FM Alert, Vol III, No. 6
Reply-To: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 20:06:17 +0200 (EET)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: FM Alert, Vol III, No. 6
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Paulette Layton <[email protected]>
FM Alert, Vol III, No. 6
FM Alert, Vol III, No. 6
February 12, 1999
ABKHAZIA PEACEKEEPING MISSION MANDATE EXTENDED
The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN
Observation Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) to July 31, amidst controversy
over a repatriation initiative in the separatist region of Abkhazia.
Security Council resolution 1255, approved on January 28, urged
Georgian officials to engage in substantive bilateral talks with
Abkhazian separatists on a political settlement that could pave the
way for the return of hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the
fighting in Abkhazia. In recent weeks, Georgian officials have heaped
scorn on a repatriation plan put forward in January by Abkhazian
leader Vladislav Ardzinba. According to OSCE officials based in
Georgia, social and political conditions in the Transcaucasian
republic are tense. OSCE officials have expressed interest in
establishing a monitoring office in the Gali District. But the
officials added that a framework to guarantee the security for
returnees must be formulated before the OSCE can establish a presence
in the Gali District. The Forced Migration Projects (FMP) maintains
that the deployment of a civilian police force in the embattled area
would promote human security. The FMP proposal has received the
support of UNHCR.
(For background information see FM Alerts of January 22, and August 28
and August 14, 1998).
OSCE MISSION IN KOSOVO STRENGTHENING TIES TO LOCAL NGOS
The OSCE's Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM) is fostering
nongovernmental organization (NGO) activity in the war-torn Yugoslav
province. KVM officials are providing capacity building support in
recognition that local NGOs can potentially play an important role in
the implementation of possible peace accords, especially in promoting
the return of refugees and displaced persons. Yugoslav and Kosovo
Albanian leaders are holding talks in France on a negotiated
settlement to the conflict that would determine Kosovo's future
political status. Pascale Depech is the NGO Liaison within the Human
Rights Department of the KVM responsible for providing
capacity-building support and training for local human rights NGOs.
Depech also monitors operating conditions for local NGOs in Kosovo.
Julia Goette is the NGO/Civil Society Advisor in the Democratization
Department responsible for promoting links between local NGOs and
international donors. Goette additionally provides institutional
capacity training. Other KVM officials work with local NGOs to provide
mine awareness training, to monitor local police activity concerning
repatriation, and to facilitate the flow of humanitarian and
reconstruction aid to the region. The Forced Migration Projects is
currently working with the OSCE to promote NGO capacity by
co-sponsoring a training session for local human rights NGOs to
monitor the conditions of displaced person in Kosovo. The training
session is scheduled to take place in March in neighboring Macedonia.
Other co-sponsors are the Washington, DC,-based Brookings Institution
and the United Nations Secretary General's Representative on
Internally Displaced Persons Francis Deng.
(For background information see FM Alerts of January 28 and December
4, 1998).
RESPONSE LAGS TO 1998 UNHCR AND IOM APPEALS
The malaise prevalent among donor governments is underscored by a
lackluster response to the 1998 appeals by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and International Organization for
Migration (IOM) for activities in CIS countries. UNHCR and IOM sought
a combined total of nearly $50 million in 1998 for programs connected
with the implementation of the Program of Action, adopted by the 1996
CIS Conference on migration-related issues. UNHCR sought $37 million
for CIS activities, while IOM solicited $12.5 million. Donor
governments reacted with muted enthusiasm, judging by figures provided
by UNHCR and IOM. As of November 20, 1998, UNHCR received a total of
just under $19.5 million in new donations. The leading donor
governments were the United States, which gave almost $7 million, and
Japan, which provided about $4.6 million. Other leading donors
included Switzerland, Finland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Germany,
Europe's economic powerhouse, gave merely $444,445. UNHCR bolstered
its 1998 appeal totals by carrying over $8.2 million from 1997. UNHCR
officials stressed that the agency had not yet made a final tally for
1998, and predicted that, when the books were closed, UNHCR would
approach its $37 million goal. At the same time, IOM received $6.68
million in 1998, the bulk of the total coming from the United States.
Belgium, Finland, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland were the only other
donor governments to respond. "It seems obvious that the donor
response to the UNHCR and IOM appeals signals the endgame for CIS
Conference follow up," said Forced Migration Projects Director Arthur
C. Helton.
(For background see FM Alert of January 9, 1998).
For more information contact:
The Forced Migration Projects
400 West 59th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10019
tel: (212)548-0655
fax: (212) 548-4676
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.soros.org/migrate.html
--
==============================================================
MINELRES - a forum for discussion on minorities in Central&Eastern
Europe
Submissions: [email protected]
Subscription/inquiries: [email protected]
List archive: http://www.riga.lv/minelres/archive.htm
==============================================================