SERBIA: REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: APRIL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000397

SIPDIS

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PGOV PHUM PREL KV SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: REFUGEE COORDINATOR WEEKLY ACTIVITY REPORT: APRIL
11-18, 2008

REF: BELGRADE 367

BELGRADE 00000397 001.2 OF 002


KOSOVO MINISTRY: U.S., EU TO BLAME FOR FAILURE OF RETURNS

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1. (SBU) On April 11, refcoord participated in the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) bi-monthly
Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) working group featuring the
Kosovo Ministry's Coordination Center President Vuko
Antonijevic. Participants included a number of IDP
associations. The session focused on the future of Serb returns
to Kosovo. Antonijevic (DSS) blamed the international
community, particularly the United States and European Union,
for the failure of Serb returns to Kosovo. "The U.S. and EU
want to see an ethnically cleansed, independent Kosovo and we
cannot close our eyes to this. The United States is the most
responsible for the lack of return. The assistance money it
provides for return is spent on strategy and planning, rather
than actual return," Antonijevic said. He said the GOS would
continue to "insist on return of all Kosovo Serbs to Kosovo."
Antonijevic added that even though UNHCR statistics indicate
16,000 Serbs had returned to Kosovo, the figure was inflated and
that in reality only 2,000 to 3,000 Serbs had actually returned
and stayed in Kosovo. "The international community has done
everything in its power to discourage returns in order to
justify the independence of Kosovo," he said. He also faulted
Kosovo authorities and Kosovo Albanians for low returns figures.
"There have been 7,108 ethnically motivated attacks on Serbs
since 1999, not to mention the looting of Serb property and
destroying of churches, monasteries and cemeteries. All of this
has contributed to the failure of returns," he said.



ANTONIJEVIC: JOVANOVIC WRONGFULLY DETAINED

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2. (SBU) Referring to the March 12 arrest in Kosovo of IDP Serb
Momcilo Jovanovic while participating in a UNHCR funded Danish
Refugee Council (DRC) go-and-see visit (GSV,) Antonijevic said
Jovanovic was wrongfully detained and that UNHCR and DRC were
responsible for his arrest. Turning to face UNHCR Serbia
Representative Lennart Kotsalainen, he said, "You have to ensure
the security of GSV participants because there is no rule of law
in Kosovo and no one there respects individual rights. Why have
you not done more for him? He is not a criminal. He was
arrested so he could be prevented from returning." Antonijevic
said the Kosovo Ministry had spent 5,000 euros on Jovanovic's
legal representation thus far.



NO SOUL, NO SPIRIT FOR SERBIA WITHOUT KOSOVO

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3. (SBU) Antonijevic said that Kosovo declared independence to
prevent Serbs from returning. He questioned how viable Kosovo
independence could be if only "146,000 Serbs live in Kosovo,
compared to 300,000 in 1999." Serbia would never give up its
quest to keep Kosovo as part of its territory and affirmed his
own family would forever remain in Kosovo, Antonijevic said,
adding that "without Krajina and without Republica Srpska we
are fine. Without Kosovo, we have no soul, no spirit."
Antonijevic remarked sarcastically that it was a coincidence
that Carla Del Ponte released her book, which cites Albanian
violence toward Serbs, immediately following Kosovo declaration.




4. (SBU) Antonijevic said that nothing had changed in Kosovo
since 1999 in terms of security, freedom of movement, access to
employment, property restitution, or housing reconstruction for
Serbs in Kosovo. He said that only Albanian homes had been
reconstructed and that there was never enough money for Serb
homes. Though he conceded that all stakeholders, including the
GOS were responsible for the lack of progress in these areas,
the GOS was "the least responsible." He lauded Russia for its
recent donation of humanitarian assistance for Serb enclaves in
Kosovo, calling Support from Russia "very encouraging."



FRUSTRATED IDPS DEMAND TO KNOW GOS PLANS, INTENTIONS

BELGRADE 00000397 002 OF 002



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5. (SBU) IDPs expressed frustration that neither Antonijevic
nor his staff made themselves available to answer questions
after the session on GOS plans for the future of IDPs.
"Antonijevic's comments were predictable. I could have read
everything he said in the newspaper. You cannot call this a
dialogue. I think we deserve to know what our government not
just the international community is planning for us," one IDP
said. Nada Culjak-Banjac of the Balkan Center for Migration, a
local NGO that provides free legal assistance to IDPs and
refugees, said that Antonijevic's comments and his refusal to
questions from session participants outraged her. "Antonievic
told us he is pro-return, but he did not share a plan for the
how the Kosovo Ministry intends to make returns happen. We, as
IDP representatives, have a right to ask the government what its
true intentions are. What is the plan? If return is not
possible let's say so and help IDPs move on with their lives,"
she said. Culjak-Banjac said it was also important to identify
IDPs who were willing to return to and accept an independent
Kosovo.



MERCK DONTATES 9,800 EUROS IN MEDICINE TO UNHCR

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6. (SBU) Serbia Country Manager for Merck Sharp & Dohme
Pharmaceutical Gabriel Dina informed refcoord April 18 the
company had donated medicine to UNHCR's Health Unit totaling
9,800 euros. Refcoord had introduced Dina to UNHCR in late 2007
and following his visit to several collective centers, UNHCR
provided him with a list of medications for extremely vulnerable
and ailing IDPs and refugees. Dina told refcoord that he was
working with Merck's corporate foundation on "something of
bigger scope and impact."



CHURCH WORLD SERVICE TO APPLY FOR PRM FY08 FUNDING CYCLE

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7. (U) On April 17, refcoord met with Church World Service
(CWS) Regional Coordinator, Vitali Vorona, to discuss CWS
interest in PRM's FY2008 open call for NGO programs benefiting
refugees and internally displaced persons in the Balkans.
Vorona said that he planned to submit a proposal focused on
income generation (small grants and micro-credit loans) and
legal assistance for IDPs. CWS will target Belgrade-based Roma
for the project. Vorona told refcoord that one of the
proposal's objectives would be to monitor the pace of Roma
primary school enrollment and attendance for children of project
beneficiaries. CWS has a regional presence and implements
projects in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Georgia.
Vorona said PRM previously funded CWS activities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.



COMMENT

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8. (SBU) Antonijevic is one of the last in a series of GOS
employees to trot out the shopworn complaints about minimal
levels of returns and blame. Nevertheless, the GOS has done
precious little to facilitate or fund returns, while dedicating
scant support for displaced persons who want to stay in Serbia.
Had he given us the opportunity to ask, we would have been
prepared to comment on the robust USG return-related assistance
in the Balkans over the past decade. End Comment.
MUNTER