Programmes and Operations

Present Programmes

The Balkans

Overview

Zeljko Toncic
Director of Programs
Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro

IMRA and LAP Programs in Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro

The Individualized Minority Return Assistance Program (IMRA) during its final period of program implementation (Sep 06-Oct07) facilitated and supported the return of 485 individuals from Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, where many lived in poor living conditions, back to Kosovo. Minority returnees included 53% Kosovar-Serbs, 25% K/Roma, 11% K/Gorani and 11% K/Bosnians. From Mid 2001 until the end of Oct 2007, the IMRA program had facilitated and supported the return of over 3,700 individuals, representing more then 21% of all returnees to Kosovo.  Significant obstacles to IDP and refugee return to Kosovo continue to exist and have not substantially changed since the beginning of the program; they can be categorized as follows:

• Security concerns
• Infringement in terms of freedom of movement
• Damaged, destroyed or occupied homes
• Inability to prove property ownership
• Insufficient financial resources for return related costs and livelihood following return
• Non-existent or inadequate health and educational facilities
• Administrative barriers
• Poor state of the economy
• Political uncertainty.

ICMC, in partnership with other organizations, provided a comprehensive assistance package which included the following types of assistance:

• Identification of beneficiaries
• Provision of return related information
• Transportation of beneficiaries and their belongings from place of refugee to place of origin
• Basic legal assistance
• Home repairs
• Provision of household items, food and winterization inputs
• Self reliance and income generation support
• House and infrastructure reconstruction.

In Kosovo, in the regions of Prizren and Pejë/Pec, ICMC continues to implement the Lead Agency Program (LAP) funded by UNHCR. The program focuses on the care and assistance of minority returnees, Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) and refugees. Its' main objectives are:

• To create conditions conducive to return ensuring that the most basic needs and rights are met;
• To advocate for increased minority access to essential public services and provide for legal advice and other assistance to minority returnees to resolve different legal and administrative issues;
• To advocate for protection of IDPs and minorities-at-risk and prevent further displacement;
• To support sustainable and community-based re-integration of minority returnees.

Along with other partners, LAP has so far assisted more then 9000 individuals in Prizren, and approximately 6750 individuals in Pejë/Pec.

Upper Rahovec/Orahovac construction of a new sewage system

The objective of the community development project was to support the men and women of a minority community; it also aimed at having, the community as a whole, benefit from this project by giving needed infrastructure support. The community expressed the need and urgency to build a good and reliable sewage system.

Construction of sewage system ribbon ceremony.

The principal objective of the project was to construct a sewage system and link it with its main source, at the upper neighborhood of the town, where mainly the K/RAE (the Kosovar-Roma/Ashkalija/Egyption ethnic group) community lived. This neighborhood is ethnically mixed, mainly Serbs and K/RAE live there. With the implementation of the project the potential donors aim to contribute to the overall interethnic relations in the town. The project was necessary as it solved one of the most pressing problems of the community.As in other municipalities, the K/RAE in Rahovec/Orahovac lack proper representation, this results inlimited attention towards these communities. Consequently, this community with a high

percentage of vulnerable cases continues to be in need of external support. Considering the situation of the K/RAE community currently residing in this part of town, initiatives that improve the living conditions ofthe community are of great importance and contribute to the process of preventing minority departure.

This project built 220 m of a sewage system that was inexistent; before the community in this part of the village was using septic tanks. Financial participation from the municipality (MCO) for a value of 2.000,00 € was obtained. In addition, the Lead Agency Programme, LAP, in coordination with UNHCR, secured a contribution from KFOR of a value of 7.500,00 €, whereas, the contribution of the LAP was of 5.000,00 €. Direct beneficiaries of this project are 7 K/RAE families totaling 42 individuals. In 2006 Rahovec/Orahovac witnessed the departure of 12 K/RAE individuals.

Construction of sewage system.


Offering health advices and free of charge medical support for women returnees and EVI families – Podgor Area – Prizren Municipality.

The Podgor area is a multiethnic location that consists of 6 villages (Lubizhde/Ljubizda, Skorobishte/Skorobiste, Grncar/Grncare, Novo Sell/Novo Selo, Verbicane/Verbican and Dojnice/Dojnice) and is situated in the  mountains next to Prizren. The current population in these 6 villages is of 4 275 Bosnian, 2 663 Albanians and 10 Roma (Lubizhde/Ljubizda), while its entire Serb population of around 400 people live in Lubizhde/Ljubizda. 46 people from  Dojnice/Dojnice and 26 people from Verbicane/Vrbicane left the villages immediately after the conflict to find refuge mainly in Serbia itself. Lubizhde/Ljubizda can be considered a place with a  potential for the return of its former Serb residents. At the moment there is a request from some internally displaced people to visit this location.

Population figures of the area where the project was implemented show that the mixture of the people is varied and multiethnic. Bringing villagers together, to cooperate, communicate and participate in this project, not only achieved their most pressing common interest (to provide free of charge medical support) but it also helped to raise the overall responsiveness of the present population for the future resolution of different issues that are complex due to the multiethnic nature of the group.  Inter-ethnic dialogue should be encouraged in order to secure the return of internally displaced people from different ethnic groups.

Women's health programme.

The objective of the project was to raise the awareness of communities (especially that of women) who live in rural areas. They learned about the importance of doing regular health check up’s and of addressing health problems and concerns. Many of them were not in the habit of going to periodical medical visits.  Free of charge health care, was provided to women encouraging them to visit, on a more regular basis, the available health services. The health trainings covered by the project prepared the beneficiary communities for the prevention of different diseases; it also made them become more aware of the necessity and importance of medical visits.  The overall objective of the exercise was to inform and educate people of the need for health care, of the importance of regular medical visits and check ups.   Beneficiaries were made aware as well of the importance, especially for women as family pillars, to have proper access to health care. Information was also given regarding the procedures to follow in order to obtain health insurance, for them and for all family members.

In Conclusion

With experienced staff and strong connections with other organizations operating in the region, ICMC is well positioned to continue its work with IDPs, refugees and returnees in the Balkans region, and in particular with regards to finding durable solutions. We would like to thank our donors and partners for their help with our endeavors.

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