[02] CONFLICT RESOLUTION: MONTENEGRO'S ALBANIAN MINORITY
BY JUDITH LATHAM

INTRO: In the Republic of Serbia, the Albanian minority represents about 14 percent of the
total population, although Albanians constitute a 90-percent majority in Serbia's formerly
autonomous province of Kosovo. In Montenegro, Serbia Sister Republic in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, the Albanian minority comprises only 6 to 7 percent of the
population. VOA'S Judith Latham has talked with leaders of Human Rights Organisations
and with Albanian politicians in Montenegro about the situation of the Albanian minority
there. Here's with a report.

TEXT: About 50,000 Albanians live in Montenegro. They belong to three religios
confessions - Muslim, Catholic, and Orthodox. Slobodan Franovic, president of the
Montenegro Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, says the situation of the Albanian
minority in Montenegro is precarious.
TAPE [...]  "Concerning the situation of Albanians in Montenegro, I can say that their rights
and freedoms are deteriorating as time goes by. Their right to cherish and develop their
national, cultural, linguistic, and relegios identity is beeing curtailed every day."
TEXT: Mr. Franovic says Albanians face difficulties getting an education in their own
language, and they have trouble finding jobs. In addition, their political rights have
deminished in recent years.
TAPE [...]  "In the region od Ulcinij, the Albanian community is in the majority and they also
have their local government. But, as the state has been completely centralizing power on
the level of the whole Republic, there's no actual self-government in that area."
TEXT: English teacher Ferhat Dinosha is president of the Deputy Club of the Democratic
Union of Albanians in the Montenegro parliament. He says Albanians in Montenegro fvor
mor cultural autonomy. He believes the lack of educational and employment opportunities
has caused a serious "brain drain" from Montenegro's Albanian community.
TAPE [...]  "More than half of our people are abroad, mainly in the United States. That fact
says enough about the situation, the economic situation, of Albanians in Montenegro. As
far as young people who left the country are concerned. I think the main reason that made
them leave the country was the political situation. They don't see any prospects for
themselves. Even if they finish scholl, they can't find a way to get good jobs and to feel
fully free in the country. If Montenegro succeeds [manages] to get out from under the
influence of [Yugoslav president Slobodan} Milosevic in Belgrade, there will be a much
better situation and Albanians will understand that changes are happening. And I think
many young people who now live abroad would be ready to come back and live in their
native land."
TEXT: Mr. Dinosha says Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic is extremely unpopular
among many Montenegrin citizens, but especially among members of the Albanian
minority.
TAPE [...]  "Albanians in Montenegro think that there are democratic forces in Montenegro
that will try to get rid of Milosevic, and we'll help those forces."
TEXT: Mr. Dinosha says he sees no conflict between beeing a loyal citizen of Montenegro
and his Albanian nationality.
TAPE [...]  "Politically, I do feel myself to be a member of the Montenegrin community, but
as far as national values and aspirations are concerned, I'm a pure Albanian - But an
Albanian who is ready to live together with normal people [of other ethnic groups].
TEXT: Milo Djukanovic, the new president of Montenegro, campaigned on a platform of
political and economic reform. A politician with no ties to Slobodan Milosevic, Mr
Djukanovic rejects the Serbian nationalists rhetoric of former Montenegrin president Momir
Bulatovic. It remains to be seen if the position of ethnic minorities, including Albanians, will
improve. Bur, most political analysts doubt whether Montenegro will be able to pursue a
path independent from Mr. Milosevic.

16-Jan-98 3:46 PM EST (2046 UTC)