Albanian Refugees in B&H Federation

Kosovo Crisis and B&H

AIM Sarajevo, 26 June, 1998

The tragedy of refugees from the territory of former Yugoslavia continues. And so does the systematic propaganda of Serbian media. This time the tragedy continues through the destiny of Kosovo Albanians. And while Radio-Television Serbia almost every day denies news about the increasing fleeing of the Albanians from Kosovo, the data from the field speak just the opposite. Only the border of Montenegro and B&H, according to the data of the Ministry of Civilan Affairs and Communications of B&H, was so far crossed by between three and four thousand Kosovo Albanians while the number of those who fled to the territory of Albania is much bigger. According to the data collected by UNHCR, more than 25 thousand people have crossed the border to that country.

According to the information of the Office for Refugees of the Ministry of Civilian Affairs and Communications of B&H, out of the total number of the presons who had arrived from Kosovo, five hundred of the Albanians applied for the status of refugees, while the rest, more than three thousand people, found temporary residence with relatives and friends.

"The state of B&H, as a signatory of international conventions on the rights of refugees, is obliged to give all refugees from countries which are also signatories of these conventions the status they request. About five hundred refugees from Kosovo have so far sought this status and it was given to them", said Naris Basic, assistant minister in the Ministry of Civilian Affairs and Communications of B&H.

Although this Ministry which is directly in charge of the questions of refugees, both those returning to B&H and those who are seeking refuge in it, still has not the possibility to keep precise records of entrance of foreign citizens, it stresses that the number of refugees from Kosovo is constantly increasing, and that along with the enormous problem of accommodation of refugees from Bosnia & Herzegovina, the inflow of foreign refugees creates an additional problem.

"Taking care about refugees in B&H should be the problem of the UNHCR which is obliged to provide accommodation and adequate aid for them. However, as far as I know, this aid has mostly failed to arrive, and majority of refugees finance themselves with their own means", says Basic.

This information was confirmed by the Club of the Albanians called Bairam Curri in Sarajevo. According to their words, UNHCR has done practically nothing for the refugees from Kosovo.

"We have contacted UNHCR and they told us that they have agreed with the cantonal ministry of social policy, displaced persons and refugees to provide temporary accommodation in the transition centre in Srednji. Here the refugees are provided with the roof over their heads and three meals a day. Where they go from there, I really do not know", says Suada Axhanel, president of the Club.

The proportions of the problem the new inflow of refugees from Kosovo can create for the state of B&H are illustrated by the fact that the transition centre in Srednji is still one of the most frequently used reception centres for citizens of Bosnia & Herzegovina who are arriving from abroad. These refugees cannot stay in the centre for more than a couple of days, and for further accommodation they mostly shift around for themselves.

The number of refugees who have arrived in B&H that the Club of the Albanians has is the same as the figure of UNHCR. About 500 people have registered at this Club so far, mostly those who have little financial means of their own.

"The problem is that we have no possibility to help them, primarily because we are self-financed and have no funds for this type of aid. Nevertheless, the inflow of the Albanians from Kosovo should be taken more than seriously, especially because the number of refugees is increasing every day", says Axhanel and adds that their biggest problem is that they have literally noone to refer to for help.

In distinction from the data of UNHCR according to which the border of Albania was so far crossed by 25 thousand Kosovo Albanians, data of the Kosovo Information Centre in Tirana say that on the territory of northern Albania, where the greatest inflow of the Albanians has been registered, show that about 16 thousand persons have been accommodated to this day. The greatest number of refugees have found accommodation in Tropoje and Bairam Curri.

Except for B&H, or rather the Federation B&H, refugees from Kosovo also seek refuge in Montenegro. According to the data of the Kosovo Information Centre, in this republic, especially in towns of Plav, Gusinje, Ulcinj and Rozaje, about nine thousand persons have sought refuge. They are staying mostly with relatives or friends, and they receive certain humanitarian aid, donations of clubs of the Albanians who are located on the territory of Western Europe. The largest quantity of aid is arriving from Germany again.

According to information received from the Club of the Albanians in Sarajevo, Kosovo refugees mostly arrive in Sarajevo by buses running on the line Pristina-Sarajevo, and they had no major problems crossing the territory of Republika Srpska. All they need for entering B&H are identity cards.

Zana ANDRIJEVIC

(AIM, Sarajevo)