NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS Mission United Nations Interim d’Administration Administration Mission Intérimaire des Nations In Field Operations Unit Returns Section Unies au Kosovo Field Operations Unit Consolidated Report on Communities and Returns Weekly Report from 18 – 24 February 2006

PRISHTINË/PRIŠTINA REGION  MWG Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje discussed returns to Nakaradë/a village  TF on urban returns to Prishtinë/Priština convened for the first time

Municipal Working Groups and Task Force Meetings Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje MWG was held on 23 February. D/MAP reported of a recent meeting between the Municipality and the Ministry Of Communities and Returns (MCR), focussing on conditions for sustainable return. The municipality proposed four return projects to the MCR including repairing of the road in Donje Dobrevo/Miradijë e Epërme and Batuse villages; asphalting of the road Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje - Kuzmin; Central heating of the Culture House in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje town and Regulation of the river Drenica. The deadline of the submission of these projects to MCR is 10 March. It is up to MCR to decide which project would be supported. The representative of Nekaradë/Nekarada village mentioned that 13 Serb and 7 Ashkali families expressed their willingness to return and predicted resistance from the receiving community if it does not receive assistance. The E.P reported that the EAR rejected their Concept Document for Nekaradë/Nekarada, Lismir/Dobri Dub and Gornje Dobrevo/Miradijë e Epërme villages and added that they will resend it to the Central Review Mechanism seeking other sources of funding. It has been reported that during year 2005, 22 families (116 individuals) returned in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovë Polje municipality through ICMC assistance.

To develop an action plan for urban Serb return to Prishtinë/Priština Town, UNMIK/FOU, LCO Prishtinë/Priština and NGO Developing Together paid a field visit to K/ accommodated in Vocar container compound in Graçanicë/Gracanica. Three families possessing property in Crkveno Naselje (St Nicolas Church neighbourhood) were consulted on their plans regarding their potential return and status of the property, all illegally occupied. The subject generated complaints regarding security, jobs, schooling etc., and the unanimous view was that objective conditions did not support return – even if their property were vacated. The matter was discussed at the first TF on Urban Return to Prishtinë/Priština on 23 February. Lacking positive response from IDPs from Graçanicë/Gracanica, MRO informed that he had requested information through network of IDP associations. Developing Together NGO informed that they were contacted by Ashkali families from Prishtinë/Priština town currently displaced in Macedonia, who expressed their willingness to return.

Go&Inform Visits/Go&See Visits On 22 February, DRC chaired the coordination meeting with regard to a GSV in Podujevë/Podujevo town for 7 Ashkali beneficiaries to take place on 27/28 February 2006. Three properties will be visited.

GJILAN/GNJILANE REGION  Shtërpcë/Štrpce MWG discussed of Gornja Bitinja/Biti e Epërme Concept Paper

Pertinent Events/Developments in the Region At the security meeting held in Verbovc/Verbovac on 22 February 2006, the Head of MCO informed that IOM has allocated € 27,000 and the Viti/Vitina Municipality offered an additional €7,000 for the purchase of a school bus aimed at transporting Serb minority students to replace the bus that was burned down in December 2005.

Municipal Working Groups and Task Force Meetings At Shtërpcë/Štrpce MWG on 24 February, the Gornja Bitinja/Biti e Epërme Concept Paper was not approved due to absence of both Serb and Albanian representatives. The OSCE suggested that project should be amended and income generation component (IG) added. MRO explained that due to failure of Serb and Albanian communities to agree on the IG component after four months, RCRU proposed allocation of €55.000 to beneficiary families provided they submit a solid IG proposal. A Municipal Commission would be formed for 2 evaluation of projects, grants disbursement and purchase of equipment. MRO reported on returns activities over the year 2005 and introduced the MRS for 2006, requesting participants to timely submit their comments prior to final endorsement. ARC representative briefed on the GSV conducted in Ferizaj/Uroševac town on 16 February and noted that ARC will continue to organize “shopping tours” for IDPs from Ferizaj/Uroševac currently residing in Shtërpcë/Štrpce. Care Int. representative reported on a slow response to grants scheme for small and medium enterprises in Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja and Biti e Poshtme/Donja Bitinja.

Go&Inform Visits/Go&See Visits ARC organized a GSV to Novo Selo on 20/21 February 2006 for 6 family heads currently residing in . At the de-briefing session chaired by the Viti/Vitina MAP, the visitors indicated their strong interest to return and pointed out concerns, including property occupation, employment, security, transportation and education.

RCRU Meetings Several meetings were held with heads of agencies and NGOs operating in the former Gjilan/Gnjilane Region, including ARC, CARE Int. (Talinovc/Talinovac return project) and Mercy Corps representatives. Mercy Corps has received additional funding from USAID to launch MISI-2 which will include Shtërpcë/Štrpce and Ferizaj/Uroševac municipalities. Mercy Corps has also launched, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Rural Development, a pilot project in establishing six farmers associations in Kosovo amongst which three from former Gjilan/Gnjilane Region. Mercy Corps offered support for the feasibility study and the technical assistance pertaining to the multiethnic mushrooms cultivation project in Bablak/Babljak. CARE identified illegal housing occupation as the main obstacle for return in Talinovc/Talinovac. ARC Director indicated support for assisting the return of the Manic Dobrivoje family in Gjilan/Gnjilane Town. The case failed to be granted support as it could not fit into NGOs and agencies returns assistance schemes.

MITROVICË/MITROVICA REGION  MWG in Mitrovicë/a convenes for the first time in months providing venue for all communities to voice their concerns, particularly regarding returns  Intensive rains cause floods in Vushtrri/Vucitrn and Mitrovicë/a

Pertinent Events/Developments in the Region Flood waters disrupted teaching in one Secondary School in Vushtrri/Vucitrn Municipality and farmers fear the destruction of crops as several wheat fields are already under water in the village of Mihaliq/Mijalic and Vernice/Vernica. Nine families on the outskirts of the Sitnica River were also evacuated from Pestovë/Pestovo, Nadakovc/Nedakovac, Prilluzhë/Prilužje by the Municipal emergency team, fire services village council and MCO. The river has receded within its banks. An overall damage assessment is yet unavailable. Also, the sewage system in Kablare Camp in Mitrovicë/a flooded the barracks occupied by Roma families displaced from South Mitrovicë/a Mahalla. Refusing to move to Osterode Camp, 25 individuals affected by flooding temporarily moved to the houses of the relatives in other lead-polluted Camps. FOU responding to the situation called for the cloth collection among UNMIK and international staff members working in Kosovo.

Municipal Working Groups and Task Force Meetings For the first time in many months, Mitrovicë/a Municipality held its Municipal Working Group on 23 February, co-chaired by the MAP and Acting MR. There were representatives of communities in various parts of North and South Mitrovicë/a present, including from Bosniak Mahalla, Suhodoll/Suvi Do and Kodra e Minatoreve/Mikronaselje, a Serb representative from Svinjare, and two Ashkalis from the Dy Korriku/Sitnicko Naselje area of south Mitrovica/e. Items on the agenda included updates on Roma Mahala and Svinjare, housing reconstruction and return to the north of the city. Representatives of several areas, such as Bosniak Mahala and Suvi Do/Suhodoll complained about the lack of reconstruction and assistance to those areas in comparison to Svinjare. It was recognized that every community had the right of return and freedom of movement. The MAP pledged his support to assist returns and reconstruction as set out in the MRS.

The Zveçan/Zvečan MWG on returns was held 22 February. Despite the efforts of the newly appointed MRO to organize the meeting and a very good presentation made by the representative of the Ministry of Communities and Returns (MCR) – Mitrovica Regional Office about their activities, projects and their return strategy for 2006, the MWG turned into a shouting match with harsh accusations against the representative of the MCR, the MRO, UNMIK, the Municipality etc. One assembly member and an IDP leader from Svinjarë/e almost ended up fighting, causing many people to leave the meeting without reaching any conclusion. Based on 3 this reoccurring experience, the CA and OSCE and MRO believe that the roles and functioning of MWG in Zvečan need to be reassessed. The main return issue affecting Zvecan Municipality is the return of about 4,000 IDPs currently residing in Zvecan and that MWG has very little to due to facilitate their return to their places of origin. UNMIK CA and OSCE municipal team is of the opinion that encouraging the IDP representatives to attend the MWG meetings in their respective municipalities would be more effective.

Dialogue Initiatives The Deputy Minister for Communities and Returns visited Mitrovica/ë Municipality on 20 February for meetings with the MAP, MCO staff, the MRO and others involved in returns and communities issues in the municipality. He also attended the meeting of the Roma Mahalla Steering Group, where he gave his assurance that the Roma had the right to return to their homes in the Mahalla and would receive assistance from the Ministry to do so.

Integration & Minority Activities NCA Mitrovica/ë has organized a workshop on communities and returns issues on 22 February in Hotel Palace. There were participants from Mitrovica/ë region's 6 municipalities, including MROs, MCOs, LCOs and Gender Officers (GO). Issues discussed included: supporting minority returns and reintegration, and how to improve the links between Municipal authorities, community and NGOs. Participants interacted with each other, made contacts and explored through working groups the obstacles and problems they face in their day-to-day work, and how to improve and solve them.

SOUTH WEST REGION - PRIZREN AND PEJË/PEĆ  Withdrawal of the community Police from Serb village of Novake (Prizren Municipality) and Upper Orahovac  RCRU and RAE community reps meet with OCRM Repatriation Unit to discuss the matter of forced returns

Pertinent Events/Developments in the Region On 22 February MHQ International Community Police Commander, KPS Community Police Commander, Local KPS, MR, RCRU and representatives of Upper Srbica, Trepetica and Novake village and local villagers attended the meeting in Novake. The Village representative thanked the police for their work, but he also expressed his concern about the indirect pressure on the village from surrounding villages regarding illegal wood cutting and damage of their pastures. The MHQ Community Police Commander assured the villagers that, even after withdrawing, they would keep paying visits to discuss any problems in the community. The Prizren Regional Community Police Unit has produced a plan for additional visits to the village and telephone numbers will be provided and will be functional 24 hours a day. A Similar meeting was held the same day in Upper Rahovec/Orahovac, organized and chaired by MHQ International Community Police commander. The KPS Commanders both from MHQ and Prizren, the Additional municipal Vice-president (AVP), along with some 30 villagers from Upper Rahovec/Orahovac were present. The villagers of Upper Rahovec/Orahovac opposed the withdrawal, expressing their concerns regarding withdrawal in the middle of this transitional period, especially when Kosovo talks are underway, which might affect ethnic relations. Approximately 127 villagers from Upper Rahovec/Orahovac have signed a petition against the withdrawal of the community police station and the petition was handed over to the International Community Police Commander. According to RCRU, the villagers have a good relationship with KPS and it is only a matter of the strong psychological perception that the villagers are protesting the withdrawal. Comments: There are some 25 CivPol living in upper Rahovec/Orahovac which was a great source of income for the families living there. From a security point of view withdrawal is unlikely be a problem, however, it will greatly affect the economic condition of some families that depend on the rent of those living there.

Municipal Working Groups and Task Force Meetings On 22 February RCRU took part on the Istog/k MWG. DMAP informed the participants that the Municipality had succeeded in achieving most of the objectives of the Municipal Returns Strategy 2005. He expressed his optimism that although they were still facing challenges in reintegrating into the municipality, it would be achieved during the implementation of Municipal Return Strategy (MRS) 2006. The DRC Representative briefed on progress regarding the implementation of the second phase of the Kosh/Kos return project, including Opraske/Opraska. DRC informed that 25 beneficiaries had been selected for the project and a tender was opened for 28 houses, including a balancing project. The reconstructions of the Electrical network and drinking water wells are underway. The EP representative informed the participants that EAR did 4 not approve funding for Dragolevc/Dragolevac and Belopoje/Belopolje and the NGO was still seeking funds for the income generation and balancing component of the return project for Lug/Ljug and Bllagaq/Bllagaca. On Lug/Ljug and Bllagaq/Blagace reconstruction THW informed the participants that the transit houses were under construction and in total, 44 beneficiaries have signed tripartite agreements. EP also presented Kovrage/Kovrage CP for a return to this village, which is a joint venture of EP and Zavicaj Za Povratak, IDP Association based in Serbia. EP informed that there would be 39 houses for IDPs and five as a balancing component. (36 K/Serbs and 3 Roma families). The CP has been endorsed.

On 23 February at the MWG in Klinë/a the MRO provided an update on returns activities, highlighting that 27 families have so far returned to Klinë/a town, in fact, the municipality had only facilitated the return of 2 families in December 2005. The ICMC representative reported on the Dresnik/Drsnik project that finished in December, where until now 136 individuals have returned. On behalf of DRC, the Municipal Standards Coordinator, reported on the Vidë/Vidanje and Berkovë/Berkovo projects. Regarding Vidë/Vidanje, the second phase of the project is finished, including the upgrading of the electricity network, water supply, asphalting of the road, and the center for milk collection. The DRC has requested funds from UNDP and from EAR for Berkovë/Berkovo project, and are waiting to receive an answer. In regards to the Klinavc/Klinavac project, the Municipal Standards Coordinator informed that the list of the beneficiaries from IDP‘s as well as the one for the receiving community has been endorsed.

At the MWG in Suharekë/, four IDPs were present and the ambiance was friendly and constructive. The MAP thanked RCRU and UNHCR for their strong support for the successful Interethnic Dialog activities and GSVs to the villages of Mohlan/Movljane, Reqan/Recane and Mushitishtë/Mušutište. However, he said despite of all these