[Prishtina-E] FWD: Return of refugees

[Dardan Blaku]

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Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 21:21:01 +0200

Plans for return of Serb refugees are making. I think, that Albanian side should take advantage of this to promote the return of Albanian refugees in northern Mitrovica. A great mistake would be done if Albanian will agree with that plans without negotiating a similar concession from the Serbian side. The international community ask from the Albanian side to prove its declared commitment to multiethnic Kosova by making return of Serbs possible. Of course, Serbs also have right for return, but multiethnicity is possible only if both sides support it. Serbs are speaking in favour of multiethnic Kosova and Albanian side should put the Serbs into the position, where this declared commitment could be tested. And Serbs will demonstrate such their commitment by allowing Albanians to return in to northern Mitrovica. Of course, it's clear that Serbs are against multiethnic Kosova (multiethnic Kosova means for them Kosova emptied from Albanians) and that they don't consent to return of Albanians. But in this case, the international community will see that Serbs follow the idea of Serbian and not multiethnic Kosova. The responsibility for non-return of refugees will then fall on them.
Serbs announce that they are going to organise large demonstration to point out to the world on Serb question in Kosova. Albanians have not to allow that Serbs will get the image of victims in Kosova. The world must know that there are still Albanians in Kosova, whom are denied return to their homes by Serbs. I suggest that Albanians also hold their demonstrations for return to northern Mitrovica before the bridge on Ibar. 
Albanian side must insist that returns of Albanians and Serbs take place at the same time. Albanians in northern Mitrovica had left their homes before Serbs did so. Serbs are displaced from the NATO arrival, whereas Albanians left their homes during the bombing and before that. For this reason, Albanians should return before the Serbs, or at least simultaneously with them. It's unacceptable, that Albanians who first became refugees, would return to their homes last. 
Serbs represent themselves as adherents of multiethnic Kosova, trying to get legitimacy in the international community to retake Kosova. By undermining the process of two-way return, it would be clear that such their commitment is false. The international community would know, that they want Serbian Kosova without Albanians. In this way, they would forfeit the legitimacy for retake Kosova. In this way, the international community will be more willing to accept an independent Kosova. 
Serbs in co-operation with some circles in the international community are preparing so called pilot projects for return of return of Serbs in villages in western Kosova (Istok, Klina and Peja municipalities). Albanians should demand that the return of Serbs in one village is combined with the return of Albanians in one street or quarter in northern Mitrovica. Serbs are seeking to KFOR protection. Albanians have the same right to demand KFOR protection for Albanians returnees in northern Mitrovica. Serbs propose to KFOR to close the area where Serbs will return forming so called "Serbian security area". Albanians should for their part demand similar extension of so called "confidence zone" from Ibar northward as Albanians will be returning. 
Serbs will certainly assert that the return of Albanians to northern Mitrovica is unworkable, since their flats and houses are already occupied by Serbian refugees from other parts of Kosova. On the other hands they will state that the return of Serbs will not require such move, since their houses and villages are burnt and unpopulated. Albanians should offer to Serbs to burn flats they usurped in northern Mitrovica before leave it. It's a matter of fact that Albanians by burning Serb houses not appropriating them, made return of Serbs possible. On the other hand, Serbs have left Albanian homes intact in order to usurp them and to prevent return of Albanians. The return of Albanians in northern Mitrovica will require also the return of Serbs, who are occupying Albanian homes, to their former homes in other parts of Kosova. In any case, Albanians should make the return of those Serbs possible by vacating their homes if they are currently occupied. However, Serbs occupying Albanian flats in northern Mitrovica certainly won't don't to return in their original homes (experiences from Shows show that Serbs don't leave occupied houses even if their former habitations are freed up). Serbian leadership in northern Mitrovica also don't insist on their return. Only those Serbs who left Kosova are to return. It's obvious that Serbs don't insist on their return for humanitarian reasons (the return of people to their homes), but for re-colonisation of Kosova. Some statements of their leaders confirm this. Vladan Batic told on 4.4 on Radio Free Europe that he had said international representatives the return of Serbs is necessary in order to Serbian sovereignty and territorial integrity could be re-established. Oliver Ivanovic told Serb refugees in Kraljevo: "Serbia will be present in Kosova so much as the number of Serbs will be living there."(Danas, 21.4.). 
The conditioning of Serbian return to Kosova by return of Albanians in northern Mitrovica would put pressure on international community to finally start to solve the problem of Mitrovica's division. What the international community is doing in Mitrovica in fact consolidates the division in town. The international community intends to break the division by investing in economy. This will further strengthen an unacceptable status-quo in town. European Union as administrator of Mostar in Bosnia was investing large sums of money in town's economy and infrastructure. The result is that the town today is more divided than it was six ago, when EU administration began. The development namely discourages people to move out of occupied homes. The reasons for divisions of Mitrovica aren't economic (unemployment, low wages, etc. ) but the political ones, as a result of ethnic cleansing. The division of Mitrovica will be finished when demographic situation as it was before the war, will be re-established. This won't be possible without use of force or at least the treat of it. 
Eventual failure of Serbian return to Kosova will deteriorate the position of those Serbs, who are included in UNMIK's institutions in Kosova. The representatives of this circle (Artemije, father Sava, Trajkovic) are announcing that they will retire from politics and break contacts with international community, should the process of Serbian return will not start. Albanians should be aware who are their enemies in the Serb side. This isn't Milosevic and his men, but Serbian opposition with its adherents in Kosova (Serbian National Council-SNC). It's not true that Artemije and his circle represent moderate Serbs, as they are denoted by the international community. They are favourites of the international community, since it opposes the independent Kosova and wants to return Kosova under Belgrade's rule after the fall of Milosevic. These "moderates" are insisting categorically that Kosova must remain part of Serbia, even at the price of exterminating of Albanians (father Sava said in Danas newspaper in 8.1. that Kosova is Serbian holy land, which must be defended by the army; he denoted NATO intervention as a criminal aggression). Their expressions of regret for Serbian crimes aren't sincere, but only a propaganda for the international community and trick for naive Albanians. Nobody of these "moderates" haven't condemned Serb crimes and ethnic cleansing when these things were happening, but only after NATO arrival in Kosova. In memorandum delivered to delegation of U.N.Security Council by Rada Trajkovic and father Sava in behalf of SNC stands that 200.000 Albanians from Albania and Macedonia came to Kosova since arrival of KFOR. This lie is nothing else than appeal for expulsion of 200.000 Albanians in Kosova. For the Albanians these Serbs are dangerous, since they enjoy international reputation. These Serbs aren't "moderate" (it would be as such if they would be willing to respect the decision of Kosova population on Kosova's status), but only more wise that Milosevic's followers. They have found out, that Serb's cause in Kosova will be easier defended by co-operation with the international community, instead by confrontation with it. Father Sava said (Monitor, 14.4.) that they enter IAC, because Kosova will inevitably become independent if Serbs will obstruct political process in Kosova. If return of Serbs will ensue, the position of these "moderates" within Serb community will straighten and they get besides international also internal legitimacy. It is in the Albanian interest, that Serbs in Kosova stay out of Kosova political process, therefore Albanians must do everything to marginalise those Serbs who cooperate with the international community. 
The failure of two-way return would show, that coexistence between Albanians and Serbs isn't possible, strengthening the support to idea of independent Kosova. If it will turn out, that hatred between Albanians and Serbs is untractable, they will become silent those who are dreaming about common life in democratic, post-Milosevic Yugoslavia. Reintegration of Kosova in Yugoslavia in such circumstances would mean all-out slaughter, which the international community could not afford it. The international community should recognise that Albanians and Serbs will be able to live in peace if they separates. 
The return of Serbs would also diminish available funds for Kosova's reconstruction. Zoran Djindjic said on Voice of America, that American emissary James Dobbins told him, that each Serb family who returns to Kosova will receive 10.000 US$ for reconstruction of its house. There's no justice, if Serbs will be financed so abundantly, while so many Albanians are living without proper shelter.
For these reasons, I think that one-way return of Serbs to Kosova would be a great Albanian mistake. Albanians have no less right to return to northern Mitrovica than Serbs in other parts of Kosova. The international community couldn't oppose two-way return, or back only return of Serbs. I think it would be wise if Albanians as a gesture of goodwill offer, that two Serbs can return for one Albanian in northern Mitrovica. In this way all Albanians could return to northern Mitrovica. In turn, Serbs would definitely lose control over northern Mitrovica by getting nothing important for return, since they would return only in isolated enclaves. 
Serbian project of return of their refugees have been designed as a trap for Albanians. Serbs expect Albanian opposition of their return. Then they will say that Albanians oppose multiethnic Kosova, striving for only Albanian Kosova. Thus, Serbs will get image of victims and Albanians will be labelled as "bad guys". But if Albanians insist on a two-way return, Serbs will be caught in their own trap. Serbs will be "bad guys" who opposed multiethnic Kosova (it's necessary for multiethnicity that all people could return, not only only people from one ethnicity) and on the other hand Serbs will be those who obstruct solution of Mitrovica problem. In this way, military option for return of Albanians in northern Mitrovica will become legitimate. 
How the Albanians side should act? It's necessary to pre-empt Serbian plans on time. Serbs are saying that return will be not announced in advance. For this reason Albanians should be vigilant. A good method was applied last year in Orahovac. Albanians should seal off the roads leading to villages intended for Serb return. The removal of barricades should be conditioned by Serbian removal of barricades on bridges in Mitrovica. If KFOR tolerate Serbian "bridge keepers" who prevent the return of Albanians, then it will have to tolerate also Albanian guards, who prevent one-way return of Serbs. It's necessary for Albanians to remain persistent. Serbs in northern Mitrovica with always overcame the impotent peacekeepers with aggressive behaviour (they were not only prevented the return of Albanians even expelled  remaining; usurp hospital; they deny access to schools and faculties; they pushed out Americans and Germans who were searching for weapons; peacekeepers daren't to remove the "bridge-keepers", although they promised to do so, etc.). If Albanians agree to one-way Serbian return without quid pro quo, they will demonstrate their weakness against the Serbs and the international community. In this way, they will signal the international community, that they are easy and indulgent partner to dealt with. The conditioning of Serbian return is most efficient leverage to achieve re-unification of Mitrovica. It's time for the Albanians to show, that they know to fight for their interests no less resolutely than Serbs.  

PS I advise Albanian side to regularly follow Serb media (all their newspapers have their own homepages), because it's necessary to be well acquainted with Serbian plans, so that it could response adequately.