Source: http://stars.coe.fr/doc/doc01/EDOC9007.htm
Humanitarian situation of returnees to Kosovo
Doc. 9007 revised.
23 April 2001
Revised report[1]
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography
Rapporteur: Mr John Connor, Ireland, Group of the European People's Party
Summary
The return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Kosovo has been one of the major preoccupations for the population of Kosovo and for all the international actors involved. Enormous progress has been achieved since June 1999 in assisting hundreds of thousands of mainly ethnic Albanians to settle back in Kosovo. Only few of them who fled during the crisis had to face protection problems after their return. However, a substantial number of refugees, mainly those belonging to other ethnic communities, have not come back to Kosovo or are still internally displaced. These persons have many good reasons for not returning to Kosovo at the moment and their return can, at present, not be encouraged.
All return movements evidently have considerable impact on society, in particular on social assistance, education and training, health care, employment and security. The overall reception capacity of Kosovo had, before the winter, reached its very limits and the environment for return was fragile and certainly inadequate for uncoordinated, massive movements, which would have been counterproductive and destabilising to the region as a whole.
The Assembly remains concerned over the overall humanitarian situation and the security, which potential returnees, mainly the non-Albanian communities, might find upon arrival in Kosovo – a successful return is not limited to the existence of shelter only. The conditions for the return of Serb, Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptian refugees and IDPs are presently not met.
The Assembly therefore recommends that member states of the Council of Europe refrain from any forced return of minorities to Kosovo as well as from any deportation of vulnerable persons or persons with special protection needs and that they do their utmost to create the conditions for refugee return in safety, respecting human dignity of the persons concerned.
I. Draft recommendation
1. The return of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Kosovo has been one of the major preoccupations for the population of Kosovo and for all the international actors involved. Enormous progress has been achieved in assisting hundreds of thousands of mainly ethnic Albanians to settle back in Kosovo. More than 900.000 have returned since the end of the conflict, of which nearly 200.000 persons returned voluntarily in organised movements, over 80.000 persons in the year 2000 alone. Many others came back independently.
2. The return of refugees and IDP's, which has a considerable impact on all aspects of society in Kosovo, in particular on social assistance, education and training, health care, employment and security, is likely to remain, throughout the year 2001, an issue of major concern.
3. After the significant attempts which had been made last year to encourage, accelerate and even forcibly return Kosovo Albanian refugees to Kosovo, host countries had received, in autumn 2000, appeals from the United Nations interim administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) to decelerate or even to suspend temporarily this process in view of the limited reception capacity that existed in Kosovo at that time.
4. The Assembly is concerned that, despite the fact that in view of the generally precarious security situation UNHCR had, in turn, also requested host countries to abstain from forcibly returning Albanian populations to Kosovo, forced returns to Kosovo still continued. 12.533 persons have been forcibly returned between January and the end of December 2000. From 1 January to 24 March 2001, according to UNMIK Border Police, 1.388 forced returns were registered at Pristina airport. Many others were encouraged to leave the host countries by receiving allowances for leaving the country at a fixed date.
5. The Assembly fully shares the views of UNMIK expressed in its "Policy paper on the repatriation of Kosovo Albanians" and supports its concerns that all repatriation programmes be designed as co-ordinated, phased and orderly movements. As a matter of principle, adequate accommodation should be ensured for all returnees to Kosovo. The return of members of vulnerable groups for whom assistance is currently unavailable should be avoided as well as any precipitate action that might trigger an unmanageable influx of returnees.
6. The Assembly therefore wishes to closely monitor the humanitarian situation which Kosovo Albanian returnees find upon arrival in Kosovo.Successful return is not limited to the existence of shelter only and, even after considerable progress made, Kosovo is still in the process of building up its social, education and public services networks. In December 2000, the unemployment rate was estimated at 65%. Enormous goals have indeed been achieved with regard to their return, but the situation remains fragile, and certainly inadequate for uncoordinated returns of Kosovo Albanians who used to live in an area where they represent an numerical minority.
7. The Assembly is deeply concerned over the security of those returnees belonging to the non-Albanian communities. KFOR has to guard the Serb, Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptian communities 24 hours a day at the same time that violence towards minority communities has increased. Moreover, it appears that the attacks are now more organised, co-ordinated and targeted. Under these present circumstances, their voluntary return can certainly not be promoted and encouraged. The fundamental right of IDP's to return to their homes of origin, is far from being reachable.
8. Despite the impressive deployment of protection and assistance - in and around the Serb enclaves and Roma, Ashkaelia, Egyptian neighbourhoods throughout Kosovo - as well as the efforts made by the international community and some of the concerned communities to find sustainable solutions for a peaceful co-existence,the ongoing violence and the persisting severe limitations on freedom of movement, access to income and to basic services for persons living in these areas, do not currently allow their populations to live in security and dignity. .
9. The Assembly therefore fully shares the views of the Joint Committee on the Return of Kosovo Serbs expressed in its "Framework for Return 2001", which clearly works out the principles for spontaneous return of IDP's, such as their fundamental right to return to their places of origin in conditions of safety and dignity, including freedom of movement. Furthermore, return should be undertaken on the basis of the comprehensive assessment of individual potential return locations and should be directed to all geographic areas in Kosovo. Minority return has also to be low profile, orderly and transparent.
10. The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers urge the member states of the Council of Europe:
a. to generally abstain from any precipitate return actions which may generate unmanageable and counterproductive influxes of returnees to Kosovo;
b. to provide full access to asylum procedures to asylum seekers from Kosovo and to consider and determine their refugee claims on an individual basis in accordance with the 1951 Geneva Convention;
c. to recognise that, for asylum applicants originating from Kosovo, internal displacement in Serbia and Montenegro does not offer, at the moment, an acceptable relocation alternative;
d. to refrain from any forced return of refugees to Kosovo as well as from any deportation of persons with special protection needs such as persons who have experienced or witnessed torture or incarceration during the years of crisis and conflict and those who have been traumatised by their experiences of human rights violations and sexual violence;
e. to refrain from any forced return of refugees to Kosovo as well as from any deportation of persons belonging to vulnerable groups, such as persons with serious health and mental problems, severely handicapped, children who have not completed the school year or unaccompanied minors or persons in need of special social assistance;
f. to refrain, in any case, from forced return of minorities and not to directly or indirectly induce or encourage their return;
g. to make adequate funding available for the reconstruction of the social welfare system, which, in the transition phase from emergency to development, will have increased responsibilities regarding returnees to Kosovo;
h. to consider the voluntary return of all refugees
and IDPs, regardless their ethnic origin, as the basis for achieving
sustainable peace in Kosovo.
11. The Assembly urges the international organisations, the administrative and military structures present in Kosovo, as well as local organisations:
a. to continue their co-operation and information sharing in order to further contribute to a clear assessment of the reception capacity of Kosovo Albanians and to keep up the smooth process of their return;
b. to regard the environment for a safe and voluntary minority return as one of the most urgent priorities ahead and therefore to address and to improve the existing conditions which, at the moment, prevent return - and create new IDPs - rather than promote it;
c. to set the context for a constructive, participative inter-ethnic dialogue.
12. The Assembly further recommends that the Committee of Ministers:
a. ensure the continuation of the strong involvement and commitment of the Council of Europe in the process of the democratic reconstruction of Kosovo;
b. increase its political support for the Council of Europe Office in Pristina and provide its Secretariat with the adequate human and financial resources and the mandate to follow, in close co-operation with the UN administration and the humanitarian organisations, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as well as local organisations, the process of return of all refugees to Kosovo;
c. promote the principle of phased, co-ordinated
and, above all, voluntary return in dignity and safety of the refugees
and the IDPs.
13. The Assembly urges the Committee of Ministers and the member states of the Council of Europe to recognise that forced return of individuals at risk, such as is the case for various non-Albanian populations of Kosovo, potentially violates Article 33 of the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, as well as Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
II. Draft order
1. Having regard to its Recommendation …. (2001), the Parliamentary Assembly decides to contribute in a constructive and positive way to the ongoing discussions on the humanitarian situation of all returnees to Kosovo and to actively promote inter-ethnic dialogue as laid out in the Framework for the Return of Kosovo Serbs document (by the Joint Committee on the Return of Kosovo Serbs).
2. The Assembly therefore resolves to set up a working party composed of representatives of Committees concerned, which should, in building on existing confidence building measures in Kosovo, establish a programme and a timetable for a series of political seminars to be held in the Council of Europe premises. These seminars should invite, at an appropriate moment, political leaders of the different ethnic communities in Kosovo to discuss issues of common concern.
III. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Connor
1. Introduction
1. One year after a delegation of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography made an evaluation of the humanitarian situation in Kosovo, a second delegation visited the region from 11 to 13 September 2000 with the aim to assess the humanitarian situation of returnees to Kosovo. Its members met with those responsible for return of Kosovo Albanians, Serbs, Roma and Ashkaelia to their homes, witnessed both progress and shortcomings in the return process and evaluated the reception capacity of Kosovo as well as the security prospects of minority groups.
2. The delegation concluded at that time that, unfortunately, return to Kosovo was likely to remain, beyond the winter 2000/2001, an issue of major concern. It merited a particular attention of political decision makers as well as of the public opinion, as several significant attempts had been made for months to encourage, accelerate or even to force return to Kosovo, all this without having guarantees that adequate reception conditions were met. Kosovo had achieved an extraordinary transformation, in which the return of refugees had been given a high priority. However, at the time, just before the winter started, the reception capacity had reached its limits and therefore clearer reception and reintegration policies, based on an increased co-operation between Council of Europe member States and the UN structures in Kosovo, were to be developed, implemented and monitored.
3. Between 3 and 6 April 2001, your Rapporteur visited Kosovo again with the aim to update the information contained in the present report. The clement winter, fortunately, did not deteriorate the situation of return, the appeals made by UNMIK and UNHCR were respected in the main, even if forced return to Kosovo was carried out by a number of countries. Whereas the return of Kosovo Albanians, except of those who originated from areas where they constituted an ethnic minority, did not engender major concern any more, significant progress could not be witnessed within the non-Albanian communities living in Kosovo. For example, at present, more ethnic Serbs leave their homes than actually come back. This seems to be also true for the Bosniak community. The living conditions of Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptians remain, at least to say, very precarious.
4. The present report aims to highlight all return movements to Kosovo, by remaining attentive to the fact that the major concern today lies within the conditions for return of the minorities. The voluntary return of all refugees and IDPs in safety and dignity would certainly show evidence that considerable progress has been achieved in the process of the development of a peaceful, multiethnic and sustainable Kosovo.
5. All missions were carried out in close co-operation with UNHCR, to whom your Rapporteur wishes to convey his gratefulness and respect.
2. Displacement and return after June 1999
6. When the first concept paper on a proposed framework for return of refugees and IDP's to Kosovo was prepared under the responsibility of UNHCR in early May 1999[2], over 750.000 people (of the estimated 2 million inhabitants of Kosovo[3]) were believed to have fled into neighbouring countries and to other countries in Western Europe and overseas. In addition, over 600.000 persons were feared to be displaced within Kosovo itself.
7. After the end of the conflict and following the arrival, in mid-June 1999, ofinternational military forces (KFOR) and the UN interim administration (UNMIK), more than 850.000 refugees[4] have sincereturned to Kosovo. At the same time, some 215.000 non-Albanian Kosovars, mostly Serbs and Roma, have left Kosovo, fearing revenge attacks and becoming IDP's in Serbia and Montenegro. A large group of Roma and Ashkaelia refugees alsowent to the neighbouring Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Some Kosovo Albanians became IDP's within Kosovo, as they were forced out of the northern part of Mitrovica and surroundings, mostly populated by Kosovo Serbs.
8. From July 1999 to December 2000, over 196.000 persons have returned in organised movements, facilitated by UNHCR and IOM as well as by other organisations. Many of them returned from the neighbouring Albania, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Montenegro and Serbia (together: 22.000), Germany (67.000), Switzerland (30.000) and Turkey (18.000). In total, 37 European and non-European States hosted refugees from Kosovo[5].
9. Since June 2000, according to UNMIK Border Police, approximately 10.000 persons, on a daily rate of between 60 and 70 persons, have returned independently by vehicle or by commercial flights. However, figures are approximate and collecting data on these return movements remains difficult.
3. Conditions for return
10. During the visits in September 2000 and April 2001, your Rapporteur meeting with many persons responsible for the organisation and the implementation of the return wishes to express his highest esteem and respect to those who, within the Albanian, Serb, Roma, Ashkaelia, Bosniak and Turk communities, and within the organisations, administrative or military structures, such as, UNMIK, UNHCR, OSCE, IOM and KFOR, work ceaselessly to create the conditions for individuals and families who want to return to their homes in Kosovo. The representatives of these organisations do their utmost to guarantee that returnees are able to return to their homes in dignity and safety, principles that seem not always tobe easy to achieve considering the difficult climate and context in which the organisations have to operate.
11. In mid-October 2000, the UN had urged host governments to refrain from any returns until March 2001 because of the lack of appropriate accommodation and the potential overcrowding of temporary shelters. Already in March and May 2000, Mr Kouchner appealed to countries to slow the rate of repatriation and to enable a better assessment of the reception capacity of Kosovo by host countries, UNMIK published a Policy Paper on the Repatriation of Kosovo Albanians, which detailed the state of affairs of each sector in Kosovo and its capacity to absorb returnees. It appears that the appeal has been respected and that no major incidents occurred.
12. At the insistence of UNMIK, Germany and Switzerland agreed to wait out the winter 2000 before convincing the majority of Kosovo Albanians to go home. Memoranda of Understanding were signed laying out guidelines on phased, orderly, humane and as much as possible voluntary programs of return. Both Germany and Switzerland, and later the UK, opened liaison offices in Pristina to assist returns. The Swiss government launched a housing assistance to communities in which persons are expected to return, co-funds temporary community shelters and provides cash to the Centres for Social Work which are now charged with humanitarian assistance.
13. The following points, which UNMIK presented to the delegation during the visit in September 2000, were meant to be taken into consideration before encouraging any return movements to Kosovo. They concerned the humanitarian and securityconditions to be expected in Kosovo, forced returns as well as the return of minorities and vulnerable groups.
4. Humanitarian framework of the return of Kosovo Albanians
14. Social assistance is fairly new and continues to be on high demand by those who have returned to Kosovo so far. Only the most needy population may presently benefit from the still modest services provided by the, at present, 29 Centres for Social Work, which have been very successful so far but which are still in the process of developing their capacities and, before the last winter, could not cope with all the demands.
15. Health services have recovered substantially and are able to provide basic medical assistance, primary care and basic drug supply of the population currently living in Kosovo. However, complicated or long-term treatments can hardly be managed at present.
16. The supply of electricity and water remains difficult, heavy investment has to be made in the public utilities system, which suffers from a decade of neglect. By the end of the year 2000, for example, still 50% of the daily water supply of Pristina disappeared in the ground. The power plants providing Pristina with electricity are in a very bad shape and electricity cuts are frequent.
17. Since the end of the summer 1999, school has started again. Approximately 28.000 educational staff and 400.000 students have re-entered the educational system at all levels. However, the pupils who have attended schools in the host countries find it difficult to adapt to the new circumstances. Educational support facilities remain poor.In December 2000, 45% of the estimated 1.000 primary schools have been destroyed, while less that half of the 872 schools designated for repairs, had been restored.
18. In December 2000, the unemployment rate was estimated to be 65%. Around 50% of the farm assets were damaged in a region where 70% of the population is rural.
19. The housing issue is far from being resolved. With about 120.000 houses damaged or destroyed during the war, about 83.000 are still in need of renovation or reconstruction. Kosovo has a capacity of constructing approximately 7.000 housing units per year, but no more. The newly installed Housing and Property Directorate does not have the financial means to cope with a large amount of problems, ranging from reconstruction, allocation of houses and reconstruction material to the liberation of illegal occupied houses and apartments. In April 2001, approximately 3.500 persons still lived in temporary community shelters.
20. The delegation found it important to recognise, with the end of the emergency phase related to the repatriation of Kosovo Albanian refugees, the resources of UNHCR, both in terms of human power and budget, have been reduced. The core protection responsibilities of the organisation with respect to this population have been successfully achieved and the organisation is now focusing on achieving a balance between the right to return of non-Albanian populations while ensuring that minimum conditions for the safety and sustainable reintegration of those potential returnees are in place. Many tasks related to the humanitarian assistance of returnees will now be covered by UNMIK as well as by the newly elected municipalities. However, more funding for this enormous task should be provided.
5. Humanitarian framework of the return of minorities
21. As to security, despite the impressive deployment of protection and assistance in and around the Serb enclaves throughout Kosovo, and despite the efforts made by some Kosovo Albanians and non-Albanian populations to find sustainable solutions for peaceful co-existence, the ongoing violence still makes it very difficult to believe that the enclaves, where freedom of movement is inevitably limited, potentially offer security and life with dignity. Minorities should therefore not be returned to Kosovo at the moment.
22. According to UNHCR estimations, over 170.000 Kosovo Serbs were displaced from their homes in 1999 and 2000, mainly in Serbia and Montenegro, but also within Kosovo. The number of return of Kosovo Serbs, however, remains very low. A larger number of Kosovo Serbs are leaving Kosovo rather than returning.
23. Following a registration[6] of Kosovo IDPs in Serbia and Montenegro, conducted by the UNHCR and the authorities late 1999 and in March 2000, some 165.000 Kosovo Serb IDPs were registered in Serbia and Montenegro. The registration also recorded over 28.000 Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptian IDPs as well as over 8.000 Bosniaks in Serbia and Montenegro. Regarding these figures as approximate, no reliable data is available on the total of Serb IDPs within Kosovo.
24. In early May 2000, a Joint Committee on Returns (JCR), was set up including UNMIK, KFOR, the Serb National Council (SNC), OSCE and UNHCR as the only official co-ordinating body for Kosovo Serb return. The JCR aims to develop a co-ordinated and consensual plan that will ensure returns take place in an orderly, safe and sustainable manner, to identify donors for return and reconstruction programs and to co-ordinate between the international security and civil presence, as well as between local leaders and the population. 'Go-and-see' visits have been carried out for potential returnees and sites have been targeted in order to identify best-suited places for returns of Kosovo Serbs. On 10 November 2000, five Regional Working Groups (RWG) were set up to support planning and implementation. The very complete Framework of Return was adopted by the JRC on 13 January 2001.
25. The living conditions of the Serb community remain very precarious. For those living in highly protected enclaves, the most important issue remains the continuous lack of security. Attacks, crime, intimidation and violence are still part of the daily life of the Kosovo Serbs. They enjoy, if any, poor freedom of movement, and are under constant security risks. Access to education, health or social facilities or to employment is more than reduced and depends on escort and special transport mechanisms, such as the very highly appreciated UNHCR bus lines with KFOR escort.
26. The situation of Roma (Serb speaking Gypsies) and Ashkaelia (Albanian speaking Gypsies), in Kosovo is still very difficult and merits more attention by the countries hosting them. Your Rapporteur decided to follow the particular situation of a Ashkaelia family in Fushë Kosova/Kosovo Polje who presented all necessary conditions to return to Kosovo and, encouraged and welcomed by family members, neighbours and work colleagues, as well as informed by UNHCR on the situation which they will meet on the ground, decided, after a "go-and-see visit", to return to their home. However, the family members have been subject to harassment after their return and do not intend to leave their house any more. In April 2001, when your Rapporteur visited the family again, no significant progress could be witnessed. The head of the family regretted his return from FYROM, whereto the family fled to during the crisis, to Kosovo and hoped that his sons would be able to return there soon. No family member worked, the children did not go to school.
27. On 9 November 2000, four Ashkaelia men were murdered after having come back in their village of origin. They had negotiated their return for several months, were welcomed back by the neighbours and planned that their families would follow when the reconstruction of the houses were complete. These cases highlight that, although the potential conditions for return of Roma and Ashkaelia to Kosovo are currently marginally more positive than for Kosovo Serbs, the situation remains highly volatile and merits a laborious and time-consuming case-by-case examination. This shows the magnitude of the task ahead.
6. Forced return
28. After significant attempts had been made before the winter 2000 to encourage, accelerate and even force return to Kosovo, host countries have received an appeal from UNMIK to decelerate or temporarily suspend the refugee return to Kosovo. UNMIK also called for a moratorium on forced return. The delegation was told that the countries have been generally receptive to these appeals to avoid accelerating action that might cause a big influx of returnees ahead of the winter. However, as the statistics show, forced return was still ongoing during the winter.
29. Germany and Switzerland, having hosted by far the highest amount of refugees from Kosovo, have forcibly returned[7], in the year 2000, respectively 6.841 and 5.430 refugees. Norway returned 62, Sweden 47, Belgium 40, the United Kingdom 37, The Netherlands 32, and Austria 14. The remaining forced returns originated from Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Slovenia and the USA. Out of the 12.533 forced returnees, more than 1.500 persons were ex-offenders. From 1 January to 31 March 2001, 1.549 persons have been forcibly returned (895 from Germany, 436 from Switzerland and 84 from the UK).
30. In the two first weeks of November 2000, Switzerland deported 210 persons, Germany 292. On 24 November alone, 60 persons with criminal records have been transported from Berlin Schönefeld to Pristina airport. Forced return has been suspended between 18 December and 10 January 2001, but only because of the lack of persons carrying out the task during the holidays[8]. According to the Swiss News Agency, Switzerland planned to deport 250 persons to Kosovo during December 2000 and January 2001.
7. Conclusion
31. If, despite the difficult post-war conditions with 120.000 houses destroyed, very poor infrastructure and rare employment, most of the Kosovo Albanians have managed to find accommodation within host families or in other types of accommodation. It appears that now, the majority of Kosovo Albanians, who originate from places where they are part of the majority, may return without concern for their protection. Problems subsist for those with perspectives of return to municipalities where they would be part of the minority in addition to a few vulnerable cases as described above.
32. The most important issue, however at present,
is the return of the minority communities, for instance the Kosovo Serbs,
Roma, Ashkaelia and Egyptians. This cannot at present be encouraged - and
even less – enforced. They need full protection and are guarded by KFOR
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even sometimes in their houses or appartments
which they cannot leave.
Reporting committee: Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography.
Reference to committee: Doc. 8789 and Reference No. 2522 of 25 September 2000.
Draft recommendation and draft order unanimously adopted by the committee on 23 April 2001.
Members of the Committee: Mr Iwi?ski (Chairman), Mrs Vermot-Mangold (1st Vice-Chairman), Mrs Buši? (2nd Vice-Chairman), Mr Einarsson (3rd Vice-Chairman) (alternate: Mr von der Esch), Mrs Aguiar, MM. Akhvlediani, Aliev, Aliyev, Amoruso, Mrs van Ardenne-van der Hoeven, Mr de Arístegui (alternate: Mrs Torrado), Mrs Arnold, MM. Begaj, Bernik, Mrs Björnemalm, MM. Brancati (alternate: Mr Brunetti), van den Brande, Branger, Brînzan, Mrs Burataeva, MM. Christodoulides, Cilevi?s, Connor, Debarge, Díaz de Mera, Dmitrijevas, Mrs Dumont, Mr Ehrmann, Mrs Err, Mrs Fehr, Mrs Frimannsdóttir, MM. Galoyan, Hordies, Ilascu (alternate: Mr Mocioi), Ivanov, Jarab, Lord Judd, MM. Karpov, Kolb, Koulouris (alternate: Mrs Katseli), Kozlowski, Laakso, Lauricella, Liapis, Libicki, Mrs Lörcher, MM. Loutfi, Luís, Mrs Markovska, MM. Mularoni, Mutman, Norvoll, Oliynyk, Mrs Onur, MM. Ouzký, Popa, Pullicino Orlando (alternate: Mr Debono Grech), Risari, Rogozin (alternate: Mrs Gamzatova), Rusu, Saglam, von Schmude, Schweitzer, Mrs Shakhtakhtinskaya, Mr Slutsky, Ms Smith, Mrs Stoisits, MM. Szinyei, Tabajdi, Tahir, Telek, Tká?, Udovenko (alternate: Mr Gaber), Wilkinson, Wray, Yáñez Bernuevo, Mrs Zwerver, ZZ… (Mr Brunhart).
N.B. The names of the members who took part in the meeting are printed in italics.
Secretaries of the committee: Mr Lervik, Mrs Nachilo,
Mr Adelsbach.
[1] This report replaces the report adopted by the Committee on 23 February 2001 (Doc. 9007).
[2] Concept paper on a proposed framework for return of refugees and IDP's to Kosovo (prepared by UNHCR with input from IOM, UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCHR, UNICEF, UNOCHA, WHO, WFP) 12 May 1999.
[3] According to the 1991 census, the population was 1.956.196 persons (82% ethnic Albanians, 10% ethnic Serbs and 8% other groups).
[4] Source: UNHCR Pristina (31/12/2000).
[5] Figures from UNHCR Pristina (31/12/00).
[6] Source : Framework for the Return of Kosovo Serbs
[7] Source: UNMIK Border police
[8] Source: Kosova Info line (04/12/2000) and
Forschungsgesellschaft Flucht und Migration.
Council of Europe – Parliamentary Assemblehttp://stars.coe.fr/SessionAgenda/ECALSES2_01.htm#Wednesday 25 April 2001
DRAFT ORDER OF BUSINESS
of the second part of the 2001 Ordinary Session
(23 - 27 April 2001)(...)
Wednesday 25 April 2001
8.30 a.m.
Political groups
10 a.m.
1. Election of judges to the European Court of Human
Rights (possibly 2nd round)
2 Situation in Kosovo
a. Situation in Kosovo and the neighbouring regions
(Doc. 9020) http://stars.coe.fr/doc/doc01/EDOC9020.htm
Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee: Mrs Tarja
Kautto (Finland, SOC)
b. Human rights and the rule of law in Kosovo
(Doc. 9057) http://stars.coe.fr/doc/doc01/EDOC9057.htm
Rapporteur of the Committee on Legal Affairs and
Human Rights: Mr Cevdet Akçali (Turkey, EDG)
c. Humanitarian situation of returnees to Kosovo
(Doc. 9007 rev.) http://stars.coe.fr/doc/doc01/EDOC9007.htm
Rapporteur of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and
Demography: Mr John Connor (Ireland, EPP/CD)
d. Cultural situation in Kosovo
(Doc. 9053) http://stars.coe.fr/doc/doc01/EDOC9053.htm
Rapporteur of the Committee on Culture, Science and
Education: Mrs Elena Poptodorova (Bulgaria, SOC)
Joint debate and votes
1 p.m.
End of the sitting
senden