IOM NEWS RELEASE
(15 September 1999, No. 833)Français ¦¦ Español
IOM BEGINS REGISTRATION FOR THE "KOSOVO CORPS"
Geneva-New York
A significant step has just been taken in the process of transforming the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). A Kosovo Corps is being formed as a civilian emergency and humanitarian force. The Corps will be mobilized throughout Kosovo to assist in ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts and will also be trained to react rapidly to natural disasters and other emergencies. IOM will begin processing applications for this newly created Kosovo Corps on Monday, 20 September. An information campaign will start on Wednesday, 15 September in the 49 official KLA assembly areas to inform former combatants of the application process and the possibilities that exist for them within the Corps.
The creation and implementation of the Kosovo Corps is a collaborative effort of NATO security forces (KFOR), the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Liberation Army. IOM was asked to identify appropriate candidates for the Corps among former KLA combatants already registered under IOM’s Information, Counselling and Referral Service (ICRS) and to accept applications from civilian members of society. Following individual interviews, IOM will then shortlist appropriate candidates, using guidelines established by KFOR and UNMIK, and will register and document those chosen to participate.
The application process will be run from seven IOM field offices located in Kosovo, in conjunction with IOM’s ICRS programme. Together with the civilian Kosovo Police and the Kosovo Corps, the ICRS programme is an essential part of the demobilization and transformation process, actively assisting former combatants in their successful reintegration into civilian and economic life. To date, 10,700 former KLA combatants have been registered by IOM for the reintegration programme.
It is foreseen that the Kosovo Corps will consist of 5,000 persons, 3,000 of whom serving as full-time members and the rest as part-time reservists. A large portion of the Corps will come from the ranks of the demobilized KLA, the rest from the civilian population in general.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Barton, Information Liason Officer, IOM Pristina, tel.(389) 702 526 15,
E-mail: infoiom@mol.com.mkJean-Philippe Chauzy, Department for External Relations and Information, IOM Geneva
tel.(41) 79 285 43 66, E-mail: pchauzy@iom.int
Send your questions and comments about this web site to info@iom.int.
Copyrights © 1999 International Organization for Migration. All rights reserved.International Organization for Migration (IOM)
17 Route des Morillons * C.P. 71 * CH-1211 Geneva 19 * Switzerland
Tel: +41-22-7179111 * Fax: 41-22-7986150 * Email: info@iom.int * Internet:
http://www.iom.int
senden