UN refugee agency expresses
concern over Kosovar Albanians fleeing north Mitrovica
JULY 28 -- The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
today expressed great concern over the continuing number of Albanian
families leaving Serb-dominated northern Mitrovica because of
harassment and insecurity.
In the last two and a half weeks 21 families have fled to the
southern part of the city, UNHCR spokeswoman Paula Ghedini said.
"We are quite concerned by this because it seems to be a
growing trend. Some of them have been physically or verbally threatened.
Others have been evicted from their homes," she said.
There are still approximately 100-150 isolated
families that live primarily in Serb or mixed areas that are continuing
to be harassed almost on a daily basis in some cases, Ms Ghedini
said. She said UNHCR continues to monitor the situation with daily
visits and phone calls to monitor the specific security incidents
and conditions that each of the families are facing.
She said there was a very significant security
presence in north Mitrovica by the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) police and KFOR, the international peacekeeping
force. But because of the pressures of ethnic Serbs displaced
from elsewhere looking for other places of residence in the north,
the ethnic Albanians remaining in the area are being pressured
to leave.
Kosovo makes quick recovery
in agricultural production
JULY 25 -- The United Nations-administered province of Kosovo
has in the past 12 months made considerable progress in the rehabilitation
of agriculture, including a sharp recovery in production, after
severe war-related losses in 1999, according to a special report
published today.
The joint UN Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food
Programme report says the quick recovery reflects the considerable
will and resourcefulness of Kosovo farmers and timely assistance
from the international community.
The report forecasts wheat production in 2000
at about 231,000 tonnes, more than double the estimate of last
year's crop, though still only 60 per cent of the level of production
achieved in 1989 before the decline in the agricultural sector.
The report further estimates the wheat import
requirement for 2000/2001 at 129,000 tonnes, of which about 22,000
tonnes will be covered through food aid programmes. This leaves
an uncovered wheat import deficit of 107,000 tonnes, which will
be met by the Kosovo milling sector and independent traders who,
the report says, "are generally well prepared to meet the
domestic shortfall."
The harvest of wheat and other crops from July
will be sufficient to ensure access for a large part of the rural
population to the food commodities required for their own consumption
over the next 12 months. Thus, a further phase-down of food aid
in the July-September period can continue as planned, the report
says.
Serb boycott casts "shadow"
over success of Kosovo registration: UN mission
JULY 24 -- The non-participation of the Kosovo Serb community
has cast a "shadow" over the success of the civil registration
which ended in Kosovo last week, the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said today.
The boycott was "very regrettable" as it would isolate
and marginalize the Serbs, Deputy Special Representative of the
Secretary-General, Daan Everts, said during a press briefing in
Pristina.
Over one million people in Kosovo, and an additional
180,000 outside, participated in the registration, which Mr. Everts
described as "a spectacular success". But less than
1,000 Serbs, spread over different areas of Kosovo, registered.
The civil registration is a prelude to elections in October.
Mr. Everts, who is in charge of the democracy
and institution building "pillar" of UNMIK, said the
mission had gone out of its way to convince Serb leaders to allow
Serbs to register freely, but extremists had intimidated those
who wanted to register. "There were very obvious visible
presence of extremists who simply wanted to deny these Serbs their
rights to participate," he said.
Mr. Everts blamed Belgrade authorities for the
boycott, saying they have "systematically argued and agitated
against the registration and participation in the elections."
The boycott was "very much injurious"
to the interests of the Kosovar Serbs, Mr. Everts said. He promised
UNMIK had "not given up and would continue to talk to the
Serb community. "We have the strong sense that individuals
in Kosovo are interested, they see the need to be part of a new
society," he said.
UN mission in Kosovo to
appoint over 100 new judges and prosecutors
JULY 21 --The head of the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner, will appoint
approximately 120--140 new judges and prosecutors for the municipal
courts in Kosovo over the next few weeks.
The appointments follow the recommendations of the Judicial Advisory
Commission, a UNMIK spokeswoman said today. Dr. Kouchner is currently
reviewing the recommendations of the Commission on the candidates
they interviewed.
In making these appointments, Dr. Kouchner will
take into account candidates from all ethnic backgrounds with
the aim of creating a multi-ethnic, impartial and independent
judiciary, she said.
Kosovo judge releases
Serb whose arrest sparked demonstrations in Mitrovica
JULY 20 -- A 24-year-old Serb, whose arrest on Monday sparked
three nights of disturbances in Mitrovica, was released today
by authorities after formally being charged in court, a United
Nations spokesman said in New York.
Dalibor Vukovic appeared before an Albanian judge this morning
to hear charges, presented by an international prosecutor, of
robbery and arson against him. Having no previous criminal record
and after promising to report to any subsequent hearing, he was
freed on his own recognizance, the spokesman said.
Hundreds of Serbs demonstrated earlier in the
week over his detention by the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) police in connection with the harassment
of a Kosovo Albanian. During the demonstrations, a group of Serbs
entered the apartment of two UNMIK police officers and forced
them to hand over their revolvers and radio. Another UNMIK police
apartment was broken into and looted and a UNMIK car was damaged.
The demonstrators also set up illegal roadblocks
in all main junctions and streets and blocked roads leading to
the UNMIK police station in Mitrovica. UNMIK police have resumed
full patrols of northern Mitrovica.
UN mission in Kosovo reports
successful end of registration process
JULY 19 -- The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) today announced "a successful end" of
the registration of Kosovo's population in preparation for municipal
elections later this year.
"I think that this is a result that we can all be proud of,
and that the Kosovars especially can be congratulated," said
Roland Bless, spokesman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, which is responsible for the institution-building "pillar"
within UNMIK.
"We have slightly over one million people
who have registered within Kosovo and 150,000 people who have
registered outside of Kosovo," he said, adding that the Serb
community, numbering 100,000 did not register.
With over one million people registered, not
many people were left out of the process, Mr. Bless stressed.
He noted that the actual population of Kosovo was estimated at
1.9 million, with 1.2 million of them, or 65 per cent, aged 16
and older and thus eligible for registration. More than 20 political
parties have been registered during the process.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Serb-dominated
northern city of Mitrovica remained tense today. UNMIK spokeswoman
Susan Manuel said that demonstrations by Serbs over the detention
on Monday of a Serb suspect by UNMIK police in connection with
the harassment of a Kosovo Albanian continued last night.
She said hundreds of Serbs blocked roads leading
to the UNMIK police station and a group of 20 Serbs entered the
apartment of two UNMIK police officers, threatened them and forced
them to hand over their pistols and radio. Another UNMIK police
apartment was looted and an UNMIK car damaged.
UN mission reaffirms commitment to assuring
equal rights to all Kosovo communities
JULY 19 -- The head of the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner, today said that
UNMIK would remain committed to guaranteeing equal rights to all
communities and would undertake actions targetting specific communities
when justified.
He was addressing a meeting of the Kosovo Transitional Council
(KTC) devoted to a special session on communities in Kosovo.
During the discussions, which centred on inter-ethnic
relations, the representatives of the Roma, Turk and Bosniac communities
raised concerns over the lack of participation by their communities
in structures such as the Kosovo Police Service and the local
administration. They also complained that their input was not
valued at the KTC to the same extent as Serb issues.
Dr. Kouchner responded by saying that he would
soon start direct discussions with the three communities on their
concerns. He said that he also strongly encouraged members of
these communities to apply for posts in the interim administration
and had offered them various posts.
He noted that UNMIK continued to work hard to
ensure proper representation of all communities in the interim
institutions and municipal councils, as well as the KTC.
NATO chief says Kosovar
leaders must do more to end violence
JULY 18 -- NATO Secretary-General George Robertson today delivered
a strong message to both Albanian and Serb leaders that they must
do more to end the cycle of bloodshed in Kosovo and prepare it
for a safe, democratic and multi-ethnic future.
He called on Kosovo Serb leaders to accept responsibility for
the crimes of the past and empathize with those who were victimized
by Yugoslav authorities, according to a press statement issued
by the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).
Mr. Robertson, who is leading a North Atlantic
Council delegation consisting of some 20 ambassadors, also called
upon the Serb leaders to report those who may be guilty of war
crimes, and to assist with freeing Albanian prisoners in Serbia
and locating and identifying the missing, the statement said.
Mr. Robertson told Kosovo Albanian leaders to
stop the ongoing violence and communicate the danger this violence
has for the future of Kosovo. He also urged them to visit destroyed
churches and the families of victims and empathize as people who
"know more about harassment than anyone on earth."
Mr. Robertson said NATO would be no less resolute
in preventing the expulsion of minorities from Kosovo than it
was in protecting the Kosovo Albanians last year, even if it meant
"building walls and barbed wire" around their communities.
Having minorities group into enclaves is not
desirable, but may be the only way to keep the communities safely
in Kosovo for the time being, Mr. Robertson told the media in
a briefing. Meanwhile, leaders of the different communities must
welcome refugees and displaced persons back home, he said, answering
a question on how to heal the divided city of Mitrovica.
UN mission and Kosovar
leaders condemn latest violence in Mitrovica
JULY 17 -- The leaders of both Albanian and Serb communities have
joined the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK) in condemning the latest outbreak of violence in the northern
city of Mitrovica late Friday.
In a joint communiqué issued on Saturday, Dr. Bajram Rexhepi
and Oliver Ivanovic -- respectively the leaders of the Albanian
and Serb communities in the town -- and UNMIK Regional Administrator
William Nash called for calm and tolerance to prevail and asked
all citizens "to unite against those who are attempting to
disrupt our moves to establish peaceful coexistence."
Mitrovica was rocked by a series of explosions
and gunfire but nobody was seriously hurt. The statement described
the incidents as "reprehensible acts of violence against
innocent civilians," stressing the attacks were the work
of extremists in both communities who were attempting to disrupt
the progress being made to establish peace in the ethnically divided
city.
"We are determined, however, to continue
our efforts to improve security, the rule of law, the return of
displaced persons and the economic development of the region.
We will not be deterred by the actions of a few," the communiqué
said.
Kosovo's Interim Administrative
Council discusses "Pact" for Kosovo
JULY 14 -- Kosovo's Interim Administrative Council (IAC) today
discussed the broad outlines of a "Pact for Kosovo Society,"
aimed at determining the interim legal framework which would define
substantial autonomy and self-governance for Kosovo, the United
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said
in a statement today.
The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, who introduced the Pact
to the IAC, noted that the regulation on municipal self-government
-- a draft of which was endorsed by the IAC on Wednesday -- is
the first step towards building that interim institutional framework,
which UNMIK is required to establish under Security Council Resolution
1244.
Having completed its initial emergency phase
of work, UNMIK is now well into the second phase, which involves
the process of developing democratic institutions for self-governance,
and which began in December with the creation of the Joint Interim
Administrative Structure (JIAS), Dr. Kouchner said.
He told the IAC that, as Kosovo heads towards
the October polls which will result in the first democratically
elected municipal assemblies, giving shape to a complete framework
for other interim institutions will now begin to require much
of the focus of UNMIK, political leaders and the people of Kosovo.
"I think it is very important to involve
all members of Kosovo society at an early stage in our work on
the Pact," he said, adding that he plans a campaign across
Kosovo to discuss the Pact and other key issues on Kosovo's future.
In today's meeting, the IAC also bid farewell
to Dennis McNamara, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General
heading UNMIK's humanitarian assistance pillar which phases out
this week, signalling the end of emergency aid to Kosovo.
UN Kosovo mission focus
on security, elections, Security Council told
JULY 13 -- The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) will continue in the coming weeks to concentrate
on the two pressing issues of security concerns and preparation
for upcoming elections, the Security Council was told today.
Briefing the Council, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping
Operations, Hedi Annabi, said UNMIK has focused on improving security
in Kosovo and has taken special measures to protect minority communities.
He said the situation "shows some signs
of stabilization" although the first two weeks of June saw
an increase in the frequency of ethnically motivated attacks,
primarily targeting Kosovo Serbs. The number of threats against
non-Serb families residing in northern Mitrovica has also been
on the rise and minorities in urban Pristina and north of the
city have continued to report a lack of freedom of movement and
access to essential services.
Mr. Annabi said that international police officers
continue to be needed and encouraged members of the Security Council
to provide personnel and political support for UNMIK's police
component. Strong statements of support for ethnic tolerance and
denunciations of violence would also help to underscore the international
community's abhorrence of continued attacks on minorities and
international staff.
On elections, due to be held in October, Mr.
Annabi said that despite the participation of Kosovo Albanians
in the registration process -- over 890,000 applications had been
received as of 7 July -- the Kosovo Serb community and much of
the Kosovo Turkish population are continuing to boycott the process.
Kosovo Serbs and Turks should be encouraged
to participate and to understand that UNMIK is determined to continue
the process of building democracy and the best possible institutions
in Kosovo, Mr. Annabi said.
UN envoy condemns shooting
of priest in Kosovo
JULY 12 -- The head of the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner, today condemned
the drive-by shooting late this morning of a Serbian cleric accompanied
by two relatives and a child near Klokot village in southern Kosovo.
"I am not only shocked but deeply depressed that today criminals
chose religious men as their targets, " he said. "It
is totally unacceptable that this kind of revenge killing substitute
itself for justice."
Dr. Kouchner said he hoped that the victims
of this "contemptible act" would recover and return
to their mission.
UNMIK Police "are doing everything in their
power to identify the suspects and bring them to justice, "
he said.
Kosovo's Interim Administrative
Council endorses new municipal administration
JULY 12 -- Kosovo's Interim Administrative Council (IAC) today
endorsed a draft regulation on the structure and functions of
municipal administrations throughout Kosovo.
The regulation would give the 30 municipalities in the territory
considerable self-governance, if it is approved by the United
Nations in New York and signed by Dr. Bernard Kouchner, the head
of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK).
The draft regulation, which spells out the responsibilities
and powers of the municipalities, establishes provisional institutions
for democratic and autonomous self-government at the municipal
level as a step in the progressive transfer of administrative
responsibilities from UNMIK to local bodies, UNMIK said in a press
release.
One member of the IAC, Mr. Rexhep Qosja of the
United Democratic Movement (LBD), objected to a provision that
would place temporary "community offices" in those municipalities
where a minority community formed a substantial part of the population.
These offices will ensure that community rights are protected
and that all communities have equal access to public services
at the municipal level.
The offices were necessary in areas inhabited
by Serbs because they were the most threatened and targeted populations,
and that they were a temporary solution, which would be reviewed
every six months, Dr. Kouchner told the media.
Another disputed issue in the regulation was
the use of languages, the Deputy Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in charge of Civil Administration, Mr. Tom Koenigs,
told a press briefing today that meetings and official documents
will be in Serb and Albanian. However, where there is a substantial
part of the population which does not speak Serb or Albanian,
proceedings will be translated and documents made available in
their language.
All official signs, sign posts and names will
be given in Serb and Albanian but where for a substantial part
of the population the language is neither Serb nor Albanian, they
should be given in their language too, he said.
UN appoints Polish human
rights lawyer as Ombudsperson for Kosovo
JULY 12 -- The head of the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr Bernard Kouchner, has appointed
a Polish human rights lawyer as the Ombudsperson for Kosovo.
The Ombudsperson, Mr. Marek Antoni Nowicki, will investigate and
mediate complaints from individuals, groups and organizations
about possible abuses of power by international and local institutions,
UNMIK said in a press release issued today.
Mr. Nowicki, 47, will hold the post for two
years and will be assisted by one international and two Kosovo
deputies. The Ombudsperson's office, an independent vehicle for
members of the community to seek redress from human rights violations
and abuses of authority, is intended to remain after the departure
of UNMIK.
According to UNMIK, the office will give particular
priority to allegations of severe or systematic violations and
those based on discrimination and can take preventive steps, make
recommendations and give advise. The Ombudsperson may also promote
reconciliation between ethnic groups, directly intervene with
authorities to resolve complaints and recommend suspension of
administrative decisions.
The office of the Ombudsperson is not a court,
but has broad powers of investigation to collect evidence to support
recommendations, the UNMIK statement said. There will be no appeal
to the decisions by the Ombudsperson, who will also report once
a year to the head of UNMIK on the human rights situation in Kosovo.
Mr. Nowicki has a long record of activism and
writing on human rights issues. He co-founded the Helsinki Watch
Committee in Poland during martial law and has served as president
of the Executive Committee of the International Helsinki Federation
of Human Rights in Vienna.
Kosovo passes law on municipal
elections
JULY 10-- The head of the United Nations Interim Administration
Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner, yesterday signed
the municipal elections law, the result of "elaborate and
exhaustive" discussions with local bodies and consultation
with international organizations.
UNMIK spokeswoman Nadia Younes said the regulation was discussed
by the Interim Administrative Council, the Kosovo Transitional
Council, the Central Election Commission, as well as by the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations
in New York.
"It has taken into account the opinion
of the vast majority of political factions and opinion in Kosovo,"
she said at a press briefing in Pristina.
During the briefing, Ms. Younes also announced
that Dr. Kouchner has appointed Mr. Anthony Preston-Stanley as
the new co-head for the Department of the Central Fiscal Authority.
He replaces Mr. Alan Pearson who is now acting Deputy Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Reconstruction and
Economic Development.
She said the water supply in Pristina, which
worsened last week mainly due to the electricity situation, was
back to normal following repairs to the Batlava pumping stations,
re-supply of fuel and an agreement signed between the electricity
company and the water company.
The electricity situation "still remains
precarious" and rotating power cuts will continue around
Kosovo today, Ms. Younes said.
UN mission in Kosovo reports
significant drop in mine-related casualties
JULY 6 -- Casualties caused by mines in Kosovo have been reduced
dramatically, from 140 per month last summer to 20 per month from
November 1999 onwards, the head of the United Nations Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner,
said today.
Speaking at a live mine disposal demonstration in Pristina, he
said over 14,350 mines have been removed or destroyed in Kosovo.
"The speed at which clearance is occurring is unprecedented
anywhere in the world," he said. At this pace, he added,
Kosovo's mine problem can be solved in three years.
Dr. Kouchner said 800 Kosovars have been trained
in mine clearance and mine awareness organizations and experts
have visited 50 per cent of the schools located in mine-contaminated
areas. "But the battle is still not won. Every mine or cluster
bomb removed is a life or a limb saved, " he said.
There are currently 1,415 known or suspected
mine fields in Kosovo. Of these, 503 are classified as priority
one with a very high impact on the general community, according
to UNMIK.
UNMIK established a Mine Action Co-ordination
Centre (MACC) in June 1999. MACC is the focal point for all mine
clearance activity in Kosovo.
UN mission in Kosovo regrets
decision by Albanian leader to boycott joint administration
JULY 5 -- The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in
Kosovo (UNMIK) regrets the decision announced yesterday by the
leader of Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) to freeze participation
in the territory's joint administration, a spokesperson for the
mission said today.
UNMIK spokeswoman Nadia Younes said that the head of UNMIK, Dr.
Bernard Kouchner, was hopeful that Mr. Hashim Thaci, the president
of PDK, will end his boycott of the Joint Interim Administrative
Structure (JIAS).
She said Dr. Kouchner yesterday met briefly
with Mr. Thaci and they agreed to meet again on Friday to continue
"bilateral discussions".
Mr. Thaci is the former political leader of
the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army and leader of one of Kosovo's
largest political parties. He blamed his boycott of the JIAS mainly
on an agreement signed last week between Dr. Kouchner and Bishop
Artemije Radosavljevic, leader of the Serb National Council. The
agreement lays down "concrete steps", including the
setting up of a special force to protect Serbs, as a precondition
for the Serbs to end their own boycott of the JIAS.
Ms. Younes said the "understanding"
with the Serbs will not be changed and some of the measures have
already been taken.
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