyenge Institutiyencar kola ando peste isilen Kosovake Romen, panglo skrinisiba e readmisiyake kontrakteya. Ano momenti UNHCR-ski poziciya (kotar o 2006 bersh) palo mashakthemutno siguripa-protekciya e manushenge kotar e Kosova, panda isi ko than koya astarela ini e Kosovake Romen. Akava dokumenti ano mometi isi tali reviziya-diklaripe, thay o UNHCR aqola talo piro gendipa kay kondiciye palo jek phiravdo irinipa e Romengo na arakhenape.
Transfereya thay leyipa e bukyengo ano puqipa e irinibasko, ji ko Kosovake Instituciye, o drumo palo zorea dendo irinipa promisalo. Soy maymahatno kay o etniteti e personako kova deportirinelape na kuvela ani komunikaciya e phuvyako kola lela e deportirime, thay ni sastipasko statusi.
Ini kay phenelape kay nane kondiciye yeke pobare numersko isrinabaske e romengo,- Romani strategiya koya isine adoptirimi kotar e Kosovake Instituciye ano Decembari 2008, prioriteti dela laqaribaske e situaciyake odolenge koy panda ani Kosova, Kosovaki Uqi Instituciya na ka ovel ani poziciya te irinel repatricaiyako rodlaripe. Soj maybut kontra akaleske, Kosovaki Uqi Institiuciya diklola kay mangela te mothavel kay Kosovo lela mahalimo-zasluzhimo biumlavdipe thay kay gata te lel nashle mansuhen nalpalal kotar o sa etnicitetya.
Ano tereni e situaciya isi but diferetno kotar e publikuni retorika. Majbaro problem koleya o Roma arakhenape isi phari ekonomikuni situaciya koya uli puqipe egzistiribasko e tikne marginizirime komuniteteske. Problemi e egzistenciyako arakela poro pandipa ano strukturalno diskriminaciya thay nashukar gendiapa palo Roma.
Bibahtake Mashkarthemutno Komuniteti pelo ko ispiti pali kreaciya e kondiciyenge e Romenge palo yek sigurimo thay izatalo-dostoyanstveno egzistenciya ani Kosova. Peripa ko ispiti te rekostrushinelpe e Romani Mahala ani Mitrovica si yek maybaro ispatluko akaleske.
Kontra e Kosovake Srbyenge thay Albancenge, Roma nanelen zoralo politikako lobi. Nashukar gendipa palo lende isi zoralo, thay akava kerela prevenciya palo vazdipe e implementaciyako e politikako koya ka kreirinel yek stabilno mashakrjivdipa e Romengo ani Kosova.Kriminaliteti palo Roma thay nashukar bukya aqona telal qivde ose bireportirime.
Talo diferetno than, kondiciye ani Kosova isi pashe odolenge ani Makedoniya, kote o nashle manusha isine mukle korkori peske.
Ini kay na dikhelape yek sigutni dar palo zorea dendo iriniba e Romengo kotar e Makedoniya, qinavdipa e humanitarno asistenciyako kotar ano moment o nashle manusha jivdinena, shay te anel ji ko volontersko iriniba ani Kosova.
Ani Kosova thay Makedoniya, yek celo-bitiviya generaciya e Romengi isine kurbani-zhrtva. But qave na janena yavere jivdipaske kotar odova savo i ano kampya. On bayrile traumencar kotar pere daya thay dada, kola siguripa ka oven phiravde ji ko lenge qave. Zeheri-Olovo isi garavdo ano kokala thay phiravde ji ko bebe vogeya via-prekal dayake porya.
Dikhipe palo fashizmi, koya isine shundi ano IDP-nge kampya ani Kosova, isine shunavdo kotar o nashle manusha ani Makedoniya, kola na dikhena fundo pere cidipasko thaj problemengo.
Panda te lelpe bilosavo iriniba e nashle manushengo, Masharthemutno Komuniteti, kova isine jevapliya-odogovrno palo lengi bah, keripaya participaciya ano NATO askeriyaki-militarno intervenciya kontra e Yugoslaviyake, mangelape te arakle soluciya e problemengo a nashle manushengo thay IDP-ngo ano regioni. Tena kerelape akava, neve iranipa ka barvarel mizerno situaciya koya ano moment.
10 Februari 2009
Uhlar o reporti ki romani/anglikani chib (ki PDF).
[1] Romano Them verifikuyngya akaya informaciya e advokatencar kola isine chivde ano akava puchipa. Sar so phenelape, nane asavki kanuneski daviya kontra e Srbiyake. Leyipa o fakti kay isi nashukar dikhipa indicirinela-dela e situaciya kay o IDP-ya isi subyekti savena zoreske thay bangeripaske.
Background
Since April 2008, Romano Them has been monitoring the situation in the IDP camps in Northern Kosovo whose inhabitants have been affected by exceptionally high levels of lead-poisoning, causing irreversible damages to the health of young and new-born children.
Following intensive discussions, the organization was invited by the regional office of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Belgrade to participate in a health assessment mission in Kosovo. The mission took place from 27 to 31 January 2009 including meetings with international community representatives, Kosovo government and local institutions, and community leaders.
During the visit, in which Romano Them participated from the second day on, the organization had the opportunity to speak with IDPs and returnees. By the end of the mission, Romano Them left for a three day visit to Macedonia with the aim of assessing the situation of the Roma refugees from Kosovo. On 4 February 2009, Romano Them returned to Kosovo, where it met with representatives of the international community in order to discuss refugee returns and repatriations.
Since the sanitary and environmental aspects of the situation in the camps will be the subject of a separate report, which is prepared by the WHO, the following report will concentrate on political and social questions as well as on the issue of refugee returns and forced repatriations.
Lead poisoning in IDP camps
Much has been written and much more has been polemicised surrounding the lead-poisoning in the IDP camps in Northern Mitrovica. Almost ten years after the war, the camps which had been set up to provide a temporary shelter to the inhabitants of the Roma Mahala following their violent expulsion by Kosovo Albanians, are still hosting some 480 people, divided between the old Cesmin Lug camp and the newly refurbished Osterode camp, where they have been relocated to in 2006.
Romano Them got alerted on this issue in April 2008, when an article published in the New Kosovo Report claimed that the Blood Lead Level (BLL) in the blood of children had doubled. Romano Them launched an enquiry with the international organizations which have been involved in the issue including UNMIK; UNICEF and WHO, before it was forwarded the results of new tests which had been carried out by the Institute for Public Health in Kosovska Mitrovica, by one of the camp leaders.
Romano Them subsequently called on the international organizations to release the entire results of the tests which have been conducted over the last nine years in order to allow for an assessment of the situation. It also asked for the immediate opening of negotiations with the inhabitants of the camps regarding their relocation to a safe area.
Romano Them’s participation in the health assessment mission of the WHO has been the outcome of intensive discussions with the regional office of the WHO in Belgrade surrounding the character of the crisis and its solution.
The mission team was composed of two representatives of the WHO regional office in Belgrade, an expert of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, and Romano Them.
During the first three days of the visit, various meetings were scheduled with representatives of the international community and of the Kosovo government in Pristina. During these meetings, the WHO presented the results of its evaluation of the tests conducted since the establishment of the camps. The organisation concluded that there has been a slight improvement of the BLL in particular among those IDPs who moved from the old camps to the newly Osterode, but insisted that the situation still constitutes a medical emergency. Dr. Mary Jean Brown from the US-based CDC pointed out at the detrimental effects of lead-poisoning, particularly on the health of children and new born. She said that the tragedy is not that children are dying, but that lead-poisoning is taking away their future and pointed at its lasting impact on the children’s IQ.
Consequently, WHO asked for an immediate relocation of the IDPs and a closure of the camps. It reminded that the Osterode camp had been established as another temporary solution which has come to last for two years, already.
Romano Them confronted numerous prejudices regarding Roma claiming that their “life style” or habits were responsible for the sanitary crisis in the camps. The organization insisted that the exposure of the IDPs to life threatening levels of lead contamination consisted of a violation of basic human rights. It also said that the situation in the camps needs to be seen in a broader Kosovo context where little had been done for the Roma. As a case in point, Romano Them mentioned the appalling conditions in the Leposavic camp, a former Yugoslav military hangar, which had been adapted to provide a temporary shelter for the Roma who had been chased from Southern Mitrovica and other parts of Kosovo and has also lasted for about ten years.
In view of the fears expressed by different representatives of the international community that a relocation of the inhabitants of the two camps would draw IDPs and refugees from the neighbouring countries to move into the newly evacuated camps, Romano Them said that it was necessary to tackle the refugee problem within a regional and European framework as many countries had failed to integrate the refugees. It pointed out to the incongruence of aiming to forcibly repatriate several ten thousands of people to Kosovo if a solution for 480 people could not be found.
While the talks with the local authorities such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Returns and Communities rather focused on practical, every day issues including the medical follow-up of those who returned to the Roma Mahala and the transfer of documents between the North and the South, talks with the representatives of the EU and the United Nations (UNMIK), consisted in finding a “long-term” solution to the sanitary emergency implying a relocation of the inhabitants of the camps to a safe environment. Whereas the US-based NGO Mercy Corps had already started with the implementation of a 2.4 million $ project financed by USAID, consisting in the relocation of 50 families from the camps, the EU Commission is still in the process of initial assessment. Commission representatives said that the Commission delegation wanted to develop a comprehensive approach including the relocation, the cleaning of the location, income generation schemes, and awareness-raising. They also said that it was necessary to work closely with other stakeholders and that they would meet with USAID and Mercy Corps.
WHO explained that the purpose of its mission was also to “find out who is responsible.” Romano Them called for the establishment of a task force aimed to coordinate the activities of different stake holders. It warned of the risk of further delaying a solution to the problem.
UNMIK representatives pointed out to the fact that the reconstruction of the Mahala in Kosovska Mitrovica was complicated by the fact that some of its former inhabitants did not hold property documents which was used by the municipal authorities in Mitrovica South to withhold parts of the land formerly inhabited by the Roma. They also explained that UNMIK had no possibility to intervene in the North. Another problem which was raised was the shortage of funding which explained why the distribution of dairy problems to the inhabitants of the camps had to be terminated.
The issue of refugee returns from Western Europe was briefly evoked, where UNMIK representatives made clear that there are no conditions for returning Roma. Accordingly, even in the case of ethnic Albanians who are returned to Kosovo without a family or accommodation, a reintegration is difficult.
Romano Them said that, given the lack of cooperation and obstruction by the local structures, it was unfair to put the blame on the Roma. It said that if the international community was not able to impose its will on neither the Kosovo Albanian, nor the Kosovo Serb authorities, it should be prepared to give something in return to the Roma. It also said, that if a return to the Mahala was unrealistic and a relocation in the Northern part impossible, the inhabitants of the camps should be given the possibility to relocate to another country.
On the fourth day, the mission team visited the Roma Mahala in Kosovska Mitrovica, where most of the inhabitants of the camps originate from. Romano Them took the opportunity for a short investigation of the site. It saw several finished and half-finished buildings, some of them small apartment blocks, others family houses. One of these blocks had a police station and a pub. Behind it, there was a playground for children. A little far away, stood several empty family houses, all of them with open doors and doors and windows smashed. One of these houses bore the inscription “UÇK” in white, painted letters.
Romano Them talked with a few inhabitants of the Mahala. They complained that they received no assistance whatsoever except for social welfare payments from the Southern municipality. They said that many organizations visited the Mahala, but that no projects were realized. The lack of income opportunities and unemployment were quoted as major problems.
Residents said that the empty houses belonged to former inhabitants of the Mahala who escaped to Western Europe. Given the dim economic outlook, they said there were no opportunities for return. Even for them, they said “third country resettlement” was the only hope.
Romano Them met a group of children on their way to school on the Serbian side. While they claimed not to face any problems at school, they said that ethnic Albanians were shouting at them when they crossed the bridge to the North.
In the afternoon, of the same day, the mission team visited the Leposavić camp, a defunct army hangar, which has been accommodated to host IDPs. The building is dark-green and hostile. It is surrounded by shacks, some of them inhabited, others serving as stalls for poultry. As usual in these locations, Romano Them found the conditions extremely cramped and unhealthy. Families of ten and more people, sometimes three generations, shared single rooms with only one window. The walls, made of compressed wood, bore black marks from dampness. Inhabitants presented cockroaches as yet another evidence for the unhealthy living conditions.
Contrary to what was said by different representatives of the international community, the accommodations were generally very clean. As usual for Muslim families, people did remove shoes at the doorstep. The walls were nicely decorated, documenting an evident will for ordinary housing standards. The outside, however, was clearly untidy. The whole surrounding of the hangar is bare soil which became muddy from the wet winter weather. The whole area is invaded by old metal stemming from scrap collections, constituting a dangerous playground for children. Residents asked for containers to be placed to clean up the waste. Romano Them saw some outside latrines. Obviously, sanitary equipment is shared by all the inhabitants of the camps, making it difficult to maintain tidiness.
Several inhabitants claimed to suffer from chronic diseases including heart problems and asthma. Children were of pale complexion as a possible indication of malnutrition and anaemia. Romano Them met with a family whose members are affected with a congenital handicap, for which no help was available.
Romano Them met a single old person who had relatives in another part of Kosovo and asked for a house to be built so that she could join them. Another old woman expressed her deep despair for having to live ten years under such circumstances. She claimed that the policy of the Nazis consisting in mass executions of Roma was more human. Another Egyptian family claimed that it had no place to go, since it was neither welcome in the North nor the South of Kosovo.
WHO visited the health centres in both sides of the towns in order to make sure that medical assistance to the residents of the camps was not disrupted by the failing transfer of documentation. The meeting at the health centre in Mitrovica North was joined by a delegation from the Health Ministry in Belgrade.
On the last day of the visit, the team visited the IDP camp in Osterode. The purpose of the visit was to inform the inhabitants about the results of the analyses in reaction to complaints that the inhabitants had not been properly informed by the WHO. However, the information had not been properly disseminated to the refugees who stayed away and refused to speak to the team. At the same time, there were several representatives of international organizations present in the camps.
Later on, different explanations were provided for the IDPs refusal to speak to the representatives of WHO. What was however very obvious was that the inhabitants of the camps feel insecure and are being pressurised from all sides. Reportedly, the IDPs have been blamed for a law suit which has allegedly been filed against Serbia on the grounds of the European Convention for Human Rights.[1] At the same time, it has been clear that the IDPs are welcome on neither side of the Ibar River.
Romano Them got confirmation that the whole issue smells heavily of politics, and that the inhabitants of the camps are being trapped that they cannot move to either side without being blamed. This is why it called on the particular responsibility of the “international community” for resolving the problems of the Roma in the camps.
The visit was concluded by a joint press conference of the WHO and the UNDP, during which the director of UNDP spoke of failure of the international community and issued an urgent call to put an end to the violation of Human Rights and the rights of children.
The situation of the refugees in Macedonia
On Saturday, 31st, January, Romano Them travelled further to Macedonia. In Shuto Orizari, the organisation met with representatives of the refugee committee with whom it has been cooperating, in past. During the first two days, Romano Them heard the complaints of the refugees relating to their unresolved status in Macedonia. It was shown the new identity papers. There are different types of documents/colours depending on status of the refugees, red for those who have been granted asylum on the basis of the 1951 Geneva Convention, (some 28 people according to the UNHCR statistics), brown for those with a temporary status on humanitarian grounds, and blue for those who are living in a mixed marriage and qualify for Macedonian citizenship. Those refugees whose asylum application has been rejected by the Macedonian Supreme Court continue to hold special identification papers for refugees called “žutni kartoni”, yellow cards.
Romano Them understood that the introduction of these new ID documents has caused great confusion among the refugees. Parents were worried about the fact that their children have not been registered in there documents. Furthermore, it seems that the holders of blue ID cards now have to pay in order to receive particular health services which has lead to the rejection of these cards.
Romano Them was given intensive information on the health situation of the refugees and access to health care. Accordingly, many refugees suffer from chronic diseases such as rheumatism, asthma or bronchitis. Romano Them was particularly concerned to learn that a huge number of refugees including small children seem to be administrated anti-depressants, sometimes in high doses, in order to cope with stress and trauma.
The refugees complained that there is no ambulance available to take people to hospital. Hence, the refugees have to take a taxi which is overstretching their small budget. They also complained about the cumbersome procedure according to which they have allegedly first to visit the local Red Cross, before seeing a doctor which leads to deadlocks on weekends and in the evening. Many of the refugees seem to suffer from the impact of malnutrition. Several middle-aged persons had many of their teeth lost. Young children were said to suffer from anaemia. The refugees also reported that there are hardly any old people in their community. Cases of TBC were also reported.
Schooling was mentioned as yet another problem. Many children seem to have abandoned their education after their flight from Kosovo, since they were often obliged to start from the first grade. Another problem is secondary school, which obliges the refugees to leave Shuto Orizari, where most of them are accommodated. Parents said that they are afraid to let their children out. Many of the girls seem not to receive any school education which tradition alone does not explain.
Housing was also mentioned as a problem. Refugees in Shuto Orizari are accommodated in private houses. They allege that the owners exploit their difficulties in finding housing and raise the rent in a discretionary way forcing people to change residence every few months.
As an obvious sign of what it means to change housing all the time, it could be seen the accommodations of the IDPs in Leposavic were mostly decorated in a personalised style. Of the families visited in Shuto Orizari, one family, which did not have to move, had been able to buy its own furniture whereas other families lived in slept on the floor.
They also reported changes in the registration procedure, imposing people to be accompanied by the owner of the houses when they register at a new address.
Romano Them also heard that newly born children had no identification documents at all. Apparently, they are not issued ID cards or enlisted in the ID cards of their parents. Moreover, it seems that the refugees were advised by the Macedonian authorities not to get in contact with the Serbian embassy in Macedonia in order not to jeopardise their status. As a consequence, the only document these children have is their birth certificate.
The main concern of the refugees regards their future. According to them, a few families had agreed to return to Kosovo, but security concerns together with concerns about possibilities to ensure their livelihood, in a hostile surrounding, were mentioned as the main obstacles to returns. Some families continued to cherish hopes for a third country resettlement. In this context, there was a lot of questioning surrounding the resettlement of Kosovo Roma from Bosnia-Herzegovina to the United States. Other families simply wanted to have a perspective for their children as they consider that life for themselves is over.
On 5 and 6 February 2009, Romano Them met with representatives of international organisations in Macedonia including the EU Commission delegation and the WHO. It highlighted the problems faced by the refugees and asked to pressure the Macedonian authorities in order to work towards the integration of the refugees, in line with the recommendations issued by the Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg.
In a meeting with the local Open Society Institute, the problems in the field of education were discussed. Romano Them pointed to the fact that the refugees had not been included in the National Strategy for the Roma Decade.
Romano Them has unfortunately not been unable to meet with representatives of the UNHCR in Skopje in order to discuss the situation of the refugees and plans for a sustainable solution to their problems.
The situation of Roma in Kosovo and Repatriation plans
Romano Them concluded its visit with talks in Pristina. It met with representatives of the Council of Europe to whom it conveyed its concerns regarding the poor legal status of Roma in Kosovo and the fact that their voices remained largely unheard.
It further discussed repatriation plans of the governments of the host countries with representatives of the UNHCR and UNMIK. Romano Them received information that Germany and Switzerland were about to start or have started negotiations regarding the signature of bilateral readmission agreements. Romano Them also heard that Denmark and Sweden were in the process of negotiating such agreements. The organisation was further informed about changes in the readmission procedure after the complete take-over of the responsibilities in the field of return and readmission by the Kosovo government. However, it was also told that the number of forced returns in 2008 had been low, involving 71 people, mostly so-called criminal offenders with some of these people however only convicted for minor theft.
Romano Them was told that contrary to voluntary returnees, forced returnees were not offered any kind of assistance. Problems start with the reception of the returnees where some EU countries are nurturing hopes that the planned construction of a transit centre for asylum seekers could help to alleviate the problems of the reception of forced returnees. Romano Them received information from a journalist, that an Ashkali family which was forcibly deported from Germany had to sleep two nights in the streets, before finding an accommodation in a collective centre.
Access to documents, registration, education and health care remain a problem.
Romano Them reported information regarding security incidents which it received during its visit. These included the rape of a Romani woman at a hospital in Pristina and the theft of farm animals. It learned that incidents with an economic background are not considered as interethnic crimes and that incidents need to be reported to the police or the OSCE to be entered into the UNMIK reports.
Conclusion
The Kosovo government is about to embark or has already entered negotiations with the governments of host countries regarding the signature of readmission agreements. For the moment, the UNHCR position on the international protection needs for individuals from Kosovo of 2006 is still valid. According to this document, Roma are still considered as in need of individual protection and should not be deported to Kosovo. The document is currently under revision, but the UNHCR remains of the opinion that the conditions for a sustainable return of Roma are not met.
With the transfer and take-over of responsibilities in the field of return to the Kosovo governments the patterns for forced repatriations have however changed. Most importantly, the ethnicity of a person to be deported is no longer communicated to the competent authorities dealing with readmission, nor is their health status.
Even if admitting that there are no conditions for large-scale returns of Roma, – the Roma strategy which has been adopted by the government in December, gives priority to improving the situation of those still in the country – , the Kosovo government will not be in a position to reject repatriation requests. Quite on contrary, it seems quite keen to proof that Kosovo has deserved independence and is ready to receive returnees from all ethnicities.
On the grounds the situation is very different from the public rhetoric. The most obvious problem faced by Roma is the difficult economic situation which becomes a question of survival for a small and marginalized community. The economic hardship experienced by the Roma largely results from structural discrimination and prejudices.
Unfortunately, the international community has failed to create the conditions for Roma to lead a safe and dignified existence in Kosovo. Their interest have been sacrificed towards the interests of Kosovo’s two largest communities, the Kosovo Albanians and the Kosovo Serbs. The failure to reconstruct the Roma Mahala in Mitrovica is the most stringent evidence for the failure of the international community to safeguard the interests of the Roma.
Contrary to Kosovo Serbs and Albanians, the Roma do not have a strong political lobby. Prejudice against them is ripe and prevents the development and implementation of a policy that would create a stable livelihood for Roma in Kosovo. Crimes and harassment against them remain under- or unreported.
Even if under different premises, the condition is quite similar in neighbouring Macedonia where refugees have been left on their own devices for years. Instead of being able to start a new life, they have been kept dependent of humanitarian assistance.
While there seem not to be any immediate threats of forced repatriations of Roma from Macedonia, the phasing out of this assistance which is the main and often the sole basis of survival, may prompt so-called voluntary returns to Kosovo.
In Kosovo and in Macedonia, a whole generation of Roma has been sacrificed. Many children know no other life than life in camps and temporary shelters. They have grown up with the traumas of their parents and are likely to convey these traumas to their children. Lead is conserved in the bones and transferred to the baby in the womb via the umbilical cord.
The reminiscences of Fascism were heard in Kosovo. They were echoed by the refugees in Macedonia who see no end to their suffering.
Before considering any refugee returns, the international community and, in particular, those countries, that participated in the NATO military intervention against Yugoslavia, should seek to find a solution to the problems of the refugees and IDPs in the region. Unless this is done, new returns will only increase misery.
10 February 2009
Download the report as a PDF-file.
[1] Romano Them verified these information with lawyers who have been involved in this issue. Accordingly, there is no such law suit against Serbia. The fact that there is such a rumour indicates, however, that the IDPs are subject to any kinds of pressure and accusations.
The roundtable was aimed at discussing returns and integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in host countries and in Kosovo. It was set against the backdrop of several recent developments, factors and trends with regard to Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian (RAE) returns. First, the Kosovo authorities were making efforts to come up with a strategy and programs at the municipal level. At the same time, bilateral and multilateral readmission agreements and protocols were signed, most notably one between UNMIK and Serbia. Finally, the international community has been increasingly focused on the Roma (e.g. EU Summit on the Roma in mid-September).
Project on Ethnic Relations
January 2009
The full report is available here.
15 January 2009 – In its annual world report, Human Rights Watch presents a sobering picture of the human rights situation in Kosovo after the declaration of independence. The organisation notes that Roma, Ashakali and Kosovo Egyptians continue to face persistent discrimination in all areas of society.
Extracts:
Not only did Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia in February fail to clarify its international legal status, but it also brought no visible improvements to human rights conditions. The weak criminal justice system frustrates efforts to tackle impunity for ethnic violence and other serious crimes. Minorities face continued violence and discrimination. Few displaced persons and refugees returned to their homes, even as forced returns from Western Europe increased.
Uncertainty over the status of the UN interim administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and successor EU missions hindered their effectiveness. Kosovo’s status plan, based on the so-called “Ahtisaari plan” (envisioned by the UN chief negotiator Martti Ahtisaari) proposed that an EU-led International Civilian Office (ICO) and EU police and justice mission (EULEX) would assume responsibility from UNMIK following Kosovo’s declaration of independence. But the UN Security Council failed to agree the change, delaying the deployment of EULEX, and leaving a gap in oversight of the justice system. The UN secretary-general approved in June a more informal transfer of responsibility to EULEX and a scaled down role for UNMIK. At this writing EULEX has yet to deploy to the Serb-controlled north of Kosovo, a process complicated by objections from authorities in Pristina and Belgrade about the implications for Kosovo’s status. The status of the ICO remains unclear.
The NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force, KFOR, remains deployed throughout Kosovo, including in the north. In the first six months of 2008 the number of troops decreased from 15,900 to 14,759.
Protection of Minorities
There was limited violence following Kosovo’s declaration of independence, most of it concentrated in the north of Mitrovica. Forty-five ethnically motivated incidents (18 in Mitrovica) were recorded by the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) in the first six months of the year, down from the 31 it recorded in Mitrovica during the same period in 2007. UNMIK, which recorded almost 200 “inter-ethnic” incidents in 2007, did not provide figures for 2008.
In January and February 2008, buses carrying Serbs and Gorani were stopped and searched by armed masked men. No one was hurt and the perpetrators have not been identified. On two separate occasions in April shots were fired at the Serbian village of Banjski Suvi Do from a nearby Albanian village. The KPS and KFOR attended promptly on both occasions, but the perpetrators have not been identified. In May an elderly Serbian returnee to Decani was beaten up. The investigation into this incident was still ongoing at this writing.
A Ukrainian policeman was killed and more than 150 people injured during clashes in Mitrovica on March 15, after Serbs tried to storm a UN courthouse. Tension persisted in Mitrovica in subsequent months, resulting in renewed clashes on August 4 during which three Serbs and one international policeman were injured.
Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians (RAE) face persistent discrimination, particularly in employment and access to public services, and continue to be affected by the highest unemployment, school drop-out, and mortality rates in Kosovo.
Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons The number of voluntary returns to Kosovo, including from Serbia, continues to decline, with only 229 (including 80 Serbs) registered during the first eight months of the year.
Returns are hampered by the unstable political situation and the lack of conditions for sustainable return, including employment and social services. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Serbs,
Roma, and Albanians from areas where they are in the minority remain in need of international protection.
A survey by the Mitrovica Institute of Public Health in May concluded that lead levels among displaced RAE in camps in North Mitrovica remain dangerously high, despite efforts to administer treatment for lead contamination. The Ombudsperson launched an investigation into the issue in July 2008. Efforts to return RAE to their homes in Mitrovica continued, with 14 families returned to newly reconstructed homes in 2008.
Forced returns from Western Europe continued, with 1,727 persons returned in the first eight months of 2008, including 437 from Germany and 290 from Switzerland. While UNMIK continues to directly manage such returns, the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs is now responsible for monitoring the process. But the government’s reintegration strategy, which foresees 5,000 returns per annum, lacks mechanisms to ensure the access to documentation and housing necessary to facilitate reintegration.
Impunity and Access to Justice
Ramush Haradinaj, a former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, was acquitted by the ICTY on April 3, 2008. Haradinaj, who was Kosovo’s prime minister at the time of his indictment, had been accused of murder, persecution, rape, and torture during the Kosovo conflict. ICTY judges found him not guilty on all counts. The court cited significant difficulties in obtaining testimony of many witnesses due to security concerns. One co-defendant, Idriz Balaj, was found not guilty on all counts, while another, Lahi Brahimaj, was convicted and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. Prosecution appeals against the two acquittals and Brahimaj’s sentence, and an appeal by Brahimaj against conviction, are pending at this writing.
In July the ICTY convicted well-known Kosovar journalist Baton Haxhiu for contempt of court for revealing the identity of a protected witness who testified during the Haradinaj trial. He was fined €7,000. Kosovo’s criminal justice system continued to be the weakest of its main institutions.
A 2004 law requiring prosecutors, rather than judges, to take the lead in investigating cases has yet to be fully implemented. Insufficient coordination between police and prosecutors, and between national and international actors, remains a barrier to the effective administration of justice. The absence of designated judicial police, as required by the law, undermines the ability of police to meaningfully assist prosecutors. The electronic case management system is still not operational.
Witness protection is a particular problem, especially in cases involving organized crime, war crimes, and attacks on minorities. Widespread witness intimidation and harassment mean that many witnesses are unwilling to come forward.
Kosovo lacks a witness protection law, and judges and prosecutors often fail to use those measures that are available. Reluctance on the part of Western governments to host witnesses and their families hampers witness relocation.
The number of active war crimes prosecutions remains low. The ongoing trials include that of ethnic Albanian Gani Gashi, accused of killing Albanian civilians in 1998. Ethnic Serb Momcilo Jovanovic was arrested in March for crimes against Albanian civilians in 1999. In May ethnic Serb Miroslav Vuckovic was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for crimes against ethnic Albanian civilians in May 1999, including endangering lives through the use of explosives and firearms, property destruction, theft, and looting.
There was little progress in bringing to justice persons responsible for the most serious crimes arising from riots in the March 2004. According to the latest statistics from UNMIK, by the end of October 2008, 35 people had been convicted on charges of arson, looting, inciting racial, religious and ethnic hatred, and assault, the same number as at the end of January.
There was also little progress in determining the fate of missing persons. As of April 2008, 1,963 persons-the majority Kosovo Albanian-remain missing. In June the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe nominated Dick Marty as rapporteur to investigate the fate of missing Serbs allegedly transferred to northern Albania after June 1999. The Kosovo government has refused to investigate the allegations.
Human Rights Defenders
Human rights defenders are largely free to operate without hindrance from international authorities or the Kosovo government.
The Ombudsperson Institution remains compromised by the failure of the Kosovo Assembly to appoint an ombudsperson, with the process restarted in September 2008 for the third time. The institution has had an acting ombudsperson since 2006. But UNMIK’s cooperation improved, with progress on addressing the backlog of correspondence and requests from the Ombudsperson. At this writing, EULEX had yet to initiate cooperation with the institution.
The Human Rights Advisory Panel has received over 30 cases, dealing with alleged property rights violations, access to court, and challenges to UNMIK executive decisions. At this writing EULEX had yet to indicate whether the panel can receive complaints against it. In December 2007 the families of two protestors killed by Romanian UN police in 2007 filed their claim with the panel. In September the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) argued that the claim was inadmissible because of a failure to exhaust alternative remedies.
The SRSG has not provided a response to the merits of the complaint to date, despite a request from the panel. The panel decided in October to convene a public hearing in January 2009 to consider the admissibility and merits of the case. At this writing, it had yet to issue a recommendation in relation to any case before it.
Key International Actors
In October the United Nations General Assembly approved Serbia’s request for a ruling by the International Court of Justice on whether Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence accords with international law.
The entire report is available here.
As of March 2008 there were 1,840 refugees/asylum seekers in the country, of whom the vast majority are Roma and Ashkali refugees from Kosovo who entered the country as of 1999. Only 28 have received recognised refugee status so far and none during the reporting period. Most applicants have been granted humanitarian protection for up to 12 months. The government needs to ensure that the ending of temporary protection status is based on independent, impartial evaluation of the human rights situation in Kosovo. Concerns persist regarding the independence of the government commission that hears appeals against first instance decisions on refugee status. The Administrative Court replaced the Supreme Court as the last instance for asylum cases. It has not yet issued any decision on an asylum case.
European Commission: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2008 Progress Report
Romano Them’s comments.
Asylum procedures in Bosnia and Herzegovina are largely in line with international standards. The number of asylum applications has increased substantially compared with 2006, mainly as a consequence of refugees from Kosovo losing their temporary admission status in September 2007.
A new Law on movement and stay of aliens and asylum entered into force in May 2008. The necessary implementing legislation remains to be adopted. The roles and tasks of the Ministry of Security and the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, both of which are responsible for dealing with asylum-seekers and refugees, have been clarified. As regards improving the capacity to manage evidence of persons with recognised refugee status or other forms of international protection, greater efforts are needed to develop software requirement specifications for a database which will be part of the migration management project. The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees is to be connected to the migration information system. The use of the asylum module of the migration information system needs to be enhanced. The capacity of the Ministry will need to be upgraded in order to implement the new legal framework adequately.
Bosnia and Herzegovina still lacks an appropriate permanent asylum reception centre. However, a temporary centre was opened in May 2008. The design for a new permanent centre has been completed and the construction project is in its final stage. The centre is expected to become fully operational in 2011. However, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet assumed full responsibility for managing and financing the existing asylum centres.
Overall, some progress has been made in the field of asylum.
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Out of the approximately 3 000 refugees originating from Kosovo whose temporary admission status was withdrawn in September 2007, 870 persons submitted an asylum request. The Foreigners Affairs Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken measures to finalise the status of those still residing on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
European Commission: Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008 Progress Report
In March 2008 there were more than 16,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo and around 8,500 displaced persons (under the government Decree on the care of displaced persons from 1992) from Croatia and from Bosnia and Herzegovina in Montenegro.
Some 300 IDPs have already returned to Kosovo. The question of how to deal with IDPs who do not want to leave the country remains unsolved. Construction of accommodation facilities for displaced Roma from Kosovo was initiated in early June 2008, but further financial support will be needed for the planned construction of ten buildings. Access to identity documents and permanent status, education and social services for many of them remains problematic, as do the prospects for their integration or return. Montenegro has received 15 asylum applications since its independence and granted refugee status in one case.
A Law on ID cards was adopted in November 2007. The government adopted a Regulation on the content of and manner of keeping records in the field of asylum. Laws on citizenship and registers of temporary and permanent residence were adopted in February 2008. A Law on employment and work of foreigners was adopted in March 2008.
Approximately 2,000 IDPs and displaced persons had made claims for resident status by the end of 2007. IDPs and displaced persons do not enjoy the economic and social rights of citizenship and their socio-economic situation remains a cause for serious concern. IDPs, mainly Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians originating from Kosovo, often lack ID documents or birth certificates and risk statelessness. Montenegro has yet to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on the avoidance of statelessness in relation to State succession.
European Partnership priorities to repeal all discriminatory provisions in key fields affecting refugees and displaced persons and to provide conditions for integration of those who choose to remain in Montenegro have not yet been fulfilled.
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The specific needs of Roma refugees from Kosovo have yet to be addressed.
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Overall, there has been progress on strengthening the framework for minority protection. However, implementation is still lagging behind in some fields, in particular regarding the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian population. The conditions of IDPs and displaced persons remain a cause for serious concern.
European Commission: Montenegro 2008 Progress Report
The number of refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina has decreased in recent years, mainly due to naturalisation. According to the UNHCR, there are around 97 000 refugees and 206 000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Serbia. The number of centres has been reduced. However, some 2 100 refugees and 5 500 IDPs are still accommodated in 60 centres and 99 specialised institutions. The conditions in those centres are very poor. The amendments to the Law on refugees and a national strategy on refugees and IDPs have not yet been adopted. IDP groups, in particular the Roma, continue to face serious difficulties obtaining identification papers and thus access to basic social services, including health care.
In January 2008, the Re-admission Agreement between Serbia and the EU entered into force. The agency for human and minority rights published a handbook for returnees. However, the national strategy on returnees and re-integration has not yet been adopted.
European Commission: Serbia 2008 Progress Report
