PROFILE OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT : MACEDONIA Compilation of the information available in the Global IDP Database of the Norwegian Refugee Council (as of 26 February, 2004) Also available at http://www.idpproject.org Users of this document are welcome to credit the Global IDP Database for the collection of information. The opinions expressed here are those of the sources and are not necessarily shared by the Global IDP Project or NRC Norwegian Refugee Council/Global IDP Project Chemin Moïse Duboule, 59 1209 Geneva - Switzerland Tel: + 41 22 799 07 00 Fax: + 41 22 799 07 01 E-mail : [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 PROFILE SUMMARY 7 MACEDONIA: FEAR PREVENTS REMAINING IDPS FROM RETURNING HOME 7 CAUSES AND BACKGROUND 10 BACKGROUND 10 THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN MINORITY DEMANDED EQUALITY WITH THE ETHNIC MACEDONIAN MAJORITY (JUNE 2001) 10 POLITICAL BREAKTHROUGH WITH SIGNING OF INDEPENDENT CEASE-FIRES WITH NATO (JULY 2001) 12 OHRID PEACE AGREEMENT PAVED WAY FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION (AUGUST 2001) 12 ETHNIC ALBANIAN SEPARATISTS WARNED OF FURTHER CONFLICT (JANUARY 2002) 13 LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT LAW IMPROVED RIGHTS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS (JANUARY 2002) 14 POLITICAL AND HUMANITARIAN STATUS QUO AS OF MARCH 2002 15 POLICE FORCE ENTERED LAST EX-REBEL STRONGHOLD, PROMPTING RETURN OF DISPLACED (JULY 2002) 15 NEW LEGISLATION WAS ADOPTED ON USE OF ALBANIAN LANGUAGE, BUT OBSTACLES REMAIN (JUNE 2003) 16 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EXPRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT CONTINUED ENVIRONMENT OF IMPUNITY (2002-2003) 16 GENERAL ELECTIONS ARE LARGELY IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS (AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2002) 18 MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT ADOPTS AMNESTY LAW (MARCH 2002 AND JUNE 2003) 19 GENERAL SECURITY IMPROVED DESPITE CONTINUING THREATS POSED BY MILITANTS (2003) 20 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OHRID FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT (2003) 21 CAUSES OF DISPLACEMENT 23 SUMMARY OF PHASES OF CONFLICT (FEBRUARY-AUGUST 2001) 23 FIGHTING IN THE TETOVO REGION CAUSED DISPLACEMENT, AND TRAPPED THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS INSIDE TOWNS (FEBRUARY-MARCH 2001) 24 CONCERN FOR FAMILY WAS FOR SOME A REASON NOT TO FLEE, AFTER ALLEGED PROVOCATIONS BY SECURITY FORCES AND POLICE (MARCH-APRIL 2001) 24 RENEWED FIGHTING IN KUMANOVO REGION DISPLACED CIVILIANS, WHILE HUNDREDS WERE EVACUATED (APRIL-MAY 2001) 25 THOUSANDS OF IDPS AND LOCAL VILLAGERS REFUSED TO LEAVE LIPKOVO DURING CEASE-FIRE (MAY 2001) 26 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN VILLAGES AROUND KUMANOVO WERE A CAUSE OF DISPLACEMENT (MAY 2001) 27 FIGHTING IN ARACINOVO LEAD TO DISPLACEMENT OF THOUSANDS, DESPITE THE CONCLUSION OF A CEASE-FIRE (JUNE 2001) 28 RENEWED VIOLENCE NEAR TETOVO RESULTED IN DISPLACEMENT OF HUNDREDS (NOVEMBER 2001) 28 POPULATION FIGURES AND PROFILE 30 GLOBAL FIGURES 30 THE DISPLACED POPULATION IS GREATLY REDUCED BETWEEN 2001 AND 2003 (JANUARY 2004) 30 TOTAL IDP POPULATION IS 9,500 PEOPLE (1 APRIL 2003) 30 TOTAL IDP ESTIMATES FROM MAY 2001 TILL JULY 2002 31 THE CRISIS SHOWED A PEAK OF 84,669 IDPS IN AUGUST 2001; TABLE WITH TOTAL IDP NUMBERS BY MONTH (MARCH-NOVEMBER 2001) 33 IDP FIGURE IS HARD TO ESTIMATE AND VARIES GREATLY THROUGH TIME (SEPTEMBER 2001) 33 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 34 NUMBER AND GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF IDPS (2004) 34 NUMBER AND LOCATIONS OF IDPS (AUGUST 2002) 34 AREAS OF ORIGIN OF REMAINING IDPS (AUGUST 2002) 36 NUMBER AND LOCATIONS OF IDPS (MAY-JULY 2002) 36 A DE-REGISTRATION EXERCISE FOR IDPS WAS CARRIED OUT (MAY 2002) 37 NUMBER AND LOCATIONS OF IDPS (JANUARY 2002) 37 MOST OF THE IDPS ARE HOUSED WITH HOST FAMILIES, WHILE A MINORITY IS SHELTERED IN COLLECTIVE CENTERS (OCTOBER 2001) 39 DISPLACED FLEEING VIOLENCE IN TETOVO FLED MAINLY TO LOCAL VILLAGES OR TO SKOPJE (JULY 2001) 40 FIGHTING AROUND ARACINOVO DISPLACED THOUSANDS (JUNE 2001) 40 ETHNIC VIOLENCE AROUND THE CITY OF TETOVO CREATED SOME 20,000 IDPS (MARCH 2001) 40 DISAGGREGATED DATA 41 IN JANUARY 2004, 42% OF THE DISPLACED POPULATION WAS ETHNIC ALBANIAN AND 37% MACEDONIAN (2004) 41 SOME 30 PERCENT OF THE IDP POPULATION WAS ETHNIC MACEDONIAN (MARCH 2002) 41 MAJORITY OF DISPLACED ARE WOMEN, CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE, WHILE OVER HALF OF THE DISPLACED WERE ETHNIC MACEDONIAN (MARCH-SEPTEMBER 2001) 41 PATTERNS OF DISPLACEMENT 42 GENERAL 42 DISPLACED MAINLY FLED TO HOST FAMILIES (MOSTLY RELATIVES), BUT ARE ALSO SHELTERED IN COLLECTIVE CENTERS (MARCH-SEPTEMBER 2001) 42 DISPLACEMENT OCCURRED ACCORDING TO ETHNIC PATTERNS (JULY 2001) 42 CEASE-FIRES WERE SECURED TO EVACUATE TRAPPED VILLAGERS (MAY 2001) 43 PHYSICAL SECURITY & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 44 GENERAL 44 2 UNDERLYING TENSIONS BETWEEN ETHNIC COMMUNITIES RESULT IN VIOLENT INCIDENTS (2002 – 2004) 44 UXO/LANDMINE THREAT TO RETURN OF IDPS (2002-2003) 47 AI REPORTED ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES PERPETRATED BY BOTH SIDES OF THE CONFLICT (AUGUST 2002) 47 HRW REPORTED SEPARATION AND TORTURE OF IDPS BY MACEDONIAN POLICE FORCES (MAY 2001) 48 SOME 22,000 PEOPLE WERE TRAPPED IN VILLAGES DURING FIGHTING (JULY-AUGUST 2001) 49 SUBSISTENCE NEEDS 51 GENERAL 51 OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA REPORTS THAT LIVING CONDITIONS FOR MANY IDPS ARE UNSATISFACTORY (2003) 51 IDPS IDENTIFIED AS VULNERABLE GROUP IN 2003 UN HUMANITARIAN STRATEGY (2003) 54 UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY IDENTIFIED AS KEY ISSUES IN THE POST-CRISIS PERIOD (2003) 54 HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF THE IDPS AND RETURNEES (JULY-AUGUST 2002) 55 FOOD 56 MACEDONIA’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR SERIOUSLY WEAKENED BY CONFLICT (NOVEMBER 2001) 56 HEALTH 56 HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL NEEDS OF IDPS (2001-2002) 56 SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS 58 MOST IDPS SHELTERED WITH HOST FAMILIES WITH SMALL NUMBERS STILL LIVING IN COLLECTIVE CENTERS (JUNE 2003) 58 ACCESS TO EDUCATION 59 GENERAL 59 DISPLACED HAVE ACCESS TO (DISRUPTED) EDUCATION SYSTEM (DECEMBER 2001) 59 ISSUES OF SELF-RELIANCE AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 60 SELF-RELIANCE 60 FLOODS DISPLACE SOME 4,000 ROMA (JANUARY 2003) 60 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 60 SPECIAL VOTING PROCEDURE FOR IDPS TO PARTICIPATE IN 2002 ELECTIONS (2002) 61 LOBBY GROUPS FOR THE DISPLACED (2001-2003) 63 PROPERTY ISSUES 64 LAW AND POLICY 64 SUMMARY OF PROPERTY LAW (2001-2003) 64 RESTITUTION 64 OVERVIEW OF REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS (DECEMBER 2003) 64 INTERNATIONAL DONORS SUPPORT RECONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINING DESTROYED HOUSES IN MATEJCE (2003) 66 3 GENERAL 66 OUTBREAKS OF LOOTING AND ATTACKS AGAINST HOMES OF DISPLACED MACEDONIANS AND SERBS (2003) 67 DISPLACED PEOPLE CONTEST MEASURES REQUIRED TO OBTAIN PROPERTY (2003) 69 MANY DISPLACED LOST THEIR HOMES AND ALL OF THEIR POSSESSIONS, INCLUDING LIVESTOCK AND CROPS (JULY-DECEMBER 2001) 70 PATTERNS OF RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 72 GENERAL 72 EXPECTED TRENDS IN IDP RETURNS (2003 – 2004) 72 HUMANITARIAN AND REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE CONTINUED TO BE ESSENTIAL FOR RETURN (MAY 2002) 72 DISPLACED ETHNIC MACEDONIANS RETURNING TO LIPKOVO ASKED FOR TEMPORARY COLONIES (APRIL 2002) 73 ALTHOUGH NEARLY HALF RETURNED TO THE TETOVO REGION, MANY ETHNIC MACEDONIANS REFUSED TO RETURN WITHOUT AN ESCORT OF MACEDONIAN TROOPS (OCTOBER 2001) 73 RETURN PATTERN WAS DICTATED BY THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE REGION (SEPTEMBER 2001) 74 MORE THAN HALF OF THE DISPLACED FLEEING FIGHTING AT ARACINOVO RETURNED HOME BY AUGUST 2001 74 MAJORITY OF DISPLACED FLEEING VIOLENCE IN TETOVO REGION RETURNED BY THE BEGINNING OF APRIL 2001 75 RETURN PROSPECTS 75 NATIONAL AUTHORITIES DECLARE CONDITIONS ARE IN PLACE FOR DISPLACED PERSONS TO RETURN TO TETOVO VILLAGES (2003) 75 OBSTACLES TO RETURN AND RESETTLEMENT 76 SECURITY PROBLEMS CONSTITUTE MAIN OBSTACLE TO RETURN OF THE DISPLACED (2003 – 2004) 76 HIGH RATE OF RETURN OBSCURES SUBTLE BUT ONGOING PRESSURE ON MINORITIES TO LEAVE MAJORITY AREAS (2003) 77 VANDALISM OF HOUSES AND IDPS RE-SELLING THEIR PROPERTY CONSTITUTE OBSTACLES TO RETURN (2003) 78 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN MACEDONIA CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION OF HOUSES IN JELOSNIK AND OPAE VILLAGES BUT REITERATES SUPPORT TO THE RETURN PROCESS (JUNE 2003) 79 OBSTACLES TO RETURN WERE DIFFERENT ACCORDING TO ETHNICITY OF DISPLACED PERSONS (AUGUST 2002) 79 POLICY 80 MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT IMPOSES DEADLINE FOR DISPLACED TO RETURN HOME (2003) 80 HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION CRITICISES NATIONAL AUTHORITIES FOR FORCING THE RETURN OF IDPS (MARCH 2003) 81 ORGANISED BY THE GOVERNMENT, ETHNIC MACEDONIANS RETURNED TO THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN ARACINOVO REGION (SEPTEMBER 2001) 83 HUMANITARIAN ACCESS 84 GENERAL 84 HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS WERE TARGETS OF GOVERNMENTAL INTIMIDATION (2002-2003) 84 4 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES 85 NATIONAL RESPONSE 85 GOVERNMENT ADOPTS NATIONAL PLAN TO FULLY IMPLEMENT OHRID AGREEMENT THAT INCLUDES CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES AND THE SAFE RETURN OF DISPLACED PERSONS (2003-2004) 85 SELECTED UN ACTIVITIES 86 IDP-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF UNICEF (MAY 2002) 86 UN COUNTRY TEAM STRATEGY PROGRAMMES INCLUDE SUSTAINABLE RETURN, INTEGRATION, AND ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES FOR IDPS (2003) 87 UNHCR TAKES LEAD ROLE IN THE RETURN PROCESS (JANUARY 2001-2004) 88 UNHCR FACILITATED THE RETURN OF DISPLACED (AUGUST 2001-APRIL 2002) 90 THE UNITED NATIONS-PLANS FOR 2002, GENERAL 91 THE UNITED NATIONS-PLANS FOR 2002, SPECIFIED BY SECTOR 92 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 95 NATO SCALES DOWN PRESENCE IN FYR MACEDONIA (2004) 95 EU LAUNCHES NEW POLICE MISSION TO ENSURE STABILITY IN THE REGION (2003-2004) 96 OSCE PRESENCE CONTRIBUTES TO STABILITY AND SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY (1992 - 2004) 98 USAID/IOM COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE BUILDING INITIATIVE CONTRIBUTES TO PEACE AND DEMOCRACY (2001-2003) 99 EU SUPPORTS FAMILIES PROVIDING TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION TO IDPS (2001-2003) 100 EU SHIFTS FROM PROVIDING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION (2002-2004) 101 EUROPEAN COMMISSION HUMANITARIAN