From naserbreca at hotmail.com  Mon Oct  6 08:43:49 2003
From: naserbreca at hotmail.com (Nas Breca)
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 12:43:49 +0000
Subject: [NYC-L] Greeting mesage for nyc members
Message-ID: <Law9-F72Ygx6GgqyZFU0000fb86@hotmail.com>



Hi folks,

I am new member of the nyc and will be looking forward to get in touch with 
each of you.

naser

_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail



From eb246 at columbia.edu  Mon Oct  6 10:51:15 2003
From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari)
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 10:51:15 -0400
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: FW: Kokkalis Fellowship Program - PLEASE POST AND
	CIRCULATE]
Message-ID: <3F818163.86110DEC@columbia.edu>

 
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From eb246 at columbia.edu  Mon Oct  6 10:57:10 2003
From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari)
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 10:57:10 -0400
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: Funding Opportunities for Study and Research in
	Europe]
Message-ID: <3F8182C6.688CB8E0@columbia.edu>

 
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Subject: Funding Opportunities for Study and Research in Europe
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From ditaaa at yahoo.com  Tue Oct  7 11:53:00 2003
From: ditaaa at yahoo.com (Aferdita Hakaj)
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 08:53:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] The Sixth Kosova Investment Conference, NY,
	10&11 October 2003 
Message-ID: <20031007155300.8405.qmail@web9903.mail.yahoo.com>


Hi everyone!

I just wanted to notify you all that the 6th Kosova Investment Conference will be on October 10th and 11th at Hotel Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas (53rd to 54th streets) New York, NY.  

For detailed information contact:

departamenti.jorezident at ksgov.net  or phone:Ismet Hajrullahu 37744504202


The Conference is organized by Department of Non-Residnet Affairs.  The participants will include the Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry, Chamber of Commerce, Kosovo Trust Agency for Privatization, Stability Pact and Riinvest.  A group of Kosovar businesspersons will participate with the aim of spurring investments and exchanging experiences in meetings with businesspersons from the Diaspora.

 

Friday, 10 October

09:00 - 09:45 Inaugural Session:

    Meriman Braha - Director
    Marcie B. Ries-Chief of Mission
    Reprezentative of UNMIK
    Behxhet Brajshori-Minister of MCYS

                 Session I
Moderator:Minister Behxhet Brajshori

09:45 - 10:15    -Macro-Economic Overview,
                       Ministry of Finance & Economy.

                       -Approaches to the stabilization of Kosovo's market,
                       Ministry of Trade & Industry

10:15 - 10:45    Discussion

10:45 - 11:30    -Investment Opportunities in Wine Production
                        Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Rural Development

                       -Investment opportunities in Farming
                        Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Rutal Development

                       -Investment Opportunities in the KosovoMunicipalities,
                        Ministry of Public Services

                       -Privatization of Enterprises,
                        Kosovo Trust Agency

11:30 - 12:00     Discussion
12:00 - 13:15     Buffet lunch

                       Session II
         Moderator: Minister Ali Jakupi

13:30 - 14:10    -Kosova and Regional Economic Integration,
                        Stability Pact

                       -Necessary Procedures for investment,
                        Kosovo Chamber ok Commerce

                       -Investment Opportunities in Kosovo
                        Kosovo Business Support (KBS underthe USAID) 

                       -Direct foreign investments in Kosovo,
                        Riinvest

14:10 - 14:40      Discussion

14:40 - 15:40     -Facilitation program for U.S. firms interested in expanding into the
                         Central & Eastern European markets
                         Central &Eastern European Business Information
                         Center (CEEBIC), Department of Commerce

                        -Grants for feasibility studies, consultancies, training programs,and 
                         other project planning service
                         U.S. Trade & Development Agency (TDA)

                        -Financeof the overseas sales of U.S.goods and services through export
                         credit insurance, loan guarantees, and loans
                         Export-Import Bank of the UnitedStates 

                        -Investment financing through direct loans and/or loan guarantees
                         Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)

15:40 - 16:10     Discussion

16:10 - 17:00     -Occasion for individual discussions of investment possibilities with
                         officials and experts

17:00 - 18:00     -Cocktail reception for participants

Saturday, 11 October

                     Special Session on Foreign Direct Investment 
                                       and Privatization

09:30 - 10:30          Kosovo Trust Agency

10:30- 10:00           Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications Investment
                             Opportunities in the Telecomm Sector

11:00 - 12:20          Discussion




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From eb246 at columbia.edu  Tue Oct  7 10:31:41 2003
From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari)
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 10:31:41 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] [CivilSoc] IREX Grant Opportunity for US Master's Students
	(fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.58.0310071031370.20041@aloha.cc.columbia.edu>



******************************************************************

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 15:17:31 -0400
From: Amy Moore <amoore at irex.org>
To: undisclosed-recipients:  ;
Subject: [CivilSoc] IREX Grant Opportunity for US Master's Students

INDIVIDUAL ADVANCED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM (IARO)
Deadline: November 1, 2003

Grants of one to three months are available to US master's students for
research in Europe and Eurasia on policy-relevant theses or equivalent
projects.

Grant Provisions:

*Round-trip airfare from the US to the host country and visa fees.
*Stipend for housing and living expenses.

Eligible countries:

Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia,
Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Eurasia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

For more information on the program, including application materials to
download and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), please visit the IREX
website at http://www.irex.org/programs/iaro/.

The master's student grants for IARO are funded by the United States
Department of State (Title VIII Program).


_______________________________________________
CivilSoc mailing list
CivilSoc at lists.civilsoc.org
http://lists.civilsoc.org/mailman/listinfo/civilsoc

IT solutions for international development - http://www.partners-intl.net


From aukf at aukf.org  Tue Oct  7 12:12:45 2003
From: aukf at aukf.org (aukf at aukf.org)
Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 18:12:45 +0200
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: Funding Opportunities for Study and Research
	inEurope]
In-Reply-To: <3F8182C6.688CB8E0@columbia.edu>
Message-ID: <002c01c38ced$d9df6560$0200000a@auk.local>


Press Release

	
7 October 2003

American University in Kosovo Opens for Classes


[Pristina, AUKF] -- The American University in Kosovo opened for classes
on Monday, October 6.  Approximately 60 students and their faculty
gathered for a convocation at the AUK's start-up facilities in the Sunny
Hill section of Pristina. 

Welcoming students to what he called the future first graduating class
Louis Sell, Executive Director of the American University in Kosovo
Foundation (AUKF), hailed the university's opening as a tangible sign of
the progress that Kosovo has made.  "Four years ago," said Mr. Sell, "in
the aftermath of the dark days of war and ethnic cleansing, who would
have dared to dream that an American university would arise here."
Describing the new university as a "trust on behalf of the people of
Kosovo," AUK Program Director Robert Curis outlined for students the
rules, procedures, and opportunities they could expect to experience
over the coming year.  

The American University in Kosovo is a joint project between the AUK
Foundation and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) from
Rochester, New York.  RIT, one of America's premier institutions of
higher learning, provides the students in Kosovo with an American
curriculum, professors and educational methods.  Students attending AUK
will earn RIT course credits exactly as if they were in the United
States and ultimately a degree from RIT that is recognized around the
world.  

Students were particularly impressed with the computer resources at
their disposal. Visiting the AUK computer lab, the students learned how
to access and use the dozens of new, state-of-the art computers, which
form part of the AUK network.  When the computer labs are not being used
as classrooms, AUK students will have full access to these computers for
study and research.   AUK students will have at their disposal all of
the impressive on-line learning resources available through the RIT
system, including data bases, libraries, and interactive teaching tools.
This "Electronic Library" is the third largest electronic library in the
world and gives the students at the AUK access to a premier research
library.

In its first year of operation the AUK offers a two-year associates
degree focused on economics and small business development.  In their
first quarter AUK students will take such courses as Marketing, English
Writing and Literature, College Math for Business, and Managing Media
Presentations.  In the next two quarters of this first year of AUK's
operations, students will take such courses as Modern American History,
Statistics, Principles of Economics, Communicating in Business, and
Financial Accounting.       

In the future AUK, in cooperation with RIT, AUK will expand into a four
year university offering a broader range of concentrations and handling
a larger number of students.  AUK has signed an agreement with the
Kosovo Ministry of Education to take over the Grmija school complex
located on the outskirts of Pristina, which AUKF will renovate and open
for expanded educational programs over the next 12 to 18 months.

AUKF has also been able, thanks to the generosity of local donors, to
offer a limited amount of financial assistance to qualified students
already accepted to AUK.  Up to 10 students may be awarded partial
scholarships of $2,000 per year.  The university is also offering
approximately 10 students the opportunity to work part time in the
university functions such as the computer lab and student services.  In
addition, the Ministry of Finance of the Kosovo government has created a
William Jefferson Clinton scholarship program, which provides a stipend
covering full tuition and fees for a limited number of qualified
students already selected to attend the AUK.  After graduation, each
Clinton Scholar will serve in the Kosovo Government for a period of one
year for each year in which they received the scholarship.  All AUK
scholarships will be awarded on the basis of merit with awards being
determined by a committee consisting of representatives of AUK,
distinguished representatives of the Kosovo public, and in the case of
the Clinton fellowships, the Kosovo government.

"The dream of an American university right here in Kosovo is now
reality," said Mr. Sell.  Thanks to the hard work of a number of people
over the past three years and the strong financial and political support
of such supporters as the UFORK Foundation and the Ministry of
Education, we have been able to launch this project and give the youth
of Kosovo an educational program they could only dream of until today.
This is truly an exciting and historic day for Kosovo," concluded Mr.
Sell.

After the convocation, students assembled in the snack bar in the
university basement for a small reception prior to beginning classes in
the afternoon.  While waiting some of the students engaged in a game of
pick-up basketball in the courtyard, decorated in contemporary youth art
by a group of local artists.  Other students tried out the computers in
the second floor lab.  AUK has been launched!  

Mimoza Kusari M.B.A.
AUKF - Prishtine
tel:038-540196
fax:038-540198
www.rit.edu/aukadmin
 


-----Original Message-----
From: nyc-l-bounces at alb-net.com [mailto:nyc-l-bounces at alb-net.com] On
Behalf Of Erkanda Bujari
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 4:57 PM
To: albanian
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: Funding Opportunities for Study and Research
inEurope]


          === NYC-L: New York City Discussion Forum ===




From mentor at alb-net.com  Sun Oct  5 22:36:07 2003
From: mentor at alb-net.com (Kosova Crisis Center News and Information)
Date: Sun, 5 Oct 2003 22:36:07 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] [Kcc-News] NAAC Reiterates in Washington that an
 Independent Kosova is the Only Option
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0310052234290.13137@alb-net.com>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
  Kosova Crisis Center (KCC) News: http://www.alb-net.com/index.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 

National Albanian American Council
2021 L Street, N.W., Suite 402, Washington, DC  20036
481 8th Avenue, Suite 922, New York, NY 10001
Brigada e Krajishtes, No. 8, 38000 Prishtina, Kosova
Telephone: (202) 466-6900   Fax: (202) 466-5593
Web: <www.naac.org>   Email: naac at naac.org
________________________________________________________________________
For Release: October 3, 2003    Contact: Valbona Sherifi (202) 466-6900

PRESS RELEASE

NAAC Reiterates in Washington that an Independent Kosova is the Only Option

Washington, DC: October 3, 2003: The National Albanian American Council
(NAAC) issued the following statement regarding the meetings that NAAC
Chairman Ilirjan Rusi and Executive Director Martin G. Vulaj held recently
in Washington, D.C. with members of Congress and DOS officials.  An Albanian
version of this release follows at the end of this text.  Pictures of this
event can be provided upon request from the media.

UNMIK should immediately empower Kosova's institutions and the international
community should finally accept that an independent Kosova is the only
solution, stated two representatives of the National Albanian American
Council (NAAC) on October 1, 2003 during an official visit to Washington,
D.C.

In light of the upcoming technical talks between Prishtina and Belgrade,
scheduled to start on October 14, 2003 in Vienna, NAAC Chairman Ilirjan Rusi
and Executive Director Martin G. Vulaj were in the nation's capital to share
with the United States Department of State and with the U.S. Congress their
organization's view of the current situation in Kosova.

Messer. Rusi and Vulaj provided DOS's Mike Bosshart, Deputy Director for
Kosova, and Joshua Black, Kosova Desk Officer, with an update on NAAC's
recent visit to Kosova.  Among other things, NAAC informed Messer. Boshart
and Black of a project that the organization is working on in conjunction
with the prestigious Harvard University.  Titled "Justice in Times of
Transition", the project will put the top leadership of Kosova in the same
room with other political figures from post-conflict places, such as
Northern Ireland, South Africa, El Salvador, etc.

The goal is for the Kosovars to strengthen and consolidate their
institutions in preparation for the processes ahead.  NAAC stated optimism
for the outcome of the initiative, which by enabling our politicians in
Kosova to share experiences with other politicians whom have been in similar
circumstances will hopefully help them deal with their present situation,
especially with regards to internal dissention, consolidating a government,
developing a vision, reconciliation of outstanding issues.  NAAC thinks that
all of the above will help them prepare how to deal with final status
challenges.

Committed to the project so far are John Hume from Northern Ireland, Nelson
Mandela's two top negotiators as well as an expert negotiating team from
Harvard University.

Mr. Vulaj, who just returned from Kosova after an 18-day visit where he was
initially joined by Ambassador William Walker and Tim Phillips of Harvard
University, informed Mr. Bosshart that all three institutional leaders,
President Rugova, Prime Minister Rexhepi, Speaker of Kosova Parliament
Nexhat Daci and the two other party leaders, Democratic Party of Kosova
Chairman Hashim Thaci and Allegiance for the Future of Kosova Chairman
Ramush Haradinaj, had committed to attending the conference scheduled to
take place in Cambridge, England later this month.

Mr. Bosshart of DOS expressed support for the idea, stating that it is
exactly what Kosova needs.

NAAC also pointed out that the project would have greater chances of
succeeding if the Kosovar politicians take ownership of this upcoming
process.  Calling for UNMIK to immediately empower Kosova's institutions,
NAAC argued that any decisions made by the Kosovars would be binding and not
subject to UNMIK Veto.

Only in this way will the process have the mandate of the people and the
SRSG cannot be the decision-making authority, stated Mr. Rusi and Mr. Vulaj,
adding that the current model is a recipe for inherent instability in the
process.  They also stressed that the only workable solution to the Kosova
Question is for it to become independent.  The longer that it is delayed the
greater the risk of instability in the region and the more room for
extremist action, they underlined.

Referring to recent reports by international media of Serbia offering to
participate in U.S.-led peacekeeping missions, NAAC protested at the
prospect of Serbian military personnel who were active in Kosova and are
suspected of human rights abuses and war crimes to be included in activities
in Afganistan and/or Iraq.  Mr. Rusi and Mr. Vulaj shared with the DOS
officials Albanian community's outrage over this possibility, and stated
that this would reflect extremely poorly on the U.S. and the current
Administration.

During the recent visit to Washington, D.C., the NAAC officials met with
several lawmakers who have been long-standing supporters of the Albanian
people, including Congressman Mark Kirk, Congressman Elliot Engel,
Congresswoman Sue Kelly, Congressman Vito Fossella, Congressman Sander
Levin, and Congressman Joseph Crowley.

The primary purpose of these meetings was to put together a Congressional
Delegation that would go to Macedonia, Kosova, Albania and Montenegro early
next year.  All of the members expressed interest in going and have begun
working on putting the logistics together to make it happen.

NAAC informed the American lawmakers of the organization's findings from its
recent trip to Kosova including the economic pressure that the country is
under as a result of the lack of a defined final status.  "Kosova must
become independent and it must happen soon," Mr. Rusi told Congressman
Fossella.  "The country lacks basic infrastructure and serious investment
cannot occur under current conditions."

The NAAC Chairman went on to stress that the U.S. must take the lead in
resolving the Kosova Question as the European policy of wait-and-delay has
unnecessarily resulted the stagnation of the entire region.

Congressman Engel, Co-chair of the Albanian Issues Caucus, who is tireless
in support of the Albanian people, stated that the community must remain
engaged with their representatives in every district where
Albanian-Americans live.  He vowed to continue supporting NAAC's mission and
stated that, "with the community working together far more can be achieved."

Congresswoman Kelly, the other Co-Chair of the Albanian Issues Caucus,
pledged to immediately start working on putting together a congressional
delegation that will visit the region and see first hand the state of
affairs in the Albanian-populated area of the Balkans.  "The job is not
finished in the region," the Congresswoman stated. "Kosova must become
independent and we must strengthen the democracies there to secure American
interests, like fighting terrorism."

Mr. Rusi informed the Congresswoman that the U.S.-brokered Ohrid Peace
Agreement of August 2001 was far from being completely implemented, thus
threatening the fragile peace in Macedonia.  He asked that Congress do more
to put pressure on the relevant parties in Macedonia to ensure the full and
rapid implementation of this important Accord.

Congressman Kirk, a former F-16 fighter pilot who flew bombing missions over
Serbia during the NATO aerial campaign, stated that he was proud of the
Albanian-American community's work on behalf of people back home.  He
expressed great interest in going back to the region, especially Kosova
where he went immediately after the war of 1999.

Congressman Crowley expressed enthusiasm about going back to the region for
another visit.  He sated that he would like to see first hand what kind of
progress has taken place since his last visit there in the aftermath of war,
recalling entire areas doted by refugee tents and countless civilians who
had been brutally forced to flee their homes.

NAAC is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for Albanians
and promoting peace and economic development in the Balkans by fostering
democratic policy, promoting respect for human rights, and conducting
educational and developmental programs.  For more information on the
National Albanian American Council please visit us on the web at
www.naac.org
###
______________________________________________________________
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 ditaaa at yahoo.com  Fri Oct 17 16:16:23 2003
From: ditaaa at yahoo.com (Aferdita Hakaj)
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 13:16:23 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] Fwd: University Human Rights Seminar, October 23, 2003
Message-ID: <20031017201623.34158.qmail@web9905.mail.yahoo.com>



Note: forwarded message attached.


---------------------------------
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From: mer2036 at columbia.edu
Subject: University Human Rights Seminar, October 23, 2003
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 20:29:55 -0400
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From mentor at alb-net.com  Sun Oct 19 04:18:08 2003
From: mentor at alb-net.com (Albanians in Macedonia Crisis Center News & Information)
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 04:18:08 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] [AMCC-News] Macedonia: 1) Small Victory in Battle Against
 Traffickers, 2) School Desegregation Plans Shelved
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0310190417191.26954@alb-net.com>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 AMCC
                    http://www.alb-net.com/amcc/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 

1. Macedonia: Small Victory in Battle Against Traffickers
2. School Desegregation Plans Shelved

### 1 ###

http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?archive/bcr3/bcr3_200310_464_4_eng.txt

Macedonia: Small Victory in Battle Against Traffickers

Much trumpeted conviction of human traffickers belies problems in getting
successful prosecutions.

By Yigal Chazan and Dragana Nikolic-Solomon in London and David Quin in
Skopje (BCR 464, 16-Oct-03)

Macedonia's battle against people-smuggling was boosted last week with the
sentencing of five convicted traffickers to long prison terms, but the
country still has much to do if it is to bring more offenders to justice,
observers say.

A Skopje court sentenced four Macedonians and an ethnic Albanian to a total
of 33 years in prison under laws classifying trafficking as a crime, which
were introduced in 2002. The verdict came after the court heard harrowing
written testimony from the victims, who were not present for the trial.
Their statements to investigators, which have been seen by IWPR, show how
they were beaten and forced to have sex in brothels across the country.

Zan Jovanovski, a Macedonian police liaison officer with the
Bucharest-based Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, SECI, tasked
with getting countries in the region to do more to combat trans-border
crime, commended the authorities' handling of the case, describing it as
"an encouraging sign".

Vladimir Danailov, senior legal assistant at the International Organisation
for Migration in Skopje, said the conviction will have a very "big
preventive impact" on traffickers as they will now realise that they face
long prison sentences if they are caught.

Other similar cases are in the pipeline and the authorities are doing more
to combat human trafficking in general: in a first for the region, victims
who've returned to their country of origin after escaping their captors or
freed by police are encouraged and helped to come back to Macedonia to
testify; they are also offered compensation for their suffering, which, it
is hoped, will make them more inclined to come forward; and there are plans
to try people who are indirectly associated with trafficking gangs.

The country, then, is clearly making progress in the battle against
people-smuggling - and doing much more than its neighbours in this regard -
but, nothwithstanding last week's conviction, it's finding it difficult to
bring offenders to justice. Since trafficking was a made a crime, there
have been five convictions, with those found guilty receiving short or
suspended sentences. Many more have been charged but not successfully
prosecuted.

The lack of effective protection for witnesses, legislative inconsistencies
and limited legal expertise in trafficking cases are thought to have been
major stumbling blocks in securing convictions.

The IOM in cooperation with the authorities has opened a centre for victims
where they are made to feel secure and offered counselling, but more such
facilities are required otherwise they simply return to their country of
origin and are reluctant to return to testify when their former captors are
put on trial.

And the fact that under Macedonian law convictions for people-smuggling are
based largely on witness testimony, with little or no regard for other
material and circumstantial evidence, means that unless victims are
prepared to come forward cases simply collapse.

Samoil Filipovski, a lawyer specialising in trafficking cases, says there's
also a problem with judicial interpretation of the law, " [Trafficking is]
a new charge and we do not have any prior court practise in using the
legislation."

Critics of the authorities' handling of such cases have insisted that
recent convictions only came about because the prosecution got lucky, with
witnesses fleeing their captors and providing highly detailed evidence,
despite inadequate provisions for their safety.

Referring to last week's trial, one western diplomat said, "This a step
forward but it's mainly due to some very courageous women who testified
even though they had no legal protection. If it wasn't for these women,
these men would be free."

Significantly, diplomatic sources have told IWPR lack of witness testimony
is believed to have undermined the authorities attempt to try a leading
suspected gang leader Dilaver "Leku" Bojku, currently facing six charges of
procuring girls in the south of the country, for trafficking.

"Leku is charged for prostitution when everybody knows he is involved in
trafficking but nobody dares to step forward as there is no witness
protection," said one diplomat.

Danailov acknowledges that more should be done to safeguard victims; that
the law should be changed so that trafficking convictions are not based
just on the testimony of victims; and that judges and prosecutors are
better trained to deal with such cases.

The IOM official pointed out that efforts are underway to address all the
aforementioned problems. The situation, he said, "is not ideal, but getting
better and better".

Nonetheless, he said the US State Department rates Macedonia as one of the
countries doing most to tackle people-smuggling and points out that its
efforts to date have actually forced the traffickers to change the way they
operate: previously, girls were held in bars and clubs, but increasingly
their captors are moving them into rented accommodation making it harder
for the police to find them.

He says the authorities' attitude towards the problem has changed hugely,
as it wasn't long ago that the victims of trafficking were considered
little more than illegal migrants and expelled from the country.

Yigal Chazan is IWPR managing editor, Dragana Nikolic-Solomon is an IWPR
assistant editor and David Quin is an IWPR investigations editor. Saso
Dimovski, a journalist with Skopje Sitel TV, also contributed to this
report.

-------------

### 2 ###

http://www.iwpr.net/index.pl?archive/bcr3/bcr3_200310_462_4_eng.txt

Macedonia: School Desegregation Plans Shelved

Fierce protests force government to back down over bid to teach Albanians
and Macedonian students side by side.

By Ana Pteruseva and Boris Georgievski in Skopje (BCR No 462, 03-Oct-03)

The Macedonian authorities. controversial attempts to desegregate two
schools have been criticised as clumsy and badly-timed by western diplomats
and analysts.

Plans for an Albanian language class in a Bitola school were halted last
week after hundreds of Macedonian students took to the streets in protest,
with some insisting that they would never allow an Albanian class in their
city.

The Macedonian students went back to school, but only after receiving
assurances that an Albanian class will not be opened. Protesters threatened
to hold further rallies if there is a new attempt to teach students from
the two communities side by side.

Ethnic tensions also soared last week at the Arseni Jovkov high school in
Skopje when Macedonian parents and students rallied against the decision to
include seven Albanian classes in the same building. Previously, the
Albanian students had been attending a facility in another part of the
city. Following the protests, the plan to bring the two groups together was
put on hold.

Multi-ethnic education has been an explosive issue for more than a decade.
Macedonian and Albanian students have been strictly segregated - studying
in different schools or, if in the same building, in different shifts - and
previous attempts to unite the two have also failed.

The latest desegregation initiative was not part of a broader attempt to
bring an end to the ethnic divide in the country.s schools, but a goodwill
gesture by the governing ethnic Macedonian parties towards their Albanian
partners.

Education minister Azis Polozani, a member of the Democratic Union for
Integration, DUI, the ethnic Albanian party in the ruling coalition, faced
calls from the protesters to abandon the desegregation plans or resign.

Faced with continuing popular unrest over the reforms, the government
appears to have shelved the issue indefinitely. .The decision has been put
on ice until ethnic tensions calm down,. said DUI spokesperson Ermira
Mehmeti.

The trouble began immediately after Polozani announced the changes in early
September.

The minister has since come under fire for trying to implement the reform
after the school year had already started, and for not anticipating the
likely reaction, especially in Bitola, which was the scene of riots against
the town.s Albanian community during the 2001 conflict.

"Polozani should have known that this cannot be done without thorough
preparations," one western diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
told IWPR.

"He should have consulted people on local level. You cannot make an
administrative decision and just hope it will be respected.

"The timing was also crucial. If the decision had been made before the
school year had already started, it would have been a different situation.
Maybe there would still have been tensions, but probably not on this
scale."

A government source also commented on the poor timing of the move, saying
tensions could have been avoided had Polozani announced the decision while
the students were on their summer break. .However, there is no
justification for the acts of the Macedonian students,. the government
source said.

Gjuner Ismail, director of Forum magazine, told IWPR that a lack of
foresight by the education ministry has fuelled Macedonian nationalist
feeling in Bitola.

.The minister should solve, not generate problems. He did not respect the
reality of the situation," Ismail said. "Bitola is a specific city, and one
that was very much involved in the war. This way [the minister] has created
an opportunity for those who organised the incidents in 2001 to do so
again..

The hard line opposition Democratic Party of Albanians has reacted angrily
to the government.s climb-down, describing it last week as the result of a
.well thought-out and organised action to prevent Albanians from exercising
their rights..

Mirjana Najcevska, who heads the local branch of the Helsinki human rights
committee, said that the latest events should not be seen as an isolated
problem, but rather as the result of the government.s heavy handedness and
lack of transparency over reforms.

"We have many situations when a school director or a teacher is replaced
without local consultation and parents and students protest,. she told
IWPR.

.As for the ethnic dimension, on the Albanian side there is a belief that
things can change overnight, while the Macedonians are building a wall and
absolutely refusing to think of the legitimate and unsatisfied needs of
others..

The International community has expressed deep concern over the recent
upturn in tensions. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in
Europe, OSCE, in Macedonia called the Bitola protests .frightening and
unacceptable..

OSCE spokesperson Isabelle De Ruyt said, .It is disappointing to see people
mobilising against the a common education opportunity for students. The
OSCE believes that the students should be able to go to schools close to
their homes, and that multi-ethnic education should be encouraged..

Ana Petruseva is IWPR project manager in Macedonia, Boris Georgievski is a
journalist with the Skopje daily Utrinski vesnik
______________________________________________________________
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From jacobjulius at yahoo.com  Mon Oct 20 21:31:13 2003
From: jacobjulius at yahoo.com (Jacob Goldstein)
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 18:31:13 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [NYC-L] student journalist seeks info
Message-ID: <20031021013113.28650.qmail@web13401.mail.yahoo.com>

Hello:

I'm a student in the journalism school at Columbia
University, and I'm currently working on a story about
a young man who came to this country from Kosovo as a
teenager.

I'd like to include some information in the story
about New York's Albanian community -- specifically
about the communities ties to its European roots, and
about how the war in Kosovo affected the community
here.

I hope to speak with a few leaders of the Albanian
community here -- perhaps someone who runs an
organization for immigrants, or an editor at a
community newspaper, or something like that.

If anyone has any leads, I would appreciate it very
much.

Thank you very much.

Yours truly,
Jacob Goldstein

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
http://shopping.yahoo.com


From eb246 at columbia.edu  Mon Oct 27 12:40:12 2003
From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari)
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 12:40:12 -0500
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: FW: Upcoming Events]
Message-ID: <3F9D587C.90907@columbia.edu>

For those interested.

IAB -is the International Affairs Building at Columbia.
****************************************************

Tuesday, October 28th
7pm
1219 IAB

"Kosovo 1998-2003, Between Fear and Hope" Documentaries by Ninoslav
Randjelovic, Author and Producer, Belgrade. Exclusive footage on the life of
ethnic minorities and the state of interethnic relations in Kosovo over the
past five years.



****************************************************





From jpdsr at yahoo.com  Tue Oct 28 22:54:23 2003
From: jpdsr at yahoo.com (Dr. John P. Davis)
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2003 19:54:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [NYC-L] The State of Christianity in Albania
Message-ID: <20031029035423.5930.qmail@web13909.mail.yahoo.com>

Grace Fellowship Chapel of Long Island City, NY (4301 37th Ave) invites you to hear Robb Provost, Founder and Director of the Abraham Lincoln Foundation in Tirane. "The Abraham Lincoln Foundation exists to provide Albanians with marketable skills and to reinforce moral values that will help them have an honorable and fair chance in the modern race of life." Robb has lived and worked with Albanians in Tirane since 1993. His ministry has recently moved into the former residence of Enver Hoxha.
 
He will be speaking on November 9 at the 10:00 AM worship service in Grace Fellowship Chapel. Call 718-472-9674 for more information.
 
Take the '7' train to the 46 St station. Walk toward Manhattan on Queens Blvd to 43rd St. Go towards Northern Blvd (right)on 43rd St to 37th Ave.
 
For those who drive, parking is available.
 




You may receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus, the Son of God. He is your Creator, the promised Messiah, and the Lord and Judge of all creation. At a time and place in history he took on human form, died for sinners, and rose again to offer forgiveness and new life. If you haven't already done so, turn from your own way and submit to him today! Tomorrow may be too late.   

Dr. John P. Davis   www.gfcny.org

 

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From eb246 at columbia.edu  Fri Oct 31 23:39:04 2003
From: eb246 at columbia.edu (Erkanda Bujari)
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 23:39:04 -0500
Subject: [NYC-L] [Fwd: [CivilSoc] East European Studies Grants: Deadline
 December 1, 2003]
Message-ID: <3FA338E8.809@columbia.edu>



-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[CivilSoc] East European Studies Grants: Deadline December 1, 
2003
Date: 	Fri, 31 Oct 2003 13:58:25 -0500
From: 	EES Email <EES at wwic.si.edu>
To: 	EES Email <EES at wwic.si.edu>



The East European Studies (EES) program of the Woodrow Wilson Center 
would like to bring your attention to two available grant 
opportunities.  The deadline for both is December 1, 2003.  Please read 
below or look at our website for more details:  www.wilsoncenter.org/ees 
<http://www.wilsoncenter.org/ees>.  Completed applications should be 
mailed to the following address: 
 
East European Studies
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-3027
 
Research Scholar Grants
Eligibility
EES research scholarships are available to American citizens or 
permanent residents in the early stages of their academic careers 
(generally before tenure but after Ph.D.) or to scholars whose careers 
have been interrupted or delayed. For non-academics, an equivalent 
degree of professional achievement is expected. Research scholarships 
will be awarded for 2-4 months of research in Washington, DC. Office 
space at the Wilson Center and a research assistant will be provided 
whenever possible.
 
This is a residential program requiring visiting scholars to remain in 
the Washington, DC area and to forego other academic and professional 
obligations for the duration of the grant.
 
Project Scope
Projects concerning East European or Baltic studies should focus on 
fields in the social sciences and humanities including, but not limited 
to: Anthropology, History, Political Science, Slavic Languages and 
Literatures, and Sociology.
 
Russia and the Soviet successor states, as well as the former East 
Germany, are excluded from consideration. All projects should aim to 
highlight their potential policy relevance.
 
Application Information
To apply for a Research Scholarship, the applicant must submit the 
following:
- a completed application form (download from our website at 
www.wilsoncenter.org/ees <http://www.wilsoncenter.org/ees>);
- a concise description of the research project;
- a curriculum vitae;
- three letters of recommendation in support of the research to be 
conducted at the Wilson Center.
 
 
Short-Term Grants
Eligibility
These grants are available to American academic experts and 
practitioners, including advanced graduate students, engaged in 
specialized research requiring access to Washington, DC and its research 
institutions. Grants are for one month research missions to Washington 
and a work space may be provided at the Wilson Center.
 
Project Scope
Projects concerning East European or Baltic studies should focus on 
fields in the social sciences and humanities including, but not limited 
to: Anthropology, History, Political Science, Slavic Languages and 
Literatures, and Sociology.
 
Russia and the Soviet successor states, as well as the former East 
Germany, are excluded from consideration. All projects should aim to 
highlight their potential policy relevance.
 
Application Information
To apply for a Short-Term award, the applicant must submit the following:
- a concise description of his/her research project;
- a curriculum vitae;
- a statement of preferred and alternate dates of residence in 
Washington, DC;
- two letters or recommendation in support of the research to be 
conducted at the Center.
 
 
 
*******************************************************************
East European Studies
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20004-3027
 
tel: 202-691-4000
fax: 202-691-4001
 
www.wilsoncenter.org/ees <http://www.wilsoncenter.org/ees>
 
Located in the Ronald Reagan Building
Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue/Orange) Lines
*******************************************************************
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