IDP Bulletin, issue No. 4, 12 Nov 2002

I. IDP Calendar of Events
Note: RWG=Regional Working Group. MWG=Municipal Working Group

Kosovo

November 20, MWG Gjilan/Gnjilane, 15:00

November 26, RWG Peja/Pec, 10:00, no location listed; MWG Lipjan/Lipljan, 13:00, municipal

November 27, MWG Leposavic, 10:00, municipal building

November 28, RWG Prizren, no time or location available;

November 28, RWG, Gjilan/Gnjilane, 15:00, EU conference room

November 29, RWG Mitrovic 14:00, Jugobanka;

Serbia

November 25-26, Joint Meeting of SSerbian IDP Associations and CRS Kosovo and CRS Serbia Staff, Hotel Yugoslavia, 9:00-17:00.

Several IDP associations and CRS will be finalizing their project proposal "Civil Society Supports Voluntary IDP Returns to Kosovo". The presentation will include addresses by Mr. Branko Radujko, advisor to the Prime Minister on IDP and refugee issues, Peggy Hicks, head of the ORC in Kosovo, David Salazar, from BPRM, and Paul Hebert from UNOCHA Belgrade. Interested parties may contact Ms. Sanja Nikolin at CRS (011 650 763 and 652 605) for more information.

Please note that "Povratak" a show serving the refugee and IDP community, is shown every Sunday on RTS 1 at 11:00 am.

II. News and policy update

The Task Force on Returns, which was announced earlier this year, held its first meeting on November 1. The task force was launched by SRSG Michael Steiner and Kosovo's Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi. The membership of the Task force comprises COMKFOR, UNMIK Pillar Heads, the head of UNHCR Kosovo, the Inter-Ministerial Coordinator for Returns and the SRSG's Senior Advisor on Returns. More about this under the sub-section "Office of Returns and Communities".

A donor's coordination meeting for Kosovo was held on November 5 in Brussels. Representatives from 34 countries and 13 international organizations met to take stock of accomplishments during the past three years of post-conflict reconstruction and economic recovery and to discuss medium-term prospects and priorities. In this meeting, sponsored by the EC and the World Bank, key addresses were made by Prime Minister of the PISG, Bajram Rexhepi and the SRSG, Mr. Michael Steiner. The need to achieve sustainable returns was a key point in remarks by most speakers and the need for donor funding to achieve this. The Prime Minister stated his support to achieving the return of IDPs and refugees. Donors indicated their continued support to the economic recovery process in 2003 and most pledged support to the process of return of minorities to their homes. The Office for Returns and Communities asked for a total of EURO 37 million to support returns in 2003. Other priorities were stressed, including the fight against organized crime and corruption, establishing the rule of law and improving security, speedy privatization, continued development assistance, access by all to public services including health and education. Even thought the meeting did not aim at collecting donor pledges, donor plans for future funding indicate that the external financing requirements of EURO 200 million are likely to be met. The Chairman's summary of the meeting is available on www.ReliefWeb.int

Election results for Kosovo were pronounced "valid and final" by SRSG Michael Steiner on November 3. The elections were a disappointment of sorts for those who hoped that minorities would turn out in large numbers. Though minorities won in four municipalities, their low voter turnout reflects a lack of progress in achieving trust between minority communities and the international peacekeeping mission. We remind readers as well that in the recent Serbian presidential elections, extreme nationalist leader Vojislav Seselj did much better among Serbs in Kosovo than anywhere else, but voter turnout was not high then either.

In addition, ethnic Albanians in Novo Bordo/Novoberd are contesting election results in that municipality as Serbs won and Albanians receive 44.47% of the vote there. (Serbs won 10 seats and ethnic-Albanians 7).

Following the low voter turnout in Kosovo elections, Mr. Steiner cancelled a decentralization meeting that was to be held in Gjilan/Gnjilane on November 1, as the meeting was conditional upon an acceptable level of participation in elections. Serb leaders in Kosovo criticized Steiner for setting such conditions, accusing him of exceeding his mandate and for setting vague conditions. Also, it is no secret that relations between UNMIK and Belgrade, especially the Coordination Center for Kosovo, are presently very strained.

Office of Returns and Communities update

The Office of Returns and Communities, under the leadership of Peggy Hicks, has announced a number of fundamental changes within the office that will make the office more effective in fulfilling its mandate. The office has been strongly criticized by Serbian authorities as it has been ineffectual since its establishment one year ago.

Ms. Hicks recently visited Belgrade and met with NGOs, donors and UN agencies to explain ORC's priorities, which include: bringing the 2002 return season to as successful a close as possible (which has been admittedly very modest); restructuring to make sure the right mechanisms are in place for next year; and securing funding.

ORC's new direction is explained in a document entitled "2003 Strategy for Sustainable Returns", which was presented at the November 5 donor's conference in Brussels. The ORC asked for 37 million Euro for returns, a cost that included holdover costs from 2002 as well as funding for the Housing and Property Directorate, the agency responsible for returning Kosovo property to the rightful owners.

The Strategy and donor's conference represents a new focus as well as the first real effort to engage the donor community in the returns process. The ORC warned donors that "failure to address the issue of minority returns would leave the seeds of potential future conflict".

Three key challenges for the return strategy include security, sustainability and housing issues. The Strategy outlines key strategy elements:

1. The 2003 returns concept is guided by the following principles: a bottom-up approach based on the work of the Municipal Working Groups, multi-sectoral approach, cross-boundary efforts and benefits for the entire community. (To paraphrase, this means that returns must be discussed at the community level, that return projects should take into account income generation, inter-ethnic dialogue and activities, and other components if they are to be successful, and that the receiving or neighboring community should also get something so everyone benefits.)

2. Based on these principles, an operational framework has been established to maximize opportunities for minority returns. Key elements will include

a. UNMIK is preparing with UNHCR a "Manual for Sustainable Returns" (still in draft stage) that will provide a step-by-step guide to the returns process. The Manual is designed to clarify the roles and expectations of all the organizations involved in return efforts. The Manual will also provide detailed guidance and criteria for returns-related activities.

b. An expanded Office of Returns and Communities with more direct community links.

c. The Task Force on Returns, which recently held its first meeting, will support returns at a high level, coordinating among UNMIK, the Kosovo government, UNHCR, and KFOR. The Task Force will provide an important forum for discussion and endorsement of returns policy and processes.

d. The Municipal Working Groups on Returns will be the main building block of the returns process. They have a central role in developing and prioritizing returns projects, and in supporting ongoing minority returns. The MWG is the main mechanism through which displaced persons can access the returns process and request support to return, and is the main coordination body for returns projects.

III. Services to IDPs and NGO activity

This is not intended to be a complete list of services, but an on-going effort to highlight various programmes for IDPs in Serbia and the UN administered province of Kosovo, as well as to draw donor attention.

Introductory Comment: We note that an emerging trend in recent months has been the development of programmes that seek to expand capacity and forge links among IDP associations. UMCOR/VOKAM, CRS, ICVA, and a "Untion of Associations of Kosovo and Metohija" have all been engaged in this activity recently, although perhaps with different sets of goals within the larger picture.

From reading the conclusions of "HUMANA's roundtable" in this bulletin, readers will note the caution that IDP groups feel towards international NGOs as the latter are often perceived as "only calling when they need something." At the same time, international NGOs are not always happy with how IDP associations function and represent their beneficiaries and would like to see growth and improvement. Recent programmes are attempting to deal with this issue in various ways.

Lindsey Cameron, an intern with UNHCR, is presently conducting a survey of the assistance that has been provided to IDP associations; this would include everything from direct financial support to training. The results will be shared with everyone when completed.

IOCC, with Voice of Kosovo and Metohija (VOKAM) as a partner, has formed a union of 7 noted IDP associations; Glas K&M (Belgrade), Sveti Spas (Belgrade), Zavicaj (Kragujevac), Srecna Porodica (Nis), Citizens Initiative (Gradjanska Inicijativa) (Kraljevo), JUG (Kraljevo), Bozur (Smederevska Palanka). The purpose of the union is to provide better services to IDPs, to establish better communication with donors, share results of surveys and research done by individual members of the union, and preparation and implementation of joint programming. Individual members will still have their separate programmes, but they hope to add to their work with joint projects as well. Robert Stanojevic, of VOKAM, is the executive director of the Union and he can be reached at 063-795-198.

UMCOR launches its "Stengthening Civil Society in Southern and Eastern Europe" project on December 1. The programme will involve working with over 30 local NGOs in fields of conflict prevention, women, youth, IDPs and other fields. UMCOR will be assisting NGOs to improve their capacity to implement programmes, to enourage networking and coalition building, working towards the development of an inclusive approach to problem solving.

59 IDP associations and Serb associations from Kosovo last month formed a Union of Association of Kosovo and Metohije as a non-political and non-profit organizations. The Union of Association works closely with the CCK. The purpose of this organization, according to its statutes, is joint action and a coordinated approach in dealing with the international community, state institutions, as well as organizations that deal with problems related to Kosovo and IDPs. The programme of this Union includes the reintegration of Kosovo in the constitutional legal system of Serbia and Yugoslavia and the return of IDPs to Kosovo. Other goals include: cooperation with state institutions, humanitarian organizations and others who work with IDPs and vulnerable groups in Kosovo; legal protection and assisting IDP in the areas of social, health, and retirement insurance, as well as protection of other rights; protection of human rights and the development of civil society.

The Union of Associations hopes to synchronize its activity towards local and international organizations, the formation of a media campaign regarding the state of affairs in Kosovo, development and implementation of return programmes, discovering the fate of the kidnapped and missing, creation of a comprehensive database of all Kosovo IDPs.

IAN (International Aid Network) has recently redesigned its IDP web portal, located at www.ian.org.yu/kosovo-info/eng/index.asp , to include:

- new design, easy access to important information related to Kosovo/a

- associations of IDPs and local NGOs featured on front page

- all issues of the OCHA IDP Bulletin available

- UNMIK vacancies posted on front page in three languages

- daily news updates

- related links

The NGO "Jefimija" in Velika Hoca Kosovo, comprised of women who are focusing on finding sustainable livelihoods, are looking for ways to bring their woven goods to market as well as sewing machines. The group was previously sponsored by the German NGO "Amica."

Karadjordjev Dom, a refugee center in Raca, near Kragujevac, which includes 400 members from Kosovo whose activities include an IDP theatre that has held 15 performances in Serbia, is looking for support. Visit their website at www.karadjordjevdom.org.yu

IV. Seminar, workshop and roundtable report

CIP-Humana round-table

"CIP-Humana" organized a round-table discussion entitled "Displaced Persons between Survival and Return" on October 15, 2002. Present were IDP NGOs such as Center for Legal Assistance, Bistrica, Association for Roma's Education, SOLIDARNOST and representatives from the IDP collective center in Mirijevo. International organizations included UNLOB, UNHCR, ICRC, IOCC, BPRM, ICMC, and M.S.F. Belgium.

This roundtable was an opportunity for local NGOs to lead a discussion about problems faced by IDPs and by IDPs organizations. International NGOs should take heed of some of the following criticism.

IDP organizations concurred that their situation is deteriorating because funds are decreasing, returns is limited, and there is no legal framework in place to safeguard IDPs, and it is unclear which governmental body is responsible for them. Being IDPs, they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees, while the Coordination Center for Kosovo does not have a department to deal with individual IDPs. A representative from the unofficial Mirijevo collective center reported on the poor conditions there, and the inability of IDPs there to obtain documents that entitle them to medical care and humanitarian aid.

IDPs, they concluded, are losing trust in both their state institutions and in international organizations as well.

IDP organizations, at least those who attended, generally felt that it was difficult for local NGOs to link up with international organizations because international NGOs:

• Don't have clear criteria for partner selection
• Are lacking in programme transparency
• People working in international NGOs don't have willingness for partnership development and information sharing.

Incidentally, Catholic Relief Services has received high marks on this score as various organizations have said they generally have time for their partners and are ready to help.

Branko Radujko, Refugee and IDP advisor to Serbia's Prime Minister, informed the group that some 6,000 IDP families will soon be losing their accommodations; international organizations had provided rent for a two-year period for those families, and that time has now expired.

Proposals and initiatives for further work included:

- "Humana" will collect all relevant data related to problems of IDPs in collective centers and will send the information to Mr. Radujko.

- INGOs, at least those who were present, will send to "Humana" the names of persons in their organizations who work with IDPs, their contacts, and a summary about their present projects and plans for the future. "Humana" will publish this in its newsletter.

- To better coordinate between local NGOs in Serbia and those in Kosovo.

Report on National Conference on Integration of Refugees and IDPs

This large conference, held on November 11 at the Hyatt Regency in Belgrade, was sponsored by the UNHCR, DRC, and the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees, and was a follow-up on last year's conference "Local Integration of Refugees in Yugoslavia." The aim of the conference was to view the obstacles and possibilities in the "National Strategy for Resolving the Problems of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons" that relates to integration as one of the durable solutions.

Through workshops the participants had a chance to debate and reflect on those elements that are key to sustainable integration: housing, employment and micro-credit, legal issues and the role of civil society. These workshops highlighted the scope of the still overwhelming task of integrating several hundred thousand refugees and IDPs.

Participants included representatives from government ministries, dozens of municipalities, banks, companies, embassies, NGOs, refugee and IDP associations.

Some of the conclusions from this conference included the need to:

- Pass legislation that deals directly with IDPs (as opposed to lumping refugees and IDPs together),

- Create a new national strategy dealing with IDPs (IDPs are given only passing attention in the governmentions strategy for refugees).

- Allow IDP to change their declared place of residency

- To improve the procedures for giving out documents to IDPs.

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

Belgrade office: 011-3614-371, 3614-368, fax: 682-963,
e-mail: todorovica@un.org or ocha-belgrade@unocha.org

Prishtina office: 038-241-509, fax: 038-501-516
Mahmud Golam, e-mail: golam@un.org