JUNE 2005 POLICY Brief Ways Forward for Conflict Prevention and Development in GPKT Andrew Sherriff Executive Summary is an independent consultant in Violent conflict primarily between eth- peace, security and develop- nic Albanian armed groups and Serbian and ment issues based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Macedonian security forces has been a feature Previously he was manager of the of the recent history of Kosovo, southern Serbia Development and Peace build- ing Programme at International and fYR Macedonia and also the municipalities Alert, an NGO specialising in of Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kumanovo and Presevo. conflict transformation. He has worked providing policy advice Violent conflict has also indirectly affected the on peace, security and develop- municipality of Trgoviste. ment issues to the Department for International Development The personal, social and economic cost of (DFID), the United Nations these conflicts has been hugely significant on Department for Social and the development and well being of the citizens Economic Affairs (UNDESA), and a number of foreign min- of Gjilan/Gnjilane, Kumanovo, Presevo and istries of EU member-states as Trgoviste (GPKT) micro-region. The legacy of Photograph of Albanian, Serbian and Macedonian well as operational development agencies. He is the author of violent conflict continues to dominate politics, language copies of petition signature pages collected several policy reports on a vari- society and economics to this day, as it will do by the GPKT Women’s Working Group as part of their ety of conflict related issues, as well as the design of operational for some time into the future. ‘Petition for Peace’ activity in February/March 2005, guidance for conflict-sensitive The micro-region is still not entirely free from which collected over 6,650 signatures from citizens development. the possibility of renewed violence. The March in the GPKT micro-region (for more information see 2004 riots in Kosovo were a sober reminder of GPKT Activity Update 14). the potential for violence. Much has been done to address the structural causes of conflict and to develop better systems of conflict management in peacefully. However, the underlying potential the wider region over the past few years. Events for return to violence still exists. such as the March 2005 local elections in fYR The conflicts affecting the micro-region share Macedonia, the tragic shooting of a boy cross- many of the same causes, characteristics and ing the border between southern Serbia and fYR types of actors, and are linked across borders. It Macedonia in January 2005, and the indictment is incorrect however to think that they are all one Copyright 2005 of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in March single conflict and to develop a response system EastWest Institute 2005 all caused tension but passed relatively based on this premise. Table of Contents Executive Summary . 3 1. Purpose and Structure . 7 2. Introduction . 7 3. Background . 7 3.1 Violent conflict in Kosovo. 8 3.2 Violent conflict in southern Serbia . 8 3.3 Violent conflict in fYR Macedonia . 9 4. Different levels of conflict dynamics impacting the GPKT region . 10 5. Violent conflict in the GPKT region: cross cutting issues . 11 5.1 Regional issues . 11 5.2 Political/governance issues . 11 5.3 Economic issues. 12 5.4 Socio-cultural issues . 12 5.5 Security issues . 12 5.6 International engagement. 13 6. Parties to the conflict in Kosovo, fYR Macedonia and southern Serbia . 13 6.1 Parties to the conflict from the region. 13 6.2 International parties to the conflicts . 14 7. Different perceptions and understanding of the reasons for conflict in the GPKT micro-region . 14 7.1Different perceptions of the Kosovo conflict . 14 7.2Different views on the conflicts in fYR Macedonia and southern Serbia . 16 8. Ending the conflicts and recent developments. 16 8.1 Agreements to end the conflicts . 16 8.2 Developments in Kosovo with particular reference to Gjilan/Gnjilane . 16 8.3 Southern Serbia with particular reference to Presevo and Trgoviste . 19 8.4 FYR Macedonia with particular reference to Kumanovo . 21 9. Addressing key conflict and development issues . 25 9.1 The future status of Kosovo . 25 9.2 Addressing the lack of economic progress in an equitable manner . 27 9.3 Effective border management as conflict prevention . 31 9.4 Effective management and implementation of decentralisation processes. 34 9.5 Promoting confidence building, dialogue and better inter-ethnic relations . 36 9.6 Increasing access to information and media professionalism . 38 9.7 Supporting local conflict management mechanisms . 40 9.8 Addressing the strategic deficit in cross-border donor support. 41 2 POLICY Brief Executive Summary Violent conflict primarily between ethnic Albanian 1. The future status of Kosovo armed groups and Serbian and Macedonian secu- The lack of a resolution or clarity with regards to rity forces has been a feature of the recent history the process for resolving the future status of Kosovo of Kosovo, southern Serbia and fYR Macedonia continues to undermine stability. Whatever the and also the municipalities of Gjilan/Gnjilane, future status of Kosovo, it must protect the rights of Kumanovo and Presevo. Violent conflict has also citizens and facilitate the legitimate travel of people indirectly affected the municipality of Trgoviste. and goods within the GPKT micro-region. If final The personal, social and economic cost of these status, or the process for determining it, does not conflicts has been hugely significant on the develop- allow legitimate travel of people and goods or does ment and well being of the citizens of Gjilan/Gnjilane, not protect all citizens, then final status will in itself Kumanovo, Presevo and Trgoviste (GPKT) micro- contribute to instability in the GPKT municipalities region. The legacy of violent conflict continues to and the wider region. dominate politics, society and economics to this day, as it will do for some time into the future. Recommendations: The micro-region is still not entirely free from the International community: Work to ensure possibility of renewed violence. The March 2004 that the process of deciding the future status of riots in Kosovo were a sober reminder of the poten- Kosovo is carefully managed at the local level in the tial for violence. Much has been done to address the GPKT micro-region, as well as on the national and structural causes of conflict and to develop better sys- international levels. Approach this as a process of tems of conflict management in the wider region over management and engagement, and as a process that the past few years. Events such as the March 2005 will extend beyond the resolution of the final status local elections in fYR Macedonia, the tragic shoot- of Kosovo into the critical post-resolution phase. ing of a boy crossing the border between southern Governments of Kosovo / fYR Macedonia / Serbia and fYR Macedonia in January 2005, and the Serbia:Design and put in place responsible law and indictment of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in order initiatives to manage any tensions that may March 2005 all caused tension but passed relatively arise from final status now rather than later. Ensure peacefully. However, the underlying potential for that these systems are not just security related in return to violence still exists. nature but also related to inter-community dialogue. The conflicts affecting the micro-region share Ensure that legitimate cross-border trade and travel many of the same causes, characteristics and types in the GPKT micro-region is not hampered by the of actors, and are linked across borders. It is incor- future status of Kosovo, including by whatever bor- rect however to think that they are all one single der / taxation systems are established. conflict and to develop a response system based on GPKT municipalities: Continue to collectively this premise. advocate to their central authorities for greater mobil- ity of people and goods regardless of the status of Kosovo. Ensure local political dialogue and conflict Key Issues management initiatives are functioning to locally Progress is still required on a number of key issues manage any tension that might arise. if the likelihood of future conflict is to be limited within the GPKT micro-region. While progress on these issues alone will not by itself guarantee a future free from violence, it will make an important contri- bution towards it. 3 2. Addressing the lack of economic potential for renewed conflict. The recommendations progress in an equitable manner included within the EastWest Institute’s Policy Brief Economic development and regional stability are Border Management in Kosovo-southern Serbia-fYR closely inter-linked. Progress towards the creation of Macedonia Vortex: A Local Perspective,1 should be jobs in the micro-region remains elusive. However, viewed as conflict prevention measures and imple- it is not only economic development, but the nature mented accordingly. and type of economic development that will dictate whether this contributes to or undermines stability Recommendations: in the micro-region. Inequitable, poorly planned and International community: The OSCE should conflict insensitive economic development will also look into establishing a mechanism to facilitate the bet- contribute to instability in the GPKT micro-region. ter sharing of information between the various national and international security institutions with responsibil- Recommendations: ity for the borders in the GPKT micro-region.