MACEDONIA: THE EXODUS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY STRAINED

Record ID: 565767

  • Title: MACEDONIA: THE EXODUS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO SHOWS NO SIGN OF ABATING AS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT AND INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY STRAINED
  • Date: 29th May 1999
  • Summary: STANKOVIC, MACEDONIA (MAY 28, 1999)(REUTERS) 1. SLV REFUGEES IN STANKOVIC REFUGEE CAMP/ UNHCR CAR IN CAMP (3 SHOTS) 0.19 2. SLV/CU PEOPLE BUYING GOODS AT KIOSK (3 SHOTS) 0.36 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MAY 28, 1999)(REUTERS) 3. MCU (Macedonian) MACEDONIAN DEFENCE MINISTER NIKOLA KLJUSEV SAYING: "The UNHCR has been told in very clear terms, during meetings of the crisiss management group, that the UNHCR is not the one to create the policy that would pursued in respect of refugees. UNHCR, as an international organisation, is there to service and assist the refugees." 0.57 STANKOVIC, MACEDONIA (MAY 28, 1999)(REUTERS) 4. SLV REFUGEES IN CAMP/ QUEUEING TO REGISTER TO MOVE TO OTHER COUNTRIES (4 SHOTS) 1.20 5. SLV/SV REFUGEES COLLECTING UNHCR BLANKETS (3 SHOTS) 1.37 BLACE, MACEDONIA (MAY 26, 1999)(REUTERS) 6. MCU UNHCR DIRECTOR DENNIS MCNAMARA (English) SAYING: "This is a manageable refugee crisis. The numbers are not and should not be overwhelming. We've had bigger numbers in worse situations. We can do it, but we need that ccooperation. The politics of it are inevitable, but they should not be allowed constantly to interfere with doing what we need to do." 1.53 (MAY 27, 1999)(REUTERS) 7. LV UN SPECIAL ENVOY TO KOSOVO CARL BILDT AT BORDER CROSSING 1.59 8. MCU (English) BILDT SAYING: "I think you must have some sort of understanding for the Macedonian government and their concern. At the same time as the 'right to asylum for refugees' status is there. The border should be open. 2.10 (MAY 28, 1999)(REUTERS) 9. LV OF BORDER CROSSING 2.15 10. LV/SLV/SV UNHCR OFFICIALS WITH REFUGEES IN HOLDING CAMP AT BORDER (4 SHOTS) 2.43 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA (MAY 27, 1999)(REUTERS) 11. MCU (English) MACEDONIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER BORIS TRAJKOVSKI SAYING: "There is a problem here, and that is the misconception. They have to understand that their interest is to cope with the refugees, to organise the life of refugees. But to deal with the policy, with some political issues, I think they are interfering in some political spheres and they are going maybe beyond their responsibilities and the capacity for what they have to deal with." 3.05 STANKOVIC, MACEDONIA (MAY 28, 1999)(REUTERS) 12. SLV/SV/CU WOMAN ROCKING A BABY INSIDE TENT 3.19 13. SV/SLV WOMAN WITH CHILD OUTSIDE TENT (2 SHOTS) 3.34 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th June 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: STANKOVIC, SKOPJE AND BLACE,MACEDONIA
  • Country: Macedonia
  • Reuters ID: LVA9VYC31TLGE3B7GUP4DMTCS5QU
  • Story Text: As the exodus of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo shows no
    signs of abating, the relationship between the Macedonian
    government and international aid agencies is becoming
    increasingly strained.The UNHCR in particular is facing an
    escalating barrage of criticism from Skopje, accused of
    everything from political interference to facilitating
    criminal activity inside the refugee camps.

    There are now more than a quarter of a million Kosovo
    Albanian refugees living in Macedonia, more than 90,000 of
    them in tent cities clustered in the northwest of the country,
    near the border with Yugoslavia.And with the NATO air
    campaign against Yugoslav forces now in its third month, that
    number seems certain to grow.

    The UNHCR, which is coordinating the aid agencies helping
    the refugees, concedes that it was suprised by both the scale
    and the speed of the exodus.There were not enough tents and
    supplies and little coordination between relief agencies.But
    the organisation insists things are noww on track.

    But the Macedonian government is not convinced.Already
    struggling econimically following the breakup of Yugoslavia,
    Macedonia has neither the money nor the infrastructure to cope
    with the sudden influx.And the government is unimpressed with
    UNICEF's efforts to date and suspicious of its motives.

    Government ministers have accused the agency of everything
    from permitting prostition, drug use and bribery to flourish
    in the camps to political interference.

    "They have to understand that their interest is to cope
    with the refugees, to organise the life of refugees," says
    Macedonian Defence Minister Nikola Kljusev."I think they are
    interfering in some political spheres and they are going maybe
    beyond their responsibilities and the capacity for what they
    have to deal with."
    It is a charge refuted by the director of UNHCR operations
    in Macedonia, Dennis McNamara."This is a manageable refugee
    crisis - the numbers are not and should not be overwhelming."
    McNamara insists what is needed is a little cooperation
    between the government and relief agencies."The politics of
    it are inevitable, but they should not be allowed constantly
    to interfere with doing what we need to do."
    United Nations special envoy to Kosovo Carl Bildt has seen
    it all before, having mediated on the UN's behalf during the
    war in Bosnia.Visiting the border crossing at Blace, where
    guards have intermittently blocked the flow of refugees, the
    formerSwedish Prime Minister said it was important to maintain
    a balance."I think you must have some sort of understanding
    for the Macedonian government and their concern.At the same
    time as the 'right to asylum for refugees' status is there -
    the border should be open."
    The government is also frustrated by the sluggish pace at
    which the international community is delivering the financial
    support it promised Skopje to help cope with the population
    explosion.

    Tensions have eased slightly in recent days, with the flow
    of refugees at the Blace crossing slowing to a trickle and the
    government approving UNICEF's request to construct another
    refugee camp.But suspicions remain." I think they are
    interfering in some political spheres and they are going maybe
    beyond their responsibilities and the capacity for what they
    have to deal with", says Deputy Foreign Minister Boris
    Trajkovski.

    If the trickle of refugees returns to a flood, and
    international donations do not, then the Kosovar Albanians
    could once again find themselves pawns in a political battle.


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