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USAID/OTI Kosovo Field Report
December 2000
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The primary goal of OTI's Kosovo Transition Initiative (KTI) is to maximize the number of Kosovars involved in, and recognizing the value of, participating in decision making and the future development of democracy in Kosovo. Through its initiative, KTI encourages political diversity, increased citizen participation in political and community affairs, and professionalism and transparency in media and public service institutions. The major part of KTI's portfolio has consisted of assistance to communities in forming and organizing Community Improvement Councils (CICs). These Councils were designed to support Kosovars in the process of rebuilding their communities while preparing them for the challenges of democratic self-governance. Following Kosovo's successful October municipal-level elections, KTI refined its focus to contribute to the cultivation of lasting relationships between citizens and their elected governments. KTI also works with media outlets in Kosovo, providing them with assistance to ensure that professional, moderate, and high quality media is available to as many Kosovars as possible. Staff also work closely with these media outlets to help them better understand their role in civil society, practice that role responsibly, and leverage KTI's community-based programs. The KTI program is implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which manages field offices in Ferizaj/Urosevac, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Gjakova/Gjakovica, Mitrovca/Kosovska Mitrovica, Peja/Pec, Prishtina/Pristina and Prizren. To date, OTI has provided $10 million in assistance to Kosovo.
COUNTRY
SITUATION
In December, the United Nations announced the departure of its head of
operations in Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner. Hans Haekkerup, the Danish Defense
Minister, will assume overall responsibility for the UN Mission in Kosovo
(UNMIK) on January 15.
Tensions along Kosovo’s eastern border eased following KFOR border
closures in the Presevo area. Consequently, 1,000 of the original 5,000
internally displaced persons returned to their homes in Serbia.
Conversely, the security situation in Mitrovica deteriorated
significantly. Sporadic violence, including attacks on a Belgian KFOR
compound, resulted in several burned vehicles and arrests. KFOR weapon
searches resulted in violent responses from Serbs in northern Mitrovica.
Trials scheduled in the Court of Justice in the northern section of the
city were postponed due to the volatile situation.
Serbs in Kosovo participated in Serbian federal elections on December
23 under protection of KFOR troops. Despite region-wide alerts due to
expected violence, the day passed without incident. Bombings and other
attacks against Serbs, however, increased during December in the Gjilan,
Mitrovica, Prishtina and Prizren areas.
Crime – burglaries and attacks on individuals and property, including
several grenade attacks in Gjakova – continues to plague all regions of
Kosovo.
UNMIK officials and Yugoslav government authorities arranged family
visits for Kosovar Albanians held in Serb prisons. On December 17 and 30,
20 prisoners held in the Nis prison received visits from family members
with IOM logistic assistance.
Concern resurfaced about the possible harmful effects of depleted
uranium used during NATO bombings of Kosovo. Several European countries
reported increased cancer rates among soldiers who served in Bosnia and
Kosovo. For its part, the UN Environment Programme conducted Kosovo field
tests in November and expects to report its findings in late February.
By and large, Kosovars celebrated Bajram and Christmas peacefully
throughout the province.
USAID/OTI HIGHLIGHTS
A. Narrative Summary
In the first week of December, the Temporary Media Commissioner awarded licensed, Kosovo-wide radio frequencies. RTV 21 and Radio Dukagjini, both KTI grantees, successfully bid to become Kosovo's first independent, province-wide radio stations. Simultaneously, KTI delivered new equipment to RTV 21 in order to improve the quality and coverage of the station's signal. RTV 21 - in addition to Koha Vision, another KTI grantee - was also awarded a Kosovo-wide television license. RTV 21 and Koha Vision, both KTI grantees, are the first independent, province-wide television stations in Kosovo.
KTI continued efforts to reach isolated communities, increasing their ability to reach and communicate with the outside world. December saw the opening of a computer center in the isolated, yet politically important Serb community of Gracanica. In addition, KTI approved six projects in the previously hostile Serb community of Strpce, facilitating improved relations between local residents and the international community.
A significant number of rehabilitation projects were completed just prior to the onset of the winter, including the rehabilitation of a social center, two bridges, two electrical upgrades, a health clinic, three schools, a central heating system, two water system upgrades and a road.
In December, nine additional grants were approved, bringing the total number of ongoing projects to 105. Since July 1999, KTI has completed 392 projects. Significant staff time was spent on project implementation and oversight of the 60 grants approved in November, totaling over $1,305,689.
Grants Activity
Summary - December 2000
| |
Obligated funds (USD) |
Number of grants
approved |
| Ferizaj |
20,930 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
20,930 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Gjakova |
0 |
4,025 |
0 |
0 |
4,025 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Gjilan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Media |
0 |
0 |
44,908 |
0 |
44,908 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
| Mitrovica |
4,167 |
0 |
6,589 |
0 |
10,756 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Peja |
0 |
0 |
0 |
15,722 |
15,722 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Prishtina |
9,889 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9,889 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Prizren |
0 |
0 |
3,130 |
0 |
3,130 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total Dec 2000 |
34,986 |
4,025 |
54,627 |
15,722 |
109,360 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
|
Total since July 1999 |
8,633,450 |
320,079 |
1,451,716 |
15,722 |
10,420,967 |
377 |
39 |
80 |
1 |
497 |
B. Indicators of Success
During December, KTI leveraged $166,680 from other donors and local communities - one and a half times that committed by KTI directly. For their part, U.S. KFOR committed $65,200 worth of repairs to the Firaya Village school. KTI will follow-up with funding a computer room and Internet center. UNICEF's $34,800 renovation of sanitation facilities for four Gjakova primary schools complements a KTI-funded hygiene and health awareness program.
KTI also approved its first local governance grant. This new program category reflects KTI's refined objective to foster greater interaction and lasting relationships between citizens and elected municipal assemblies. The grant, funding the rehabilitation of Upper Barani Village electricity supply, involved the combined and collaborative efforts of the local community and local ElektroKosova representatives and has the full support of Peja municipal authorities. In fact, the Director of Municipal Affairs participated in several village-level meetings to pledge his support for the project.
C. Program Appraisal
KTI staff began a new round of meetings to bring together community members and their elected municipal officials, with varied responses. In some regions, the meetings served as an opportunity to plan future collaboration between communities and their respective municipal assemblies, such as in Obiliq. In other municipalities, namely Istog, Peja and Prizren, more time is needed for municipal bodies to become fully functional before collaboration with local communities can be explored.
A series of KTI-funded televised debates with newly elected officials from each of the 27 predominately Kosovar Albanian municipalities recently came to an end. Hosted by the local non-governmental organization, The Forum, and broadcast on Koha Vision, the shows were deemed a great success by Kosovars and the international community alike. The debates, the first of their kind in Kosovo, will hopefully lay the foundation for future opportunities for voters to hold elected officials accountable.
On December 15, KTI attended the official opening of the Gracanica High School Internet center. KTI donated 12 computers and two printers for use by the roughly 1,000 students in Gracanica. This grant was the culmination of the collaborative efforts of KTI, the students of Gracanica, the school director and representatives of the Serb Orthodox Church. Internet access offers students and residents the latest teaching techniques currently available, and will help moderate tension among the local Serbian population by enhancing their access to uncensored and objective news and information.
A Kosovar NGO, We Are With You, launched a hygiene and health awareness program to educate children in each of the four Gjakova primary schools with KTI funds. KTI hopes that this program will evolve and become part of the school health curricula.
NEXT STEPS/IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
In January, KTI's immediate priority will be to organize meetings between communities and municipal officials to develop lasting relationships. KTI has tentatively scheduled a program retreat at the end of February to fine-tune implementation approaches for building lasting community-municipal relationships.
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