From eb246 at columbia.edu Thu Dec 4 15:59:10 2003 From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari) Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2003 15:59:10 -0500 Subject: [NYC-L] Call for Fellowship Applications] Message-ID: <3FCFA01E.4030308@columbia.edu> REMINDER: Call for Fellowship Applications January 15, 2004 deadline The Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs is now accepting applications for its nonresidential Fellows Program. The program supports promising younger scholars, educators, and practitioners who are engaged with the ethical dimensions of international affairs. The program is open to junior scholars and mid-career professionals worldwide. Individuals from developing countries are encouraged to apply. All fellows must be fluent in English. Candidates must link their applications to one of the Council's five program areas: Environmental Values Ethics and the Use of Force History and the Politics of Reconciliation Human Rights Justice and the World Economy. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2004. Please visit our website at http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/page.php/prmID/48 for more details. Inquiries may be addressed to: Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs 170 East 64th Street New York, NY 10021 e-mail: fellows at cceia.org NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/zCsqlB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -for job opportunities, conferences, scholarships, fellowships & internships: -for information on environment, human rights, media, gender & law: visit: www.induspak.tk/ http://www31.brinkster.com/induspak/Index.htm Join 3 leading Email Lists for Law, Announcements & Info: LawJuC-subscribe at yahoogroups.com, OppAnn-subscribe at yahoogroups.com, helpasia-subscribe&yahoogroups.com For unsubscribing: OppAnn-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ From eb246 at columbia.edu Thu Dec 4 16:11:51 2003 From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari) Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2003 16:11:51 -0500 Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: FW: Elisabeth Barker Fund on the history of Central and Eastern Europe] Message-ID: <3FCFA317.3060600@columbia.edu> -Subject: Elisabeth Barker Fund on the history of Central and Eastern Europe Elisabeth Barker Fund for individual, collective or institutional projects (including conferences) on the history of Central and Eastern Europe. http://www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/ebf.html Elisabeth Barker Fund The Fund was established in memory of Elisabeth Barker (1910-1986), diplomatic correspondent and historian of modern Europe. It is intended to support studies in recent European history, particularly the history of Central and Eastern Europe. Grants may be made to support individual, collective or institutional projects (including conferences). Awards to individuals may take the form of grants for private study and research in other European countries. British scholars and institutions may also apply for funds to assist scholars from other European countries to visit the United Kingdom or to extend a stay arranged under other auspices. Level of award: in general awards do not exceed ?1,000. Further information: view Notes for Applicants Method of application: On the International Relations: Private Funds application form. Closing dates: 30 April, 30 September, 31 December. Past awards: Elisabeth Barker Past Awards From mentor at alb-net.com Thu Dec 11 13:17:13 2003 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Mentor Cana) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 13:17:13 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NYC-L] alert: biased and unfair article about Kosova Message-ID: I just came across the following article ("Crime, terror flourish in 'liberated' Kosova") at canada.com and was upset to see such blatant bias and twisting of the truth. http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/newsletter/story.html?id=6042a680-b243-4eaf-b38f-0b455fb491f4 Perhaps someone like NAAC or each individual should contact the editor at canada.com and point to their mistakes in the article. Now, I'm not saying that there is no crime in Kosova. There definitely is and all of us would like to see the drug trafficking etc. be dealt with. However, the problem with the article is that it gives an impression that Kosova is nothing but drug trafficking and criminal state/region. If you intent to write individually to canada.com editors please be polite and calm. I would prefer if NAAC or some other US/Canada based organization drafted a sample response letter that can be send to canada.com. Further, each individual can also send the letter to canada.com to let them know that the public is not satisfied with their level of professional journalism. -- Mentor From mentor at alb-net.com Thu Dec 11 16:07:26 2003 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Kosova Crisis Center News and Information) Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 16:07:26 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NYC-L] [Kcc-News] Serb Policeman Describes Massacre in Kosovo Message-ID: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Kosova Crisis Center (KCC) News: http://www.alb-net.com/index.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/11/international/europe/11SERB.html Serb Policeman Describes Massacre in Kosovo By NICHOLAS WOOD Published: December 11, 2003 ELGRADE, Serbia, Dec. 10 - For the first time since the end of the 1990's wars that broke up Yugoslavia, a former Serbian policeman went before a local court on Wednesday and described how his police reserve unit had taken part in the massacre of at least 14 people, including 7 children. The policeman, Goran Stoparic, said his unit, known as the Scorpions, was sent to the town of Podujevo in eastern Kosovo on March 28, 1999 - five days into the war with NATO over Kosovo - and rounded up a group of women and children and shot them. The unit was withdrawn from Kosovo into Serbia proper the same day, he said. The trial of one member of the unit, Sasa Cvjetan, who is accused of killing 19 people, is the eighth in Serbia to tackle crimes committed in the three main Yugoslav wars of the 1990's. While witnesses at the United Nations war crimes tribunal in The Hague have detailed the involvement of police officers and soldiers in war crimes, Serbian courts so far have excluded accusations pointing to government involvement. Even senior members of the Serbian government that succeeded the wartime administration of Slobodan Milosevic deny that the government had any role in massacres or brutal expulsions of non-Serbs in the conflicts in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Mr. Stoparic described how his unit had been deployed to Kosovo after the start of NATO's bombing campaign. He said the unit had been issued weapons close to the border of Kosovo, Serbia's southern province, which is inhabited mostly by Albanians. He said the men had been driven in two buses to Podujevo and told that they were to seize territory captured by the rebel Kosovo Liberation Army. Once they entered the town, he said, the unit's commander instructed them to find accommodation in local houses. In one house, Mr. Stoparic said, Mr. Cvjetan led a group of women and children into the backyard, where they were joined by several other unit members. A minute later, Mr. Stoparic testified, he heard four to five bursts of automatic gunfire. He said that he had not seen any bodies, but that Mr. Cvjetan and three other unit members left shortly afterward, reloading their guns as they went. A member of a special antiterrorist unit, identified only as Vuk, then entered the backyard and reappeared with a wounded girl, Mr. Stoparic told the court. The man called Vuk stopped a colleague trying to enter the yard, saying: "They've killed them. There is nothing to see." The colleague then asked Vuk if everyone was dead, and Vuk said yes, Mr. Stoparic added. Five children survived the shootings, though, including one girl who had 16 bullet wounds in her arms, legs and back. All five, who now live in Britain, gave testimony in July when the trial started and identified Mr. Cvjetan as having been among the killers. Enver Duriqi, a Kosovo Albanian man, lost his mother, father, wife and four children from 21 months to 9 years old in the massacre. The seven other known victims were all members of the Bogujevci family, also from Podujevo. Mr. Stoparic was to have given his testimony on Monday but pleaded illness at the last minute. Questioned by a lawyer for the victims' families if he had been threatened before the hearing, he said the unit's commander had approached him outside the courtroom. "He did not say he would kill me," Mr. Stoparic said. "He said the consequences would be drastic." Throughout his three and a half hours of testimony, Mr. Stoparic was guarded by bodyguards, and the court ordered protection maintained for him. Asked why he had decided to testify now, he said he felt obliged to do so because children had been killed. "Now I am a Serbian traitor," he said. "Even if I am killed, it would be worth it because of the children who were killed. I participated in wars for 10 years and never saw anyone kill children." Last Friday several other former members of the unit, including its commander, Slobodan Medic, testified that none of them had been present at the shootings. Only two unit members are on trial, Mr. Cvjetan and Dejan Demirovic, who is in Canada and is being tried in absentia. Mr. Cvjetan could face up to 15 years in prision if convicted. ______________________________________________________________ If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message to: kcc-news-unsubscribe at alb-net.com , or visit KCC-NEWS's page at: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/kcc-news From eb246 at columbia.edu Mon Dec 15 16:34:11 2003 From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari) Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 16:34:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NYC-L] funding to learn Albanian... Message-ID: 4) American Council of Learned Societies Has Funding Available for East European Language Training Deadline: January 15, 2004 The American Council of Learned Societies ( http://www.acls.org/ ) is accepting applications from individuals and institutions for East European Language Training programs. Individuals may apply for a grant of up to $2,500 for a summer course of study in Albanian, Bosnian-Croatian- Serbian, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, or Slovene. Applicants may request support for beginning, intermediate, or advanced language study at institutions of higher education in the U.S., or, in exceptional cases, for courses at the advanced level in Eastern Europe. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and have completed, at a minimum, a four-year college degree. Applications should state the name of the institution the applicant wishes to attend, along with a statement of the significance of this training for his/her career plans. The awards are intended for people who will use East European languages in academic research or teaching. Approximately twelve grants will be available. In addition, grants of up to $10,000 will be available to U.S. institutions to support intensive summer 2005 course instruction in Albanian, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, or Slovene. See the ACLS Web site for complete program information. RFP Link: http://www.acls.org/eeguide.htm From mentor at alb-net.com Mon Dec 22 23:20:32 2003 From: mentor at alb-net.com (Albanians-Today News and Information) Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 23:20:32 -0500 (EST) Subject: [NYC-L] [Albanians-Today] MJAFT! action for better education in Albania Message-ID: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Albanians-Today News and Information: http://www.alb-net.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------- The text below has been sent to the Albanian Parliament by the MJAFT! Movement. (MJAFT = ENOUGH). ---- forwarded e-mail ---- >From "MJAFT subscribe list" Dear Friend, Please find attached the latest information update from the MJAFT! Movement.(English is below the Albanian version.) If you need further information please do not hesitate in contacting us. info at mjaft.org 04 222 389 www.mjaft.org -------------------------------------------------------------- MJAFT! Movement, Network of secondary and elementary education NPO-s, (ROA) and the Institute of Public and Private Finances have recently joined their forces aiming at the increase of public expenditures on education through advocacy and lobbying. We believe that if education is thoroughly a priority for our government than this should be reflected in the public expenditures. Below you can find two documents that give a broader view of the existing problem and our incentive of action. The first is a letter addressed to the Members of Albanian Parliament and the second one is our material presentation submitted in front of Parliamentary Commission of Economy. During this week, MJAFT, ROA and IPPF will organize different activities as TV Shows, meetings with MP-s, and protests. Honourable Members of Albanian Parliament, We, the Network of secondary and elementary education NPO-s, (ROA) the Institute of Public and Private Finances and MJAFT Movement, strongly agree that a nation.s future is created among the school desks and the level of a society.s emancipation is measured and evaluated by the attention and care that it manifests toward citizens education. The impression that Albanian education is decent can be considered an enormous misconception. Foreign as well as Albanian experts claim that the actual situation of education does not generate the needed professional capacities to bring the Albanian economy up to speed. In addition they point out that the actual level of education is below international standards and thus cannot compare to the levels of democratic development in western countries. We jeopardize deterioration in European coexistence if we do not strive to develop European citizenship. Complete reform is a necessity for the education system as a whole. A fundamental precondition for the success of this reform is: More expenditure. During the last ten years, governmental contribution toward education has been around 3% of GDP. The world average on education expenditures is around 5% of GDP. EU countries spend on the average 5% of their GDP, and at the same time persist for a substantial increase in expenditures in order to lead the EU on a path toward a more competitive economy. On average, countries with medium income, among which Albania is counted, allocate 4.8% of their GDP. The average of European countries in transition is slightly higher. (For the year 2000: Byelorussia 6.0%, Czech Republic 4.3%, Estonia 4.4%, Hungary 7.6%, Latvia 4.8%, Lithuania 6.3%, Slovakia 4.7%, Slovenia 4.4%, and Ukraine 4.0%). Comparing country percentages of GDP allocated to Education, Albania is ranked in 93rd in the world. With the actual level of progress that Middle Term Expenditures Framework provides, Albania will achieve the present-day educational level of Macedonia in 57 years. In the National Strategy for Socio-Economic Development (NSSED) it has been promised to increase the percentage to 3.7%. Education is proclaimed to be a priority. However, until now it obviously has not been taken into account during budget negotiations. An increase, at least to 3.7% of GDP allocated toward education, as promised in NSSED, would testify that politicians are proving their beliefs that the education system exemplifies our responsibilities toward the future generations. Along this path, Albania will accelerate close the gap with other countries in region similar to us, even in their aspirations. We are committed to increase governmental and public interest for the quality of education. We truly believe that we will find allies within Parliament and hope for a positive reply within next week, 15-20 December. Sincerely, Human Development Indicators of Human Development (combination of three basic components): . A long and healthy life; . The level of education; . A decent standard of living. The Problem Education indicators . In 1989 the average amount of education was 11.6 years, while in the year 2000, it had decreased to 8.5 years, which means an average decrease of 3 years in education over a decade!!! . Level of attendance in schools has decreased in pre-elementary school as well as high-school. The numbers show a high dropout rate, respectively 37 per cent and 36 per cent (compared to 1990) . In sub-urban areas school attendance is below average. It is recognized that access to education as well as the quality of education in these areas is problematic Why high level of drop-outs??? The reasons for the high level of drop-outs are diverse for different levels of education. . In pre-elementary education, drop-out is related to the closing of public institutions. . Related to obligatory education, decrease in attendance is mainly caused by 2 factors: . 35 per cent of students that drop-out from school do so due to economic reasons . Meanwhile, almost one of fifth of them drop-out from school because of the poor level and the low quality of education Other problems . The number of schools has decreased with 55 per cent . Their closing has its effect on poor families by bringing a decrease in the level of their education . Urban population growth, large number of teachers without relevant related education - especially in remote areas - are other factors that cause a decrease in the number of the students attending high school . 12-per cent of the population over 15 years old is unable to read and to write, thus is classified as .illiterate.. . The level of illiteracy in urban areas (7 per cent) and the rural areas (19 per cent) is disproportional. . 83,5 % of poverty is found among individuals without education (4.1%) or ones with elementary education (79.4%) (taken from INSTAT) . The Public Education Service suffers from quality problems related to: . Educational tools and instruments; . An increase in the no. of teacher.s without relevant related education; . Serious deficiencies in teacher.s vocational trainings concern outdated or ingrained teaching methods; . Content problems, etc. . The quality of education is lower in urban areas, remote areas and sub-urban areas. The Causes . During the last ten years, public funds for education remain around 10 per cent of budget expenses, but their reflection in the GDP has been decreasing. . From 3, 8 per cent in 1995, this indicator has decreased to 2, 8 percent in 2002, which is much lower than the level of other Eastern European Countries. Commitments of the Albanian Government Millennium Development Goals The Albanian Response "or what YOU have committed" . Goal 3: Ensure that, by the year 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. Taken from Albania and Millennium Development Goals, pg.17 Millennium Development Goals The Albanian Response "or what YOU have committed" Increase the level of attendance in elementary education - From 90 percent in the year 2000 to 94 percent in the year 2004 and 100 percent in the year 2015, divided in accordance with groups of population and areas. Increase the level of attendance in secondary education - From 40 percent in the year 2000 to 50 percent in the year 2004 Increase the average of years of education - From 8.5 years in 2000 to 10 years in 2004. UN Recommendations on Millennium Development Goals . Possibilities should be created to increase financing for the educational sector at all levels and in all regions. Thus, an increase of the share of budget expenditures for education (as a percentage of the GDP) should be considered as one of the primary goals that the government should strive for. THE PRIORITIES OF NATIONAL STRATEGY for SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (NSSED) "or what YOU have promised" Priority fields of public demands are: . Health and Education . Infrastructure . Improvement of governance . Economical growth . Social Support . Macroeconomic stability Goals and Objectives from NSSED "or what YOU have promised" The disturbing and acute problems present in the educational system call for direct reforms within this sector. The main goals to strengthen this process of reforms, as well as the objectives of the education strategy are: . Increase participation of population within education services, focusing on poorest level of society and remote country areas; . Improve quality of services and rebuilding and adapting the education system in accordance with market developments and needs; The education sector.s specific objectives within the strategy for economic growth and poverty reduction are: . Increase participation in elementary education focusing on poorest level of society and remote country areas as well as increasing participation in secondary education, especially professional education . Improve the quality of teaching methods . Expand professional education and adapt it better to market needs. . Increase administration efficiency and education system financial efficiency The Strategy translated into funds The major problems of poverty in rural and remote areas of the country are the poor quality of essential services as well as health and education services, requiring more sources which need to be addressed in order to solve these problems. This leads to a decrease in sources available for solving problems of other problematic areas regarding development. Strategic Priorities in MTEF Strategic priorities for public expenditures under 2004-06 MTEF, remain largely unchanged and reflect the policy and program proposals identified in NSSED These are: . To increase the share of GDP allocated to health and education which is very low in comparison to international standards and reflects the poor quality of public services in these sectors; A Comparison to other countries in the world The budget for education as percentage of the GDP . 1st place Moldova 10.3% . 24th place Congo, 5.9% . 39th place Macedonia, 4.9% . 92nd place Sri Lanka 2.9% . 93rd place Albania 2.8% . 94th place Benin 2.7% . 95th place Ethiopia 2.7% . 96th place Antigua and Barbuda 2.6% . 97th place Mozambique 2.6% . 98th place Nicaragua 2.6% . 99th place Bhutan 2.4% . 100th place Uganda 2.4% . Average 4.75 % Strategic Priorities under MTEF "or what YOU have promised on June 2003" According to NSSED, strategic priorities of public expenditures which are sustained by financial sources are: . Increase resources, both in real terms and as a share of the GDP, which are allocated to health and education sectors; Linking MTEF and NSSED . Budget program and resource ceiling for 2004 are based on the priority measures identified under the NSSED. . Linking and settling of the correct ratios between the NSSED, MTEF 2004-06 and the draft Budget 2004 is considered as a process and principal goal of this framework. Linking MTEF and NSSED . MTEF assures all the needed mechanisms through which the main priority objectives, identified under the NSSED, can be integrated in to the budget process Strategic settlement of Priorities . Strategic prioritization of public expenditures is beginning to be achieved through the MTEF process. The NSSED has highlighted the strategic requirements for a relative redistribution of resources toward health and education sectors which address the relatively low levels of spending within these sectors. NSSED Priorities Priority fields of public demands will be: . Health and Education . Infrastructure . Governance improvement . Economical growth . Social Support . Macroeconomic stability In the meantime!?! NSSED Promises that: . Human Development: Education: The percentage of the GDP allocated to education will be increased from 3.4 in 2002 to 3.7 of GDP in 2004 MTEF Promises that: . Education expenditures are envisioned to increase from 3.0% of GDP in 2004 to 3.1% of GDP in 2006. A Comparison to other countries in the world With the above mentioned level of progress of 0.1% in 3 years, Albania will achieve the current level of education of: . Macedonia in 57 years . Congo in 87 years . Moldova in 219 years Budget 2004 . Education expenditures are projected to be 3.1% of the GDP What WE ask for? . Recognition of the promises made regarding the increase of the percentage for education of the 2004 budget from 3.1% in 3.7% of GDP ______________________________________________________________ If you wish to unsubscribe, send a blank message to: albanians-today-unsubscribe at alb-net.com , or visit Albanians-Today's page at: http://www.alb-net.com/mailman/listinfo/albanians-today From oconnorr at washpost.com Tue Dec 23 14:04:38 2003 From: oconnorr at washpost.com (Rita O'Connor) Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 14:04:38 -0500 Subject: [NYC-L] [Albanians-Today] MJAFT! action for better education in Albania Message-ID: Please change my email address to finder912 at earthlink.net Thank you. From eb246 at columbia.edu Mon Dec 29 13:15:31 2003 From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari) Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 13:15:31 -0500 Subject: [NYC-L] Good rates to call Albania? Message-ID: <3FF06F43.7060009@columbia.edu> Hi all, Anyone knows any provider with good calling rates for Albania - no calling cards but long distance company. Thanks a lot, Erkanda