Norwegian Refugee Council
Date: 30 Jul 2004
UN has to put action behind the words in Kosovo
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) supports the recent criticism of the UN and NATO's efforts in Kosovo. NRC stresses that it is of great importance that the critique will be taken seriously, and that action must be put behind the words. NRC has been in Kosovo since 1999, working to displaced from the region five years ago, less than 10,000 have returned. give refugees and internally displaced persons the ability to return to their homes in Kosovo. Of the estimated 225,000 who were
In a report that was recently forwarded to the UN general assembly by NATO ambassador Kai Eide, the UN is criticised for not having offered adequate protection to the minorities in the province. At the same time Human Rights Watch criticises the NATO-led KFOR force for failing to stop the ethnic clash that occurred in March. Over 20 people were killed and nearly 900 injured in the riots, and more than 3000 people were forced to flee from their homes. The Norwegian Refugee Council agrees with the criticism put out in both reports.
-We have always said that both the UN and NATO must increase their efforts to improve the conditions in Kosovo, and we hope that the recent criticism can lead to a change, says Poul Svane, NRC's resident representative in Kosovo.
Since the riots last March, it seems like UNMIK and other UN actors have been incapable of action, according to Svane. Meetings on the development in the province are characterized by lack of coordination and determination from the UN, while the Albanian and Serbian leaders fight over influence and refuse co-operation, he adds.
-The reports came at a favourable point in time, owing to the fact that the new UN administrator Søren Jessen-Petersen enters upon the third of August. It is vital that he takes the criticism into account if the conditions are to improve, Svane says.
Although there hasn't been any large ethnic clashes since March, there is still a tense relationship between the Albanian and Serbian population. In addition there is a difficult economical condition in Kosovo, with an unemployment rate of about 70 percent. Many Albanian refugees have invested in land in the province, but will not return unless the economic situation improves. Serbian refugees on the other hand have far worse outlooks for being able to return. Difficulties with regaining the property they fled from, ethnically motivated violence and an unstable security situation prevents a larger return of refugees and internally displaced Serbs to the province.
For further information contact:
Deputy director of the international department, Margaret Vikki: 23 10 98 20 / 90 86 67 71
Deputy press officer, Toril Skjetne: 23 10 98 26 / 92 48 62 81
Resident representative in Kosovo, Poul Svane: +381 38 243 610 / +377 (0) 4