Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: at A Glance
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: at A Glance
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: at A Glance
ON
C OU
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
YUGOSLAVIA
AT A GLANCE
* Includes new arrivals from Kosovo during 1999 as well as returned IDPs.
** Does not reflect the full range of protection and assistance provided by UNHCR
inside Kosovo.
ities. By the beginning of 1999, 180,000-200,000 per- tension inside Kosovo. Some 200,000 non-Albanians
sons displaced within the province, along with 6,000 had fled to Serbia by the end of 1999. The non-
refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia Albanian ethnic minorities in Kosovo, estimated to
(Dayton group) living there were of concern to number some 100,000, faced daily harassment, isola-
UNHCR. Its work to ease tensions and promote early tion, violence and intimidation. The security situation
return of the displaced was hindered by the growing remained difficult. Frequent disturbances to law and
spiral of violence in Kosovo. International efforts at order affected everyone, especially the remaining non-
Rambouillet and Paris failed to find a mutually satis- Albanian population. Throughout the year, UNHCR
factory settlement and the violence continued. By and other humanitarian staff also faced serious risks to
that time, some 350,000 people had been displaced. their safety and security. The large number of inter-
national organisations and NGOs in Kosovo (over
NATO launched air strikes on Yugoslavia on 24 March 200 registered with UNHCR/OCHA alone) and
1999. On the eve of the attack, almost all UNHCR Montenegro made co-ordination a challenge.
international staff were evacuated. Over the next few UNHCR’s co-operation with KFOR also presented
days and weeks, more than 850,000 refugees crossed challenges regarding the maintenance of the civil and
from Kosovo into neighbouring countries or were evac- impartial nature of humanitarian action.
uated from FYR Macedonia to other countries. A total
of 69,900 IDPs arrived in Montenegro, of whom close Funding
Y U G O S L AV I A
to 40,000 moved on to Albania. The remainder was The Kosovo emergency operation was fully funded
housed in collective centres and with host families. well before the end of the year.
UNHCR staff returned to Montenegro on 30 March
and helped to mount an effective relief effort. Following
UN Security Council resolution 1244, UNHCR re- ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACT
established its office in Kosovo, staff returned and
activities resumed as from 13 June. Protection and Solutions
O F
UNHCR’s protection role was particularly challeng-
R E P U B L I C
Constraints ing. In Belgrade, it continued to press the relevant
After years of international ostracism and crippling eco- authorities for information on the naturalisation of
nomic sanctions, and then the damage caused by the refugees, as a first step towards local integration.
NATO air campaign, the Yugoslav economy is in tat- Dialogue with offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina and
ters. The Yugoslav authorities are reluctantly open to Croatia was strengthened to improve the flow of infor-
envisaging forms of local integration, on condition mation to prospective returnees about the situation in
F E D E R A L
that the international community continue to finance their country of origin and encourage repatriation.
the care of refugees on its soil. The arrival of over UNHCR appealed to the Yugoslav and Serbian author-
200,000 newly displaced persons from Kosovo during ities, as well as the KLA, to curtail arbitrary arrest and
the year added an additional burden. Yugoslavia now detention, mistreatment while under detention, abduc-
hosts well over 700,000 refugees and IDPs and is the tions and murder. Representations were also made to
largest host country in the region. The Montenegrin the authorities regarding the use of collective centres
authorities also maintained an open-door policy towards for refugees in Kosovo as police posts or encampments,
the IDPs. States in the region made little substantial which endangered the lives of the refugees by render-
progress on issues affecting the attainment of durable ing them vulnerable to attacks by the KLA. In
solutions for the Dayton group of refugees. Montenegro, UNHCR worked with the Montenegrin
authorities to ensure that the border remained open to
In Kosovo province, fundamental constraints were new arrivals and worked to release those detained by
the collapsed administration, economy and infras- the Yugoslav authorities.
tructure, and the absence of key elements of a func-
tioning civil society. Bridges and roads have been After June 1999, well over 800,000 refugees and IDPs
destroyed. Landmines and unexploded ordnance pose returned to Kosovo (including 430,000 from Albania
grave risks. Telecommunications and electricity are and 223,000 from FYR Macedonia). Close field-level
erratic at best. Water, medical, and sanitation services monitoring and interventions in Kosovo assisted the
have been disrupted. At the same time, large-scale protection of non-Albanian ethnic minorities (such as
return of the ethnic Albanian community increased Serbs and Roma). This involved comprehensive joint
OSCE/UNHCR minority reports, which analysed sig- food assistance. Greenhouses were set up in collective
nificant trends and made recommendations for further centres throughout the country in rural areas where suf-
action. UNHCR also worked to ensure freedom of ficient land was available. Families in centres were
movement, freedom of communication for those in iso- selected to implement agricultural activities. They
lated minority enclaves, safe alternative accommoda- received technical training whenever necessary. Some
tion, and accurate legal and protection information. of the produce was kept by people who grew it and a
Other protection concerns included access to basic ser- percentage was sent to the centres’ kitchens for com-
vices, including health, food and education, as well as munal cooking and distribution. A total of 8,240 peo-
enjoyment of other basic civil rights. In collaboration ple housed in 92 collective centres benefited. Relevant
with KFOR and UNMIK, UNHCR was obliged to agencies also provided spare parts and additional seeds
arrange evacuations of citizens-at-risk in a limited to those families already working in greenhouses built
number of cases. Women’s needs were addressed in earlier years. One partner implemented a food secu-
through the activities of three umbrella organisations rity programme in selected rural areas.
working inside Kosovo. Resettlement activities con- KOSOVO: In early 1999, plastic sheeting was procured
tinued, but were scaled down during the NATO cam- to build greenhouses in western Kosovo.
paign. During the year, 5,643 refugees were resettled
in various countries. Domestic Needs/Household Support:
FRY: In 1999, a partner organisation provided basic
Activities and Assistance household items for 108 collective centres, accommo-
The activities described below were implemented in dating 11,000 refugees and IDPs. Another partner pro-
Kosovo or in other parts of Yugoslavia (FRY). vided basic furniture for 58 housing units. Some 1,200
refugees repatriating to Croatia were provided with
Community Services: food and board prior to being taken home. Room and
FRY: Activities focused on the social and cultural board was also provided for vulnerable refugees and IDPs
integration of refugees of all ages. Various activities were from remote areas who approached UNHCR’s office in
implemented in 60 collective centres for both refugees Belgrade asking for advice, or medical or legal aid.
and IDPs in 25 municipalities in Serbia. Owing to the KOSOVO: By year’s end, 800,000 blankets, 435,000
NATO airstrikes, regular activities and visits to col- mattresses, 274,000 pieces of plastic sheeting, 650,000
lective centres were significantly curtailed. Many of the hygienic kits, 26,000 multi-purpose stoves, 28,000
programmes for children continued, however, in an children’s coats, 28,000 children’s boots and over
effort to prevent anxiety and fear, and to help overcome 90,000 children’s underwear sets had been distributed.
the trauma induced by bombing. Firewood was provided for some 16,000 families (three
KOSOVO: Three Roma IDP communities received cubic metres each). Diesel fuel was also purchased for
special protection, including KFOR security, and operational purposes.
accommodation. To meet women’s needs and address
the psychosocial needs of people in collective centres, Education:
a referral and direct support mechanism was created in FRY: Five partners were funded to implement skills
each UNHCR office in Kosovo as well as at the three development and vocational training programmes.
Kosovo Women’s Initiative umbrella agencies. A chil- Refugees enrolled in a variety of classes aimed at
dren’s psychosocial programme was funded in improving their skills and chances of employment.
Orahovac, where ethnic tensions ran high. Temporary Particular attention was paid to vulnerable individu-
community shelters were funded by this sector. To als, especially women. Links were established with
facilitate the final distribution of relief items at com- local employment offices in order to prepare courses
munity level, funds were provided to a local partner to tailored to the needs of the job market. Training
reinforce technical and other capacities. included classes in accounting, computer skills, hand-
icrafts, and foreign languages.
Crop Production: KOSOVO: A total of 97 schools were rehabil-
FRY: Three partners were funded to implement food itated, benefiting all age groups. Fifty thousand
security programmes. The objective was to make refugee school bags were procured internationally and
and IDP families living in selected collective centres distributed, in co-ordination with UNICEF, to
more self-reliant by increasing their food security and schoolchildren (both returnees and minority
therefore gradually decrease dependence on external groups) in northern Kosovo.
Y U G O S L AV I A
plementary food. One-off purchases of food were made
to assist extremely vulnerable destitute people. From Legal Assistance:
June to September, a monthly distribution of bulk FRY: A nation-wide network of legal advice centres
food was provided. From October to December, some for refugees was expanded to cover IDPs. One inter-
900,000 people (some 53 per cent of the population) national and two local organisations implemented
received monthly bulk food rations. these activities. One local partner represented refugees
in courts of law. Refugees received help on a wide
O F
Health/Nutrition: variety of issues, including their status in Yugoslavia,
FRY: Medical assistance was provided for refugees in and the possibility of obtaining legal documentation
R E P U B L I C
collective centres and private accommodation unable from their countries of origin.
to use State facilities. Special drugs and medical sup- KOSOVO: UNHCR opened five legal advice offices,
plies were distributed to particularly vulnerable peo- with mobile clinics, to provide information, docu-
ple, including the chronically ill, children under 18 and mentation and referral information on legal/protection
adults over 60. Whenever possible, refugees were issues. A local NGO was provided with funds to con-
F E D E R A L
referred to public health structures. In the second half duct a standardised monthly survey, using UNHCR’s
of 1999, the Special Medical Programme was extended locally developed “returnee monitoring format”, to
to cover Kosovo IDPs living alongside the refugee track trends and common returnee concerns. In addi-
population. During the last quarter, UNHCR asked the tion, the partner agreed to document human rights
implementing partner to cover particularly remote abuses suffered by minorities throughout Kosovo.
collective centres in Northern Vojvodina, where elderly Confidence-building bus services were launched to
refugees needed urgent medical attention. provide freedom of movement for some 25,000 residents
KOSOVO: UNHCR’s Health Co-ordinator worked considered to be at risk in volatile areas characterised
closely with UN agencies, UNMIK and WHO, as well by ethnic tensions. Satellite telephone calls were pro-
as a large number of health-related NGOs. Through vided free of charge to local people classified as resi-
the Kosovo Women’s Initiative, normal health dents-at-risk to enable them to communicate with
providers and women-oriented centres received infor- friends and relatives. Material and financial support was
mation on reproductive health. A local clinic in provided to KFOR to reinforce the doors, windows and
Vucitrn was helped with a children’s health programme. locks of residents-at-risk. De-mining activities were
Initial efforts were made to focus on assisting official funded.
health institutions. Because minorities had limited
access to these institutions, a system of mobile and sep- Livestock:
arate clinics was created (not funded by UNHCR – but FRY: Poultry was purchased and distributed to some
supported and co-ordinated by the UNHCR health 70 collective centres. Refugees residing in the centres
consultant and protection unit). began to produce eggs and poultry, as a means to
become more self-reliant. Some 4,500 refugees bene- to refugees repatriating to Croatia (216 tractors, 191
fited from this activitiy. trailers) started only during the last quarter of the
year, while transportation to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Operational Support (to Agencies): (30 tractors, one trailer, one truck) was effected
FRY: Partners received funding to cover staff costs and throughout the year. IOM provided medical escorts to
other administrative expenses. UNHCR supported returnees throughout 1999, although one of their
two refugee magazines (Odgovor and Povratak), and stretcher vehicles was stolen. IOM staff escorted all 61
one radio programme (Putokaz on Radio B92, later B2- return movements to Croatia; 106 home visits/medi-
92) disseminating information on the refugee situation, cal examinations were carried out; and 16 refugees
refugee status and prospects in Yugoslavia as well as in were transported by stretcher vehicle.
the countries of origin. KOSOVO: Up to June, UNHCR covered the trans-
KOSOVO: Up to 15 UNVs strengthened the coun- port costs of secondary distribution of food to local dis-
try operation. Staff seconded from the Danish Refugee tribution points. After June, UNHCR developed a
Council (DRC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council Kosovo-wide distribution system, in co-ordination
(NRC) implemented public and mass information with bilateral donors, to address the needs of returnees.
campaigns, and some of their international overhead The system included transport, warehousing and dis-
costs were also covered. tribution points (ultimately through local partners),
extensive monitoring teams and reporting. Logistics
Sanitation: support was given (primarily by road and rail) to trans-
FRY: The high occupancy rate of some collective port and store non-food and shelter items en route to
centres made it necessary to carry out the urgent main- 11 primary warehouses. UNHCR also financed: a
tenance or repair of sanitation facilities. The work workshop to service 70 water and sanitation vehicles;
was arranged by NGOs working in the centres in co- vehicles and fuel; the installation of a generator for a
ordination with the collective centre management. temporary community shelter; and international and
Some 15,000 refugees benefited from this activitiy. local transport and warehousing of 500 pre-fabricated
housing units contributed by one donor.
Shelter/Other Infrastructure:
FRY: The shelter project for refugees in Serbia Water:
(extended for three months) completed construction KOSOVO: Local residents and returnees throughout
of 50 housing units (280 beneficiaries) and the build- Kosovo benefited from a project, co-ordinated by a
ing of 178 units (1,000 beneficiaries) within the self- water/sanitation consultant, to assist in the cleaning
help programme. A second partner implemented a of wells, particularly those contaminated by corpses and
housing project for 60 refugee families. This effort debris.
aimed to support the most vulnerable refugees with no
prospects of return to their homes. To ensure compli-
ance with local construction norms and standards, ORGANISATION AND
UNHCR employed the services of a local engineering IMPLEMENTATION
firm. UNHCR funded the repair of 108 collective
centres, and improved basic living conditions for Management
approximately 11,000 refugees. The operation in Serbia was managed from offices in
KOSOVO: Accommodation was rehabilitated to serve Belgrade, Kraljevo, Novi Sad and Podgorica, manned
as temporary community shelters throughout Kosovo by 21 international staff (apart from the period when
for up to 10,000 IDPs. Shelter kits were also purchased they were evacuated) and 139 national staff. UNHCR
and distributed: 13,000 Type A kits (for light repairs co-operated closely with the Commissioner for Refugees
and protection against winter weather) and 2,700 of Serbia, the Commissioner for Displaced Persons of
Type B kits (for larger-scale repairs). Twenty-three the Republic of Montenegro and the Yugoslav Red
generators were purchased and installed. Five hun- Cross. In Kosovo, at the beginning of 1999, UNHCR’s
dred pre-fabricated houses were erected in the most head office was located in Pristina, with three field
heavily damaged areas of Kosovo. offices in Pec, Prizren and Mitrovica, run by 12 inter-
national and 42 national staff. By the end of the year,
Transport/Logistics: another three field offices had been opened in Gnijlane,
FRY: The transport of tractors and trailers belonging Urosevac and Djakovica. On 31 December, the Kosovo
NGOs
Working with Others American Refugee Committee
Action contre la Faim
For projects implemented in Serbia and Montenegro, Care International
UNHCR concluded implementing agreements with 32 Commission for Real Property Claims
partners. UNHCR also worked closely with WFP, Catholic Relief Services
Y U G O S L AV I A
Danish Refugee Council
UNICEF, UNMIK, WHO, UNEP, OCHA, KFOR Emercom
and other bodies. For projects implemented in Kosovo, Handicap International
Hi Neighbour
UNHCR concluded agreements with 51 partners. Humanitarian Centre for Integration and Tolerance
Prior to the Kosovo emergency, UNHCR worked Humanitarian Law Center
closely with the Serbian and local authorities, as well Institute for Mental Health
International Council of Voluntary Agencies
as with the OSCE and the Kosovo Verification Mission International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
(successor to the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Societies
O F
International Orthodox Christian Charities
Mission). In Kosovo, UNHCR’s Special Envoy served International Rescue Committee
as the Deputy Special Representative for Humanitarian
R E P U B L I C
Italian Consortium of Solidarity
Affairs of the Secretary-General and headed the Japan Emergency NGOs
Norwegian Refugee Council
humanitarian pillar of UNMIK, charged with the co- Odgovor
ordination of UN humanitarian assistance in Kosovo. Oxfam
Radio B292
Three OCHA staff worked with UNHCR to assist in Sunce
co-ordination and information sharing with NGOs. Swiss Disaster Relief
F E D E R A L
More than 200 NGOs were registered with the World Vision
Unliquidated Obligations
Outstanding 1 January 0 0 0 7,383 15,559,946 15,567,329
New Obligations 120,000 130,569,435 130,689,435 0 0 0
Disbursements 104,510 97,418,777 97,523,287 7,383 12,371,721 12,379,104
Cancellations 0 0 0 0 3,135,704 3,135,704
Outstanding 31 December 15,490 33,150,658 33,166,148 0 52,521 52,521