UNHCR reports widening ethnic divide in Mitrovica in wake of violence.
FEBRUARY 11 -- The recent ethnic violence in Kosovo's divided city of Mitrovica has led to an exodus of ethnic Albanians from the city's Serb-populated northern half, deepening the division of the city along ethnic lines, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today.UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told a press briefing in Geneva that if the exodus continued, northern Mitrovica could soon be emptied of its ethnic Albanian population, which numbered only 4,500 before the outbreak of violence last week.
Since then, some 630 Albanians have registered with UNHCR, but the agency believes the actual number of those who have fled is much higher, as most people leave quietly to join friends and family in other parts of Kosovo, without bothering to register with the UN, Mr Redmond said.
The agency estimates that half of the ethnic Albanian population of central Mitrovica has already left. UNHCR staff on the ground report that property vacated by fleeing Albanians is often looted and sometimes occupied by ethnic Serbs.
The violent incidents in Mitrovica last week were sparked by a rocket-propelled grenade attack 2 February on a UNHCR bus carrying Kosovo Serbs. Two Serbs died in the attack and three others were injured. At least seven Albanians were killed in subsequent violent retaliatory attacks in the Serb-dominated north of Mitrovica.
UN agency releases report critical of its response to Kosovo refugee emergency.
FEBRUARY 11 -- The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today released an evaluation report critical of its preparedness and response to the 1999 Kosovo refugee emergency.UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told journalists in Geneva that the agency was already taking measures in response to the criticism, many of which reflected its own internal assessment.
The evaluation, commissioned by UNHCR and carried out by an independent team of experts, concludes that in general UNHCR responded to the Kosovo refugee crisis as if it were a "normal" emergency. It followed standard routines for a smaller or slower emergency and the response was "often too little, or too late."
Mr. Redmond said the goal of the agency now "is to find out why and to ensure that we do better next time." He said UNHCR acknowledges it has to strengthen its strategic planning and leadership capacity and speed up its response in emergencies.
The evaluation, titled "The Kosovo refugee crisis: an independent evaluation of UNHCR's emergency preparedness and response", examines the period from late March until mid-June when over 850,000 Kosovars fled their homes.
Many factors affecting UNHCR's performance "were not under our control", Mr. Redmond said. "But many things were, and we've already started taking steps to strengthen our emergency response."
UNHCR has been developing practical means of enhancing its capacity to respond promptly and effectively in emergency situations. This process has focussed particularly on the organizational arrangements required for effective preparedness and response.
New report on ethnic minorities in Kosovo finds unabated insecurity and climate of impunity.
FEBRUARY 11 -- Minorities in Kosovo continue to suffer violence and insecurity in a climate of impunity, according to the latest assessment report of the situation of ethnic minorities in Kosovo released today.The report is the fourth assessment carried out jointly by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
'The insecurity for the minority populations in Kosovo across the province continues unabated," the head of the UNHCR office in Kosovo, Mr. Dennis McNamara, told a press briefing in Pristina. Presenting the report jointly with OSCE head in Kosovo, Ambassador Dan Everts, Mr. McNamara said the insecurity includes Alabanians in the north of Mitrovica as well as Serbs and Roma elsewhere in Kosovo.
Mr. McNamara said that although there has been an improvement in recent months with overall crime, there is a general cycle of violence and impunity.
"The cycle of violence, impunity and further population displacement is going to continue unless there is a change in the culture in the attitude of this society," he said.
Mr. Everts said the impunity that prevails is related to the lack of law enforcement and judicial capacity. He said the strength of the international police in the province was inadequate and the quality of the judiciary "very marginal".
Mr. Everts also blamed the local media for irresponsible reporting and incitement.
He said, however, there were efforts on the way that hold promise, including the drawing of many representatives of minorities to the police training school.
Mr. Everts appealed to Belgrade authorities to take their responsibility in the violence which is also linked to the question of Albanian detainees in Serbia.
He also appealed to donor governments to be more visible and vocal with the leadership of Kosovo on the insecurity. "We do need the representatives of the western group who have funded this operation to make it clear that they cannot accept the present state of affairs," he said.
Security Council expresses concern over the deterioration of security in Kosovo.
FEBRUARY 10 -- The Security Council today expressed concern over the deterioration of security in Kosovo and called upon all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and tolerance, Council President Ambassador Arnoldo Manuel Listre of Argentina said in a statement.The Council members, who were briefed on the situation in Kosovo by Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi, condemned all acts of violence and demanded their immediate cessation.
Noting the measures already taken by UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and KFOR, the international peacekeeping force, "in good cooperation" to ensure adequate security for all Kosovars, Council members expressed their support for the "ongoing intensified efforts to this end." They also called upon UN Member States to provide UNMIK with the personnel and financial resources it still requires.
The Council will continue to follow the situation in Kosovo closely, the Council President said, pointing out that the issue is again on the Council's agenda for next Wednesday.
UN Mission in Kosovo enacts regulation prohibiting "hate speech."
FEBRUARY 10 -- The UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has enacted a regulation prohibiting "hate speech." The regulation prescribes punishment by fine or imprisonment for whoever publicly incites or spreads hatred, discord or intolerance between national, racial, religious, ethnic or other such groups living in Kosovo.For "hate speech" to be punishable, it has to be likely to disturb public order and must be incitement of hatred between groups, not individuals.
The spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe arm of UNMIK, Roland Bless, told a press briefing in Pristina yesterday that the regulation applies to everybody but places a special responsibility on people who by their position, office or function have a capability of reaching wide audiences.
The regulation, which came into effect on 1 February, states that those found guilty of "hate speech" by the Courts shall be punished by a fine or by imprisonment not exceeding five years or both. However, punishment may be increased for eight to ten years if the public incitement of hatred has been committed under particular circumstances, such as the public incitement of hatred committed by taking advantage of one's position or authority, Mr. Bless said.
"This is a key element for a democratic Kosovo since a democratic society must have civil discussions and political debates that can take place in a non-violent manner," he said.
Newly expanded Kosovo consultative body discusses Mitrovica security strategy.
FEBRUARY 9 -- The newly expanded Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) met for the first time today after its membership was more than doubled to better represent the political, ethnic and religious communities of Kosovo and all strata of the society.The KTC has been expanded from 12 to 34 members, comprising nine representatives of political parties, two political independents, three representatives of religious communities, nine representatives of civil society and seven representatives of national communities including Serbs, Bosniacs, Turks and Roma. It also includes the four Kosovar members of the Interim Administrative Council (IAC), the highest-level administrative body in the province, although the Serb community has still to take up its seat.
The UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) said today that the new KTC would function more or less as a "mini parliament" until democratic elections were held.
Head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, said he envisioned the KTC "as a sort of control mechanism vis-a-vis the IAC." While retaining its advisory role, the KTC is expected to become more proactive in raising issues from the various communities in Kosovo with the IAC.
Dr. Kouchner said all IAC members were automatically members of the KTC and each week would brief the KTC on their work. "If the KTC disagrees with a decision of the Interim Administrative Council, the KTC can propose a different course of action to the [Head of UNMIK]," Dr Kouchner said.
At its first meeting, the KTC discussed a six-point strategy to reinforce and enhance security in the city of Mitrovica, hit over the past week by ethnic violence during which at least eight ethnic Albanians were killed.
A statement, issued by UNMIK after the meeting, said the measures included expelling troublemakers, increased screening of individuals in order to prevent "external elements" from entering Mitrovica and continuing the curfew already imposed for as long as it was necessary.
Other measures include reinforcing patrols in the northern sector of the city, and enlarging the security zone around the Mitrovica bridge on River Ibar, which separates the two ethnically divided sectors of the city.
UNMIK Police Commissioner Sven Frederiksen stressed the need for a more robust approach in addressing the violence in Mitrovica. He told the KTC that UNMIK police were investigating the murders and attempted murders.
Kosovo's highest-level administrative body discusses Mitrovica violence.
FEBRUARY 8 -- The Interim Administrative Council, the highest administrative body in Kosovo, today held its first meeting after the ethnic violence that left eight ethnic Albanians dead in the northern Kosovo city of Mitrovica.Speaking after the meeting, the head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Dr. Bernard Kouchner, said the Council took "a common position" on the crisis. This was "first on the re-establishment of law and order, to quiet down the situation" and then to start "a real discussion next week" on a strategy for Mitrovica, he said.
Dr. Kouchner emphasized that while the strategy included security aspects, the establishment of peaceful co-existence in Mitrovica also depended upon the provision of jobs and the restarting of industries.
"First we have to secure the people, materially and psychologically, and then to establish common places where they should be able to work together," he said.
Dr. Kouchner said the Council also established the payment regime for the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), the civilian emergency response agency whose top leaders were installed last month. "Already we have spent a lot of money to rebuilt barracks and buildings. We have the money in cash to pay the people for the year," he said.
