MINELRES: ECMI Newsletter No. 31: November 2003

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: William Mckinney <mckinney@ecmi.de>


ECMI Newsletter No. 31
November 2003

CONTENTS

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1. Upcoming Activities and Events in December 2003
2. Highlights in November 2003
3. We introduce... Stabilizing and Improving Relations in Kaliningrad
Oblast, Russian Federation
4. News from ECMI Regional Offices
5. New acquisitions in the ECMI Library
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1. Upcoming Activities and Events in December 2003
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Meeting of the Macedonia NGO Network Coordinative Body, December 1.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Minority Ombudsperson Training Event
A training event for mid-to senior-level staff of Ombudspersons
institutions will be held at the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
The training follows the conference of members of the Minority
Ombudspersons Network, which took place in Berlin, at the 
seat of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior, on October 
16 and 17 October 2003. 

Representatives of Ombudsperson institutions routinely dealing
with minority issues will attend the training, which is led by
members of the project's team of experts, representatives of the
OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and
the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Discussions will include
the following topics: human rights and minority rights law,
handling of individual complaints relating to minority issues, 
structural investigations concerning minority rights, the
implementation of international standards on the domestic level
and best practice. Copenhagen, December 2 - 6.
http://www.ecmi.de/doc/projects_action_3.html
 
ECMI Macedonia NGO Network General Assembly.
Skopje, December 10.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

Joint Konrad Adenauer and ECMI Conference "Minorities
in Democracies" to be held at South Eastern European
University. Tetovo, December 12.

ECMI Macedonia NGO Network, Open Forum on interethnic relations.
Gostivar, December 15.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/


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2. Highlights in November 2003
-----------------------------------

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Bitola Consultative
meeting between the members and the representative of ECMI
Regional Office. Skopje, November 10.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Kosovo: Standing Technical Working Group, Study Visit
and Training at the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights (ODIHR), Warsaw, November 10-14.
http://www.ecmi.kos.org/

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Gostivar Consultative
meeting between the members and the representative of ECMI
Regional Office. Skopje, November 13.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Shtip Consultative
meeting between the members and the representative of 
ECMI Regional Office. Skopje, November 17.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional Resource Centre Kumanovo Consultative
meeting between the members and the representative of
ECMI. Regional Office. Skopje, November 21.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional Resource Centre Tetovo Consultative meeting
between the members and the representative of ECMI. Regional
Office Skopje, November 24.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

ECMI Regional Resource Centre Skopje Consultative meeting
between the members and the representative of ECM Regional
Office Skopje, November 26.
http://www.ecmingonet.org.mk/

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3. We introduce� Stabilizing and Improving Relations in Kaliningrad
Oblast, Russian Federation
-------------------------------------------

Stabilizing and Improving Interethnic Relations in Kaliningrad Oblast,
Russian Federation

Aims
The project aims to contribute to the development of civil society in
Kaliningrad region by enhancing the understanding of issues surrounding
migrants and national minorities and their integration into society and
participation in public life. To this end, the project pursues four
distinct avenues: first, to explore the needs of various migrant and
minority groups and to facilitate their dialogue with international,
federal and regional bodies on these issues; second, to encourage the
authorities on various levels to engage constructively with migrant and
minority communities; third, to enable civil society organizations
representing these communities to voice their views and interests
effectively in relation to the government; and fourth, to enhance the
support available from international institutions to this process.

Relevance
During the 1990s, approximately 100 thousand migrants from other regions
of Russia and from CIS countries significantly added to the population
of Kaliningrad region bringing it to 950 thousand. The volume of
migration to Kaliningrad region in recent years has been much higher
than Russia's average. Many migrants have come from regions of
ethnopolitical tension (hence, the term 'forced migrants' is often used)
with negative personal experiences in interethnic relations. At the same
time, information on the newcomers' integration into Kaliningrad's
society remains patchy. Some observers note that newcomers looking for a
permanent residence in the Oblast face political and social
marginalization.

There are more than 90 minority organizations in Kaliningrad region
where more than 100 different ethnic groups are represented, the largest
groups being the Russians (78% of the population), Belorussians (7.7%),
Ukrainians (7.4%), and Lithuanians (1.9%), followed by Armenians,
Germans, Poles, Tatars, Azeris, Jews and others. The potential of these
organizations to foster the cultural identity of their respective groups
and promote stabile interethnic relations is currently not fully
utilized. 

The relevance of this project lies in three principal areas. First, it
undertakes a thorough analysis of pressing issues that so far have not
been analyzed in detail either by scholars or politicians. Second, as a
result of meetings involving international experts, the project will
identify potential practical solutions to migrant and minority-related
problems, such as the integration of migrants in society and civil
participation of minorities. The project will produce concrete
recommendations which minority and migrant organizations can discuss
with authorities and apply in practice. Third, with this project ECMI
aims to maintain a series of meetings on migrant and minority-related
questions in Kaliningrad to follow up on the initial recommendations. 

Project Activities
The first exploratory roundtable was held in Flensburg in June 2001,
attended by senior representatives from the Federal authorities, the
Vice-Governor, political parties, NGOs and migrant organizations. It
generated an agreed text on future action (see ECMI Report # 11). In
2002, three project events were organized in Kaliningrad by ECMI (see
ECMI Report # 30). In 2003, several expert meetings and a project
conference will be organized in the region.

Links with other Institutions
ECMI has been able to draw upon the friendly assistance and cooperation
of the Council of Europe, the Schleswig-Holstein Institute for Peace
Research at the Christian-Albrechts-Universitat in Kiel (SCHIFF) in
relation to this project. In Kaliningrad, ECMI is closely collaborating
with the Kaliningrad Regional Duma, Kaliningrad Administration,
Kaliningrad foundation "Regional Strategy", Kaliningrad Analytical
Centre RIAC and with several non-governmental organizations established
to protect migrants' and minorities' interests. 

Project Personnel
The project is headed by Dr Priit Jarve, ECMI Senior Research Associate.

The following reports on this project can be downloaded at:
http://www.ecmi.de/doc/public_reports.html

ECMI Report #11
ECMI Report #30
ECMI Report #50 

 
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4. News from ECMI Regional Offices
----------------------------------------

ECMI Network for the Improvement of Interethnic Relations in the 
Republic of Macedonia
http://www.ecmingonet.org/mk/

The future strategy of the ECMI NGO Network in Macedonia will include
the strengthening of the network of the six regional centers throughout
the country in order to enhance the capacity of domestic
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to generate joint projects to
benefit all members of their local communities with the active
cooperation of citizens and local government.

This project has been made possible through the generous support by the
Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FRESTA - Secretariat for Peace
and Stability), the British Embassy in Skopje, the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and the Norwegian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

Start of the course for spoken English for the period of 9 weeks at the
ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre Bitola held by Ms. Elizabeth Butman -
University professor in retirement, November 3.

Night Marathon run as part of the celebration of Shtip Liberation Day.
ECMI Regional Centre Shtip participated with a multiethnic team of
runners, November 7.

15 workshops including 325 participants were held as part of the project
"Prevention of underage marriages" at the Medical Centre in Kavadarci,
organized by the Association of Roma from Tikvesh, November 17.

ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centers from Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar,
Bitola, Kumanovo, and Shtip participated with their exhibition stands at
the NGO Fair organized by Macedonian Center for International
Cooperation (MCIC) together with with the Foundation Open Society
Institute-Macedonia (FOCIM) and the Institute for Sustainable
Communities (ISC), November 20 - 23.

Workshop on NGO Code of Conduct at the ECMI Regional NGO Resource Centre
Shtip for its members, November 26.

Workshop on Identification of Community Needs at the ECMI Regional NGO
Resource Centre Shtip for its members, November 27. 

Meeting of the ECMI Network Coordinative Body, December 1.

ECMI NGO Network Macedonia General Assembly, December 10.

Joint Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and ECMI Conference "Minorities In
Democracies" to be held at the South Eastern European University.
Tetovo, December 12.

Open forum on interethnic relations in Gostivar to be held at the ECMI
Regional NGO resource Centre Gostivar, organized by all of its member
organizations.

ECMI Kosovo / a Civil Society Project
http://www.ecmi.kos.org/

The ECMI Kosovo/a Civil Society Project is a unique institution in
Kosovo. There exists no other standing interethnic forum where public
policy is evaluated and debated and where recommendations for
alternative Policies are devised. Through the mechanism of the Standing
Technical Working Group (STWG) and its constituent Expert Committees,
the project has established channels for effective civil society
influence in relation to the policy-making bodies in Kosovo.

This project is supported by the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (Secretariat for Peace and Stability / FRESTA), the German
Foreign Ministry (Stability Pact Fund), the Swedish Foreign Ministry,
and the Swiss Foreign Ministry. Two additional training events were
sponsored by the UK Westminster Foundation for Democracy. ECMI
gratefully acknowledges their generous support.

Standing Technical working Group, Study visit and Training at the Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Warsaw, November 10-14.

Standing Technical Working and Expert Committees - Annual Evaluation and
Review, First week of December.
 
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5. New acquisitions in the ECMI Library
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McGonagle, Tarlach, Bethany Davis Noll and Monroe Price (2003). 
Minority-Language Related Broadcasting and legislation in the OSCE.
Amsterdam: Institute for Information Law, University of Amsterdam, 515
pp.

This study was commissioned by the OSCE High Commissioner for National
Minorities (HCNM). It reports on the basic regulations of
minority-related broadcasting of the 55 participating States of the
OSCE. Specificially, the study surveys State practice with regard to (1)
whether there are any stipulated quotas on the use of language as a
vehicle of broadcasting (both for publicly and privately-owned and run
broadcasters); amd (2) whether there is any accommodation (such as
specifically allotted time, bands, financial support) for minority
language broadcasting.

This study is also available online, at:

http://www.ivir.nl/index-english.html

http://ecmidb.aboutmedia.de/

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We hope you have enjoyed this thirty-first issue of the ECMI Newsletter,
and we hope you will remember to tell interested colleagues about it.

If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement of this
newsletter, please contact William McKinney at:
mckinney@ecmi.de