METEH IS THE NEW PLACE OF SUFFERING

Drama of 3,000 people near Plav following the decision of the Montenegrin Government to close the borders to Kosovo refugees.

AIM Podgorica, September 16, 1998

The decision of the Montenegrin Government that there was no more room in the Republic for the Kosovo refugees and that they have to seek refugee somewhere else, caught over three thousand Kosovo refugees in Mateh, a small place near Plav. Montenegro took in only 45 thousand of registered refugees from Kosovo, which together with 30 thousand people who have fled during the previous wars (in Bosnia and Croatia), makes over 70 thousand refugees, or 12 percent of the total population of this Republic, which significantly endangers its survival - read the release of the Government of Montenegro.

Despite such an attitude of the Montenegrin authorities new refugees came daily to Meteh hoping that the Montenegrin authorities will be lenient and allow them to enter Plav and continue further on.

Thus, a small place Meteh, three kilometers from Plav, with thousands of people without shelter, has become another potential focal point of a humanitarian disaster which seems even worse with the the bad weather and rain which has been pouring for days. The situation is becoming dramatic as the number of refugees seeking medical care is increasing daily. Fleeing before the war horrors, people arrive after several days of journey over mountain cliffs and passes. Many are exhausted, worn out not only from walking but from hunger and thirst. Those most affected receive emergency assistance in the village school infirmary. There is no shelter for others.

Salih Balidemaj, M.D. told us that three medical teams were working day and night extending medical assistance to these people.

"Problems are numerous. There are many nursing mothers who do not have food for their babies. Similar is the situation with other children and old people who are exhausted and worn out. We had to transfer three serious cases to the Berane hospital. Twelve children had to be hospitalized in the Plav Medical Center. Two women gave premature birth because of exhaustion. Over 300 people received infusion or some other treatment. We fear that we won't have enough medicines if they continue coming to this pace", said Balidemaj, M.D.

Representatives of the republican, local and party authorities, officials, people from humanitarian organisations and numerous local and foreign journalists go in and out of the offices of the secretary and president of the commune without any protocol.

After that all of them return to Meteh for God knows which time where they witness shocking scenes which could have been seen only during the exodus of the Serbs from Croatia and Bosnia.

"We have travelled for four days. We are totally exhausted and I don't know how we managed to stay alive. We had nothing to eat for two days and two nights, apart from some grass we picked on the road" Ajmon Gas (42) from the village of Krunsevac, near Pec, told us. As he lay on the floor of the school hall the doctors attached him to an intravenous drip.

Imer Alijaj(56) from Decane arrived to Meteh with 24 other members of his family, out of which twelve children. He told us that they had no food for two days.

Similar is the story of Besim Hoxha (30) from Cmiljan, near Djakovica, who together with his wife Naima (20) and one-year daughter Ergana managed to get through rocky mountains and reach the Montenegrin border.

"Ergana is sick and I fear for her. The Montenegrin police is treating us fairly. But, what can they do. They have been ordered to stop us" said Besim.

Bozdaraj Zek (39) and Vlaznimi Buci (44) from Istnic, near Decane, Rustem Celjaj (46) from the village of Streoci, near Decane, who arrived to Meteh with other 15 members of his family, and Faketa Ljokaj (24) from the village of Prilep, near Decane who managed to to get to the Montenegrin border together with her father, mother, brother, nephew and a two-year old son told us all about their four-day Golgotha along the mountain paths. Their voices were trembling, they all seemed depressed, exhausted, as if they would faint the very next moment. Meteh is now the place of suffering.

This dramatic situation was the reason for Dragisa Burzan, Vice-President of the Montenegrin Government, Ljuidj Junacaj, Minister for the Protection of Human Rights and National Minorities, Asim Dizdarevic, M.D. as Vice-President of the Red Cross of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Kalezic, Secretary of the Montenegrin Red Cross and Natalie Corsenti, representative of the High Commissioner for Refugees to visit Plav.

Once again the denizens of Plav showed their humaneness. From the moment these unfortunate people arrived to Meteh they went looking for food everywhere. On the very first night practically all food stores in Plav were emptied. Meat products and cans were sent to Meteh. Private bakeries worked all night, cheese was delivered in barrels and milk for the youngest in plastic canisters.

"These unfortunate people are in a truly difficult situation and need some sort of accommodation before someone gets hurt. We are doing everything in our power together with the communal and government representatives. Nevertheless, we hope that we shall overcome this situation. This is an enormous burden both for our underdeveloped commune and Montenegro. We appeal to all international humanitarian organisations to put an end to this tragedy", said Asim Dizdarevic.

He pointed out to the high ethical level shown by the doctors in the field. Minister Ljusi Junacaj said that among those wretched people in Meteh he had met many familiar faces, university graduates and educated people. He added that he also saw the youngest ones, those born on the road to Plav.

"These people have been out in the open in Meteh for already two nights. They left their homes many days ago and started into the unknown. We have information that three died on that journey. All relevant factors will have to be involved in the resolution of their problems. We will have to find a solution together, and which is the most favourable one is hard to say at this moment" said Junacaj.

The decision of the Montenegrin Government pointing to the harsh reality stands in the way between the wish of the Plav denizens to help these people and do the impossible and the refugees in Meteh. Another three to four thousand refugees in this commune would outnumber the local population. Even before this Plav was one of the poorest Montenegrin communes.

This painful dilemma was broken by the news on the new movement towards Albania. The fleeing population was transported by Montenegrin bus operators to Vrmoce, a border place on the Montenegrin - Albanian border, where they entered the territory of a neighbouring country which is also in turmoil.

Amer RAMUSOVIC

AIM Podgorica