Kosovo returnees need continued support
Returning to ruins
After many unsuccessful attempts, in March 2003 the first and largest group of Kosovo Albanians returned to the village of Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja, in the Strpce/Shtërpcë municipality. Since the conflict, they had been living either with relatives or in collective centres.
When they first returned to their ruined houses, many had to set up tents they had received earlier from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In many cases, only the heads of families stayed to fix some temporary shelter from what was left. Family members came to help on weekends, but without substantial assistance, progress was limited.
Living under the open sky
For the inhabitants of the village, Monday, 13 October brought some hope. A truck with humanitarian aid arrived, and with winter on the way, these items were badly needed. "We live in tents under the open sky," Shyqeri Hamiti, a Kosovo Albanian returnee, explained.
In less than an hour, more than one hundred boxes of clothes and food were laid on the ground ready for distribution. For 46 returnee families, the donation from the German organization Lachen Helfen (Helping to Laugh) meant a great deal.
A Kosovo Serb driver from Strpce/Shtërpcë voluntarily used his truck to distribute the humanitarian aid, an encouraging sign in terms of reconciliation. Half was delivered to Kosovo Serbs, half to Kosovo Albanians. According to Marc Kalmbach, the OSCE Democratization Officer in Strpce/Shtërpcë, the distribution worked out perfectly.
Reconstructing homes
Though humanitarian aid is needed, rebuilding houses is the most important task at hand. Anxious to return home, Kosovans still find it a difficult step to take, not knowing what the situation will be like. Deep concern about the approaching winter is visible on their faces. "We desperately need help," village leader Shyqeri Hamit said. "If the promised reconstruction material does not arrive soon, we don't know what will happen to us."
To help ease the situation, the OSCE Mission, the American Refugee Committee and the Municipal Working Group on Return have launched a project to help rebuild returnees' homes. According to Horst Denecke, Head of the OSCE Office in Strpce/Shtërpcë, the project will cost about 1.9 million euros.
"Before winter strikes, 27 Kosovo Albanian houses from Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja, completely destroyed during the conflict, and three Kosovo Serb houses from Donja Bitinja/Biti e Poshtme will be rebuilt. They are considered to be the homes of the most vulnerable families," explained Denecke.
The Office of Returns and Communities has donated 500,000 euros for the first phase. The UN Development Programme and the Danish Refugee Committee have also pledged to support the project.
Problems to overcome
Some Kosovo Serbs are not satisfied with the way aid is to be distributed. "We tried to explain to them that, with winter coming, we had to prioritize the homes of those in the most desperate situations," Denecke said. "When the project is implemented as a whole, all returnees will get their share of assistance."
However, earlier returnees to Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja fear that the road could be blocked the day construction material is due to arrive. The same thing happened when they first returned to the village at the beginning of the year.
There is no doubt that the return process is not easy. Sustainable return needs the co-operation of all those directly and indirectly involved, and every member of Kosovo's society can do something to help the process. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is committed to playing its part in removing the obstacles returnees face.
After many unsuccessful attempts, in March 2003 the first and largest group of Kosovo Albanians returned to the village of Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja, in the Strpce/Shtërpcë municipality. Since the conflict, they had been living either with relatives or in collective centres.
When they first returned to their ruined houses, many had to set up tents they had received earlier from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In many cases, only the heads of families stayed to fix some temporary shelter from what was left. Family members came to help on weekends, but without substantial assistance, progress was limited.
Living under the open sky
For the inhabitants of the village, Monday, 13 October brought some hope. A truck with humanitarian aid arrived, and with winter on the way, these items were badly needed. "We live in tents under the open sky," Shyqeri Hamiti, a Kosovo Albanian returnee, explained.
In less than an hour, more than one hundred boxes of clothes and food were laid on the ground ready for distribution. For 46 returnee families, the donation from the German organization Lachen Helfen (Helping to Laugh) meant a great deal.
A Kosovo Serb driver from Strpce/Shtërpcë voluntarily used his truck to distribute the humanitarian aid, an encouraging sign in terms of reconciliation. Half was delivered to Kosovo Serbs, half to Kosovo Albanians. According to Marc Kalmbach, the OSCE Democratization Officer in Strpce/Shtërpcë, the distribution worked out perfectly.
Reconstructing homes
Though humanitarian aid is needed, rebuilding houses is the most important task at hand. Anxious to return home, Kosovans still find it a difficult step to take, not knowing what the situation will be like. Deep concern about the approaching winter is visible on their faces. "We desperately need help," village leader Shyqeri Hamit said. "If the promised reconstruction material does not arrive soon, we don't know what will happen to us."
To help ease the situation, the OSCE Mission, the American Refugee Committee and the Municipal Working Group on Return have launched a project to help rebuild returnees' homes. According to Horst Denecke, Head of the OSCE Office in Strpce/Shtërpcë, the project will cost about 1.9 million euros.
"Before winter strikes, 27 Kosovo Albanian houses from Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja, completely destroyed during the conflict, and three Kosovo Serb houses from Donja Bitinja/Biti e Poshtme will be rebuilt. They are considered to be the homes of the most vulnerable families," explained Denecke.
The Office of Returns and Communities has donated 500,000 euros for the first phase. The UN Development Programme and the Danish Refugee Committee have also pledged to support the project.
Problems to overcome
Some Kosovo Serbs are not satisfied with the way aid is to be distributed. "We tried to explain to them that, with winter coming, we had to prioritize the homes of those in the most desperate situations," Denecke said. "When the project is implemented as a whole, all returnees will get their share of assistance."
However, earlier returnees to Biti e Epërme/Gornja Bitinja fear that the road could be blocked the day construction material is due to arrive. The same thing happened when they first returned to the village at the beginning of the year.
There is no doubt that the return process is not easy. Sustainable return needs the co-operation of all those directly and indirectly involved, and every member of Kosovo's society can do something to help the process. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is committed to playing its part in removing the obstacles returnees face.