KUBO Takuto
Assistant Civil Affairs Officer, Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK)

Background

I would like to explain briefly about the general situation and small arms issues in Kosovo, particularly about Skenderaj (in Serbian name, Srbica) Municipality from the field point of view.

More than two years have past since the end of the conflict, and most of Kosovo is now shifting its effort from the emergency relief phase to the sustainable development or capacity building phase. However, Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality, which is located 50kms north west of capital city Pristina, is still suffering from the devastated effects of the conflict in several ways. Since strong ethnic Albanian nationalism exists there, and it was the motherland of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), infrastructure was completely destroyed by Serb forces during the conflict. Among the 7000 houses, 4000 have completely burnt/destroyed, and only 600 have remained unaffected. Some families are still living under tents and temporary shelter, and the town is suffering from irregular supply of water and electricity. Unemployment rate is more than 90%, and young people who are supposed to build new Kosovo, are just walking up and down the main street whole day.

Most of the population in Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality is ethnic Albanian, which is approximately 72,300. There are two Serb enclaves in the Municipality, and 300 Serbs live there with 24 hours KFOR (Kosovo Force: NATO led multinational military force in Kosovo) protection surrounding the village. There is no freedom of movement at all for the population in enclaves, and they can go shopping once a week with KFOR APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) to the north part of the town called Mitrovica where most of the population is Serb. Although there seems a progress in the relationship between two ethnics, it can be said that ethnic tensions are still high. It is obvious that much more efforts must be done both to improve quality of life, and to promote the reconciliation and coexistence among the ethnic groups.

Small arms situation

Since KLA was founded in the Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality, and this area is famous for strong Albanian nationalism, people have a strong feeling that they should protect themselves with weapons, and that they should keep weapons at home in case another conflict occurs. Some local Albanian people told me, “If KFOR left here, Serbs will attack us again for sure. Then how can we fight with them without weapons?” In conjunction with the Albanian traditional culture of the possession of weapons, it is said that is exists at least one gun in every household.

Attempts to tackle the issue in Kosovo

KFOR mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 requires the maintenance of a safe and secure environment in Kosovo. This mandate allows KFOR, UNMIK-Police and Kosovo Protection Service (KPS) to carryout a variety of operations to search out illegal weapons, which could if allowed to continue to remain in circulation cause a threat to that environment. The operations take 3 basic forms:

1. Check Points: Searches are carried out at check points throughout the province. These include searches carried out on individuals and on vehicles.

2. Search of Residences: KFOR and UNMIK-Police and KPS use specific intelligence to target individuals who are suspected of being in possession of illegal weapons. All searches are carried out to a strict procedure that is designed to protect the rights of the individual in all circumstances. Once the residence has been secured, an inventory of the property is taken, and agreed with the resident, before the search is carried out. Once complete the owner signs to agree that no damage to property was committed.

3. Cordon and Search Operations: Searches over a wider area will inevitably require a greater degree of control and more soldiers may be call upon to secure the area immediately around the search site. This type of operation is generally used in open or remote areas, but the same procedures are used for searches carried out within property.

Since 4 June 2001, about 1350 rifles, 500 pistols, 65 support weapons have been collected by KFOR and UNMIK Police through out Kosovo by those searches up to 15 January 2002.

Source: French KFOR CIMIC, Skenderaj/Srbica

During the weapon amnesty programme in May 2001, a total of 843 rifles, 124 pistols, 196 support weapons, 48 anti tanks, 14 rockets/missiles, 339 grenades/mines and 97,788 ammunitions were surrendered to KFOR/UNMIK. Despite the success of this weapon amnesty programme, it is estimated that a huge quantity of illegal arms still exists in all parts of Kosovo.

Obstacles

It seems that one of the main obstacles to tackle the illegal small arms issue is widely shared bitter memory of the recent conflict. Tension between ethnic Albanians and Serbs are still high, and there are hatred, anger, and deep sorrow caused by the killings during the conflict. Many Albanians think that they should possess weapons in order to against further aggression by Serbs, after more than two years since the end of the conflict. In other words, there exists lack of trust between ethnic groups which prevents people from giving up their small arms.

A sensitive issue of KLA demilitarization, and illegal arms transfer between Kosovo, Albania, northern Macedonia and southern Serbia are also obstacles for controlling the small arms and light weapons in this region.

Future Prospects

Although the ethnic issue remains unresolved, and much more effort has to be done for improving basic infrastructure, the problem of illegally small arms has to be tackled since it destabilizes the security and society. Although it could be said that current KFOR weapons search measure with enforcement is effective, “voluntary surrender” of small arms by the people must be done to stabilize the society. People should feel that they do not need weapons anymore protect their families, properties, and so on.

As noted above, reconciliation and coexistence is not an easy issue to tackle and there is no quick-fix solution. However, in this municipality, a multiethnic project by UNMIK involving two ethnic communities has begun which contribute the interest of both of the community. Through these kinds of project, relationships between two ethnics will improve gradually, enable them to begin the dialogue, and hopefully enable them to trust each other. UN agencies such as UNDP, UNOPS, UNHCR and NGOs also have been contributing for the reconciliation process of Kosovo through several projects. These may contribute to the stabilization the society. In conjunction with these measures, illegal small arms collection projects can be implemented in Kosovo. They offer benefits for both communities in return for giving up their weapons. It would be similar to the project called “Weapons for Development” which has been implementing by EU and the Government of Japan. It offers sustainable community development as an incentive for voluntary surrender of illegal small arms. In Kosovo, an emphasis on “reconciliation and coexistence” would be noted rather than “development”. International Society should tackle the small arms problems of Kosovo not only as a “security” issue, but also as a part of reconciliation and coexistence process as well as a part of promoting sustainable development.