Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe MISSION IN KOSOVO Democratisation Municipal Profile: Suva Reka/Suhareke 10 March 2000 Leposavic Leposaviq Kosovska Mitrovica Zvecan Mitrovice Zubin Potok Zvecan Zubin Potok Podujevo Podujeve Vucitrn Istok Vushtrri Istog Srbica Skenderaj Obilic Pristina Pec Obiliq Prishtine Peje Glogovac Kosovska Klina Kosovo Polje Gllogoc Novo Brdo Kamenica Kline Fushe Kosove Novo Berde Kamenica Decani Lipljan Decan Lipjan Orahovac Stimlje Rahovec Shtime Gnjilane Djakovica Gjilani Gjakove SUVA REKA Urosevac SUHAREKE Ferizaj Vitina Viti Strpce Kacanik Shterpce Prizren Kacaniku Prizren Gora Dragashi Map of Kosovo, produced by the HCIC GIS Unit March 2000. Boundaries or place names do not imply official recognition by UNMIK or the OSCE. Table of Contents 1. Introduction: Area and Population ....................................................................3 Table 1.1: Ethnic Composition, Including IDPs............................................................................. 3 2. Civil Administration ............................................................................................3 Table 2.1: UN-Appointed Municipal Administrative Board ........................................................... 4 3. Political Parties.....................................................................................................4 Table 3.1: Political Parties ............................................................................................................ 5 4. Local and International NGOs ............................................................................5 Table 4.1: Main Local NGOs ......................................................................................................... 5 Table 4.2: Main International NGOs .............................................................................................. 6 5. Other Civilian International Presence.................................................................6 Table 5.1: The Four Pillars............................................................................................................. 6 6. Religion and Places of Worship ...........................................................................6 Table 6.1: Main Religious Leaders................................................................................................. 7 Table 6.2: Major Mosques, Churches, etc....................................................................................... 7 7. Media....................................................................................................................7 Table 7.1: List of Major Newspaper, TV/Radio Stations, etc........................................................... 7 8. Judicial System.....................................................................................................7 Table 8.1: Main Judges .................................................................................................................. 7 9. Police, Civil Protection, and Military Presence...................................................8 Table 9.1: Police and Military Presence.......................................................................................... 8 10. Economics...........................................................................................................8 10.1 Major Employers in the Region.............................................................................................. 9 11. Infrastructure.....................................................................................................9 12. Social Services, Health, and Education .............................................................9 Appendix: Map of the Municipality This document may be multiplied and freely circulated, but should not be quoted without stating the source. 2 1. Introduction: Area and Population Located in south-central Kosovo, Suva Reka lies astride the main highway between Prizren and Pristina. The municipality is comprised of 42 villages plus the town of Suva Reka.1 Suva Reka was the scene of one of the most notorious Serb atrocities during the 1999 conflict, the killing of 52 members of the extended Berisha family. In the post-conflict period Suva Reka has been notable for the continuing high level of LDK influence in local affairs and municipal government. This stands in stark contrast to other Kosovo municipalities. An estimated 90% of houses throughout the municipality suffered some form of damage, if not destruction, during the conflict. Others were burned in the immediate post-conflict period, as Suva Reka’s small Serb population joined the exodus of JNA and VJ forces. Suva Reka’s pre-conflict population of approximately 87,000 included roughly 500 Serbs and a handful of Roma. Very few, if any, Serbs remain, though approximately 35 Roma families have stayed on, in Suva Reka town and the villages of Gelance, Trrnje, and Leshan. Approximately 2000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) are believed to be present in the municipalitiy.2 Table 1.1: Ethnic Composition, Including IDPs Population K-Albanians K-Serbs Roma Number % Number % Number % January 1999 87,000 95 500 4 App. 300 1 January 2000 87,000 99 ----- -- App. 300 1 Source: UN Public information office, Prizren 2. Civil Administration Suva Reka was the first municipality in Kosovo in which the parallel structure appointed by the Thaci ‘government’ was dismantled by the UN. This occurred on 8 October 1999 when newly-arrived UN Administrator Roberto Valent forced out ‘Mayor’ Haki Gashi. In a subsequent action on 18 January 2000 Valent took control of the remaining office occupied by Thaci-appointed officials. Valent and UNCA Deputy Administrator Rachid Arfi received death threats, and Valent was physically assaulted, during the latter incident. Valent’s relative success in exerting the UN’s authority in Suva Reka stems from a combination of factors. First and foremost, Valent, experienced in post-conflict civil administration, is not easily steamrolled by the PPDK3 and other political parties sympathetic to the previous Thaci ‘government’. Suva Reka remains an LDK stronghold, as confirmed by OSCE village-level field research conducted in late 1999. Finally, local LDK leaders were active in the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK) and can therefore lay claim to continued legitimacy in the UNMIK era. 1 Part of Suva Reka belongs to a municipality, Malishevo, which existed previously and which the UN Civil Administration may again officially restore. All figures here correspond as far as possible to the UN-recognised area of Suva Reka, although the accuracy of secondary sources cannot be guaranteed. 2 Source: UN Public Information Office, Prizren, and HCIC GIS Unit, Pristina, November 1999. 3 Political party acronyms are written out in table 3.1. 3 As of late February 2000, Suva Reka’s 13 member Administrative Board included 6 LDK members, 2 from PPK, 2 independents, and 1 whose party affiliation is unknown. The lone PPDK member (former ‘Mayor’ Gashi) has thus far refused to accept the vice presidency offered to him by Valent. Six of the Valent-appointed Board members were members of the Thaci-appointed municipal ‘government’. Despite four weeks of intensive negotiations with Suva Reka’s six political parties, a Municipal Council had not yet been formed. It is hoped that a Municipal Council comprising an even balance between LDK/NDSH and the PPDK/LKCK/PPK/ UNIKOMB ‘bloc’, along with 2-4 independents, will be formed by early March. Table 2.1: UN-Appointed Municipal Administrative Board Name Function Party-affiliation Roberto Valent UN Municipal Administrator None Halit Berisha Vice President Independent Bali Muharremi Vice President LDK Haki Gashi Vice President PPDK Kimete Berisha Chief of Staff/Secretary PPK Minir Zekolli General Administration LDK Agim Zenelaj Finance and Economy LDK Halil Morina Culture and Spot LDK Avdulla Elshani Property and Surveying Independent Ragip Zekolli Education LDK Ramush Hajdari Urbanism PPK Sadri Emrullahu Civil Defense Unknown Sali Asllanaj Health and Social Policy LDK Note: Haki Gashi has not taken up his duties as Vice President, due to a lack of a final agreement between PPDK and UN Municipal Administrator Valent. 3. Political Parties As of late February 2000 seven political parties are active within the municipality. These are LDK, LKCK, PPDK, PPK, NDSH, UNIKOMB, and LBD4. While LBD, LPK and PNDSH (Demo-Christians) began organizing activities early in 2000, they have yet to hold a municipal assembly or elect a municipality-wide presidency. In interviews conducted in mid-February 2000, only LDK claimed to have party branches in all 42 villages. PPK had the next highest number, with 10. PPDK has only 3 village branches, though the party claims to have picked up the pace of its organizing. LDK President Uke Bytyqi claimed that a member registration drive due to be completed in March 2000 would reveal 20-22,000 members among an estimated electorate of 30,000. Though this estimate seems inflated, it is likely that LDK has the highest level of support in the municipality. Beyond that, it is hard to know, even vaguely, what level of support the other parties enjoy. Despite its insistent demands with respect to the Administrative Board and Municipal Council, PPDK may have little real support. Village-level contacts by KFOR soldiers suggest this to be the case. Only the local elections scheduled for autumn 2000 will sort out the situation. Bujar Bukoshi, Prime Minister of the ‘Republic