On December 12, 2008, the Forum of Tuzla Citizens, CBM and CCSD organized the round table titled “Practical Problems of Life in North and South Mitrovica”.
The round table is part of the project activities of the Forum of Tuzla Citizens and it is the final activity planned for 2008 within the project “How to Reach Truth?” which is supported by the partner organization “IKV Pax Christi” from the Netherlands.
The main aim of the project is:
- to ensure stabile foundation for building of peaceful, non-conflict and prosperitive future of the people and states of Western Balkans through facing with the past (focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Kosovo)
The aim of the round table was to analyze practical problems of life in Mitrovica from the perspective of the local politicians, representatives of the religious communities, media, organizations of civil society and citizens. Besides the participants from Mitrovica, the invitations for participation in the work of the round table were sent to the guests from other parts of Kosovo, as well from the neighboring countries.
Kosovo is a newly established state, recently recognized by the UN. However, Republic of Serbia has not recognized Kosovo since Kosovo was territorial part of Serbia. Therefore, the official policy of Serbia is that Kosovo is still part of its territory. Furthermore, most of the UN state-members have recognized Kosovo as independent state, however not all of them, including Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is important to emphasize these facts in order to understand fully the situation and the ambient in which the round table was held, although in form it was more the informal meeting of two ethnic groups in Mitrovica.
Shortly, political and security situation in Kosovo, particularly in Mitrovica, seen by the FTC representatives that travelled to the round table and preparation meetings is as follows:
- The round table was held in the southern part of Mitrovica, in the Palace hotel, situated by the road to Pristina, therefore not in the centre of the town. The total of 35 participants participated, 12 of them were transported by the OSCE from the northern part of Mitrovica (the part controlled by Serb community, as they say it), escorted by KFOR. This was the first meeting in 2008. Prior to this meeting, they officially met only once and there were several individual meetings. The Mayor of Mitrovica Municipality, Mr Bajram Rexhepi, was also present.
- According to the FTC’s associate during the organization of the round table and media reports, there are constant provocations such as firing from time to time. If a returnee decides to return to his/her house, and it is placed at the “wrong” side, there is some firing the same night and the returnee with his family leaves the house. Ordinary citizens do not go from one part to the other part of Mitrovica, except those involved in different criminal activities, who have very good connections and who are very well organized.
- The entrance to Kosovo speaks for itself. First, you have to go through Serbian checkpoint where situation is not pleasant at all. That is also the barrier for Albanians who want to leave Kosovo at the north, since they do not neither have IDs nor Serbian license plates (Albanians have their own IDs and license plates of the new state, which is not recognized by Serbia). We, as the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, passed with Bosnian IDs although the checking lasted way too long. Then, there is official border crossing to Kosovo which is secured by the international police forces (KFOR) and Kosovars (we have not noticed any Serbs among them). We again passed with Bosnian IDs, although Bosnia and Herzegovina has not recognized Kosovo as independent state, and it would be logical that they asked for our passports. Travelling from north to south, it is obvious that Serbs are living on this territory and that it is under the control of Republic of Serbia. Then we came to the northern part of Mitrovica, which is still called Kosovska Mitrovica by the Serbs. Then there is separation zone, which is held by Albanians and they also check the passengers. That is psychological barrier for Serbs from the north, who do not dare to travel alone.
- Recent events after our departure from Mitrovica: several days before New Year’s Eve, a young man, aged 15, was stabbed at the famous bridge between northern and southern part of Mitrovica. Serbs answered immediately by fire from automatic weapons from the nearby skyscrapers. Just after the New Year, in the neutral zone, a female journalist of Albanian origin was wounded.
Conclusion:
Very unstable security situation without communication between ordinary citizens from both ethnic communities. There is no political will for dialogue, which is directed from Belgrade and Pristina. The situation is as it was in BiH in 1996, even worse. International forces have not entered completely with their forces (EULEX) and capital.
The preparations for the round table were done in such conditions. Our contact persons were Ms. Valdete Idrizi (CBM) from southern part of Mitrovica and Mr Momcilo Arlov, representative of CCSD from northern part of Mitrovica. Their participation was provided during Mr Sehic’s preparation visits to Kosovo. The implementation of the round table would not be possible without assistance of both organizations although it was questionable all the time due to often incidents in Mitrovica (armed incidents). Even though the level of organization of both non-governmental organizations is more or less at the same level, with many improvisations, they should be praised for their efforts and at the first place – their courage to take part in this event. Of course, there is a limit, it was agreed not to invite media to this event for the security reasons – to avoid possible provocations and other inconveniences for the younger participants (and most of them were young). Their politicians tend to proclaim any kind of such reconciling dialogue as betrayal act. Transportation for the participants from the north (Serbs) was organized by the OSCE and escort was provided by KFOR, which were present all the time and the duration of the meeting was limited by them (between 11:00 and 14:00). They wanted to finish everything, including return to northern part of Mitrovica, until dusk.
The list of participants:
1. Valdete Idrizi - CBM
2. Momcilo Arlov - CCSD
3. Bajram Rexhepi – the Mayor of Mitrovica Municipality
4. Vehid Sehic – FTC
5. Sanja Lazarevic – JAZAS (The Youth of Serbia)
6. Miodrag Pantovic – CCSD
7. Lazar Ampovski – CCSD
8. Milan Smikic – a pupil
9. Fjolla Spanca – KRM
10. Blagica Radovanovic – Santa Marija (Zvecan)
11. Verica Ilic – Zdravlje (Health) – Kosovska Mitrovica
12. Vetone Veliu – CBM
13. Fahrije Kabashi – CBM
14. Miodrag Savic – CIP
15. Momcilo Vojinovic – NGO Svet andjela (The World of Angels) Kosovska Mitrovica
16. Kushtrim Koliqi – Integra Pristina
17. Aferdita Syla – M-magazine
18. Mirjana Vojvodic – OGI Nis
19. Milica Rodic – Fraktal Beograd
20. Skender Idrizi – Viprint Mitrovica
21. Ivo Gjokiq - Mitrovica
22. Milos Drazevic – CBM
23. Fadil Miftari – MMT/analyst
24. Jelena Dabetic – DEA – Kosovska Mitrovica
25. Zeljko Vranisic – Contact Radio Plus – Kosovska Mitrovica
26. Ali Ahmeti – OJA PEP, Mitrovica
27. Yiberina Hajrullahu – Student – Mitrovica
28. Florije Ademi – Kosovalive – Mitrovica
29. Nexhmedin Spahiu – RTV Mitrovica
30. Izedin Krasniqi – Gazeta
31. Bonny David – French KFOR
32. Grosjean Didier - French KFOR
33. Hana Emini - French KFOR
34. Wientke (?) Rivpestein – IKV Pax Christi
35. Mathieu Hermans – IKV Pax Christi
36. Ermin Mustačević – FTC
37. Mira Mišić Jugović – FTC
At the beginning of the round table, the participants were welcomed by Ms. Valdete Idrizi and Mr Momcilo Avrilov and then the Mayor of Mitrovica Municipality, Mr Bajram Rexhepi, addressed the participants.
Mr Rexhepi, the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, strongly supported this dialogue and stated the politicians as bad example. He said: “As far as politics is concerned we are a bad example. I place myself into that group of people although I think slightly different from other politicians. I think that we are the realistic obstacle for people to establish a good contact”. The basic lines of very inspiring speech of Mr Rexhepi are:
- “I do not insist and I do not want to make you love each other. But, to begin, there should be a mutual respect and I, as a Mayor, promise you that I will support you as much as I can. You can take me as a member of the civil society although I am here as “the representative of the authorities”.
- “I always support ideas that lead us towards inter-ethnic dialogue and I will be a barrier between those who will try to obstruct the internal dialogue.”
- “If someone accuses you, I personally will stand up for you”.
Mr Vehid Sehic as a moderator also addressed the participants explaining why FTC decided to hold the round table in Mitrovica. As the basic reason Sehic stated the solidarity with the people who are going through the phase of their life that we, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, unfortunately, also went through. “The solidarity lacks, since we forget each other, both within the communities that we live in and in our neighborhood. The second reason is that 2009 will be proclaimed a year of the Western Balkans or a year of the eastern Europe and I believe that we should have a different role in creation of different ambient of life in this region”, emphasized Sehic.
After a short break, the discussion started, but due to the limited time and many participants who wanted to say something there was no sufficient time. We would like to emphasize one of the first participants who spoke, Mr Ali Ahmeti, who strongly supported the dialogue, but also expressed his concerns that the meeting should not turn into a polite event, without conclusions. He said: “Our citizens expect a lot from us as representatives of the civil society that is just being created”. He also stated the problem related to the place of holding of the event, since none of the similar events until now, and there were not so many, has held in the northern part of Mitrovica. According to Mr Ahmeti, that is not a good message. Speaking about language, he said that although he comes from the younger generation, he knows the Serbian language and believes that his colleagues Serbs also know the Albanian language enough and therefore, interpreters and translation equipment are not needed. The representative of the Serbian community (Mr Momcilo Avrilov) replied and said that although some Serbs know a bit of Albanian, that is not sufficient for sufficient discussion and they are afraid that they would be misunderstand. Related to the holding of the event in the northern part of Mitrovica, Mr Avrilov said that there is fear of physical attack on his Albanian colleagues and therefore they do not dare to organize something like that and take the responsibility.
The discussion went on in expressing of opinions and attitudes. There is strong desire for common work and permanent dialogue that should decrease tensions and prejudices created by the older generations, as younger participants said. According to their opinion, the year of 2009 should be proclaimed as a year of the dialogue in Mitrovica and in Kosovo. Participants in their short discussions very often presented their experiences overburden with prejudices that were melting when they would come to the “other” side and in the presence of their neighbors and realized that they share the same opinion as their colleagues, both Albanians and Serbs. They all agree that Belgrade and Pristina policies are the main obstacle for normalization of the relations. Serbs from the northern part are ready to look for professor of the Albanian language who would teach all interested in order to overcome the language barrier.
In his short address, Mr Mathieu Hermans said that he sees a group of Europeans and they should all understand and say – yes, we are Europeans and we are all inhabitants of the same city – Mitrovica. “We need people like you, who have the will to go towards the future in order to solve the problems among already existing societies”, emphasized Mr Hermans, adding that “civil society should give a strong signal that you want to go ahead and that you want to overcome the problems and to go towards better future”.
Finally, Ms. Valdete Idrizi summarized presented opinions:
1. The year of 2009 should be proclaimed a year of dialogue, establishment of trust among the citizens and struggle against imposed prejudices about enmity between Serbs and Albanians
2. To hold one or two events in January and February 2009 in order to make a joint platform, declaration, which will define the range of work and aims in 2009
3. NGOs from Mitrovica, as representatives of civil society from whom citizens except a lot, should be officially in the network and strengthen themselves in that way
4. To establish music pop and rock school in Mitrovica at the territory acceptable for all, such as Bosnjacka mahala, multi-ethnic settlement
5. To start publishing magazine (on three or four pages) that would deal with the youth issues and activities from both parts of Mitrovica and the journalists/editors would be both Serbs and Albanians
6. In the declaration, to seriously consider support to the process of return of both Serbian community to southern Mitrovica, where unfortunately there is no single Serbian family living, and Albanian families in northern part of Mitrovica, who are facing many problems once they returned. Furthermore, to make a pressure on authorities to enable the implementation of the right on private property
7. The declaration should also address the unemployment of young people and weak economic development.
For the end, we would like to pass the key thought said by a young female participant:
Fjolla Spanca: “Past was the one that divided us, I think that future should be the one that gathers us”.
Ermin Mustacevic, Secretary
Forum of Tuzla Citizens
|
