By Marek Antoni Nowicki, Ombudsperson of Kosovo The Ombudsperson column, „Off the Record, “ is published every second Friday. Please send your comments to: ombudspersonkosovo@ombudspersonkosovo. org
Recently several people made a point of remarking to me: „If I was a minority, you would have a different attitude. You would be able to fix my problem immediately. “ What gives certain people the impression now that perhaps the minority communities are occasionally receiving more attention or are disproportionately being favoured by institutions in Kosovo? The following example may help provide a possible answer to that question: Recently an Albanian family asked me for help with the issue of the reconstruction of their home that was destroyed in 1999. They had approached the municipality several times on the matter. The most recent response they received was essentially: Go away. The only money available is to reconstruct Serbian houses in order to repair the wounds of March 2004. By now, the first assessment of the Standards for Kosovo has been completed, even if it is not yet published. Of course it is very important to speak about minorities, not only in the context of such Standards, because the level of development in a society can be gauged effectively by the level of protection and freedoms enjoyed by minority communities. In other words, show how Kosovo ably protects them and the international community will acknowledge how politically and socially „healthy“ your Kosovo is. It could also serve to confirm the level of sincerity of the Kosovo political leaders who are dealing with minority questions and could refute certain doubts sometimes raised in this respect. However, I can’t help but wonder if such efforts to demonstrate support for the minority communities, after reaching a critical point, run the risk of being considered counterproductive given the examples I have already mentioned? While making efforts to prepare a proper place for minority communities and to assure conditions for them, the government must not at the same time overlook the general life hardships suffered by a large part of the population, namely the Albanians. Otherwise, paradoxically, it could be perceived by the majority population that they themselves are the marginalized in society and that their problems are put aside and viewed as less important in the „Standards before Status“ process. Having said this, it stands to reason that the government and people of Kosovo should support all efforts to convince minorities that there is a rightful place for them in society and not merely live as the second-class. For this reason, it is paramount to maintain a balance with the messages communicated to the general public, whether it is with politicians’ words or the manner in which public institutions interface practically with the population. All members of society should participate in the process of achieving the stated goal — Kosovo for everyone. The observer could have the skewed impression that there is not a great deal more work to be done to improve overall minority issues, other than for Serbs. Need I mention that it is not only a question of the Serbs, but of all non-Albanian communities, whose needs are already too frequently overlooked? What political or symbolic support is there for the Roma or Gorani communities? This is not to say that there are not any visible efforts to accommodate the needs of minority communities. New official signs and placards are currently being erected throughout the region in the official languages of Kosovo, important because it acknowledges a sense of and respect for tradition, culture and historical roots. But what value is this exercise if the people who have been living in these cities and villages for centuries cannot return home or travel freely enough throughout the province in order to read them? What does it mean to protect minorities? Good laws can be promulgated and special programs can be designed, but if there is no social will to adopt these changes in everyday life then there is little perspective to alter the dismal status quo. If the majority of people are unwilling to accept minorities, then they are, at the same time, saying they do not accept them as human beings deserving of the same rights and privileges that they themselves are supposed enjoy. It is time to start thinking of people for who they are, as people. Thinking exclusively along ethnic lines has produced disastrous results in the world around us. As important as it is to change city signs and the name plates on ministries, when it comes to engaging Kosovo’s minority communities, the issue of returns cannot be sidestepped. There are still thousands of internally displaced persons unable to live in their homes, not only after March 2004, but also since 1999. When the discussion centers on creating proper conditions or guaranteeing rights, all the while excluding the significant population of say Serbs, Roma, and Ashkali internally displaced persons living inside and outside of Kosovo, the attempt at creating a viable space for communities is put into question. Nor can the returns issue be genuinely raised when it is selectively applied to the obvious minorities while at the same time little is being done for the considerable number of Albanians displaced from their homes in North Mitrovica. Recent efforts to encourage returns, even if appreciated, do not answer the basic question: Return to where? Nor dos it answer questions of safety concerns in order to make such an offer in the first place. Is the society at large able to create a meaningful space for these communities in a situation in which nearly everyone is struggling? It is natural in difficult times to see a widespread attitude of self-preservation, looking out for one’s own family and community in order to survive. So many here are tired, hungry, and poor, but it cannot serve as an excuse for a situation in which the first to suffer in these conditions are mainly the minorities. Certainly in Kosovo relations are further hindered by the many open wounds, which do not help to change people’s attitudes. At the same time, is the majority population going to sit at the table and force the minority communities to stand back until their legs collapse from under them? Or will people here understand that in a situation in which there are only two seats and there are three people, everyone will have to be a little uncomfortable in order to accommodate those who want and need to sit at the table? This is the challenge, but at the same time, it is exactly the Standard. What does Kosovo have to offer Europe in the future if its inhabitants do not see simply a human walking towards them on the street, but a Serb, Roma, Ashkali, or Albanian? Move away from a tribal outlook typical of pre-modern societies, it indicates a society on the defensive which views the „other“ as a risk or threat. Without such a transition and general change in the public’s attitude, Kosovo’s new bi-lingual city signs will continued to be graffiti-d and stickered over. Text abow is the latest piece from the Kosovo Ombudsperson published in Koha Ditore, Danas, SRNA news agency and Le Courrier des Balkans today.
