Why the struggle to peace?

In 1999, NATO intervened in Kosovo to avert a humanitarian catastrophe that could have de-stabilised the Balkan region – again.

Visual images of human suffering stirred the politicians, soldiers and aid agencies into action to stop the ethnic cleansing of Kosovar-Albanians by the Yugoslavian army.

The war was over quickly, as NATO troops rapidly subdued the fighting between the Yugoslavian forces and the Kosova Liberation Army.

The province became a protectorate of the UN, administered by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. The multi-national task force, or KFOR, provides protection and security.

But even though the war finished six years ago, the people of Kosovo are still trying to rebuild the peace.

Infrastructure destroyed during the war is still being reconstructed. Water and electricity supplies are erratic. Ethnic tensions threaten daily to spill over into violence.

Focus remains on the internally displaced people of various ethnic backgrounds. They fled their homes and now live in single ethnic communities called enclaves.

There are almost 2 million people in Kosovo most of them (88%) are Kosova-Albanians. Just 200,000 are Serbs and the UN agency for refugees says more than 10% of those live in enclaves.

Ethnicity still keeps people separated and fearful of what another ethnic group might do against them. Protected by KFOR troops, many are afraid to leave their enclave without a military escort.

The enclaves are a constant reminder of the war and why ethnicity could mean the difference between life and death.

While the military provide physical peace, the international non-governmental organisations try to provide emotional peace.

Care International works with the IDPs, trying to return them to their original homes that are usually inhabited by a different single ethnic group.

But forgiving and forgetting such a recent past is difficult, although it is the IDPs that now block the path to peace.

Until they are re-integrated into multi-ethnic life without the need for KFOR protection, the province cannot move on and determine its final status.

But the peace building in Kosovo is set against a wider debate of the roles of the military and international NGOs when delivering humanitarian assistance.

Kosovo was a moral war waged in the name of humanitarianism. However, humanitarian action has traditionally been the domain of the NGOs.

Now the military claim they engage in humanitarian missions and NGOs complain the territorial lines of independence, neutrality and impartiality have become compromised.

As the military juggles the changing roles of defence to humanitarian intervention, NGOs struggle to retain their independence from military forces that are essential for resources, security, and protection.

More importantly, the civilians receiving humanitarian assistance must struggle with vast numbers of foreign troops and aid workers flooding their country to help them.

But the silence of these struggles towards peace and reconciliation in Kosovo is deafening.

Find out more about...

Martin Bell on war, peace and humanity
The Kosovo war
The aid debate
The IDP price of peace
Returning IDPs
KFOR security